Two cases of acute chest discomfort and the Central Italy earthquake

PubMed Central

Pannarale, Giuseppe; Torromeo, Concetta; Acconcia, Maria Cristina; Moretti, Andrea; De Angelis, Valentina; Tanzilli, Alessandra; Paravati, Vincenzo; Barillà, Francesco; Gaudio, Carlo

2017-01-01

Abstract We present the cases of two postmenopausal women presenting to our emergency department with acute chest discomfort soon after the Central Italy earthquake. Different diagnoses were made in the two patients. The role of the earthquake as a stressful event triggering diverse chest pain syndromes is discussed. PMID:29744121

A database of the coseismic effects following the 30 October 2016 Norcia earthquake in Central Italy

PubMed Central

Villani, Fabio; Civico, Riccardo; Pucci, Stefano; Pizzimenti, Luca; Nappi, Rosa; De Martini, Paolo Marco; Villani, Fabio; Civico, Riccardo; Pucci, Stefano; Pizzimenti, Luca; Nappi, Rosa; De Martini, Paolo Marco; Agosta, F.; Alessio, G.; Alfonsi, L.; Amanti, M.; Amoroso, S.; Aringoli, D.; Auciello, E.; Azzaro, R.; Baize, S.; Bello, S.; Benedetti, L.; Bertagnini, A.; Binda, G.; Bisson, M.; Blumetti, A.M.; Bonadeo, L.; Boncio, P.; Bornemann, P.; Branca, S.; Braun, T.; Brozzetti, F.; Brunori, C.A.; Burrato, P.; Caciagli, M.; Campobasso, C.; Carafa, M.; Cinti, F.R.; Cirillo, D.; Comerci, V.; Cucci, L.; De Ritis, R.; Deiana, G.; Del Carlo, P.; Del Rio, L.; Delorme, A.; Di Manna, P.; Di Naccio, D.; Falconi, L.; Falcucci, E.; Farabollini, P.; Faure Walker, J.P.; Ferrarini, F.; Ferrario, M.F.; Ferry, M.; Feuillet, N.; Fleury, J.; Fracassi, U.; Frigerio, C.; Galluzzo, F.; Gambillara, R.; Gaudiosi, G.; Goodall, H.; Gori, S.; Gregory, L.C.; Guerrieri, L.; Hailemikael, S.; Hollingsworth, J.; Iezzi, F.; Invernizzi, C.; Jablonská, D.; Jacques, E.; Jomard, H.; Kastelic, V.; Klinger, Y.; Lavecchia, G.; Leclerc, F.; Liberi, F.; Lisi, A.; Livio, F.; Lo Sardo, L.; Malet, J.P.; Mariucci, M.T.; Materazzi, M.; Maubant, L.; Mazzarini, F.; McCaffrey, K.J.W.; Michetti, A.M.; Mildon, Z.K.; Montone, P.; Moro, M.; Nave, R.; Odin, M.; Pace, B.; Paggi, S.; Pagliuca, N.; Pambianchi, G.; Pantosti, D.; Patera, A.; Pérouse, E.; Pezzo, G.; Piccardi, L.; Pierantoni, P.P.; Pignone, M.; Pinzi, S.; Pistolesi, E.; Point, J.; Pousse, L.; Pozzi, A.; Proposito, M.; Puglisi, C.; Puliti, I.; Ricci, T.; Ripamonti, L.; Rizza, M.; Roberts, G.P.; Roncoroni, M.; Sapia, V.; Saroli, M.; Sciarra, A.; Scotti, O.; Skupinski, G.; Smedile, A.; Soquet, A.; Tarabusi, G.; Tarquini, S.; Terrana, S.; Tesson, J.; Tondi, E.; Valentini, A.; Vallone, R.; Van der Woerd, J.; Vannoli, P.; Venuti, A.; Vittori, E.; Volatili, T.; Wedmore, L.N.J.; Wilkinson, M.; Zambrano, M.

2018-01-01

We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake that hit central Italy on 30 October 2016. This was one of the strongest seismic events to occur in Europe in the past thirty years, causing complex surface ruptures over an area of >400 km2. The database originated from the collaboration of several European teams (Open EMERGEO Working Group; about 130 researchers) coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. The observations were collected by performing detailed field surveys in the epicentral region in order to describe the geometry and kinematics of surface faulting, and subsequently of landslides and other secondary coseismic effects. The resulting database consists of homogeneous georeferenced records identifying 7323 observation points, each of which contains 18 numeric and string fields of relevant information. This database will impact future earthquake studies focused on modelling of the seismic processes in active extensional settings, updating probabilistic estimates of slip distribution, and assessing the hazard of surface faulting. PMID:29583143

A database of the coseismic effects following the 30 October 2016 Norcia earthquake in Central Italy.

PubMed

Villani, Fabio; Civico, Riccardo; Pucci, Stefano; Pizzimenti, Luca; Nappi, Rosa; De Martini, Paolo Marco

2018-03-27

We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake that hit central Italy on 30 October 2016. This was one of the strongest seismic events to occur in Europe in the past thirty years, causing complex surface ruptures over an area of >400 km 2 . The database originated from the collaboration of several European teams (Open EMERGEO Working Group; about 130 researchers) coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. The observations were collected by performing detailed field surveys in the epicentral region in order to describe the geometry and kinematics of surface faulting, and subsequently of landslides and other secondary coseismic effects. The resulting database consists of homogeneous georeferenced records identifying 7323 observation points, each of which contains 18 numeric and string fields of relevant information. This database will impact future earthquake studies focused on modelling of the seismic processes in active extensional settings, updating probabilistic estimates of slip distribution, and assessing the hazard of surface faulting.

A database of the coseismic effects following the 30 October 2016 Norcia earthquake in Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villani, Fabio; Civico, Riccardo; Pucci, Stefano; Pizzimenti, Luca; Nappi, Rosa; de Martini, Paolo Marco; Villani, Fabio; Civico, Riccardo; Pucci, Stefano; Pizzimenti, Luca; Nappi, Rosa; de Martini, Paolo Marco; Agosta, F.; Alessio, G.; Alfonsi, L.; Amanti, M.; Amoroso, S.; Aringoli, D.; Auciello, E.; Azzaro, R.; Baize, S.; Bello, S.; Benedetti, L.; Bertagnini, A.; Binda, G.; Bisson, M.; Blumetti, A. M.; Bonadeo, L.; Boncio, P.; Bornemann, P.; Branca, S.; Braun, T.; Brozzetti, F.; Brunori, C. A.; Burrato, P.; Caciagli, M.; Campobasso, C.; Carafa, M.; Cinti, F. R.; Cirillo, D.; Comerci, V.; Cucci, L.; de Ritis, R.; Deiana, G.; Del Carlo, P.; Del Rio, L.; Delorme, A.; di Manna, P.; di Naccio, D.; Falconi, L.; Falcucci, E.; Farabollini, P.; Faure Walker, J. P.; Ferrarini, F.; Ferrario, M. F.; Ferry, M.; Feuillet, N.; Fleury, J.; Fracassi, U.; Frigerio, C.; Galluzzo, F.; Gambillara, R.; Gaudiosi, G.; Goodall, H.; Gori, S.; Gregory, L. C.; Guerrieri, L.; Hailemikael, S.; Hollingsworth, J.; Iezzi, F.; Invernizzi, C.; Jablonská, D.; Jacques, E.; Jomard, H.; Kastelic, V.; Klinger, Y.; Lavecchia, G.; Leclerc, F.; Liberi, F.; Lisi, A.; Livio, F.; Lo Sardo, L.; Malet, J. P.; Mariucci, M. T.; Materazzi, M.; Maubant, L.; Mazzarini, F.; McCaffrey, K. J. W.; Michetti, A. M.; Mildon, Z. K.; Montone, P.; Moro, M.; Nave, R.; Odin, M.; Pace, B.; Paggi, S.; Pagliuca, N.; Pambianchi, G.; Pantosti, D.; Patera, A.; Pérouse, E.; Pezzo, G.; Piccardi, L.; Pierantoni, P. P.; Pignone, M.; Pinzi, S.; Pistolesi, E.; Point, J.; Pousse, L.; Pozzi, A.; Proposito, M.; Puglisi, C.; Puliti, I.; Ricci, T.; Ripamonti, L.; Rizza, M.; Roberts, G. P.; Roncoroni, M.; Sapia, V.; Saroli, M.; Sciarra, A.; Scotti, O.; Skupinski, G.; Smedile, A.; Soquet, A.; Tarabusi, G.; Tarquini, S.; Terrana, S.; Tesson, J.; Tondi, E.; Valentini, A.; Vallone, R.; van der Woerd, J.; Vannoli, P.; Venuti, A.; Vittori, E.; Volatili, T.; Wedmore, L. N. J.; Wilkinson, M.; Zambrano, M.

2018-03-01

We provide a database of the coseismic geological surface effects following the Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquake that hit central Italy on 30 October 2016. This was one of the strongest seismic events to occur in Europe in the past thirty years, causing complex surface ruptures over an area of >400 km2. The database originated from the collaboration of several European teams (Open EMERGEO Working Group; about 130 researchers) coordinated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. The observations were collected by performing detailed field surveys in the epicentral region in order to describe the geometry and kinematics of surface faulting, and subsequently of landslides and other secondary coseismic effects. The resulting database consists of homogeneous georeferenced records identifying 7323 observation points, each of which contains 18 numeric and string fields of relevant information. This database will impact future earthquake studies focused on modelling of the seismic processes in active extensional settings, updating probabilistic estimates of slip distribution, and assessing the hazard of surface faulting.

Essential and toxic elements in honeys from a region of central Italy.

PubMed

Meli, M A; Desideri, D; Roselli, C; Benedetti, C; Feduzi, L

2015-01-01

Levels of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in several types of honey produced in a region of Central Italy were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The degree of humidity, sugar content, pH, free acidity, combined acidity (lactones), and total acidity were also measured. These elements were found to be present in honey in various proportions depending upon (1) the area foraged by bees, (2) flower type visited for collection of nectar, and (3) quality of water in the vicinity of the hive. Strong positive correlations occurred between Pb and Hg, Pb and Cd, Pb and Fe, Pb and Cr, Hg and Cd, and Hg and Fe. The honey products synthesized in Central Italy were of good quality, but not completely free of heavy metal contamination. Compared with established recommended daily intakes, heavy metals or trace element intoxication following honey consumption in Italy was found not to be a concern for human health.

Institutional Innovation and Public Extension Services Provision: The Marche Regional Administration Reform in Central Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pascucci, Stefano; De Magistris, Tiziana

2011-01-01

This paper describes how Marche Regional Administration (MRA) introduced an innovative institutional reform of an Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS) in central Italy. In order to study the main features of the MRA reform we used a methodological approach based on three steps: (i) first we applied a desk analysis to sketch the…

Whole-Genome Sequences of Two Listeria monocytogenes Serovar 1/2a Strains Responsible for a Severe Listeriosis Outbreak in Central Italy.

PubMed

Orsini, Massimiliano; Cornacchia, Alessandra; Patavino, Claudio; Torresi, Marina; Centorame, Patrizia; Acciari, Vicdalia Aniela; Ruolo, Anna; Marcacci, Maurilia; Ancora, Massimo; Di Domenico, Marco; Mangone, Iolanda; Blasi, Giuliana; Duranti, Anna; Cammà, Cesare; Pomilio, Francesco; Migliorati, Giacomo

2018-06-14

We report the whole-genome sequences of two Listeria monocytogenes strains responsible for a severe invasive listeriosis outbreak in central Italy that occurred in 2015 and 2016. These two strains differ by a single band in their pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles. Copyright © 2018 Orsini et al.

Italian Renaissance and Hispano-Moresque lustre-decorated majolicas: imitation cases of Hispano-Moresque style in central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

An investigation was carried out on Renaissance lustre-decorated majolica shards, found during excavations made in Umbria (central Italy) and defined by experts, on the ground of the surface decoration, as imitations of the Hispano-Moresque style. A comparison between this particular kind of samples, produced in central Italy, and some Hispano-Moresque lustre shards has been performed. The ceramic bodies as well as the lustred surfaces have been analysed by means of several techniques: inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomisation and scanning electron microscopy. By means of XRD analysis the presence of cosalite (Pb2Bi2S5) has been disclosed in the Italian lustre decorations but was not observed in the Hispano-Moresque ones. A hypothesis has been made, considering bismuth as a discriminating element, between lustres produced in central Italy and the Hispano-Moresque ones. We thought that the Italian artisans were able to manage the use of bismuth. Therefore a recipe, quite similar to the one employed by the Spanish artisans, was used by the Italian ceramists if their aim was to imitate the Hispano-Moresque style.

Italian Dermestidae: notes on some species and an updated checklist (Coleoptera)

PubMed Central

Nardi, Gianluca; Háva, Jiří

2013-01-01

Abstract An up-to-date checklist of the Italian Dermestidae is provided. The presence of 95 species in Italy is confirmed, while further 5 species (Dermestes (Dermestes) vorax Motschulsky, 1860, Thorictuspilosus Peyron, 1857, T. wasmanni Reitter, 1895, Attagenus (Attagenus) simonis Reitter, 1881 and Globicornis (G.) breviclavis (Reitter, 1878)) and 1 subspecies (A. (A.) tigrinus pulcher Faldermann, 1835) are excluded from the Italian fauna. Attagenus (Attagenus) calabricus Reitter, 1881 and A. (A.) lobatus Rosenhauer, 1856 are for the first time recorded from Abruzzi and Tuscany respectively; A. (A.) silvaticus Zhantiev, 1976 is recorded for the first time from mainland Italy (Apulia); Anthrenus (Anthrenus) angustefasciatus Ganglbauer, 1904 is new to northern Italy (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), central Italy (Tuscany), Apulia and Basilicata; A. (A.) munroi Hinton, 1943 is new to central Italy (Elba Island); A. (A.) delicatus Kiesenwetter, 1851 is for the first time recorded from Apulia; Globicornis (Globicornis) fasciata (Fairmaire & Brisout de Barneville, 1859) is new to southern Italy (Basilicata); G. (Hadrotoma) sulcata (C.N.F. Brisout de Barneville, 1866) is for the first time recorded from central Italy (Abruzzi), Campania and Sicily, whileTrogoderma inclusum LeConte, 1854 is new to Apulia. Seven species (Dermestes (Dermestes) peruvianus Laporte de Castelnau, 1840, D. (Dermestinus) carnivorus Fabricius, 1775, D. (Dermestinus) hankae Háva, 1999, D. (Dermestinus) intermedius intermedius Kalík, 1951, D. (Dermestinus) szekessyi Kalík, 1950, Anthrenus (Anthrenops) coloratus Reitter, 1881 and Trogodermaangustum (Solier, 1849)) recently recorded from Italy (without further details) are discussed. The lectotype and a paralectotype are designated forAttagenus (A.) calabricus Reitter, 1881 from Calabria. Attagenus pellio (Linnaeus, 1758) var. pilosissimus Roubal, 1932 is removed from synonymy with A. (A.) pellio and recognized as a valid species (stat. prom.); it is known from Lombardy, Apulia and Calabria. PMID:24363591

[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 setting (81.84% 53.30% and 94.72%, respectively) and requested by hospital urologists (70.26%; 52.88% and 67.95%, respectively). Total PSA was the most frequent test for diagnosis (503 out of 2,047 procedures) and follow-up (782 out of 3,351 procedures), as well as bone scan was for staging (337 out of 1,023 procedures). As far as drug therapy is concerned, LHRH-analogue was the most prescribed drug (227 patients). Surgery (lymphoadenectomy: 9; orchidectomy: 20; urinary outlet dysobstruction: 51; prostatectomy: 104) was performed in 179 patients; 5 out of 179 patients underwent more than one surgical intervention. Radiotherapy (338 sessions) was undertaken in 15 out of 411 patients. Cost of managing patient with PC during the first year after diagnosis in Italy could be reduced by increasing outpatient procedures and decreasing post-surgery hospital stay. Our research may hopefully foster further empirical studies on the health economics of PC in our country.

Enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68) in pediatric patients with respiratory infection: The circulation of a new B3 clade in Italy.

PubMed

Piralla, Antonio; Principi, Nicola; Ruggiero, Luca; Girello, Alessia; Giardina, Federica; De Sando, Elisabetta; Caimmi, Silvia; Bianchini, Sonia; Marseglia, Gian Luigi; Lunghi, Giovanna; Baldanti, Fausto; Esposito, Susanna

In recent years, several outbreaks due to Enterovirus D-68 (EV-D68) have been reported, and it was confirmed that the virus can cause upper and lower respiratory tract diseases and be associated with the development of neurological problems. The main aim of this research was to study the genetic characteristics of EV-D68 strains that were circulating in Italy identified during an outbreak of an EV-D68 infection that occurred in Italy during the period March-October 2016. A retrospective study of the circulation of different types and subtypes of EV-D68 was performed. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from March 2016 through October 2016 in children admitted to the Emergency Room with respiratory diseases. Among 390 children, 22 (59.1% males; mean age 47 months) were found to be infected by EV-D68 and most of them were immunocompetent (72.7%). Pneumonia was diagnosed in 12 (54.5%) children. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 region showed that all the strains identified in this study belonged to clade B3. Within B3 subclade, the Italian EV-D68 strains were most closely related to strains detected in Southern China in 2015 as well as to strains detected in US and the Netherlands in 2016. These results showed that EV-D68 infections are a common cause of lower respiratory illness in pediatric age. The circulation of one EV-D68 lineage has been proven in Italy and in the European region during 2016. However, further studies are required to investigate whether some strains or lineages may possess a higher affinity for the lower airway or central nervous system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

The Macroseismic Intensity Distribution of the 30 October 2016 Earthquake in Central Italy (Mw 6.6): Seismotectonic Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galli, Paolo; Castenetto, Sergio; Peronace, Edoardo

2017-10-01

The central Italy Apennines were rocket in 2016 by the strongest earthquakes of the past 35 years. Two main shocks (Mw 6.2 and Mw 6.6) between the end of August and October caused the death of almost 300 people, and the destruction of 50 villages and small towns scattered along 40 km in the hanging wall of the N165° striking Mount Vettore fault system, that is, the structure responsible for the earthquakes. The 24 August southern earthquake, besides causing all the casualties, razed to the ground the small medieval town of Amatrice and dozens of hamlets around it. The 30 October main shock crushed definitely all the villages of the whole epicentral area (up to 11 intensity degree), extending northward the level of destruction and inducing heavy damage even to the 30 km far Camerino town. The survey of the macroseismic effects started the same day of the first main shock and continued during the whole seismic sequence, even during and after the strong earthquakes at the end of October, allowing the definition of a detailed picture of the damage distribution, day by day. Here we present the results of the final survey in terms of Mercalli-Cancani-Sieberg intensity, which account for the cumulative effects of the whole 2016 sequence (465 intensity data points, besides 435 related to the 24 August and 54 to the 26 October events, respectively). The distribution of the highest intensity data points evidenced the lack of any possible overlap between the 2016 earthquakes and the strongest earthquakes of the region, making this sequence a unique case in the seismic history of Italy. In turn, the cross matching with published paleoseismic data provided some interesting insights concerning the seismogenic behavior of the Mount Vettore fault in comparison with other active normal faults of the region.

Interregional comparison of karst disturbance: west-central Florida and southeast Italy.

PubMed

North, Leslie A; van Beynen, Philip E; Parise, Mario

2009-04-01

The karst disturbance index (KDI) consists of 31 environmental indicators contained within the five broad categories: geomorphology, hydrology, atmosphere, biota, and cultural. The purpose of this research is to apply the KDI to two distinct karst areas, west Florida, USA, and Apulia, Italy. Through its application, the utility of the index can be validated and other important comparisons can be made, such as differences in the karst legislations implemented in each region and the effect of time exposure to human occupation to each karst terrain. Humans have intensively impacted the karst of southeast Italy for thousands of years compared to only decades in west-central Florida. However, west-central Florida's higher population density allows the region to reach disturbance levels comparable to those reached over a longer period in Apulia. Similarly, Italian karst is more diverse than the karst found in west-central Florida, creating an opportunity to test all the KDI indicators. Overall, major disturbances for southeast Italy karst include quarrying, stone clearing, and the dumping of refuse into caves, while west-central Florida suffers most from the infilling of sinkholes, soil compaction, changes in the water table, and vegetation removal. The application of the KDI allows a benchmark of disturbance to be established and later revisited to determine the changing state of human impact for a region. The highlighting of certain indicators that recorded high levels of disturbance also allows regional planners to allocate resources in a more refined manner.

Imprint of Rupture Directivity From Ground Motions of the 24 August 2016 Mw6.2 Central Italy Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yefei; Wang, Hongwei; Wen, Ruizhi

2017-12-01

An Mw6.2 earthquake occurred in Central Italy on 24 August 2016. The objective of this study was to reveal the imprint of rupture directivity using the strong motion recordings. The strong motion stations were separated into two groups: southeast (SE) and northwest (NW). The effects of rupture directivity on the peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), and pseudo spectral acceleration (PSA) were investigated. The observed values of these parameters were compared with predicted values derived from ground motion prediction equations. The results showed that the residuals between the observed and predicted PGAs, PGVs, and PSAs at periods of T < 1 s were correlated significantly with azimuth angle and generally larger in the NW sector, reflecting that the observed PGAs, PGVs, and short-period PSAs in the NW sector were generally larger than observed in the SE sector. These phenomena are accordant with the theoretical law that the rupture directivity causes higher amplitudes in the forward direction compared with the backward direction. Finally, selected source rupture parameters were inverted using PGAs and PGVs. This revealed that the rupture was predominantly unilateral rupture, the major rupture was likely at an azimuth of 360°, and the length of the major rupture was proportional to 70%-100% of the total ruptured fault, confirming that rupture directivity caused the differences in the ground motions observed in the SE and NW sectors.

High-temperature rapid pyrometamorphism induced by a charcoal pit burning: The case of Ricetto, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capitanio, Flavio; Larocca, Francesco; Improta, Salvatore

Bulk chemistry and mineralogy of the peculiar rock of Ricetto (Carseolani Mts., Central Apennines, Italy) was studied to resolve its controversial origin: igneous dyke or anthropic product. This hybrid rock consists of a colorless, felsic component made up of glass plus quartz, and a brown, femic component made up of fans and spherulites of diopside, calcic plagioclase, wollastonite, and melilite. Textural relationships indicate very rapid cooling and immiscibility phenomena. The bulk chemistry of the rock is the same as that of the surrounding siliciclastic sandstone. The 14C analysis of a coal fragment from bottom of the body yields the conventional age of 227(+/-50) years. The Ricetto occurrence is an example of pyrometamorphism of a siliceous limestone induced by a charcoal pit burning. The small size of the heat source at Ricetto caused an intense but short-lived melting of the country rock. Prograde metamorphism caused a temperature increase up to 1,000-1,100 °C when melilite crystallization conditions were reached at appreciable P(CO2) and high f(O2). Melting occurred in a close system represented by the simplified equation: 3Cal+16.5Qtz+Ms+Bt-->Mel+Melt+2H2O+3CO2+0.5O2. Diopside+calcic plagioclase+wollastonite formed by melilite breakdown during rapid cooling, through the reaction: 6Mel+6Qtz+0.5O2-->3Di+2An+7Wo. Liquid immiscibility caused the separation between the felsic melt component and the femic melilite-bearing component. Immiscibility was characterized by different fractionation of alumina and alkalies between these two phases. Differences in bulk, glass, and mineral chemistry between the Ricetto and other melilite-bearing pyrometamorphic rocks can be attributed mainly to different protoliths.

Chemical analysis of essential oils from different parts of Ferula communis L. growing in central Italy.

PubMed

Maggi, Filippo; Papa, Fabrizio; Dall'Acqua, Stefano; Nicoletti, Marcello

2016-01-01

Ferula communis is a showy herbaceous plant typical of the Mediterranean area where it is used as a traditional medicine. The plant is a source of bioactive compounds such as daucane sesquiterpenes and prenylated coumarins. In Italy, most of phytochemical studies focused on Sardinian populations where poisonous and nonpoisonous chemotypes were found, while investigations on peninsular populations are scarce. In this work, we report the chemical characterisation of the essential oils obtained from different parts of F. communis growing in central Italy. The chemical profiles of the plant parts, as detected by GC-FID and GC-MS, were different from each other and from those reported in insular populations. Notably, α-pinene (10.5%), γ-terpinene (7.6%) and hedycariol (8.4%) were the major volatile constituents in flowers; α-pinene (55.9%), β-pinene (16.8%) and myrcene (5.9%) in fruits; β-eudesmol (12.1%), α-eudesmol (12.1%) and hedycariol (10.3%) in leaves; (E)-β-farnesene (9.5%), β-cubebene (8.2%) and (E)-caryophyllene (7.2%) in roots. The volatile profiles detected did not allow to classify the investigated central Italy population into the poisonous and nonpoisonous chemotypes previously described in Sardinia.

Using remote sensing to predict earthquake impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fylaktos, Asimakis; Yfantidou, Anastasia

2017-09-01

Natural hazards like earthquakes can result to enormous property damage, and human casualties in mountainous areas. Italy has always been exposed to numerous earthquakes, mostly concentrated in central and southern regions. Last year, two seismic events near Norcia (central Italy) have occurred, which led to substantial loss of life and extensive damage to properties, infrastructure and cultural heritage. This research utilizes remote sensing products and GIS software, to provide a database of information. We used both SAR images of Sentinel 1A and optical imagery of Landsat 8 to examine the differences of topography with the aid of the multi temporal monitoring technique. This technique suits for the observation of any surface deformation. This database is a cluster of information regarding the consequences of the earthquakes in groups, such as property and infrastructure damage, regional rifts, cultivation loss, landslides and surface deformations amongst others, all mapped on GIS software. Relevant organizations can implement these data in order to calculate the financial impact of these types of earthquakes. In the future, we can enrich this database including more regions and enhance the variety of its applications. For instance, we could predict the future impacts of any type of earthquake in several areas, and design a preliminarily model of emergency for immediate evacuation and quick recovery response. It is important to know how the surface moves, in particular geographical regions like Italy, Cyprus and Greece, where earthquakes are so frequent. We are not able to predict earthquakes, but using data from this research, we may assess the damage that could be caused in the future.

Global invasion network of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys.

PubMed

Valentin, Rafael E; Nielsen, Anne L; Wiman, Nik G; Lee, Doo-Hyung; Fonseca, Dina M

2017-08-29

Human mediated transportation into novel habitats is a prerequisite for the establishment of non-native species that become invasive, so knowledge of common sources may allow prevention. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB, Halyomorpha halys) is an East Asian species now established across North America and Europe, that in the Eastern United States of America (US) and Italy is causing significant economic losses to agriculture. After US populations were shown to originate from Northern China, others have tried to source BMSB populations now in Canada, Switzerland, Italy, France, Greece, and Hungary. Due to selection of different molecular markers, however, integrating all the datasets to obtain a broader picture of BMSB's expansion has been difficult. To address this limitation we focused on a single locus, the barcode region in the cytochrome oxidase I mitochondrial gene, and analyzed representative BMSB samples from across its current global range using an Approximate Bayesian Computation approach. We found that China is the likely source of most non-native populations, with at least four separate introductions in North America and three in Europe. Additionally, we found evidence of one bridgehead event: a likely Eastern US source for the central Italy populations that interestingly share enhanced pest status.

C4 -consumers in southern Europe: the case of Friuli V.G. (NE-Italy) during early and central Middle Ages.

PubMed

Iacumin, P; Galli, E; Cavalli, F; Cecere, L

2014-08-01

Isotope variations were studied in necropolises of the early (6th to 7th century CE) and central (10th to 11th century CE) medieval period located in Fruili-Venezia Giulia (Northeastern Italy). The two periods each shortly followed two great barbarian invasions that changed the politics and economy of Italy: the arrivals of Langobards in 578 CE and the Hungarian incursions from the end of the 9th to the first half of the 10th century. These events had a tragic effect on the economy of Friuli-Venezia Giulia: severe depopulation and the partial abandonment of the countryside with fall of agricultural production. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Italy feels the effect of another deadly quake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael

2016-12-01

Using radar data from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites, the European Space Agency has released images showing the devastating effect of the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck central Italy on 30 October - the largest in the country for over three decades.

Towards the application of seismogeodesy in central Italy: a case study for the 2016 August 24 Mw 6.1 Italy earthquake modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kejie; Liu, Zhen; Liang, Cunren; Song, Y. Tony

2018-06-01

Dense strong motion and high-rate Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) networks have been deployed in central Italy for rapid seismic source determination and corresponding hazard mitigation. Different from previous studies for the consistency between two kinds of sensor at collocated stations, here we focus on the combination of high-rate GNSS displacement waveforms with collocated seismic strong motion accelerators, and investigate its application to image rupture history. Taking the 2016 August 24 Mw 6.1 Central Italy earthquake as a case study, we first generate more accurate and longer period seismogeodetic displacement waveforms by a Kalman filter, then model the rupture behaviour through a joint inversion including seismogeodetic waveforms and InSAR observations. Our results reveal that strong motion data alone can overestimate the magnitude and mismatch the GNSS observations, while 1 Hz sampling rate GNSS is insufficient and the displacement is too noisy to depict rupture process. By contrast, seismogeodetic data enhances temporal resolution and maintains the static offsets that provide vital constraint to the reliable estimation of earthquake magnitude. The obtained model is close to the jointly inverted one. Our work demonstrates the unique usefulness of seismogeodesy for fast seismic hazard response.

Historical analysis of rainfall-triggered rockfalls: the case study of the disaster of the ancient hydrothermal Sclafani Spa (Madonie Mts, northern-central Sicily, Italy) in 1851

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contino, Antonio; Bova, Patrizia; Esposito, Giuseppe; Giuffré, Ignazio; Monteleone, Salvatore

2017-12-01

In 1851, the region of Sicily experienced many rainstorm-induced landslides. On 13 March 1851, a rainstorm brought about a severe rockfall disaster near the small town of Sclafani (Madonie Mountains, northern-central Sicily, Italy). Rocks detached from the carbonate crest of Mt Sclafani (813 m above sea level) and fell downslope, causing the collapse of the ancient hydrothermal spa (about 430 m above sea level) and burying it. Fortunately, there were no injuries or victims. Given its geological, geomorphological and tectonic features, the calcareous-dolomitic and carbonate-siliciclastic relief of Mt Sclafani is extremely prone to landsliding. This study combines the findings of detailed geological and geomorphological field surveys and of a critical review of documentary data. A thorough analysis of documentary sources and historical maps made it possible to identify the location (previously unknown) of the ancient spa. The rockfall dynamics was reconstructed by comparing field reconnaissance data and documentary sources. The 1851 event reconstruction is an example of the application of an integrated methodological approach, which can yield a propaedeutic, yet meaningful picture of a natural disaster, paving the way for further research (e.g. slope failure susceptibility, future land-use planning, protection of thermal springs and mitigation of the impact of similar disasters in this area). Indeed, the intensification of extreme weather events, caused by global warming induced by climate change, has increased the risk of recurrence of a catastrophic event, like that of the ancient Sclafani spa, which is always a potential threat.

Perception of occupational risk by rural workers in an area of central Italy.

PubMed

Antonucci, A; Siciliano, E; Ladiana, D; Boscolo, P; Di Sivo, M

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the subjective perception of risks for rural workers in Abruzzo, an area of central Italy. A group of 273 workers were asked to fill in a questionnaire which included, apart from general information, questions relative to six different types of risks normally found in the field of agriculture. The types of risks considered were: falling from a height, manually moving loads, overturning/accident whilst driving an agricultural tractor, noise and vibration, use of pesticides, the risk of being cut/injured. The workers were requested to assess, on a scale of 1 to 3, both the probability of an accident taking place and the consequent damage which could result from each of the risks considered. The assessment of the risks provided by the workers was related to the objective assessment of the risks carried out by the study group, also on the basis of objective data provided by INAIL (Italian insurance company) indexes, to highlight the eventual under/over estimations of risk. Furthermore, the possible correlation was evaluated between having received specific training regarding work safety and the workers perception of the risk. The results showed that approximately 11 percent of the workers do not consider their job as being dangerous; the risk perceived by the workers is higher for accidents that cause an immediate injury compared to those which cause professional illnesses, except the risk deriving from noise/vibrations. A direct correlation was found between the job as being dangerous and having attended courses on accident prevention.

The Central Italy Seismic Sequence (2016): Spatial Patterns and Dynamic Fingerprints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suteanu, Cristian; Liucci, Luisa; Melelli, Laura

2018-01-01

The paper investigates spatio-temporal aspects of the seismic sequence that started in Central Italy (Amatrice, Lazio region) in August 2016, causing hundreds of fatalities and producing major damage to settlements. On one hand, scaling properties of the landscape topography are identified and related to geomorphological processes, supporting the identification of preferential spatial directions in tectonic activity and confirming the role of the past tectonic periods and ongoing processes with respect to the driving of the geomorphological evolution of the area. On the other hand, relations between the spatio-temporal evolution of the sequence and the seismogenic fault systems are studied. The dynamic fingerprints of seismicity are established with the help of events thread analysis (ETA), which characterizes anisotropy in spatio-temporal earthquake patterns. ETA confirms the fact that the direction of the seismogenic normal fault-oriented (N)NW-(S)SE is characterized by persistent seismic activity. More importantly, it also highlights the role of the pre-existing compressive structures, Neogenic thrust and transpressive regional fronts, with a trend-oriented (N)NE-(S)SW, in the stress transfer. Both the fractal features of the topographic surface and the dynamic fingerprint of the recent seismic sequence point to the hypothesis of an active interaction between the Quaternary fault systems and the pre-existing compressional structures.

Prevalence of prelingual deafness in Italy

PubMed Central

Bubbico, L; Rosano, A; Spagnolo, A

2007-01-01

Summary Neonatal hearing loss is the most frequent sensorial congenital defect in newborns. No data are available on worldwide prevalence of congenital deafness. World Health Organization (WHO) data indicate 1-4 cases per 1,000 individuals, with a considerable increase in developing countries. A prevalence exceeding 1 per 1,000 however, indicates a serious public health problem calling for urgent attention. Aim of the study was the evaluate the prevalence of prelingual deafness in the Italian population and determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the condition. Data were provided by the National Institute of Social Insurance (INPS) and the Italian Central Statistics Institute (ISTAT) and were collected in 18 out of the 20 Italian regions (98.2% of total population). All subjects recognized as deaf-mute by a special medical committee were included. According to law No. 509/1988, they had to present a mean bilateral sensorineural-hearing impairment, detected in neonatal age, which caused the damage in speech development and equal to 60 dB or more for 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-Hz frequency tones in the better ear. Prevalence rates were calculated according to region and age bracket using updated population data from census 2001. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical software package. A total of 40,887 cases of prelingual profound sensorineural hearing loss ≥ 60 dB were detected in Italy in 2003, for a total prevalence rate of 0.72 per 1,000. The hearing impairment prevalence differs according to sex. The overall prevalence is 0.78 per 1,000 for males and 0.69 per 1,000 for females (p < 0.001). The hearing impairment prevalence differs according to region of residence (p < 0.001). The geographic distribution of prelingual deafness was found to be: North 15,644 cases (0.63 per 1,000), Central Italy 7,111 cases (0.64 per 1,000), South and Islands 18,132 (0.87 per 1,000). The prelingual hearing loss is highly prevalent in South Italy (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

Astronomical calibration of the middle Eocene Contessa Highway section (Gubbio, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovane, Luigi; Sprovieri, Mario; Coccioni, Rodolfo; Florindo, Fabio; Marsili, Andrea; Laskar, Jacques

2010-09-01

The Eocene climatic system experienced an important transition from warm Paleocene greenhouse to icehouse Oligocene conditions. This transition could first appear as a long-term cooling trend but, at an up-close look, this period is a complex combination of climatic events and, for most of them, causes and consequences are still not fully characterized. In this context, a study has been carried out on the middle Eocene sedimentary succession of the Contessa Highway section, central Italy, which is proposed as the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the Lutetian/Bartonian boundary at the top of the Chron 19n, with an astronomically calibrated age of 41.23 Ma. Through a cyclostratigraphic analysis of the rhythmic sedimentary alternations and combination with the results of time series analysis of the proxy record, we provide an orbital tuning of the middle Eocene and astronomical calibration of the bio-magnetostratigraphic events (particularly for the C19n/C18r Chron boundary) recognized at the Contessa Highway section.

[Health services, morbidity and mortality in the regiment of the Papal Zouaves in Italy (1861-1870)].

PubMed

Guenel, J

1995-01-01

The regiment of the Zouaves pontificaux was formed by young Catholic volunteers, chiefly French, Dutch and Belgian, who enrolled for the defence of the Pontifical State from 1861 to 1870 against the scheme of the United Italy planned by King Victor-Emmanuel II and Garibaldi. For ten years fights were scarce. They only took place in 1867 principally in Mentana and in September 1870 when the papal state was invaded and Rome taken. At first the military medical service in the regiment as in the whole army was rather inadequate except for the central hospital. The ambulances system was based largely upon benevolent people. But the organization improved in 1870. On the whole amongst more than 9,000 enlisted volunteers, 476 died (5%). The causes of death were more often diseases (78%) than injuries. As in all the armies of that time, cholera, smallpox, typhoid fever made a lot of victims. Malaria which still reigned in the Latium was responsible of a large morbidity.

Cows Come Down from the Mountains before the (Mw = 6.1) Earthquake Colfiorito in September 1997; A Single Case Study.

PubMed

Fidani, Cristiano; Freund, Friedemann; Grant, Rachel

2014-06-03

The September-October 1997 seismic sequence in the Umbria-Marche regions of Central Italy has been one of the stronger seismic events to occur in Italy over the last thirty years, with a maximum magnitude of Mw = 6.1. Over the last three years, a collection of evidence was carried out regarding non-seismic phenomena, by interviewing local residents using a questionnaire. One particular observation of anomalous animal behaviour, confirmed by many witnesses, concerned a herd of cows, which descended from a mountain close to the streets of a village near the epicentre, a few days before the main shock. Testimonies were collected using a specific questionnaire including data on earthquake lights, spring variations, human diseases, and irregular animal behaviour. The questionnaire was compiled after the L'Aquila earthquake in 2009, and was based upon past historical earthquake observations. A possible explanation for the cows' behavior-local air ionization caused by stress-activated positive holes-is discussed.

Human tularemia in Italy. Is it a re-emerging disease?

PubMed

D'Alessandro, D; Napoli, C; Nusca, A; Bella, A; Funari, E

2015-07-01

Tularemia is a contagious infectious disease due to Francisiella tularensis that can cause serious clinical manifestations and significant mortality if untreated. Although the frequency and significance of the disease has diminished over the last decades in Central Europe, over the past few years, there is new evidence suggesting that tularemia has re-emerged worldwide. To know the real epidemiology of the disease is at the root of correct control measures. In order to evaluate whether tularemia is re-emerging in Italy, data on mortality and morbidity (obtained by the National Institute of Statistics; ISTAT), Italian cases described in the scientific literature and data concerning hospitalizations for tularemia (obtained by the National Hospital Discharge Database) were analysed. From 1979 to 2010, ISTAT reported 474 cases and no deaths. The overall number of cases obtained from the literature review was at least 31% higher than that reported by ISTAT. Moreover, the number of cases reported by ISTAT was 3·5 times smaller than hospitalized cases. In Italy tularemia is sporadic, rarely endemic and self-limiting; but, although the trend of reported tularemia does not support the hypothesis of a re-emerging disease, the study demonstrates a wide underreporting of the disease. The real frequency of the disease should be carefully investigated and taken into account in order to implement specific prevention measures.

Decentralisation and Interregional Redistribution in the Italian Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrari, Irene; Zanardi, Alberto

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the potential impact of the reform designed to decentralise public education in Italy, currently under discussion, on interregional redistribution. The central government has always played a prominent financial and administrative role in the provision of compulsory education in Italy. This has had a strong…

Italy's Treasures Are in Their Hands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocca, Francis X.

2007-01-01

Each year more than 300 applicants vie for 18 slots at the Central Institute of Restoration, the program responsible for the restoration of many of Italy's greatest works of art, and the training of experts in the repair of objects of artistic and/or cultural significance. Successful candidates must demonstrate knowledge of art history, chemistry,…

Epiphytic lichens as sentinels for heavy metal pollution at forest ecosystems (central Italy).

PubMed

Loppi, Stefano; Pirintsos, Stergios Arg

2003-01-01

The results of a study using epiphytic lichens (Parmelia caperata) as sentinels for heavy metal deposition at six selected forest ecosystems of central Italy are reported. The woods investigated are characterized by holm oak (Quercus ilex), turkey oak (Quercus cerris) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) and represent the typical forest ecosystems of central Italy at low, medium and high elevations, respectively. The results showed that levels of heavy metals in lichens were relatively low and consequently no risk of heavy metal air pollution is expected for the six forest ecosystems investigated. However, for two of them there are indications of a potential risk: the beech forest of Vallombrosa showed signs of contamination by Pb as a consequence of vehicle traffic due to the rather high touristic pressure in the area, and the holm oak forest of Cala Violina showed transboundary pollution by Mn, Cr and Ni originating from the steel industry in Piombino. Epiphytic lichens proved to be very effective as an early warning system to detect signs of a changing environment at forest ecosystems.

Beach litter occurrence in sandy littorals: The potential role of urban areas, rivers and beach users in central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poeta, Gianluca; Conti, Luisa; Malavasi, Marco; Battisti, Corrado; Acosta, Alicia Teresa Rosario

2016-11-01

Litter washed ashore on the coastline, also called beach litter, constitutes one of the most obvious signs of marine litter pollution. Surveys of beach litter represent a fundamental tool for monitoring pollution in the marine environment and have been used world-wide to classify and quantify marine litter. Identifying the sources of marine and beach litter is, together with education, the prime weapon in combating this type of pollution. This work investigates the impact of three main potential land sources on litter occurrence: urban areas, rivers and beach users. Three sources were analyzed simultaneously on a broad scale (Lazio region, central Italy) using a random sampling design and fitting a generalized linear mixed-effect model. The results show that urban areas are the main drivers for the occurrence of marine litter along central Italy's coastal ecosystems, suggesting that the presence of such litter on Lazio beaches could be effectively reduced by identifying failings in recycling and waste collection procedures and by improving waste processing systems and sewage treatment in urban areas.

Quaternary Geology and Surface Faulting Hazard: Active and Capable Faults in Central Apennines, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcucci, E.; Gori, S.

2015-12-01

The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (Mw 6.1), in central Italy, raised the issue of surface faulting hazard in Italy, since large urban areas were affected by surface displacement along the causative structure, the Paganica fault. Since then, guidelines for microzonation were drew up that take into consideration the problem of surface faulting in Italy, and laying the bases for future regulations about related hazard, similarly to other countries (e.g. USA). More specific guidelines on the management of areas affected by active and capable faults (i.e. able to produce surface faulting) are going to be released by National Department of Civil Protection; these would define zonation of areas affected by active and capable faults, with prescriptions for land use planning. As such, the guidelines arise the problem of the time interval and general operational criteria to asses fault capability for the Italian territory. As for the chronology, the review of the international literature and regulatory allowed Galadini et al. (2012) to propose different time intervals depending on the ongoing tectonic regime - compressive or extensional - which encompass the Quaternary. As for the operational criteria, the detailed analysis of the large amount of works dealing with active faulting in Italy shows that investigations exclusively based on surface morphological features (e.g. fault planes exposition) or on indirect investigations (geophysical data), are not sufficient or even unreliable to define the presence of an active and capable fault; instead, more accurate geological information on the Quaternary space-time evolution of the areas affected by such tectonic structures is needed. A test area for which active and capable faults can be first mapped based on such a classical but still effective methodological approach can be the central Apennines. Reference Galadini F., Falcucci E., Galli P., Giaccio B., Gori S., Messina P., Moro M., Saroli M., Scardia G., Sposato A. (2012). Time intervals to assess active and capable faults for engineering practices in Italy. Eng. Geol., 139/140, 50-65.

Climatic and Societal Causes for Abrupt Environmental Change in the Mediterranean During the Common Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mensing, S. A.; Tunno, I.; Sagnotti, L.; Florindo, F.; Noble, P. J.; Archer, C.; Zimmerman, S. R. H.; Pavón-Carrasco, F. J.; Cifnani, G.; Passigli, S.; Piovesan, G.

2015-12-01

We compare climatic and societal causes for abrupt environmental change for the last 2000 years in the Rieti Basin, central Italy using high-resolution sedimentary paleoenvironmental proxies, historical documents, and annually resolved independent climate reconstructions of temperature and precipitation. Pollen zones, identified from temporally constrained cluster analysis, coincide with historic periods developed from well-established ceramic sequences corresponding to the Roman Imperial through Late Antique (1 to 600 CE) Early Medieval (600 to 875 CE), Medieval through Late Medieval (875 to 1400 CE), Renaissance and Modern (1400 to 1725 CE), and Contemporary periods (1725 CE to present). Non-metric dimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination showed that each temporal period occupied a unique ecologic space suggesting that a new landscape was created during each successive historic period. During Roman time, between 1 and 500 CE, a modest decline in forest coincides with a positive phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and drier climate; however mesophyllous forest is preserved. Steep decline in forest cover between 850 and 950 CE coincides with positive temperature anomalies in Europe and a positive NAO. Although this would seem to suggest climate as a cause, temperature and precipitation changes are modest and the magnitude and rapidity of the vegetation change suggests climate played a small role. Archaeological evidence from across Europe identifies socioeconomic factors that produced forest clearing. In contrast, cooler temperatures and a negative NAO (increased ppt) appears to have been a catalyst for land abandonment and forest recovery in the 13th to 14th centuries. The NAO produces opposite effects on societies in the eastern and western Mediterranean with the negative phase in 1400 CE leading to cool wet climate and land abandonment in central Italy but an abrupt shift to drier conditions and change from sedentary village life to nomadism in Syria.

Analysis of the causes of the seizure and destruction of carcasses and organs in a slaughterhouse in central Italy in the 2010-2016 period

PubMed Central

Ceccarelli, Margherita; Leprini, Elisa; Sechi, Paola; Iulietto, Maria Francesca; Grispoldi, Luca; Goretti, Enzo; Cenci-Goga, Beniamino Terzo

2018-01-01

Meat safety and hygiene are fundamental issues for producers and endusers. To achieve these goals, the inspection of carcasses and organs at slaughter is critical. The results of post-mortem inspection are the basis for planning preventive measures against consumer risks and for limiting economic losses. In this retrospective study, the causes of the seizure and destruction of carcasses and organs were analysed at a slaughterhouse in central Italy from 2010 to 2016. 436,646 slaughtered animals were taken into consideration, for a total of 61,799 seizures (73.29% pigs, 23.87% cattle, 2.77% sheep and 0.07% horses). The organs or groups of organs that most frequently showed lesions in pigs were liver (72.38%), heart (10.77%) and pluck (10.20%); in cattle, lungs (64.86%), liver (31.20%) and stomachs (11.63%); in sheep, liver (77.15%), pluck (18.70%) and lung (3.80%); in horses, liver (75.56%), kidney (68.89%) and lung (31.11%). Among the diagnoses, parasitic diseases of the liver (ascariasis and distomatosis) were especially frequent in all species, followed by pericarditis and polyserositis in pigs and diseases affecting the respiratory system in cattle. The data obtained show that postmortem inspection is of fundamental importance for limiting risks for the consumer and ensuring meat safety. It is also evident, even more than ten years after the coming into force of the so-called hygiene package regulations, that the slaughterhouse can still act as an epidemiological observatory to provide the data needed for the development of plans for the control and eradication of the most frequent diseases in the area. PMID:29732323

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of medieval sheep (Ovis aries) in central Italy reveals the predominance of haplogroup B already in the Middle Ages.

PubMed

Gabbianelli, F; Gargani, M; Pariset, L; Mariotti, M; Alhaique, F; De Minicis, E; Barelli, L; Ciammetti, E; Redi, F; Valentini, A

2015-06-01

We retrieved 34 medieval ovicaprine remains, from three archaeological sites of central Italy dating to about 1000 years old, and analyzed them using mitochondrial DNA. We compared the reconstructed haplogroups with modern sheep samples from Europe and the Middle East and sequences from the literature. In modern sheep, haplogroup HA is present in countries with access to the Mediterranean and close to the domestication center, whereas it is very rare or absent in the rest of Europe. The haplogroup HB was predominant in ancient samples (90%), whereas haplogroup HA was found at 10%. Ancient haplogroups match the present distribution in modern sheep in Italy, indicating that the current proportion of HA/HB was already established in the Middle Ages and is not the result of subsequent events such as selective breeding practices. © 2015 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Volatile components of horsetail (Hippuris vulgaris L.) growing in central Italy.

PubMed

Cianfaglione, Kevin; Papa, Fabrizio; Maggi, Filippo

2017-10-01

Hippuris vulgaris, also known as horsetail or marestail, is a freshwater macrophyte occurring in lakes, rivers, ponds and marshes. According to 'The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species', H. vulgaris is at a high risk of extinction in Italy in the medium-term future. In the present study, we analysed for the first time the volatile composition of H. vulgaris growing in central Italy. For the purpose, the essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-MS. The chemical composition was dominated by aliphatic compounds such as fatty acids (26.0%), ketones (18.7%) and alkanes (11.4%), whereas terpenoids were poorer and mostly represented by diterpenes (7.4%). n-Hexadecanoic acid (25.5%), hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (17.5%) and trans-phytol (7.4%) were the major volatile constituents. These compounds are here proposed as chemotaxonomic markers of the species.

School Evaluation and Consultancy in Italy. Sliding Doors towards Privatisation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serpieri, Roberto; Grimaldi, Emiliano; Vatrella, Sandra

2015-01-01

This article focuses on the increasing centrality assumed by non-educational consultants in the processes of policy design and knowledge production about education in Italy. We identify the recent establishment of the National School Evaluation System as a key policy trajectory and we focus on the case of the last policies to evaluate Italian…

Recent Transmission Clustering of HIV-1 C and CRF17_BF Strains Characterized by NNRTI-Related Mutations among Newly Diagnosed Men in Central Italy

PubMed Central

Orchi, Nicoletta; Gori, Caterina; Bertoli, Ada; Forbici, Federica; Montella, Francesco; Pennica, Alfredo; De Carli, Gabriella; Giuliani, Massimo; Continenza, Fabio; Pinnetti, Carmela; Nicastri, Emanuele; Ceccherini-Silberstein, Francesca; Mastroianni, Claudio Maria; Girardi, Enrico; Andreoni, Massimo; Antinori, Andrea; Santoro, Maria Mercedes; Perno, Carlo Federico

2015-01-01

Background Increased evidence of relevant HIV-1 epidemic transmission in European countries is being reported, with an increased circulation of non-B-subtypes. Here, we present two recent HIV-1 non-B transmission clusters characterized by NNRTI-related amino-acidic mutations among newly diagnosed HIV-1 infected men, living in Rome (Central-Italy). Methods Pol and V3 sequences were available at the time of diagnosis for all individuals. Maximum-Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic-trees with bootstrap and Bayesian-probability supports defined transmission-clusters. HIV-1 drug-resistance and V3-tropism were also evaluated. Results Among 534 new HIV-1 non-B cases, diagnosed from 2011 to 2014, in Central-Italy, 35 carried virus gathering in two distinct clusters, including 27 HIV-1 C and 8 CRF17_BF subtypes, respectively. Both clusters were centralized in Rome, and their origin was estimated to have been after 2007. All individuals within both clusters were males and 37.1% of them had been recently-infected. While C-cluster was entirely composed by Italian men-who-have-sex-with-men, with a median-age of 34 years (IQR:30–39), individuals in CRF17_BF-cluster were older, with a median-age of 51 years (IQR:48–59) and almost all reported sexual-contacts with men and women. All carried R5-tropic viruses, with evidence of atypical or resistance amino-acidic mutations related to NNRTI-drugs (K103Q in C-cluster, and K101E+E138K in CRF17_BF-cluster). Conclusions These two epidemiological clusters provided evidence of a strong and recent circulation of C and CRF17_BF strains in central Italy, characterized by NNRTI-related mutations among men engaging in high-risk behaviours. These findings underline the role of molecular epidemiology in identifying groups at increased risk of HIV-1 transmission, and in enhancing additional prevention efforts. PMID:26270824

[Perceived discrimination at work for being an immigrant: a study on self-perceived mental health status among immigrants in Italy].

PubMed

Di Napoli, Anteo; Gatta, Rosaria; Rossi, Alessandra; Perez, Monica; Costanzo, Gianfranco; Mirisola, Concetta; Petrelli, Alessio

2017-01-01

exposure to discrimination is widely understood as a social determinant of psychophysical health and a contributing factor to health inequities among social groups. Few studies exist, particularly in Italy, about the effects of discrimination among immigrants at workplace. to analyse the association between perceived discrimination at work for being an immigrant and mental health status among immigrants in Italy. a sub-sample of 12,408 immigrants residing in Italy was analysed. data came from the survey "Social conditions and integration of foreign citizens in Italy", carried out in 2011-2012 by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). Self-perceived mental health status was measured through mental component summary (MCS) of SF-12 questionnaire, assuming as worse health status MCS score distribution ≤1st quartile. In order to evaluate the probability of poor health status, a multivariate log-binomial model was performed assuming: discrimination at work for being an immigrant as determinant variable; age, gender, educational level, employment status, area of origin, residence in Italy, length of stay in Italy, self-perceived loneliness and satisfaction about life as potential confounding variables. among immigrants, 15.8% referred discrimination at his/her workplace in Italy for being an immigrant. Higher probability of poor mental health status was observed for immigrants who referred discrimination at workplace (Prevalence Rate Ratio - PRR: 1.16) who arrived in Italy since at least 5 years (PRR: 1.14), for not employed subjects (PRR: 1.31), and for people from the Americas (PRR: 1.14). Lower probability of poor mental health status was found in immigrants from Western- Central Asia (PRR: 0.83) and Eastern-Pacific Asia (PRR: 0.79). Compared to immigrants residing in North-Eastern Italy, higher probability of worse mental health status was observed in people who resided in Northern-Western (PRR: 1.30), Central (PRR: 1.26), and Southern (PRR: 1.15) Italian regions. our findings confirm that discrimination at workplace for being an immigrant is a risk factor for self-perceived mental health among immigrants in Italy, suggesting that an overall public health response is essential in addition to work-based interventions. Improving working conditions, promoting organisational strategies to support coping behaviours, and challenging discrimination can improve mental health status of immigrants.

AIDS as a leading cause of death among young adults in Italy.

PubMed

Conti, S; Farchi, G; Prati, S

1994-12-01

The objective of this study is to describe the impact of AIDS on the mortality of young adult (aged 25 to 44 years) in Italy, at both the national and regional level. We analyzed the official mortality data for Italy: the most recent data available being from 1990. General mortality trends show that while mortality among young women is still decreasing (i.e. from a standardized rate of 83.8 per 100,000 in 1980 to 68.4 in 1990), mortality among young men began to rise in the mid-1980s, after a steady decrease over many years. Among the 25-34 year olds, however, this reversal in trend is more marked, notwithstanding a decrease or stabilization in most major causes of death. In fact it coincides with the appearance and spread of AIDS in Italy, which has affected young men in particular. (The peak age group for AIDS deaths is the 25-34 year olds). Mortality data from 1990 reveal that AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death in Italy among men between the ages of 25 and 44 years. Among 25-34 year-old men, however, AIDS is the second leading cause of death, after road accidents. AIDS also contributes greatly to the general mortality in individual regions, both among 25-44 year-old men (Lombardy, Liguria, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany), and especially among 25-34 year-old men (Lombardy, Liguria, Lazio, Sardinia, where it is the number one cause of death, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, and Veneto, where it is the number two cause of death).

Extensive Field Survey, Laboratory and Greenhouse Studies Reveal Complex Nature of Pseudomonas syringae-Associated Hazelnut Decline in Central Italy

PubMed Central

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Bartoli, Claudia; Varvaro, Leonardo

2016-01-01

Pseudomonas avellanae (Pav) has been reported as the causal agent of bacterial decline and bacterial canker of hazelnut in Italy and Greece, respectively. Both hazelnut diseases were reported to be similar in terms of symptoms, severity and persistence. In this study, we found that both symptomatic and asymptomatic trees in the field were colonized by Pav. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis showed that Pav strains isolated during this study in Italy belong to the P. syringae phylogroup 1 and they are closely related to Pav strains previously isolated in Greece from hazelnut bacterial canker. On the other hand, strains isolated in earlier studies from hazelnut decline in Italy belong to both phylogroup 1 and 2 of P. syringae. Both phylogroup 1 strains of P. syringae from Greece and Italy are different than strains isolated in this study in terms of their capacity to excrete fluorescent pigments on different media. Despite the same plant genotype and cropping practices adopted, the incidence of hazelnut decline ranged from nearly 0 to 91% across our study sites. No disease developed on plants inoculated with Pav through wounding while leaf scar inoculations produced only mild disease symptoms. Based on our results and the previously reported correlation between pedo-climatic conditions and hazelnut decline, we conclude that hazelnut decline in central Italy could be incited by a combination of predisposing (adverse pedo-climatic conditions) and contributing factors (Pav). Because this is a true decline different from “bacterial canker” described in Greece, we refer to it as hazelnut decline (HD). PMID:26840951

Extensive Field Survey, Laboratory and Greenhouse Studies Reveal Complex Nature of Pseudomonas syringae-Associated Hazelnut Decline in Central Italy.

PubMed

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Bartoli, Claudia; Varvaro, Leonardo

2016-01-01

Pseudomonas avellanae (Pav) has been reported as the causal agent of bacterial decline and bacterial canker of hazelnut in Italy and Greece, respectively. Both hazelnut diseases were reported to be similar in terms of symptoms, severity and persistence. In this study, we found that both symptomatic and asymptomatic trees in the field were colonized by Pav. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis showed that Pav strains isolated during this study in Italy belong to the P. syringae phylogroup 1 and they are closely related to Pav strains previously isolated in Greece from hazelnut bacterial canker. On the other hand, strains isolated in earlier studies from hazelnut decline in Italy belong to both phylogroup 1 and 2 of P. syringae. Both phylogroup 1 strains of P. syringae from Greece and Italy are different than strains isolated in this study in terms of their capacity to excrete fluorescent pigments on different media. Despite the same plant genotype and cropping practices adopted, the incidence of hazelnut decline ranged from nearly 0 to 91% across our study sites. No disease developed on plants inoculated with Pav through wounding while leaf scar inoculations produced only mild disease symptoms. Based on our results and the previously reported correlation between pedo-climatic conditions and hazelnut decline, we conclude that hazelnut decline in central Italy could be incited by a combination of predisposing (adverse pedo-climatic conditions) and contributing factors (Pav). Because this is a true decline different from "bacterial canker" described in Greece, we refer to it as hazelnut decline (HD).

"Glory Catalogued": The Libraries of Florence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robbins, Wendy

1983-01-01

Narration of author's visit to the libraries of Florence, Italy, focuses on city, provincial, and national libraries, including the Laurentian Library, Biblioteca Communale Centrale (city), Biblioteca Marucelliana (regional), and Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale (national). Conversations with the directors of each library are highlighted. (EJS)

Essential and toxic elements in meat of wild birds.

PubMed

Roselli, Carla; Desideri, Donatella; Meli, Maria Assunta; Fagiolino, Ivan; Feduzi, Laura

2016-01-01

Essential and toxic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), mass spectrometry (MS), and atomic absorption (AS) in meat of 14 migratory birds originating from central and northern Europe to provide baseline data regarding game meat consumed in central Italy. In all samples analyzed, cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) (total) levels were <0.326 mg/kg ww . For nonessential or toxic elements, arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), stannous (Sn), thallium (Tl), tellurium (Te), titanium (Ti), cerium (Ce), lantanium (La), and uranium (U) concentrations were <0.326 mg/kg ww, thorium (Th) <1.63 mg/kg ww , and mercury (Hg) <0.0163 mg/kg ww . When detectable, lead (Pb) concentrations always exceeded maximal admissible levels for metal (0.1 mg/kg ww ) established by the European Commission for meat. These findings indicate that elevated Pb concentrations in game ingested by humans may be a cause for concern.

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.

The effect of climate on the presence of Culicoides imicola in Italy.

PubMed

Conte, A; Giovannini, A; Savini, L; Goffredo, M; Calistri, P; Meiswinkel, R

2003-04-01

A model was developed to classify the Italian territories in relation to their suitability to harbour populations of Culicoides imicola and, as a consequence, also able to sustain a bluetongue (BT) epidemic. Italy was subdivided into 3507 10 x 10 km cells. In 546 cells at least one collection was made. The cell was considered the unit for all subsequent analyses. Culicoides were collected using Onderstepoort-type blacklight traps. Some traps were operated weekly at chosen sites; the remainder were moved almost daily to new sites. Only the results obtained during the peak August-November period were used, to exclude bias caused by the seasonality of C. imicola. Climate data for the period 1999-2001 were obtained from 80 weather stations. Multiple logistic regression was performed using the presence or absence of C. imicola in a specific cell as the dependent variable. Annual means of daily values for minimum temperature and minimum relative humidity, and the mean altitude above sea level, were the independent variables. The probability of occurrence of C. imicola in each grid cell was used to create a prediction map for Italy. The model was able to correctly classify 77.5% of the 546 grid cells in which at least one collection had been made. Culicoides imicola was found frequently through much of Sardinia, in parts of southern Italy, and further north along the Tyrrhenian coast, but was absent from along most of the Adriatic coast, and the internal mainland, and from most of Sicily. Six detailed maps are provided. Also mapped are areas where the probability of the occurrence of C. imicola is lower than 5%. This identification of possible mountainous C. imicola-free areas in central Italy could facilitate safer animal trade and transhumance, even if BT infections in traded animals or moving stock, were to go undetected. Needless to say this depends upon no cool-adapted species of Culicoides being involved in the transmission of BT disease.

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…

Malaria in Italy - Migrants Are Not the Cause.

PubMed

Benelli, Giovanni; Pombi, Marco; Otranto, Domenico

2018-05-01

Recently, five cases of malaria were reported in Italy. These people had not travelled abroad, prompting some media and political organizations to fuel a climate of fear by connecting the cases with migrants coming into the country. Here, we discuss scientific data highlighting the limited risk of malaria reintroduction in Italy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Six components observations of local earthquakes during the 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonelli, A.; Bernauer, F.; Chow, B.; Braun, T.; Wassermann, J. M.; Igel, H.

2017-12-01

For many years the seismological community has looked for a reliable, sensitive, broadband three-component portable rotational sensor. In this preliminary study, we show the possibility of measuring and extracting relevant seismological information from local earthquakes. We employ portable three-component rotational sensors, insensitive to translations, which operate on optical interferometry principles (Sagnac effect). Multiple sensors recording redundantly add significance to the measurements.During the Central Italy seismic sequence in November 2016, we deployed two portable fiber-optic gyroscopes (BlueSeis3A from iXBlue and LCG demonstrator from LITEF) and a broadband seismometer in Colfiorito, Italy. We present here the six-component observations, with analysis of rotational (three redundant components) and translational (three components) ground motions, generated by earthquakes at local distances. For each seismic event, we compare coherence between rotational sensors and estimate a back azimuth consistent with theoretical values. We also estimate Love and Rayleigh wave phase velocities in the 5 to 10 Hz frequency range.

Radioactivity in honey of the central Italy.

PubMed

Meli, Maria Assunta; Desideri, Donatella; Roselli, Carla; Feduzi, Laura; Benedetti, Claudio

2016-07-01

Natural radionuclides and (137)Cs in twenty seven honeys produced in a region of the Central Italy were determined by alpha ((235)U, (238)U, (210)Po, (232)Th and (228)Th) and gamma spectrometry ((137)Cs, (40)K, (226)Ra and (228)Ra). The study was carried out in order to estimate the background levels of natural ((40)K, (238)U and (232)Th and their progeny) and artificial radionuclides ((137)Cs) in various honey samples, as well as to compile a data base for radioactivity levels in that region. (40)K showed a mean activity of 28.1±23.0Bqkg(-1) with a range of 7.28-101Bqkg(-1). The mean of (210)Po activity resulted 0.40±0.46Bqkg(-1) with a range of 0.03-1.98Bqkg(-1). The mean of (238)U activity resulted 0.020±0.010Bqkg(-1). (226)Ra and (228)Ra resulted always <0.34 and <0.57Bqkg(-1) respectively, (235)U, (228)Th and (232)Th were always <0.007Bqkg(-1). (137)Cs resulted <0.10Bqkg(-1) in all samples. The committed effective doses due to (210)Po from ingestion of honey for infants, children and adults account for 0.002-5.13% of the natural radiation exposure in Italy. The honeys produced in Central Italy were of good quality in relation to the studied parameters, confirming the general image of a genuine and healthy food associated to this traditional products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of time dependence on probabilistic seismic-hazard maps and deaggregation for the central Apennines, Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Akinci, A.; Galadini, F.; Pantosti, D.; Petersen, M.; Malagnini, L.; Perkins, D.

2009-01-01

We produce probabilistic seismic-hazard assessments for the central Apennines, Italy, using time-dependent models that are characterized using a Brownian passage time recurrence model. Using aperiodicity parameters, ?? of 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7, we examine the sensitivity of the probabilistic ground motion and its deaggregation to these parameters. For the seismic source model we incorporate both smoothed historical seismicity over the area and geological information on faults. We use the maximum magnitude model for the fault sources together with a uniform probability of rupture along the fault (floating fault model) to model fictitious faults to account for earthquakes that cannot be correlated with known geologic structural segmentation.

Occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in Poultry Meat at Retail and Processing Plants' Levels in Central Italy.

PubMed

Mezher, Ziad; Saccares, Stefano; Marcianò, Rita; De Santis, Paola; Rodas, Eda Maria Flores; De Angelis, Veronica; Condoleo, Roberto

2016-01-18

Human campylobacteriosis remains the most commonly reported gastrointestinal disease in Europe and Campylobacter (C.) jejuni and C. coli are the two species most frequently involved in such foodborne disease. Based on the sampling plan established in the region of Lazio (Central Italy) the aim of our work was to investigate the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in poultry meat preparations collected by the local veterinary authority at retail shops and processing plants. We also observed whether various factors such as animal species or type of product affected the isolation rate. Occurrence was significantly lower than previous surveys (12/209, 5.7%) and chicken meat was more contaminated than turkey meat.

A millennium of Mediterranean climate change and forest history in central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mensing, S. A.; Tunno, I.; Piovesan, G.

2010-12-01

A 1100 year sedimentary sequence from a lake in central Italy near Rome (Lago Lungo, Lazio, 379 m a.s.l.) was sampled for pollen and charcoal at an average interval of 26 years providing a high-resolution reconstruction of vegetation from 885 AD to the present. Pollen percentages support historical documents that describe periodic deforestation and agricultural expansion during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA). Forests recovered about 1400 AD following depopulation associated with the black plague and socio-economic instability and a shift to cool wet climate during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Mixed deciduous forest reached a maximum in 1550 AD, approximately one century later than many sites across Western Europe. A less diverse less dense forest emerged after 1650 AD following the plague of 1656 AD. There is no evidence that excessive cutting, burning and erosion during the medieval period caused permanent degradation of the landscape. Forests appear to have recovered rapidly when land use declined and climate became favorable. Comparison of the pollen data with reconstructed Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) of Morocco and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indicate periods of deforestation and woodland regeneration coincide with climate change. During warm dry climate, deforestation accelerated and agriculture expanded, and during extended cool wet climate, conditions for cereal cultivation deteriorated, forests and wetland expanded, and the local agricultural system collapsed. These results show that in the Mediterranean, collapse of local agricultural systems may also occur during extended periods of cool/wet climate.

Modelling the Risk Posed by the Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha: Italy as a Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosso, Luciano; De Conno, Carmelina; Russo, Danilo

2017-08-01

We generated a risk map to forecast the potential effects of the spreading of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha across the Italian territory. We assessed the invader's potential impact on rivers, lakes, watersheds and dams at a fine-grained scale and detected those more at risk that should be targeted with appropriate monitoring. We developed a MaxEnt model and employed weighted overlay analyses to detect the species' potential distribution and generate risk maps for Italy. D. polymorpha has a greater probability of occurring at low to medium altitudes in areas characterised by fluviatile deposits of major streams. Northern and central Italy appear more at risk. Some hydroelectric power dams are at high risk, while most dams for irrigation, drinkable water reservoirs and other dam types are at medium to low risk. The lakes and rivers reaches (representing likely expansion pathways) at medium-high or high risk mostly occur in northern and central Italy. We highlight the importance of modelling potential invasions on a country scale to achieve the sufficient resolution needed to develop appropriate monitoring plans and prevent the invader's harmful effects. Further high-resolution risk maps are needed for other regions partly or not yet colonised by the zebra mussel.

Secondary Contact and Admixture between Independently Invading Populations of the Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Europe

PubMed Central

Bermond, Gérald; Ciosi, Marc; Lombaert, Eric; Blin, Aurélie; Boriani, Marco; Furlan, Lorenzo; Toepfer, Stefan; Guillemaud, Thomas

2012-01-01

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most destructive pests of corn in North America and is currently invading Europe. The two major invasive outbreaks of rootworm in Europe have occurred, in North-West Italy and in Central and South-Eastern Europe. These two outbreaks originated from independent introductions from North America. Secondary contact probably occurred in North Italy between these two outbreaks, in 2008. We used 13 microsatellite markers to conduct a population genetics study, to demonstrate that this geographic contact resulted in a zone of admixture in the Italian region of Veneto. We show that i) genetic variation is greater in the contact zone than in the parental outbreaks; ii) several signs of admixture were detected in some Venetian samples, in a Bayesian analysis of the population structure and in an approximate Bayesian computation analysis of historical scenarios and, finally, iii) allelic frequency clines were observed at microsatellite loci. The contact between the invasive outbreaks in North-West Italy and Central and South-Eastern Europe resulted in a zone of admixture, with particular characteristics. The evolutionary implications of the existence of a zone of admixture in Northern Italy and their possible impact on the invasion success of the western corn rootworm are discussed. PMID:23189184

Relationship between work-related accidents and hot weather conditions in Tuscany (central Italy).

PubMed

Morabito, Marco; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Crisci, Alfonso; Modesti, Pietro Amedeo; Orlandini, Simone

2006-07-01

Nowadays, no studies have been published on the relationship between meteorological conditions and work-related mortality and morbidity in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between hot weather conditions and hospital admissions due to work-related accidents in Tuscany (central Italy) over the period 1998-2003. Apparent temperature (AT) values were calculated to evaluate human weather discomfort due to hot conditions and then tested for work accident differences using non-parametric procedures. Present findings showed that hot weather conditions might represent a risk factor for work-related accidents in Italy during summer. In particular early warming days during June, characterized by heat discomfort, are less tolerated by workers than warming days of the following summer months. The peak of work-related accidents occurred on days characterized by high, but not extreme, thermal conditions. Workers maybe change their behaviour when heat stress increases, reducing risks by adopting preventive measures. Results suggested that days with an average daytime AT value ranged between 24.8 degrees C and 27.5 degrees C were at the highest risk of work-related accidents. In conclusion, present findings might represent the first step for the development of a watch/warning system for workers that might be used by employers for planning work activities.

Locust invasions and climatic factors from the Middle Ages to 1800

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camuffo, D.; Enzi, S.

1991-03-01

Locust migrations are strictly connected with climatic factors and a historical reconstruction of their invasions in Europe may be useful in dealing with this plague. From records of medieval chroniclers and more recent sources till 1800, some 100 detailed descriptions of locust invasions have been collected and analyzed. Some of them include the meteorological conditions which were associated with the arrival of the swarm of locusts, their path and the presumed country of origin, as well as the local effects such as famine and epidemics, these latter being mostly due to the putrification of the dead locusts. Once in Italy, by comparing different chronicles it is also possible to reconstruct the local march of the bands of hoppers, their extension, the periods in which they more frequently appear, the impact on human settlements, and sometimes the climatic factors (drop of temperature) which caused the swarm to die. The frequent observation of bands with “locusts and crickets” refers to hoppers of different instars, some of them in mature stage and others immature or moulting, born in convenient climatic conditions. By comparing the various chronicles it was also possible to reconstruct the local trajectory of the swarms, their extension, the periods when they were most frequent, their impact on the towns and villages and sometimes the climatic factors (mostly sharp drops in the temperature) responsible for the death of the swarms in northern and central Italy. According to the documentation perused, central-northern Italy was infested via two routes: 1) in most cases the locusts travelled up the Danube basin, then channelled through the Dinaric Alps and the Carpathians thus reaching the Hungarian Plain, and then being transported by the eastern winds to Italy; 2) very occasionally there were local invasions from the north, when the locusts descended through the Brenner Pass after reaching the Danube basin, and then moving along the Inn valley down to the River Adige. Such invasions occurred at the same time as those from the east. There was no specific mention of any invasion coming directly from Africa (as testified by Pliny in Naturalis Historia VI, 195, VII, 28 29) nor from the Spanish peninsula. The centuries worst affected by this scourge were the XIV and XVI, and to a lesser degree, the XVII. More recently, man has been increasingly effective in combatting the locusts.

Mediterranean diet adherence and synergy with acute myocardial infarction and its determinants: A multicenter case-control study in Italy.

PubMed

La Torre, Giuseppe; Saulle, Rosella; Di Murro, Francesca; Siliquini, Roberta; Firenze, Alberto; Maurici, Massimo; Mannocci, Alice; Colamesta, Vittoria; Barillà, Francesco; Ferrante, Fabio; Agati, Luciano

2018-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Western countries. The possible synergistic effect of poor adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) and other risk factors for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) such as hypertension, cholesterol, ever smoker, BMI> 25, diabetes, has not been deeply studied. Case-control study. Patients with first AMI and controls from four tertiary referral Italian centers were screened for enrolment. Dietary information was collected through a questionnaire and a MD adherence score was calculated. Physical activity and smoking habits were also registered. The Synergy Index was calculated according to Rothman. 127 cases and 173 controls were enrolled. The analysis was conducted using a dichotomous variable for the MD score with values ≥7 representing good adherence. Multivariate analysis showed the following variables associated to AMI: ever smoker (OR = 2.08), diabetes (OR = 1.42), hypertension (OR = 2.08), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 2.47), BMI> 25 (OR = 1.99), while a protective effect emerged both in subjects scoring > 7 on the MD score (OR = 0.55) and in subjects resident of Southern Italy (OR = 0.38). A synergistic effect does exist between poor adherence to the MD and the following risk factors: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, BMI >25, diabetes and being a resident in central and northern Italy. Synergy between heart disease risk factors and MD underlines the need to enlarge the list of known modifiable cardiovascular risk factors to include and promote adherence to Mediterranean dietary habits.

Cows Come Down from the Mountains before the (Mw = 6.1) Earthquake Colfiorito in September 1997; A Single Case Study

PubMed Central

Fidani, Cristiano; Freund, Friedemann; Grant, Rachel

2014-01-01

Simple Summary Recent reports from several countries such as China, Italy and Japan support the existence of strange animal behaviour before strong earthquakes. However, the stimuli to which animals are sensitive preceding seismic activity are still not completely understood. Here we report the case of a herd of cows (reported by an entire village) leaving the hill pasture and descending near to the village streets two days before a strong earthquake. Abstract The September–October 1997 seismic sequence in the Umbria–Marche regions of Central Italy has been one of the stronger seismic events to occur in Italy over the last thirty years, with a maximum magnitude of Mw = 6.1. Over the last three years, a collection of evidence was carried out regarding non-seismic phenomena, by interviewing local residents using a questionnaire. One particular observation of anomalous animal behaviour, confirmed by many witnesses, concerned a herd of cows, which descended from a mountain close to the streets of a village near the epicentre, a few days before the main shock. Testimonies were collected using a specific questionnaire including data on earthquake lights, spring variations, human diseases, and irregular animal behaviour. The questionnaire was compiled after the L’Aquila earthquake in 2009, and was based upon past historical earthquake observations. A possible explanation for the cows’ behavior—local air ionization caused by stress-activated positive holes—is discussed. PMID:26480042

Chemical weathering of palaeosols from the Lower Palaeolithic site of Valle Giumentina, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degeai, Jean-Philippe; Villa, Valentina; Chaussé, Christine; Pereira, Alison; Nomade, Sébastien; Aureli, Daniele; Pagli, Marina; Nicoud, Elisa

2018-03-01

The major archaeological site of Valle Giumentina (Abruzzo) contains a well-dated Lower Palaeolithic pedosedimentary sequence that provides an excellent opportunity to study the relationships among soil weathering, volcanism and climate change at the glacial/interglacial and submillennial timescales in central Italy and the Mediterranean area during the Middle Pleistocene, as well as the human-environment interactions of some of the earliest settlements in central southern Europe. High-resolution analyses of geochemistry and magnetic susceptibility revealed the presence of eleven palaeosols, ten of which (S2-S11) were formed between 560 and 450 ka based on 40Ar/39Ar dating of sanidine in tephras, i.e. spanning marine isotope stages (MIS) 14-12. The evolution of the major and trace element composition suggests that the palaeosols were mainly formed by in situ weathering of the parent material. The major phases of soil weathering occurred during the MIS 13 interglacial period (S8 and S6) as well as during episodes of rapid environmental change associated with millennial climatic oscillations during the MIS 14 and 12 glaciations (S11 and S2, respectively). Although global forcing such as orbital variations, solar radiation, and greenhouse gas concentrations may have influenced the pedogenic processes, the volcanism in central Italy, climate change in the central Mediterranean, and tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Valle Giumentina basin also impacted and triggered the formation of most palaeosols, which provided subsistence resources for the Lower Palaeolithic human communities. This study highlights the importance of having high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records with accurate chronology as close as possible to archaeological sites to study human-environment interactions.

Environmental radioactivity in four national parks of the Abruzzo region (central Italy).

PubMed

Barbizzi, S; Calvarese, S; Fico, R; Belli, M; Sansone, U

2004-01-01

Since 1998, the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise 'G. Caporale' in Teramo is conducting radioecological surveys in the Abruzzo region (Central Italy), to acquire knowledge on the geochemical and biological mobility of radionuclides derived from the Chernobyl accident. To this end, samples of grasses, fungi, mosses and soils were collected in four national parks (Sirente-Velino, Abruzzo Lazio and Molise, the Gran Sasso and the park of Monti della Laga and Maiella). The results show that the Chernobyl fallout is still detectable in the samples collected in the four parks but the (137)Cs concentrations are present in the semi-natural environments in quantities that do not create concerns from a radiological point of view.

Reactivation of a Deep Seated Gravitational Slope Deformation observed during the recent seismic events in Central Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amato, Gabriele; Aringoli, Domenico; Devoti, Roberto; Fubelli, Giandomenico; Galvani, Alessandro; Pambianchi, Gilberto; Sepe, Vincenzo

2017-04-01

Deep-Seated Gravitational Slope Deformations (DSGSDs) represent an important geomorphological feature of the European mountain chains and several cases from Central Apennine (Italy) are accurately described in literature. These phenomena generally present evident geomorphological markers (e.g. double ridges, trenches, counterslopes) and low activity rates (i.e. mm to cm per year), which can be triggered by many different means (e.g. seismic activity, erosional processes, rainfall, post-glacial debuttressing). To understand which is the most influential factor in DSGSDs' activity is rarely an easy task because this can vary from case to case. This work illustrates the outcomes provided by a monitoring activity conducted along the Mt. Frascare slope (Fiastra Lake, Marche region, Italy). The monitoring system is composed by 4 low cost GPS stations, based on single-frequency receivers, and 2 double-frequency GPS stations, aimed to cross-check the surface deformations measured by the two types of monitoring stations. The 6 GPS stations have been operated in place starting from October 2014 grounded on the base of a geomorphological field survey of the investigated phenomenon. Two stations have been equipped with both receiver types in order to facilitate the comparison of the results. The Fiastra DSGSD affects a marly limestone bedrock throughout a >5km2 area and along a slope against which a dam for hydroelectric power leans. Our monitoring system allowed to measure the Fiastra DSGSD's seismically induced relative displacements on the order of two mean steps of about 10 cm, due to the recent seismic sequence occurred in Central Italy in 2016, which resulted considerably higher than the observed mean annual velocity (≈5mm/y).

Multiple source components in gas manifestations from north-central Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Minissale, A.; Evans, William C.; Magro, G.; Vaselli, O.

1997-01-01

Gas manifestations in north-central Italy consist of CO2-rich gases with minor N2-rich emissions and discharge either along with thermal springs or into cold and stagnant waters. 'Cold' gases are prevalently CO2-dominated (> 90%) while gases related to the thermal waters have variable composition: from CO2 > 99.5% to N2 > 90%. The variable composition of 'thermal' gases is caused by differences in the thermal regime and lithology of the ascent paths, where there is mixing of gases from multiple sources, such as N2-rich atmospheric and deep CO2-rich metamorphic end-members. Elevated concentrations of CH4 and H2 in these gases are generally related to the presence of active geothermal systems at shallow depth, such as the Larderello-Travale field in Tuscany. The ??13C values between coexisting CH4 and CO2 in all samples analyzed suggest that CH4 originates abiogenically in 200-400??C hydrothermal systems. Far from geothermal areas, where the thermal gradient is lower or the water/gas ratio is high because of large inflow of meteoric waters, H2 and CH4 are usually lower. In some cases, they can be scrubbed or oxidized (especially H2), while the residual rising gas becomes indirectly enriched in N2 and CO2. Carbon dioxide is also enriched in some discharged gases because it is produced at shallow depth in lower temperature conditions (< 150??C). Heavy ??15N values for N2 to near +7.0??? suggest that, for some gas samples that contain excess nitrogen (e.g. where N2/Ar ??? 83), this component probably derives from ammonia-rich feldspars and micas within the Palaeozoic schist basement rocks. However, other samples show evidence of a shallow component of CH4 and N2 from Neogene basin sediments. The areal distribution of the 3He/4He ratio points to a general prevalence of atmospheric and crustal 4He in the gas discharges in central Italy. A significant component of mantle 3He is only found in the geothermal areas of Larderello where the large regional thermal anomaly suggests the presence of a deep magmatic body. ?? 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 16 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-26

ISS016-E-030337 (26 Feb. 2008) --- Fucine Lake, central Italy is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 16 crewmember on the International Space Station. The light tan oval in this image is the floor of a lake in central Italy that has been drained by a tunnel dug through the surrounding hills. Numerous rectangular fields can be seen on this former lake bottom--now one of the most fertile regions of Italy. The existence of a former lake explains the name of the area. The town of Avezzano (bottom left), near the drainage outlet of the basin, lies 80 kilometers east of Rome. The "circumference road" can be detected tracking around the edge of the lake; it roughly follows the boundary between green, vegetated fields around the basin and tan fallow fields within. This recent photograph shows a dusting of snow along mountain ridges to the south (image upper and lower right). The basin of Fucine Lake has no natural outlet. Consequently the level of the original lake fluctuated widely with any higher-than-average rainfall.

Musepick: AN Integrated Technological Framework to Present the Complex of Santissima Annunziata in Ascoli Piceno (italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrucci, E.; Rossi, D.

2017-05-01

Nowadays, digital media play a central role in a shift towards updated modes of communicating knowledge. In addition to this, the tragic recent events related to the long series of earthquakes that have taken place in central Italy have also, unfortunately, reiterated the need to document and preserve not only the material value of the architectural heritage but also the intangible values related to the events and people that have characterized their history. In this framework, the paper investigates some of the opportunities offered by technological innovations, in particular, by the specific application areas of augmented reality and augmented virtuality. The case study The historical site chosen as case study is the complex of Santissima Annunziata, which has played a very important role in the city of Ascoli Piceno (Italy) for centuries. The objective was to develop a low-cost web-based platform to serve as a place to gather cultural content related to the diffuse cultural heritage, organized in applications regarding graphical and 3D models as well as 360° images and archival documents.

Energy Optimization Assessments at U.S. Army Installations: Caserma Ederle Vicenza, Italy

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-17

Caserma Ederle has one central plant, described in ECM CEP #2. In addi- tion to looking at the planned renovation of the central plant, this study...serving Bldgs 10B, 23, 44 and 66 • east circuit serving Bldg 290 (New Commissary building). The north circuit was recently renovated . Up to the New...water lines as a primary system for the hot water generators. New central plant concept The existing Central Energy Plant is going to be renovated by

Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Children Aged 6-8 Years Living in Five Italian Cities (the MAPEC_LIFE Cohort).

PubMed

Grassi, Tiziana; De Donno, Antonella; Bagordo, Francesco; Serio, Francesca; Piscitelli, Prisco; Ceretti, Elisabetta; Zani, Claudia; Viola, Gaia C V; Villarini, Milena; Moretti, Massimo; Levorato, Sara; Carducci, Annalaura; Verani, Marco; Donzelli, Gabriele; Bonetta, Sara; Bonetta, Silvia; Carraro, Elisabetta; Bonizzoni, Silvia; Bonetti, Alberto; Gelatti, Umberto

2016-10-11

The prevalence of obesity among Italian children has reached such alarming levels as to require detailed studies of the causes of the phenomenon. A cross-sectional study was carried out in order to assess the weight status of 1164 Italian children aged 6-8 years (the Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Children for Supporting Public Health Policy (MAPEC_LIFE) cohort) and to identify any associations between selected socio-economic and environmental factors and overweight/obesity. The data were obtained by means of a questionnaire given to parents, and any associations were examined by binomial logistic regression analyses. Overweight was found to be positively associated with male gender, parents of non-Italian origin, and parents who smoke, and negatively associated with the parents' level of education and employment. In addition, the frequency of overweight varied in relation to the geographical area of residence, with a greater prevalence of overweight children in the cities of central-southern Italy. This study highlights the need to implement appropriate obesity prevention programs in Italy, which should include educational measures concerning lifestyle for parents from the earliest stages of their child's life.

An Earthquake Rupture Forecast model for central Italy submitted to CSEP project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pace, B.; Peruzza, L.

2009-04-01

We defined a seismogenic source model for central Italy and computed the relative forecast scenario, in order to submit the results to the CSEP (Collaboratory for the study of Earthquake Predictability, www.cseptesting.org) project. The goal of CSEP project is developing a virtual, distributed laboratory that supports a wide range of scientific prediction experiments in multiple regional or global natural laboratories, and Italy is the first region in Europe for which fully prospective testing is planned. The model we propose is essentially the Layered Seismogenic Source for Central Italy (LaSS-CI) we published in 2006 (Pace et al., 2006). It is based on three different layers of sources: the first one collects the individual faults liable to generate major earthquakes (M >5.5); the second layer is given by the instrumental seismicity analysis of the past two decades, which allows us to evaluate the background seismicity (M ~<5.0). The third layer utilizes all the instrumental earthquakes and the historical events not correlated to known structures (4.5

Stress and Strain Rates from Faults Reconstructed by Earthquakes Relocalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morra, G.; Chiaraluce, L.; Di Stefano, R.; Michele, M.; Cambiotti, G.; Yuen, D. A.; Brunsvik, B.

2017-12-01

Recurrence of main earthquakes on the same fault depends on kinematic setting, hosting lithologies and fault geometry and population. Northern and central Italy transitioned from convergence to post-orogenic extension. This has produced a unique and very complex tectonic setting characterized by superimposed normal faults, crossing different geologic domains, that allows to investigate a variety of seismic manifestations. In the past twenty years three seismic sequences (1997 Colfiorito, 2009 L'Aquila and 2016-17 Amatrice-Norcia-Visso) activated a 150km long normal fault system located between the central and northern apennines and allowing the recordings of thousands of seismic events. Both the 1997 and the 2009 main shocks were preceded by a series of small pre-shocks occurring in proximity to the future largest events. It has been proposed and modelled that the seismicity pattern of the two foreshocks sequences was caused by active dilatancy phenomenon, due to fluid flow in the source area. Seismic activity has continued intensively until three events with 6.0

Geomorphological and geophysical investigations for the characterization of the Roman Carsulae site (Tiber basin, Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottari, C.; Aringoli, D.; Carluccio, R.; Castellano, C.; D'Ajello Caracciolo, F.; Gasperini, M.; Materazzi, M.; Nicolosi, I.; Pambianchi, G.; Pieruccini, P.; Sepe, V.; Urbini, S.; Varazi, F.

2017-08-01

This paper aims to bring to light the possible linkage between karstic phenomena and the human occupation of the Roman site of Carsulae (Tiber basin, Central Italy). Dolines are a typical morphological expression of karst rocks' dissolution and collapse and, usually, they represent a potential hazard for human activities and, in particular, in the care and maintenance of cultural heritage sites. In this study, we observed that the development of a subsidence doline caused severe damage to some archaeological structures at the Carsulae monumental site. According to the results obtained in our investigation, three sites at least with karst dissolution phenomena in the shallow calcareous tufa layer have been identified. One of them subsided probably in Roman times and produced a sharp deformation of the decumanus. In order to understand the evolution of this territory an integrated geomorphological and geophysical survey was carried out. The combination between the information derived from different geophysical techniques, such as: Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Frequency-Domain Electromagnetism (FDEM), and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) clearly pointed out that the calcareous tufa layer is characterized by an irregular geometry and this resulted in the investigated area being affected by karst dissolution in several parts. Four boreholes opportunely located, provided direct information about the depth and the alteration of the calcareous tufa basement and precious calibration data for the geophysical methods. This study contributes to improving our knowledge on the evolution of the Carsulae archaeological site providing a new insight into the adaptation of ancient human societies in this problematic territory.

A 667 year record of coseismic and interseismic Coulomb stress changes in central Italy reveals the role of fault interaction in controlling irregular earthquake recurrence intervals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wedmore, L. N. J.; Faure Walker, J. P.; Roberts, G. P.; Sammonds, P. R.; McCaffrey, K. J. W.; Cowie, P. A.

2017-07-01

Current studies of fault interaction lack sufficiently long earthquake records and measurements of fault slip rates over multiple seismic cycles to fully investigate the effects of interseismic loading and coseismic stress changes on the surrounding fault network. We model elastic interactions between 97 faults from 30 earthquakes since 1349 A.D. in central Italy to investigate the relative importance of co-seismic stress changes versus interseismic stress accumulation for earthquake occurrence and fault interaction. This region has an exceptionally long, 667 year record of historical earthquakes and detailed constraints on the locations and slip rates of its active normal faults. Of 21 earthquakes since 1654, 20 events occurred on faults where combined coseismic and interseismic loading stresses were positive even though 20% of all faults are in "stress shadows" at any one time. Furthermore, the Coulomb stress on the faults that experience earthquakes is statistically different from a random sequence of earthquakes in the region. We show how coseismic Coulomb stress changes can alter earthquake interevent times by 103 years, and fault length controls the intensity of this effect. Static Coulomb stress changes cause greater interevent perturbations on shorter faults in areas characterized by lower strain (or slip) rates. The exceptional duration and number of earthquakes we model enable us to demonstrate the importance of combining long earthquake records with detailed knowledge of fault geometries, slip rates, and kinematics to understand the impact of stress changes in complex networks of active faults.

Epidemiological study of the intestinal helminths of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) in central Italy.

PubMed

Magi, M; Bertani, M; Dell'Omodarme, M; Prati, M C

2002-12-01

Since 1995 the population of wild ungulates increased significantly in the "Parco provinciale dei Monti Livornesi" (Livorno, Tuscany, Central Italy). We studied the intestinal macroparasites of two hosts, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon). In the case of wild boars we found a dominant parasite species, Globocephalus urosubulatus. For this parasite the frequency distribution of the number of parasites per host agrees with a negative binomial distribution. There is not a significant correlation between the age of the animals and the parasitosis. Furthermore the mean parasite burden of male and female wild boars does not differ significantly. In the case of mouflons we found a dominant parasite species Nematodirus filicollis with Trichuris ovis as codominant species.

[The hazards of reconstruction: anthropology of dwelling and social health risk in the L'Aquila (Central Italy) post-earthquake].

PubMed

Ciccozzi, Antonello

2016-01-01

Even starting from the purpose of restoring the damage caused by a natural disaster, the post-earthquake reconstructions imply the risk of triggering a set of social disasters that may affect the public health sphere. In the case of the L'Aquila earthquake this risk seems to emerge within the urban planning on two levels of dwelling: at a landscape level, where there has been a change in the shape of the city towards a sprawling-sprinkling process; at an architectural level, on the problematic relationship between the politics and the poetics of cultural heritage protection and the goal to get restoration works capable to ensure the citizens seismic safety.

A Seismic Source Model for Central Europe and Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyst, M.; Williams, C.; Onur, T.

2006-12-01

We present a seismic source model for Central Europe (Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria) and Italy, as part of an overall seismic risk and loss modeling project for this region. A separate presentation at this conference discusses the probabilistic seismic hazard and risk assessment (Williams et al., 2006). Where available we adopt regional consensus models and adjusts these to fit our format, otherwise we develop our own model. Our seismic source model covers the whole region under consideration and consists of the following components: 1. A subduction zone environment in Calabria, SE Italy, with interface events between the Eurasian and African plates and intraslab events within the subducting slab. The subduction zone interface is parameterized as a set of dipping area sources that follow the geometry of the surface of the subducting plate, whereas intraslab events are modeled as plane sources at depth; 2. The main normal faults in the upper crust along the Apennines mountain range, in Calabria and Central Italy. Dipping faults and (sub-) vertical faults are parameterized as dipping plane and line sources, respectively; 3. The Upper and Lower Rhine Graben regime that runs from northern Italy into eastern Belgium, parameterized as a combination of dipping plane and line sources, and finally 4. Background seismicity, parameterized as area sources. The fault model is based on slip rates using characteristic recurrence. The modeling of background and subduction zone seismicity is based on a compilation of several national and regional historic seismic catalogs using a Gutenberg-Richter recurrence model. Merging the catalogs encompasses the deletion of double, fake and very old events and the application of a declustering algorithm (Reasenberg, 2000). The resulting catalog contains a little over 6000 events, has an average b-value of -0.9, is complete for moment magnitudes 4.5 and larger, and is used to compute a gridded a-value model (smoothed historical seismicity) for the region. The logic tree weighs various completeness intervals and minimum magnitudes. Using a weighted scheme of European and global ground motion models together with a detailed site classification map for Europe based on Eurocode 8, we generate hazard maps for recurrence periods of 200, 475, 1000 and 2500 yrs.

Mechanical coupling between earthquakes and volcanoes inferred from stress transfer models: evidence from Vesuvio, Etna and Alban Hills (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocco, M.; Feuillet, N.; Nostro, C.; Musumeci, C.

2003-04-01

We investigate the mechanical interactions between tectonic faults and volcanic sources through elastic stress transfer and discuss the results of several applications to Italian active volcanoes. We first present the stress modeling results that point out a two-way coupling between Vesuvius eruptions and historical earthquakes in Southern Apennines, which allow us to provide a physical interpretation of their statistical correlation. Therefore, we explore the elastic stress interaction between historical eruptions at the Etna volcano and the largest earthquakes in Eastern Sicily and Calabria. We show that the large 1693 seismic event caused an increase of compressive stress along the rift zone, which can be associated to the lack of flank eruptions of the Etna volcano for about 70 years after the earthquake. Moreover, the largest Etna eruptions preceded by few decades the large 1693 seismic event. Our modeling results clearly suggest that all these catastrophic events are tectonically coupled. We also investigate the effect of elastic stress perturbations on the instrumental seismicity caused by magma inflation at depth both at the Etna and at the Alban Hills volcanoes. In particular, we model the seismicity pattern at the Alban Hills volcano (central Italy) during a seismic swarm occurred in 1989-90 and we interpret it in terms of Coulomb stress changes caused by magmatic processes in an extensional tectonic stress field. We verify that the earthquakes occur in areas of Coulomb stress increase and that their faulting mechanisms are consistent with the stress perturbation induced by the volcanic source. Our results suggest a link between faults and volcanic sources, which we interpret as a tectonic coupling explaining the seismicity in a large area surrounding the volcanoes.

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, polychlorodibenzofurans, and polychlorobiphenyls in women of reproductive age in Italy: A human biomonitoring study.

PubMed

Ingelido, Anna Maria; Abate, Vittorio; Abballe, Annalisa; Albano, Fulvia Lucia; Battista, Tatiana; Carraro, Valter; Conversano, Michele; Corvetti, Rosa; De Luca, Silvia; Franchini, Silva; Fulgenzi, Anna Rita; Giambanco, Laura; Iacovella, Nicola; Iamiceli, Anna Laura; Maiorana, Antonio; Maneschi, Francesco; Marra, Valentina; Pirola, Flavia; Porpora, Maria Grazia; Procopio, Enrico; Suma, Nicola; Valentini, Silvia; Valsenti, Luisa; Vecchiè, Valerio; De Felip, Elena

2017-04-01

Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that represent a major concern for women of reproductive age because of the neurodevelopmental effects associated to perinatal exposure. This study was aimed at characterizing exposure of women of reproductive age to PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs as a function of residence in different Italian Regions, in areas at presumable different environmental contamination and human exposure to these pollutants. Study participants were enrolled in 2011-2012 in 6 Italian Regions representative of Northern, Central and Southern Italy; in each region, areas at presumed different exposure (rural, urban and industrial) were selected for enrolment. Each participant provided a serum sample for the analysis of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs. Median concentrations of PCDDs+PCDFs, DL-PCBs, NDL 6 -PCBs and NDL 9 -PCBs in serum samples were respectively 6.0 and 3.5 pgWHO-TE 05 /g fat, and 75 and 93ng/g fat. Age was the variable that most affected median serum concentrations. Age adjusted concentrations were found significantly different between geographical zones: women from Northern Italy showed the highest values, followed by Central and Southern Italy. PCDDs+PCDFs concentrations were significantly higher in the group of women residing in industrial areas compared to the group residing in rural areas. A clear diminishing temporal trend was observed compared to levels reported in previous studies. This study produced the largest dataset on serum concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in women of childbearing age in Italy. confirmed that environmental and lifestyle factors may influence exposure to these contaminants and thereby the body burden. The observed marked temporal decline in body burden during three decades is in agreement with the general trend observed worldwide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Probable autochthonous introduced malaria cases in Italy in 2009-2011 and the risk of local vector-borne transmission.

PubMed

Romi, R; Boccolini, D; Menegon, M; Rezza, G

2012-11-29

We describe two cases of probable autochthonous introduced Plasmodium vivax malaria that occurred in 2009 and 2011 in two sites of South-Central Italy. Although the sources of the infections were not detected, local transmission could not be disproved and therefore the cases were classified as autochthonous. Sporadic P. vivax cases transmitted by indigenous vectors may be considered possible in some areas of the country where vector abundance and environmental conditions are favourable to malaria transmission.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 29 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-02

ISS029-E-021987 (2 Oct. 2011) --- This is one of a series of night time images photographed by one of the Expedition 29 crew members from the International Space Station. It features Central and Eastern Europe, extending from the Netherlands to Hungary and Italy to northern Poland. Overall, the view includes the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Hungary. When the photo was taken on Oct 2, 2011, the station was over Corsica at 43.18 degrees north latitude and 9.95 degrees east longitude.

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 Pleistocene. This could have constrained human groups to migrate into such a propitious area. Regarding the local climate evolution during the glacial episodes, the supposed displacement from these sites could be linked to the environmental dynamics solely due to the aridity increase, rather than directly to the global climate changes.

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 Pleistocene. This could have constrained human groups to migrate into such a propitious area. Regarding to the local climate evolution during the glacial episodes, the supposed displacement from these sites could be linked to the environmental dynamics solely due to the aridity increase rather than directly to the global climate changes.

Mediterranean diet adherence and synergy with acute myocardial infarction and its determinants: A multicenter case-control study in Italy

PubMed Central

Saulle, Rosella; Di Murro, Francesca; Siliquini, Roberta; Firenze, Alberto; Maurici, Massimo; Mannocci, Alice; Colamesta, Vittoria; Barillà, Francesco; Ferrante, Fabio; Agati, Luciano

2018-01-01

Background Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Western countries. The possible synergistic effect of poor adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) and other risk factors for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) such as hypertension, cholesterol, ever smoker, BMI> 25, diabetes, has not been deeply studied. Design Case-control study. Methods Patients with first AMI and controls from four tertiary referral Italian centers were screened for enrolment. Dietary information was collected through a questionnaire and a MD adherence score was calculated. Physical activity and smoking habits were also registered. The Synergy Index was calculated according to Rothman. Results 127 cases and 173 controls were enrolled. The analysis was conducted using a dichotomous variable for the MD score with values ≥7 representing good adherence. Multivariate analysis showed the following variables associated to AMI: ever smoker (OR = 2.08), diabetes (OR = 1.42), hypertension (OR = 2.08), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 2.47), BMI> 25 (OR = 1.99), while a protective effect emerged both in subjects scoring > 7 on the MD score (OR = 0.55) and in subjects resident of Southern Italy (OR = 0.38). A synergistic effect does exist between poor adherence to the MD and the following risk factors: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, BMI >25, diabetes and being a resident in central and northern Italy. Conclusion Synergy between heart disease risk factors and MD underlines the need to enlarge the list of known modifiable cardiovascular risk factors to include and promote adherence to Mediterranean dietary habits. PMID:29543823

Costs of illness analysis in Italian patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): an update.

PubMed

Dal Negro, Roberto W; Bonadiman, Luca; Turco, Paola; Tognella, Silvia; Iannazzo, Sergio

2015-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its epidemiological, clinical, and socioeconomic impact is progressively increasing. A first estimate of the economic burden of COPD in Italy was conducted in 2008 (the SIRIO [Social Impact of Respiratory Integrated Outcomes] study). The aim of the present study is to provide an updated picture of the COPD economic burden in Italy. Sequential patients presenting at the specialist center for the first time during the period 2008-2012 and with record file complete (demographic, clinical, lung function, and therapeutic data; health care resources consumed in the 12 months before the enrollment and for the 3 subsequent years) were selected from the institutional database. Two hundred and seventy-five COPD patients fitting the inclusion criteria were selected (226 males; mean age: 70.9 years [standard deviation: ±8.4 years]; 45.8% were from the north, 25.1% from central Italy, and 29.1% from south Italy). COPD-related average costs per patient in the 12 months before enrollment were as follows: hospitalization: €1,970; outpatient care: €463; pharmaceutical: €499; and indirect costs: €358. Average direct costs and total societal costs were €2,932 and €3,291, respectively. Direct cost was €2,461 (hospitalization: €1,570; outpatient: €344; and pharmaceutical: €547) in the first year of follow-up, while total societal cost was €2,707. No significant difference was reported in any cost category between sexes. The therapeutic approach followed in a specialist center, based on the application of clinical guidelines, has been shown to be a highly effective investment for the long-term management of COPD. A small increase of pharmaceutical costs per year allowed a substantial saving in terms of hospitalizations, costs related to outpatient services, and indirect costs.

Geomorphological records of diachronous quarrying activities along the ancient Appia route at the Aurunci Mountain pass (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Luzio, E.; Carfora, P.

2018-04-01

The topic of this research consists in the description of landscape modifications occurring from the 4th century BCE to the 19th century CE as a consequence of quarrying activities on carbonate slopes along a tract of the ancient Appia route crossing the central Apennine belt at the Aurunci Mountain pass (Lazio region, central Italy). The main objectives were to discern different quarrying phases and techniques, quantify quarrying activities and understand the role of quarrying in create morphological features. Multidisciplinary studies were completed including aerial photogrammetry, geoarchaeological field surveys, morphometric characterization of quarry areas, structural analysis of rock outcrops aided by terrestrial photogrammetry, GPS measurements. The results of this study show how the local geomorpological and tectonic setting determined which kinds of extractable rock material, i.e., rock blocks or breccias, were used for different purposes. Moreover, different phases of extraction were evidenced. A main Roman quarrying phase, lasting between the 4th century BCE and the 1st century CE, was recognized as taking place over eight quarry areas. These are delimited by sharp edges and have regular shapes, revealing in some cases a staircase-like morphological profile, and are characterized by similar volumes of extracted rock material. A later quarrying phase -the Bourbon Age, 19th century CE-is assumed to be evidenced instead by five quarries with a peculiar semi-elliptical shape and different volumes of carved material. Seven quarries were found to be of uncertain age. The quarry system described in this paper, together with geomorphological records of slope cuts, terraced surfaces, and the remains of retaining walls, represents a unique and important example of anthropogenic landscape modification in the territory of the central Apennines caused by the construction and maintenance of a Roman road over the centuries. This could be relevant for further studies on the relations between natural environments and the development of civilisation. In addition, the multi-methodological analyses of geomorphological records originated by quarrying activities may be considered for the characterization of similar quarry landscapes.

Vector competence of Italian Aedes albopictus populations for the chikungunya virus (E1-226V).

PubMed

Severini, Francesco; Boccolini, Daniela; Fortuna, Claudia; Di Luca, Marco; Toma, Luciano; Amendola, Antonello; Benedetti, Eleonora; Minelli, Giada; Romi, Roberto; Venturi, Giulietta; Rezza, Giovanni; Remoli, Maria Elena

2018-04-01

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging arbovirus, belonging to the Togaviridae family, Alphavirus genus, transmitted by Aedes spp. mosquitoes. Since 2007, two different CHIKV strains (E1-226A and E1-226V) have been responsible for outbreaks in European countries, including Italy, sustained by Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. In this study, we assessed the susceptibility to the CHIKV E1-226V, strain responsible for the Italian 2007 outbreak, of eight Ae. albopictus populations collected in Northern, Central, Southern, and Island Italy, by experimental infections. Vector competence was evaluated by estimating infection, dissemination, and transmission rates (IR, DR, TR), through detection of the virus in the bodies, legs plus wings, and saliva, respectively. Additionally, vertical transmission was evaluated by the detection of the virus in the offspring. The results of our study demonstrated that the Italian populations of Ae. albopictus tested were susceptible to CHIKV infection, and can disseminate the virus outside the midgut barrier with high values of IR and DR. Viral infectious RNA was detected in the saliva of three populations from Central, Southern, and Island Italy, also tested for TR and population transmission rate (PTR) values. No progeny of the first and second gonotrophic cycle were positive for CHIKV. This study strongly confirms the role of Ae. albopictus as a potential CHIKV vector in Italy. This may represent a threat, especially considering both the high density of this species, which is widespread throughout the country, and the increasing number of cases of imported arboviruses.

First record of the Kuwana pine mealybug Crisicoccus pini (Kuwana) in Italy: a new threat to Italian pine forests?

PubMed

Boselli, Mauro; Pellizzari, Giuseppina

2016-02-19

The Asiatic Kuwana pine mealybug, Crisicoccus pini (Kuwana, 1902) (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae), is reported in Italy for the first time. It was detected in September 2015 on maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, and stone pine, Pinus pinea, trees growing in the town of Cervia (Ravenna Province), Northern Italy. The mealybug has caused yellowing and decline of the pine trees. Pinus pinea is recorded here as a new host for C. pini.

Vaccine storage in the community: a study in central Italy.

PubMed Central

Grasso, M.; Ripabelli, G.; Sammarco, M. L.; Manfredi Selvaggi, T. M.; Quaranta, A.

1999-01-01

Maintaining the vaccine cold chain is an essential part of a successful immunization programme, but in developed countries faulty procedures may occur more commonly than is generally believed. A survey was conducted in a health district in central Italy to assess the methods of vaccine transportation and storage. Of 52 primary vaccination offices inspected, 39 (76.5%) had a refrigerator for vaccine storage but only 17 (33.3%) kept records of received and stored doses. None of the seven main offices selected for monitoring had a maximum and minimum thermometer and none monitored the internal temperature of the refrigerator. Moreover, other faulty procedures, such as the storage of food and laboratory specimens in vaccine refrigerators and the storage of vaccines on refrigerator door shelves, indicated that the knowledge and practice of vaccine storage and handling were often inadequate. PMID:10327715

Molecular Survey on Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, and Babesia spp. in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Infesting Dogs in Central Italy.

PubMed

Morganti, Giulia; Gavaudan, Stefano; Canonico, Cristina; Ravagnan, Silvia; Olivieri, Emanuela; Diaferia, Manuela; Marenzoni, Maria Luisa; Antognoni, Maria Teresa; Capelli, Gioia; Silaghi, Cornelia; Veronesi, Fabrizia

2017-11-01

Dogs are a common feeding hosts for Ixodes ricinus and may act as reservoir hosts for zoonotic tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and as carriers of infected ticks into human settings. The aim of this work was to evaluate the presence of several selected TBPs of significant public health concern by molecular methods in I. ricinus recovered from dogs living in urban and suburban settings in central Italy. A total of 212 I. ricinus specimens were collected from the coat of domestic dogs. DNA was extracted from each specimen individually and tested for Rickettsia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, using real-time and conventional PCR protocols, followed by sequencing. Sixty-one ticks (28.8%) tested positive for TBPs; 57 samples were infected by one pathogen, while four showed coinfections. Rickettsia spp. was detected in 39 specimens (18.4%), of which 32 were identified as Rickettsia monacensis and seven as Rickettsia helvetica. Twenty-two samples (10.4%) tested positive for A. phagocytophilum; Borrelia lusitaniae and Borrelia afzelii were detected in two specimens and one specimen, respectively. One tick (0.5%) was found to be positive for Babesia venatorum (EU1). Our findings reveal the significant exposure of dogs to TBPs of public health concern and provide data on the role of dogs in the circulation of I. ricinus-borne pathogens in central Italy.

Climatic oscillations in central Italy during the Last Glacial-Holocene transition: the record from Lake Accesa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magny, Michel; de Beaulieu, Jacques-Louis; Drescher-Schneider, Ruth; Vannière, Boris; Walter-Simonnet, Anne-Véronique; Millet, Laurent; Bossuet, Gilles; Peyron, Odile

2006-05-01

This paper presents an event stratigraphy based on data documenting the history of vegetation cover, lake-level changes and fire frequency, as well as volcanic eruptions, over the Last Glacial-early Holocene transition from a terrestrial sediment sequence recovered at Lake Accesa in Tuscany (north-central Italy). On the basis of an age-depth model inferred from 13 radiocarbon dates and six tephra horizons, the Oldest Dryas-Bølling warming event was dated to ca. 14 560 cal. yr BP and the Younger Dryas event to ca. 12 700-11 650 cal. yr BP. Four sub-millennial scale cooling phases were recognised from pollen data at ca. 14 300-14 200, 13 900-13 700, 13 400-13 100 and 11 350-11 150 cal.yrBP. The last three may be Mediterranean equivalents to the Older Dryas (GI-1d), Intra-Allerød (GI-1b) and Preboreal Oscillation (PBO) cooling events defined from the GRIP ice-core and indicate strong climatic linkages between the North Atlantic and Mediterranean areas during the last Termination. The first may correspond to Intra-Bølling cold oscillations registered by various palaeoclimatic records in the North Atlantic region. The lake-level record shows that the sub-millennial scale climatic oscillations which punctuated the last deglaciation were associated in central Italy with different successive patterns of hydrological changes from the Bølling warming to the 8.2ka cold reversal. Copyright

The role played by stakeholders in the public debate that brought Italy out of the club of nuclear energy producers.

PubMed

Cantone, Marie Claire; Sturloni, Giancarlo; Brunelli, Giancarlo

2007-10-01

In 1964, Italy was the fourth largest world producer of electricity generated by nuclear reactors, second in Europe only to United Kingdom. In subsequent years, various controversial political events contributed towards drastically slowing down the development of the Italian national nuclear program. The 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, which caused a public outcry all over Europe, had particularly serious repercussions in Italy. In a controversial referendum, held in November 1987, Italian citizens voted to repeal three laws promoting the installation of nuclear power plants (NPP) on Italian soil and allowing the National Institute for Electrical Energy (ENEL) to participate in the construction of NPP's abroad. This work analyzes the reasons for that decision and the communication strategies of the stakeholders that took part in the public debate on nuclear energy during the weeks following the Chernobyl accident. Drawing from the methodologies used in media studies, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of two leading Italian newspapers was performed. The results reveal that a variety of stakeholders, upholding different values and interests, took part in the debate. There being no tradition of a public dialogue and participation in Italy, the debate was polarized to a "yes/no choice," which eventually caused Italy to abandon the production of nuclear power for civilian use.

Excessive Cytokine Response to Rapid Proliferation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses Leads to Fatal Systemic Capillary Leakage in Chickens

PubMed Central

Kuribayashi, Saya; Sakoda, Yoshihiro; Kawasaki, Takeshi; Tanaka, Tomohisa; Yamamoto, Naoki; Okamatsu, Masatoshi; Isoda, Norikazu; Tsuda, Yoshimi; Sunden, Yuji; Umemura, Takashi; Nakajima, Noriko; Hasegawa, Hideki; Kida, Hiroshi

2013-01-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) cause lethal infection in chickens. Severe cases of HPAIV infections have been also reported in mammals, including humans. In both mammals and birds, the relationship between host cytokine response to the infection with HPAIVs and lethal outcome has not been well understood. In the present study, the highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses A/turkey/Italy/4580/1999 (H7N1) (Ty/Italy) and A/chicken/Netherlands/2586/2003 (H7N7) (Ck/NL) and the low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) A/chicken/Ibaraki/1/2005 (H5N2) (Ck/Ibaraki) were intranasally inoculated into chickens. Ty/Italy replicated more extensively than Ck/NL in systemic tissues of the chickens, especially in the brain, and induced excessive mRNA expression of inflammatory and antiviral cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-α) in proportion to its proliferation. Using in situ hybridization, IL-6 mRNA was detected mainly in microglial nodules in the brain of the chickens infected with Ty/Italy. Capillary leakage assessed by Evans blue staining was observed in multiple organs, especially in the brains of the chickens infected with Ty/Italy, and was not observed in those infected with Ck/NL. In contrast, LPAIV caused only local infection in the chickens, with neither apparent cytokine expression nor capillary leakage in any tissue of the chickens. The present results indicate that an excessive cytokine response is induced by rapid and extensive proliferation of HPAIV and causes fatal multiple organ failure in chickens. PMID:23874602

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

Symposium on Signal and Image Processing English-Language Abstracts (12th) Held in Juan-Les-Pins, France on 12-16 June 1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

Neril1" (’)INFOCOM Dpt., via Eudossiana 18, 1-00184 Roma, Italy (2) CONTRAVES Italiana SpA. via Affile 102, 1-00139 Roma, Italy SUMMARY The paper...central processor. This makes the perception of the system less accurate and induces a loss in performance. Previous studies have considered the case...current practice. An inner code, often decoded using a weighted input, is concatenated with an outer code decoded without such a weighting . If

A geochemical approach for assessing the possible uses of the geothermal resource in the eastern sector of the Sabatini Volcanic District (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cinti, Daniele; Tassi, Franco; Procesi, Monia; Brusca, Lorenzo; Cabassi, Jacopo; Capecchiacci, Francesco; Delgado Huertas, Antonio; Galli, Gianfranco; Grassa, Fausto; Vaselli, Orlando; Voltattorni, Nunzia

2017-04-01

The Sabatini Volcanic District (SVD) hosts a hydrothermal reservoir heated by the post-magmatic activity that affected the peri-Tyrrhenian sector of central Italy, giving rise to a number of thermal and mineral discharges. In this study, a complete geochemical and isotopic dataset based on the composition of 215 water and 9 bubbling gases, collected from the eastern sector of this huge hydrothermal system, is reported. The main aims are to (i) investigate the fluid sources and the main chemical-physical processes controlling the fluid chemistry and (ii) construct a conceptual fluid circulation model to provide insights into the possible use(s) of the geothermal resource. The fluid discharges are fed by two main aquifers, characterized by: (1) a Ca-HCO3 to Ca(Na)-HCO3 composition, typical of a shallow hydrological circuit within volcanic and sedimentary formations, and (2) a Ca-HCO3(SO4) to Na(Ca)-HCO3(Cl) composition, produced by the interaction of CO2-rich fluids with Mesozoic and Triassic carbonate-evaporite rocks. A thick sequence of low-permeability volcanic products represents a physical barrier between the two fluid reservoirs. As commonly occurring in central-southern Italy, CO2 is mainly produced by thermo-metamorphic decarbonation within the carbonate-evaporite reservoir, with minor contribution of mantle CO2. A dominant crustal source is also indicated by the relatively low R/Ra values (0.07-1.04). Methane and light hydrocarbons are mostly thermogenic, whereas H2S derives from thermogenic reduction of the Triassic anhydrites. Slightly positive 15N/14N values suggest minor N2 contribution from deep sedimentary sources. On the whole, a comparison of these geochemical features with those of the thermal fluids from the western portion of SVD highlights an eastward increasing influence of the shallow aquifer on the deep-originated fluids, likely caused by the proximity of the Apennine range from where the meteoric water, recharging the hydrothermal system, permeate. Accordingly, gas geothermometry in the CH4-CO2-H2 and H2S-CO2-H2 systems suggests equilibrium temperatures <200 °C, i.e. significantly lower than those measured in fluids from deep geothermal wells (300 °C). Although mitigated by the short distance from the Apennine range, the thermal anomaly recognized by fluid geochemistry in the eastern SVD makes this area suitable for direct exploitation of the geothermal resource.

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 (Md < 3), swarm activity that clustered within the Ortona-Roccamonfina line, a regional structure striking NNE-SSW and separating the central from the southern Apennines, hypothesized and discussed by numerous authors; in particular its field evidence is still debated, as much as its present-day activity. Our data show that, at least in the area where the 2005 sequence has occurred, the spatial trend of seismic activity essentially coincides with a sector of the Ortona-Roccamonfina line. Concerning fault polarity switches, there are numerous case studies in the literature where such examples have been recognized and associated with accommodation zones. Various authors have shown that either a hard (transfer fault) or soft linkage (relay ramp) is kinematically needed to accommodate strain between the two. This would be particularly true in the case we present, i.e. with two large (~20-25 km long) convergent, approaching faults, at a distance (20-25 km) comparable in size to the length of the faults in question. According to these literature models for transfer zones, such transfer would occur at ~45° to the strike of the concerned faults, that is ~N-S in the studied area. The location of the clustered seismicity that occurred in 2005 between the Abruzzo and Molise regions shows a ~NNE-SSW alignment and falls within the area where a major polarity switch between large seismogenic faults occur. On the basis of (i) the spatial-temporal characteristics of this data and (ii) the geometry and kinematics of active faulting in the region, we hypothesize (a) the existence of a transfer zone between the Aremogna-Cinque Miglia and Boiano Basin faults, and (b) the activity of such linkage along the Ortona-Roccamonfina line in this sector of the chain where a major transition, both structural and seismogenic, occurs. Alternatively, this polarity switch could result mainly from the rheologic and tectonic control exerted by the abrupt passage between the two diverse paleogeographic domains that make up the boundary between the central and southern Apennines. The role of such possible control onto the nature and geometry of the transfer zone and their interaction with one another, including seismic activity, is part of a larger study currently underway.

Lectotype designation for seven species names in the Daucus guttatus complex (Apiaceae) from the central and eastern Mediterranean basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Daucus guttatus complex includes 2-4 species growing from central and northern Italy to the Middle East. They are characterized by being usually annuals up to 50 cm high; and the primary umbels up to 7 cm in diameter with less than 25(35) rays. Discolored umbels are frequent, bearing one to seve...

Social inequalities in total and cause-specific mortality of a sample of the Italian population, from 1999 to 2007.

PubMed

Marinacci, Chiara; Grippo, Francesco; Pappagallo, Marilena; Sebastiani, Gabriella; Demaria, Moreno; Vittori, Patrizia; Caranci, Nicola; Costa, Giuseppe

2013-08-01

There is extensive documentation on social inequalities in mortality across Europe, showing heterogeneity among countries. Italy contributed to this comparative research, through longitudinal systems from northern or central cities of the country. This study aims to analyse educational inequalities in general and cause-specific mortality in a sample of the Italian population. Study population was selected within a cohort of 123,056 individuals, followed up for mortality through record linkage with national archive of death certificates for the period 1999-2007. People aged between 25 and 74 years were selected (n = 81,763); relative risks of death by education were estimated through Poisson models, stratified according to sex and adjusted for age and geographic area of residence. Heterogeneity of risks by area of residence was evaluated. Men and women with primary education or less show 79% and 63% higher mortality risks, respectively, compared with graduates. Mortality risks seem to frequently increase with decreasing education, with a significant linear trend among men. For men, social inequalities appear related to mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system and to all neoplasms, whereas for women, they are related to inequalities in cancer mortality. Results from the first follow-up of a national sample highlight that Italy presents significant differences in mortality according to the socio-economic conditions of both men and women. These results not only challenge policies aimed at redistributing resources to individuals and groups, but also those policies that direct programmes and resources for treatment and prevention according to the different health needs.

Hydrogeochemical changes before and during the 2016 Amatrice-Norcia seismic sequence (central Italy).

PubMed

Barberio, Marino Domenico; Barbieri, Maurizio; Billi, Andrea; Doglioni, Carlo; Petitta, Marco

2017-09-15

Seismic precursors are an as yet unattained frontier in earthquake studies. With the aim of making a step towards this frontier, we present a hydrogeochemical dataset associated with the 2016 Amatrice-Norcia seismic sequence (central Apennines, Italy), developed from August 24 th , with an M w 6.0 event, and culminating on October 30 th , with an M w 6.5 mainshock. The seismic sequence occurred during a seasonal depletion of hydrostructures, and the four strongest earthquakes (M w  ≥ 5.5) generated an abrupt uplift of the water level, recorded up to 100 km away from the mainshock area. Monitoring a set of selected springs in the central Apennines, a few hydrogeochemical anomalies were observed months before the onset of the seismic swarm, including a variation of pH values and an increase of As, V, and Fe concentrations. Cr concentrations increased immediately after the onset of the seismic sequence. On November 2016, these elements recovered to their usual low concentrations. We interpret these geochemical anomalies as reliable seismic precursors for a dilational tectonic setting.

Impact of multiple radar reflectivity data assimilation on the numerical simulation of a flash flood event during the HyMeX campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maiello, Ida; Gentile, Sabrina; Ferretti, Rossella; Baldini, Luca; Roberto, Nicoletta; Picciotti, Errico; Alberoni, Pier Paolo; Silvio Marzano, Frank

2017-11-01

An analysis to evaluate the impact of multiple radar reflectivity data with a three-dimensional variational (3-D-Var) assimilation system on a heavy precipitation event is presented. The main goal is to build a regionally tuned numerical prediction model and a decision-support system for environmental civil protection services and demonstrate it in the central Italian regions, distinguishing which type of observations, conventional and not (or a combination of them), is more effective in improving the accuracy of the forecasted rainfall. In that respect, during the first special observation period (SOP1) of HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment) campaign several intensive observing periods (IOPs) were launched and nine of which occurred in Italy. Among them, IOP4 is chosen for this study because of its low predictability regarding the exact location and amount of precipitation. This event hit central Italy on 14 September 2012 producing heavy precipitation and causing several cases of damage to buildings, infrastructure, and roads. Reflectivity data taken from three C-band Doppler radars running operationally during the event are assimilated using the 3-D-Var technique to improve high-resolution initial conditions. In order to evaluate the impact of the assimilation procedure at different horizontal resolutions and to assess the impact of assimilating reflectivity data from multiple radars, several experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are performed. Finally, traditional verification scores such as accuracy, equitable threat score, false alarm ratio, and frequency bias - interpreted by analysing their uncertainty through bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs) - are used to objectively compare the experiments, using rain gauge data as a benchmark.

[Solutions to problems in other countries].

PubMed

Wendehorst, C

2000-12-01

The costs of public health in Germany are permanently increasing due to changes in the age-structure of the population, the development of new and expensive methods of medical treatment, the appearance of new diseases and other causes. There is a vivid discussion about how we could rationalize and/or restructure the public health system. In order to find solutions we should consider the provision of public health in other countries, for example in Sweden, Great Britain, the USA and Italy. Sweden has introduced a primary care system and fostered ambulatory care, with general practitioners and specialists working hand in hand in public health centres. In the USA costs have been reduced through the instruments of "Managed Care": global fees, global budgeting in hospital services, avoidance of hospitalization and efficiency checks. In Great Britain, medical care is centralized in the "National Health Service", which is paid out of the tax revenue. In Italy, there are local primary care centres, and secondary care is provided only on referral by a primary care physician. For drugs, a positive list has been introduced. Some of the instruments referred to could be implemented in Germany and help economize the provision of public health. However, the liberties of doctors and patients would probably be restricted.

Effects of FRP application on the seismic response of a masonry church in Emilia-Romagna (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milani, Gabriele; Shehu, Rafael; Valente, Marco

2016-12-01

The paper presents some preliminary results of advanced Finite Element (FE) analyses on the upgrading of old masonry constructions by means of Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRPs). The case study is a masonry Romanesque church, located in Ferrara, Emilia Romagna (Italy). The church exhibits widespread damage caused by the recent earthquake sequence occurred in 2012 about 60 km far from Ferrara with two major seismic events of magnitude 5.8 and 5.9. The main damage involved mainly the columns of the central nave and the apse. A partial detachment of the façade was observed too. First, gravity load analyses and non-linear static and dynamic analyses are performed on the church in the unretrofitted configuration. Numerical results put in evidence the insufficient strength of the apse and the columns of the naves, and the detachment of the façade. A strengthening intervention conducted by means of FRP strips is numerically analysed, assuming the behavior of the strips, especially for what concerns delamination, in agreement with Italian Guidelines. Numerical results show a quite reasonable strength improvement of the weak structural elements due to FRP application, with levels of strength higher than the minimum ones required by Italian Code.

Changes in the Fusarium Head Blight Complex of Malting Barley in a Three-Year Field Experiment in Italy

PubMed Central

Beccari, Giovanni; Prodi, Antonio; Tini, Francesco; Bonciarelli, Umberto; Onofri, Andrea; Oueslati, Souheib; Limayma, Marwa; Covarelli, Lorenzo

2017-01-01

In this study, conducted for three years on eleven malting barley varieties cultivated in central Italy, the incidence of different mycotoxigenic fungal genera, the identification of the Fusarium species associated with the Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) complex, and kernels contamination with deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 mycotoxins were determined. The influence of climatic conditions on Fusarium infections and FHB complex composition was also investigated. Fusarium species were always present in the three years and the high average and maximum temperatures during anthesis mainly favored their occurrence. The FHB complex was subject to changes during the three years and the main causal agents were F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. tricinctum and F. graminearum, which, even if constantly present, never represented the principal FHB agent. The relative incidence of Fusarium species changed because of climatic conditions occurring during the seasons. The FHB complex was composed of many different Fusarium species and some of them were associated with a specific variety and/or with specific weather parameters, indicating that the interaction between a certain plant genotype and climatic conditions may influence the presence of Fusarium spp. causing infections. With regard to mycotoxin contamination, T-2 toxin, in some cases, was found in kernels at levels that exceeded EU recommended values. PMID:28353653

Deadly outbreak of iron storage disease (ISD) in Italian birds of the family Turdidae.

PubMed

Pavone, Silvia; Salamida, Sonia; Pecorelli, Ivan; Rossi, Elisabetta; Manuali, Elisabetta

2014-09-01

A widespread deadly outbreak occurred in captive birds belonging to the family Turdidae in Italy. The present study was performed on 46 dead birds coming from 3 small decoy-bird breeders in central Italy. Only Turdus pilaris, Turdus iliacus, Turdus philomelos and Turdus merula were affected. No other species of bird held by these breeders died. A change of diet before the hunting season was reported from all breeders. Full necropsy of the animals and histological investigations of representative tissue samples were performed. Microscopical examination showed marked iron deposits in liver samples. Bacteriological investigations and molecular analysis to exclude bacterial and viral diseases were carried out. Contamination of food pellet samples by mycotoxins and analysis to detect heavy metal contaminants in food pellet samples were considered. An interesting result was the high iron content found in food pellets. It was higher than that considered suitable for birds, especially for species susceptible to development iron storage disease (ISD). Taken together, the results suggested an outbreak of ISD caused by the high iron content of food given to the birds before the hunting season. The high mortality recorded only in species belonging to the family Turdidae suggests a genetic predisposition in the affected birds.

Characterization of Mediterranean hail-bearing storms using an operational polarimetric X-band radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vulpiani, G.; Baldini, L.; Roberto, N.

2015-07-01

This work documents the fruitul use of X-band radar observations for the monitoring of severe storms in an operational framework. More specifically, a couple of severe hail-bearing Mediterranean storms occurred in 2013 in southern Italy, flooding two important cities of Sicily, are described in terms of their polarimetric radar signatures and retrieved rainfall fields. It is used the X-band dual-polarization radar operating inside the Catania airport (Sicily, Italy), managed by the Italian Department of Civil Protection. A suitable processing is applied to X-band radar measurements. The crucial procedural step relies on the differential phase processing based on an iterative approach that uses a very short-length (1 km) moving window allowing to properly catch the observed high radial gradients of the differential phase. The parameterization of the attenuation correction algorithm, which use the reconstructed differential phase shift, is derived from electromagnetic simulations based on 3 years of DSD observations collected in Rome (Italy). A Fuzzy Logic hydrometeor classification algorithm was also adopted to support the analysis of the storm characteristics. The precipitation fields amount were reconstructed using a combined polarimetric rainfall algorithm based on reflectivity and specific differential phase. The first considered storm was observed on the 21 February, when a winter convective system, originated in the Tyrrhenian sea, hit only marginally the central-eastern coastline of Sicily causing the flash-flood of Catania. Due to the optimal radar location (the system is located at just few kilometers from the city center), it was possible to well retrieve the storm characteristics, including the amount of rainfall field at ground. Extemporaneous signal extinction, caused by close-range hail core causing significant differential phase shift in very short range path, is documented. The second storm, occurred on 21 August 2013, is a summer mesoscale convective system originated by the temperature gradient between sea and land surface, lasted a few hours and eventually flooded the city of Siracusa. The undergoing physical process, including the storm dynamics, is inferred by analysing the vertical sections of the polarimetric radar measurements. The high registered precipitation amount was fairly well reconstructed even though with a trend to underestimation at increasing distances. Several episodes of signal extinction clearly manifested during the mature stage of the observed supercell.

Characterization of Mediterranean hail-bearing storms using an operational polarimetric X-band radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vulpiani, G.; Baldini, L.; Roberto, N.

2015-11-01

This work documents the effective use of X-band radar observations for monitoring severe storms in an operational framework. Two severe hail-bearing Mediterranean storms that occurred in 2013 in southern Italy, flooding two important Sicilian cities, are described in terms of their polarimetric radar signatures and retrieved rainfall fields. The X-band dual-polarization radar operating inside the Catania airport (Sicily, Italy), managed by the Italian Department of Civil Protection, is considered here. A suitable processing is applied to X-band radar measurements. The crucial procedural step relies on the differential phase processing, being preparatory for attenuation correction and rainfall estimation. It is based on an iterative approach that uses a very short-length (1 km) moving window, allowing proper capture of the observed high radial gradients of the differential phase. The parameterization of the attenuation correction algorithm, which uses the reconstructed differential phase shift, is derived from electromagnetic simulations based on 3 years of drop size distribution (DSD) observations collected in Rome (Italy). A fuzzy logic hydrometeor classification algorithm was also adopted to support the analysis of the storm characteristics. The precipitation field amounts were reconstructed using a combined polarimetric rainfall algorithm based on reflectivity and specific differential phase. The first storm was observed on 21 February when a winter convective system that originated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, marginally hit the central-eastern coastline of Sicily, causing a flash flood in Catania. Due to an optimal location (the system is located a few kilometers from the city center), it was possible to retrieve the storm characteristics fairly well, including the amount of rainfall field at the ground. Extemporaneous signal extinction, caused by close-range hail core causing significant differential phase shift in a very short-range path, is documented. The second storm, on 21 August 2013, was a summer mesoscale convective system that originated from a Mediterranean low pressure system lasting a few hours that eventually flooded the city of Syracuse. The undergoing physical process, including the storm dynamics, is inferred by analyzing the vertical sections of the polarimetric radar measurements. The high registered amount of precipitation was fairly well reconstructed, although with a trend toward underestimation at increasing distances. Several episodes of signal extinction were clearly manifested during the mature stage of the observed supercells.

Fulminant septic shock caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus in Italy: Case report.

PubMed

Piccinelli, Giorgio; Caccuri, Francesca; De Peri, Elena; Tironi, Andrea; Odolini, Silvia; Notarangelo, Lucia Dora; Gargiulo, Franco; Castelli, Francesco; Latronico, Nicola; Facchetti, Fabio; Caruso, Arnaldo

2018-05-03

Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection was recently recognized as a zoonosis. We report the first case of fulminant septic shock in Italy caused by this pathogen. The patient, with a history of splenectomy, died at the main hospital in Brescia with a presumptive diagnosis of sepsis. PCR and sequencing on post mortem samples confirmed C. canimorsus as a causative organism. Our purpose is to alert medical professionals to the virulence of C. canimorsus in asplenic and immunocompromised patients. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Estimates of cancer deaths attributable to behavioural risk factors in Italy, 2013.

PubMed

Battisti, Francesca; Carreras, Giulia; Grassi, Tommaso; Chellini, Elisabetta; Gorini, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

"Non-communicable diseases cause more than 80% of deaths in europe and, among these, 20% are caused by cancer. Modifiable lifestyle factors considered in the italian national programme "Guadagnare salute" (Gaining health), such as tobacco smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, overweight, and excessive alcohol use, are amongst the major causes of cancer deaths. The aims of this study was to estimate the number of deaths attributable to lifestyle factors for italy and for italian regions in 2013 and to describe its variation in relation to the regional prevalence of risk factors exposure. For Italy and for each italian region, deaths attributable to lifestyle factors were estimated using the methodology of the Global Burden of disease (GBd) study. italian mortality data of 2013 and risks attributable to these lifestyle factors for each cancer site for italy from the GBd study were used. Prevalence of exposure to lifestyles in Italy and in each Italian Region was collected for the period 2008-2013. In 2013, at least 66,605 cancer deaths in italy were attributable to lifestyle factors, accounting for 37.9% of all cancer deaths: 34.1% of cancer deaths in men and 9.0% in women were attributable to smoking; in men and women, respectively, 3.3% and 2.8% were attributable to excessive alcohol consumption; 5.3 % and 6.7% to overweight; 10.1% and 7.1% to dietary risk factors; 1.9% and 4.2% to physical inactivity. A moderate variability of percentage of deaths attributable to modifi able lifestyle factors by region was also detected due to different prevalence values of exposure to lifestyles occurred in last decades. At least 45,000 cancer deaths in men and 21,000 in women occurred in 2013 were attributable to modifi able risk factors, whose prevalence varied by region and which could be averted through the implementation of primary prevention interventions."

The HyMeX Special Observation Period in Central Italy: precipitation measurements, retrieval techniques and preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silvio Marzano, Frank; Baldini, Luca; Picciotti, Errico; Colantonio, Matteo; Barbieri, Stefano; Di Fabio, Saverio; Montopoli, Mario; Vulpiani, Gianfranco; Roberto, Nicoletta; Adirosi, Elisa; Gorgucci, Eugenio; Anagnostou, Marios N.; Kalogiros, John; Anagnostou, Emmanouil N.; Ferretti, Rossella; Gatlin, Patrick.; Wingo, Matt; Petersen, Walt

2013-04-01

The Mediterranean area concentrates the major natural risks related to the water cycle, including heavy precipitation and flash-flooding during the fall season. The capability to predict such high-impact events remains weak because of the contribution of very fine-scale processes and their non-linear interactions with the larger scale processes. These societal and science issues motivate the HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment, http://www.hymex.org/) experimental programme. HyMeX aims at a better quantification and understanding of the water cycle in the Mediterranean with emphasis on intense events. The observation strategy of HyMEX is organized in a long-term (4 years) Enhanced Observation Periods (EOP) and short-term (2 months) Special Observation Periods (SOP). HyMEX has identified 3 main Mediterranean target areas: North-West (NW), Adriatic (A) and South-East (SE). Within each target area several hydrometeorological sites for heavy rainfall and flash flooding have been set up. The hydrometeorological site in Central Italy (CI) is interested by both western and eastern fronts coming from the Atlantic Ocean and Siberia, respectively. Orographic precipitations play an important role due to the central Apennine range, which reaches nearly 3000 m (Gran Sasso peak). Moreover, convective systems commonly develop in CI during late summer and beginning of autumn, often causing localized hailstorms with cluster organized cells. Western fronts may heavily hit the Tiber basin crossing large urban areas (Rome), whereas eastern fronts can cause flash floods along the Adriatic coastline. Two major basins are involved within CI region: Tiber basin (1000 km long) and its tributary Aniene and the Aterno-Pescara basin (300 km long). The first HyMeX SOP1.1 was carried out from Sept. till Nov. 2012 in the NW target area. The Italian SOP1.1 was coordinated by the Centre of Excellence CETEMPS, University of L'Aquila, a city located in the CI heart. The CI area was covered by a uniquely dense meteorological instrumentation thanks to a synergy between Italian institutions and NASA-GSFC. The following RADARs were operated: a Doppler single-polarization C-band radar located at Mt. Midia; the Polar 55C Doppler dual-polarization C-band radar located in Rome; a Doppler C-band polarimetric radar located at Il Monte (Abruzzo); a polarimetric X-band mini-radar in L'Aquila; a polarimetric X-band portable mini-radar in Rome; a single-polarization X-band mini-radar in Rome. DISDROMETERs were also deployed: 4 Parsivel optical disdrometers in Rome (at Sapienza, CNR-ISAC and CNR-INSEAN); 1 2D-video disdrometer in Rome; 3 Parsivels optical disdrometer respectively in L'Aquila (Abruzzo), Avezzano (Abruzzo) and Pescara (Abruzzo). Other INSTRUMENTS were available: 1 K-band vertically-pointing micro rain-radar (MRR), 2 Pludix X-band disdrometers, 1 VLF lightining sensor, 1 microwave radiometer at 23-31 GHz in Rome (at Sapienza); the raingauge network with more than 200 stations in Central Italy. Three overpasses in CI were also performed by the Falcon 20 aircraft equipped with the 95GHz cloud radar RASTA. Analysis of the SOP1.1 main events in CI will be described by focusing on the raindrop size distribution statistics and its geographical variability. Intercomparison of rainfall estimates from disdrometers, raingauges and radars will be illustrated with the aim to provide a quality-controlled and physically consistent rainfall dataset for meteorological modeling validation and assimilation purposes.

The HyMeX Special Observation Period in Central Italy: Precipitation Measurements, Retrieval Techniques and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatlin, Patrick; Wingo, Matt; Petersen, Walt; Marzano, Frank Silvio; Baldini, Luca; Picciotti, Errico; Colantonio, Matteo; Barbieri, Stefano; Di Fabio, Saverio; Montopoli, Mario;

Identification and characterization of earthquake clusters: a comparative analysis for selected sequences in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peresan, Antonella; Gentili, Stefania

2017-04-01

Identification and statistical characterization of seismic clusters may provide useful insights about the features of seismic energy release and their relation to physical properties of the crust within a given region. Moreover, a number of studies based on spatio-temporal analysis of main-shocks occurrence require preliminary declustering of the earthquake catalogs. Since various methods, relying on different physical/statistical assumptions, may lead to diverse classifications of earthquakes into main events and related events, we aim to investigate the classification differences among different declustering techniques. Accordingly, a formal selection and comparative analysis of earthquake clusters is carried out for the most relevant earthquakes in North-Eastern Italy, as reported in the local OGS-CRS bulletins, compiled at the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics since 1977. The comparison is then extended to selected earthquake sequences associated with a different seismotectonic setting, namely to events that occurred in the region struck by the recent Central Italy destructive earthquakes, making use of INGV data. Various techniques, ranging from classical space-time windows methods to ad hoc manual identification of aftershocks, are applied for detection of earthquake clusters. In particular, a statistical method based on nearest-neighbor distances of events in space-time-energy domain, is considered. Results from clusters identification by the nearest-neighbor method turn out quite robust with respect to the time span of the input catalogue, as well as to minimum magnitude cutoff. The identified clusters for the largest events reported in North-Eastern Italy since 1977 are well consistent with those reported in earlier studies, which were aimed at detailed manual aftershocks identification. The study shows that the data-driven approach, based on the nearest-neighbor distances, can be satisfactorily applied to decompose the seismic catalog into background seismicity and individual sequences of earthquake clusters, also in areas characterized by moderate seismic activity, where the standard declustering techniques may turn out rather gross approximations. With these results acquired, the main statistical features of seismic clusters are explored, including complex interdependence of related events, with the aim to characterize the space-time patterns of earthquakes occurrence in North-Eastern Italy and capture their basic differences with Central Italy sequences.

210Po Log-normal distribution in human urines: Survey from Central Italy people

PubMed Central

Sisti, D.; Rocchi, M. B. L.; Meli, M. A.; Desideri, D.

2009-01-01

The death in London of the former secret service agent Alexander Livtinenko on 23 November 2006 generally attracted the attention of the public to the rather unknown radionuclide 210Po. This paper presents the results of a monitoring programme of 210Po background levels in the urines of noncontaminated people living in Central Italy (near the Republic of S. Marino). The relationship between age, sex, years of smoking, number of cigarettes per day, and 210Po concentration was also studied. The results indicated that the urinary 210Po concentration follows a surprisingly perfect Log-normal distribution. Log 210Po concentrations were positively correlated to age (p < 0.0001), number of daily smoked cigarettes (p = 0.006), and years of smoking (p = 0.021), and associated to sex (p = 0.019). Consequently, this study provides upper reference limits for each sub-group identified by significantly predictive variables. PMID:19750019

The biological standard of living and mortality in Central Italy at the beginning of the 19th century.

PubMed

Coppola, Michela

2013-12-01

The biological standard of living in Central Italy at the beginning of the 19th century is analyzed using newly collected data on the height of recruits in the army of the Papal States. The results reveal a decline in height for the cohorts born under French rule (1796-1815). Although this trend was common to many parts of Europe, the estimated magnitude of the decline suggests a worsening of the biological standard of living of the working classes in the Papal States even relative to that of other countries. Despite the differences in the economic systems within the Papal States, no significant geographical variation in height has been found: even the most dynamic and advanced regions experienced a dramatic height decline. Mortality also increased during the period under consideration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coseismic deformation of the destructive April 6, 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (central Italy) from GPS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzidei, M.; Boschi, E.; Cannelli, V.; Devoti, R.; Esposito, A.; Galvani, A.; Melini, D.; Pietrantonio, G.; Riguzzi, F.; Sepe, V.; Serpelloni, E.

2009-09-01

On April 6, 2009, 01:32:39 GMT, the city of L'Aquila was struck by a Mw 6.3 earthquake that killed 307 people, causing severe destruction and ground cracks in a wide area around the epicenter. Four days before the main shock we augmented the existing permanent GPS network with five GPS stations of the Central Apennine Geodetic Network (CaGeoNet) bordering the L'Aquila basin. The maximum horizontal and vertical coseismic surface displacements detected at these stations was 10.39 ± 0.45 cm and -15.64 ± 1.55 cm, respectively. Fixing the strike direction according to focal mechanism estimates, we estimated the source geometry with a non linear inversion of the geodetic data. Our best fitting fault model is a 13 × 15.7 km2 rectangular fault, SW-dipping at 55.3 ± 1.8°, consistent with the position of observed surface ruptures. The estimated slip (495 ± 29 mm) corresponds to a 6.3 moment magnitude, in excellent agreement with seismological data.

[Initial epidemiological data on the clinical effects in health workers employed in the manual lifting of patients in wards].

PubMed

Colombini, D; Riva, F; Luè, D; Nava, C; Petri, A; Basilico, S; Linzalata, M; Morselli, G; Cotroneo, L; Ricci, M G; Menoni, O; Battevi, N

1999-01-01

An investigation was carried out by teams from various centres coordinated by the EPM (Ergonomics of Posture and Movement) Research Unit on 54 different hospitals in various regions of northern and central Italy. The teams examined a total of 3341 health workers whose job involved manual handling of patients (553 male and 2788 females, 1568 working in hospitals and 1773 in geriatric residences). Numerous meetings were held to ensure that the methods of assessing the exposure indexes and spinal impairment were identical in the various teams. The final data were processed centrally at the EPM Research Unit. The sample analyzed may be considered as representative of the situation in hospitals in Italy, at least for northern and central Italy. The mean age was 36 years, mean length of service in the department 6 years and mean length of job duration not exceeding 10 years; staff turnover was high. Physical examination revealed that 8.4% of the workers had had at least one episode of acute low back pain in the previous 12 months: i.e., 4 times the values of the reference groups. Also in the case of clinical-functional spondyloarthropathies of the lumbosacral spine, in the females there was a significantly higher prevalence than in the reference groups. All disorders were more severe in sectors more at risk, i.e., old peoples homes, rehabilitation centres, orthopaedic and surgical departments, and in any case higher in old peoples homes and geriatric residences. The initial data concerning the ratio between presence of spinal disease and risk index were also positive.

Correlation between large-scale atmospheric fields and the olive pollen season in Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avolio, E.; Pasqualoni, L.; Federico, S.; Fornaciari, M.; Bonofiglio, T.; Orlandi, F.; Bellecci, C.; Romano, B.

2008-11-01

Olives are one of the largest crops in the Mediterranean and in central and southern Italy. This work investigates the correlation of the Olea europaea L. pollen season in Perugia, the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, with atmospheric parameters. The aim of the study is twofold. First, we study the correlation between the pollen season and the surface air temperature of the spring and late spring in Perugia. Second, the correlation between the pollen season and large-scale atmospheric patterns is investigated. The average surface temperature in the spring and late spring has a clear impact on the pollen season in Perugia. Years with higher average temperatures have an earlier onset of the pollen season. In particular, a 1°C higher (lower) average surface temperature corresponds to an earlier (later) start of the pollen season of about 1 week. The correlation between the pollen season and large-scale atmospheric patterns of sea level pressure and 500-hPa geopotential height shows that the cyclonic activity in the Mediterranean is unequivocally tied to the pollen season in Perugia. A larger than average cyclonic activity in the Mediterranean Basin corresponds to a later than average pollen season. Larger than average cyclonic activity in Northern Europe and Siberia corresponds to an earlier than average pollen season. A possible explanation of this correlation, that needs further investigation to be proven, is given. These results can have a practical application by using the seasonal forecast of atmospheric general circulation models.

Environmental changes in the central Po Plain (northern Italy) due to fluvial modifications and anthropogenic activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchetti, Mauro

2002-05-01

The fluvial environment of the central Po Plain, the largest plain in Italy, is discussed in this paper. Bounded by the mountain chains of the Alps and the Apennines, this plain is a link between the Mediterranean environment and the cultural and continental influences of both western and eastern Europe. In the past decades, economic development has been responsible for many changes in the fluvial environment of the area. This paper discusses the changes in fluvial dynamics that started from Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene due to distinct climatic changes. The discussion is based on geomorphological, pedological, and archaeological evidences and radiocarbon dating. In the northern foothills, Late Pleistocene palaeochannels indicate several cases of underfit streams among the northern tributaries of the River Po. On the other hand, on the southern side of the Po Plain, no geomorphological evidence of similar discharge reduction has been found. Here, stratigraphic sections, together with archaeological remains buried under the fluvial deposits, show a reduction in the size of fluvial sediments after the 10th millennium BC. During the Holocene, fluvial sedimentation became finer, and was characterised by minor fluctuations in the rate of deposition, probably related to short and less intense climatic fluctuations. Given the high rate of population growth and the development of human activities since the Neolithic Age, human influence on fluvial dynamics, especially since the Roman Age, prevailed over other factors (i.e., climate, tectonics, vegetation, etc.). During the Holocene, the most important changes in the Po Plain were not modifications in water discharge but in sediment. From the 1st to 3rd Century AD, land grants to war veterans caused almost complete deforestation, generalised soil erosion, and maximum progradation of the River Po delta. At present, land abandonment in the mountainous region has led to reafforestation. Artificial channel control in the mountain sector of the basins and in-channel gravel extraction (now illegal but very intense in the 1960s and 1970s) are causing erosion along the rivers and along large sectors of the Adriatic coast. These changes are comparable with those occurring in basins of other Mediterranean rivers.

[Polychlorinated biphenyl serum levels in two Italian population groups: sex pattern and correlation with age].

PubMed

Turci, Roberta; Marinaccio, Alessandro; Balducci, Claudio; Catenacci, Giovanni; Finozzi, Enrico; Minoia, Claudio

2006-01-01

To examine the congener-specific concentrations and patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Italian general population. Two population groups were selected and monitored for the determination of up to 60 congeners in human serum. A very detailed questionnaire was administered to each participant to collect information concerning demographic, lifestyle, and medical factors. Statistical analyses were performed to examine the relationships between PCB serum levels and age. Northern and Central Italy. 162 subjects from Novafeltria, Central Italy and 164 subjects from Pavia, Northern Italy. Serum concentrations of both coplanar and non-coplanar PCB congeners. Relationship between PCB levels and age. The mean concentration of total PCBs was found to be 2.48 and 3.93 microg/l for Novafeltria and Pavia, respectively. As waited, the most abundant congeners were CB-153, CB-138, CB-180, and CB-170. Age resulted to be the most significant determinant of PCB levels. Slight differences in the congener profile were observed in the two population groups. As expected, a strong correlation between age and PCB levels has been observed. It is remarkable that the correlation increased with increasing chlorination in both the population groups. Associations with other variables, such as gender, food and alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking, appeared to be inconsistent.

Characterization of levofloxacin non-susceptible clinical Streptococcus pyogenes isolated in the central part of Italy.

PubMed

Petrelli, D; Di Luca, M C; Prenna, M; Bernaschi, P; Repetto, A; Vitali, L A

2014-02-01

We investigated the prevalence, genetics, and clonality of fluoroquinolone non-susceptible isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes in the central part of Italy. S. pyogenes strains (n = 197) were isolated during 2012 from patients with tonsillopharyngitis, skin, wound or invasive infections and screened for fluoroquinolone non-susceptibility (resistance to norfloxacin and levofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 2 mg/L) following EUCAST guidelines. First-step topoisomerase parC and gyrA substitutions were investigated using sequencing analysis. Clonality was determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE; SmaI digestion) and by emm typing. The fluoroquinolone non-susceptible phenotype was identified in 18 isolates (9.1 %) and correlated with mutations in parC, but not in gyrA, the most frequent leading to substitution of the serine at position 79 with an alanine. Most of the fluoroquinolone non-susceptible isolates belonged to the emm-type 6, even if other emm-types were also represented (emm75, emm89, and emm2). A significant level of association was measured between PFGE and both emm type and substitutions in parC. The prevalence of fluoroquinolone non-susceptible Streptococcus pyogenes isolates in Italy is of concern and, although the well-known emm type 6 is dominant, other types are appearing and spreading.

The use of phenological data to calculate chilling units in Olea europaea L. in relation to the onset of reproduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlandi, F.; Fornaciari, M.; Romano, B.

2002-02-01

The aim of this study was to develop a practical method to evaluate the effective relationship between the amount of winter chilling and the response expressed as the spring reproductive re-starting dates in the olive ( Olea europaea L.). Two olive cultivars growing in a special olive orchard in Umbria (central Italy) were studied over a 3-year period (1998-2000): the cultivar Ascolana, typical of central Italy, and the cultivar Giarraffa, typical of southern Italy. The spring reproductive re-starts were assessed using data from detailed phenological observations made on 60 trees of each cultivar in an effort to establish the exact date of reproductive bud swelling. The chilling phenomenon was evaluated by using 341 functions derived from a formula developed by researchers at Utah State University to calculate chilling units. The mathematical functions are defined, and show the very close relationship between the amount of winter chilling and the spring reproductive response in the two cultivars in the orchard studied. The results can be used to define the relationship between local climate and plant development, and the mathematical approach can be used to draw maps that can show the suitability of different cultivars on the basis of local climatic conditions.

The Evolution of Professional Nursing Culture in Italy: Metaphors and Paradoxes.

PubMed

Rocco, Gennaro; Affonso, Dyanne D; Mayberry, Linda J; Stievano, Alessandro; Alvaro, Rosaria; Sabatino, Laura

2014-01-01

We explored the perceptions of Italian nurses regarding their developing culture as a health profession. We sought to understand the ongoing evolution of the nursing profession and the changes that were central to it becoming an intellectual discipline on par with the other health professions in Italy. In 2010, the Regulatory Board of Nursing established a center of excellence to build evidence-based practice, advocate for interdisciplinary health care, and champion health profession reforms for nursing. In this study, focus groups-involving 66 nurse participants from various educational, clinical, and administrative backgrounds-were utilized to better ascertain how the profession has changed. Six themes, three of them metaphors-"vortex," "leopard spots," and "deductive jungle"-explain nurses' experiences of professional change in Italy between 2001 and 2011 and the multiple dimensions that characterize their professional identity and autonomy.

Socio-economic impacts of major floods in Italy from 1951 to 2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lastoria, B.; Simonetti, M. R.; Casaioli, M.; Mariani, S.; Monacelli, G.

2006-03-01

Meteorological and hydrological monitoring and modeling, with particular regard for extreme hydrological events, represent important activities carried out by the Hydrological and Inland Waters Service of the Italian Agency for Environmental Protection and Technical Services (APAT). Recently, a study on the socio-economic effects of floods was published in the Italian Environmental Data Yearbook by APAT. It is based on processed data related to the major floods (i.e., events with at least a casualty or that have generated economic damages higher than 0.001% of the Gross Domestic Product) striking Italy between 1951 and 2003. Information was gathered from technical reports and/or databases belonging to APAT, Italian Regional Environmental Agencies (ARPAs), central and local authorities, research institutions and newspaper reports. These data are collected in tables reporting the number of flood events and of casualties and the amount of financial resources required for environmental restoration and/or for risk mitigation purposes. For year 2003, when APAT has begun a systematic monitoring of flood events in Italy, data concerning rainfall, number of persons involved, evacuation and urgent measures introduced to face the event (laws and acts) are also included. In this way, it was possible to realize a new database, in which flood events that caused the declaration of the state of emergency have been collected. Because of the difficulties in finding sufficiently reliable data for the period before the II World War, the collection of historical data started from 1951. During this period, about 50% of the flood events examined have caused at least 5 victims each, and about 10% more than 100; these data highlight the considerable social impact of flood events and suggest the importance of creating an integrated database to collect information about flood events involving all Europe. These two databases (the historical and updating archives) could be useful for taking into account the different anthropic impacts during the time, the real effectiveness of protection measures already realized and could represent a valid reference for further interventions.

Fusarium agapanthi sp. nov, a novel bikaverin and fusarubin-producing leaf and stem spot pathogen of Agapanthus praecox (African lily) from Australia and Italy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study was conducted to characterize a novel Fusarium species that caused leaf and stem spot on Agapanthus praecox (Agapanthus, African lily) in northern Italy and leaf rot and spot on the same host in Melbourne, Australia. Formally described as Fusarium agapanthi, this pathogen was analyzed usi...

Geomorphic evidence of active faults growth in the Norcia seismic area (central Apennines, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Materazzi, Marco; Aringoli, Domenico; Farabollini, Piero; Giacopetti, Marco; Pambianchi, Gilberto; Tondi, Emanuele; Troiani, Francesco

2016-04-01

Fault-growth by segment linkage is one of the fundamental processes controlling the evolution, in both time and the space, of fault systems. In fact, step-like trajectories shown by length-displacement diagrams for individual fault arrays suggest that the development of evolved structures result by the linkage of single fault segments. The type of interaction between faults and the rate at which faults reactivate not only control the long term tectonic evolution of an area, but also influence the seismic hazard, as earthquake recurrence intervals tend to decrease as fault slip rate increase. The use of Geomorphological investigations represents an important tool to constrain the latest history of active faults. In this case, attention has to be given to recognize morphostructural, historical, environmental features at the surface, since they record the long-term seismic behavior due to the fault growth processes (Tondi and Cello, 2003). The aim of this work is to investigate the long term morphotectonic evolution of a well know seismic area in the central Apennines: the Norcia intramontane basin (Aringoli et al., 2005). The activity of the Norcia seismic area is characterized by moderate events and by strong earthquakes with maximum intensities of X-XI degrees MCS and equivalent magnitudes around 6.5±7.0 (CPTI, 2004). Based on the morphostructural features as well as on the historical seismicity of the area, we may divide the Norcia seismic area into three minor basins roughly NW-SE oriented: the Preci sub-basin in the north; the S. Scolastica and the Castel S. Maria sub-basins in the south. The wider basin (S. Scolastica) is separated from the other two by ridges transversally oriented with respect the basins themselves; they are the geomorphological response to the tectonic deformation which characterizes the whole area. Other geomorphological evidences of tectonic activity are represented by deformation of old summit erosional surfaces, hydrographic network diversion, faulted deposits, deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and large landslides. Moreover the sub-basins represent the surface evidence of traits belonging to the Norcia seismogenic structure, which have repeatedly caused earthquakes in the past, thus determining similar geological, structural and morphostructural features within the wider Norcia area, without causing the whole structure to rupture. The size of these sub-basins and, thus, the size of the relevant seismogenic segments, allows to calculate a maximum magnitude for the three sub-basins and for the seismogenic area as a whole. References Aringoli D., Cavitolo P., Farabollini P., Galindo-Zaldivar J., Gentili B., Giano S.I., Lòpez-Garrido A.C.,. Materazzi M, Nibbi L., Pedrera A., Pambianchi G., Ruano P., Ruiz-Constàn A., Sanz de Galdeano C., Savelli D., Tondi E., Troiani F. 2014. Morphotectonic characterization of the quaternary intermontane basins in the Umbria-Marche Apennines (Italy). Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 25 (Suppl 2), S111-S128. DOI 10.1007/s12210-014-0330-0 CPTI, Working Group, 2004. Catalogo Parametrico Terremoti Italiani, ING, GNDT, SGA, SSN, 92 pp., Bologna. Tondi, E., Cello, G. 2003. Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Central Apennines Fault System (Italy). Journal of Geodynamics, 36, 113-128

Golgi and Ranvier: from the black reaction to a theory of referred pain

PubMed Central

Cani, Valentina; Mazzarello, Paolo

2015-01-01

Summary In his brief report on the structure of the gray matter of the central nervous system (1873), in which he described the “black reaction”, Golgi noted the ramifications of the axon. This discovery prompted the French histologist Louis Antoine Ranvier, one of the first to try the black reaction outside Italy, to propose an ingenious theory of referred pain in his Traité technique d’histologie. Ranvier suggested that the nerve fibers originating from the irritated area and those coming from the region to which the sensation is referred converge on the same axon and thus the same cell body, causing the spatial dislocation of sensation. This theory of referred pain is a powerful example of the extraordinary clinical-physiological impact of the first of Golgi’s neurocytological discoveries. PMID:26214031

Ecology and epidemiology of Echinococcus multilocularis in Europe.

PubMed

Deplazes, P

2006-06-01

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis has a high mortality rate in untreated patients. The life-cycle of E. multilocularis in Europe predominantly involves foxes as definitive hosts. However, experimental studies demonstrated a comparable biotic potential of E. multilocularis in dogs and raccoon dogs but an insignificant potential in cats. AE occurs in central and eastern Europe at low incidence rates. Recent studies in foxes have shown that E. multilocularis has a wider geographic range (including Italy) than previously thought. In recent years, increases in fox populations have been observed in many European countries, especially in urban areas. As a result, the E. multilocularis cycle is now established in the urban environment. This presents an increased risk of infection for a large human population. Based on these facts and new epidemiological data, possible intervention strategies are presented.

Toscana Virus Epidemiology: From Italy to Beyond

PubMed Central

Cusi, Maria G; Savellini, Gianni G; Zanelli, Giacomo

2010-01-01

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus which is transmitted to humans by Phlebotomus spp sandflies. Infection is the cause of brain injuries, such as aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis, in Italy mainly during the summer. More recently some unusual clinical manifestations due to TOSV with severe sequelae, such as ischemic complications and hydrocephalus, have been reported. TOSV represents an important emerging pathogen and its presence is being investigated in several European countries on the Mediterranean basin, including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus. Phylogenetic analysis has distinguished two genotypes of TOSV, A and B; the first is circulating mainly in Italy and the second in Spain, indicating a different geographic distribution possibly related to the vector. This distribution, evolving with the climate, globalization and habitat modification, has implications for the epidemiology of TOSV. PMID:20517492

Knowledge of seismic hazard for the preservation of cultural heritage: the case study of Naples (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porfido, Sabina; Alessio, Giuliana; Gaudiosi, Germana; Nappi, Rosa; Spiga, Efisio

2017-04-01

The recent seismic sequence that struck central Italy, started the August 24, 2016, is characterized by five events with magnitude Mw> 5.0. The strongest events of the seismic sequence were the August 24, with Mw = 6.0 located between Accumoli and Amatrice towns and the October 30 with Mw = 6.5, located between Norcia and Visso town. These earthquakes shocked not only Central Italy, with the death of about 300 people and the almost complete destruction of historical towns (Amatrice, Arquata del Tronto, Accumoli, Pescara del Tronto, Castelluccio, Norcia, Visso), but also shook the entire Italian country, strongly proposing the issue of the vulnerability of the city historical centers. The knowledge, the conservation and preservation of the natural and urban environment represent issues to be faced urgently for preventing the devastation of our heritage, unique in the world. The historical center of Naples was affected by the 30 event October 2016 with an intensity I = V MCS. In the last millennium more than a hundred earthquakes hit Naples, with intensity I> III MCS, ten of which has exceeded the damage level, sometimes with intensity greater of VII MCS. The historical Neapolitan urban context suffered devastating effects, reaching levels of damage equal to the VIII degree MCS, as a result of the large earthquakes occurred in 1456 (I0=XI MCS), 1688 (I0=XI MCS) and 1805 (I0=X MCS). In the twentieth century the city of Napoli was shaken by the 1930, 1962 and 1980, the three strong earthquakes occurred in southern Apennines, between Irpinia and Basilicata regions. The review of earthquakes with higher energy (M> 6) shows that the metropolitan area of Naples suffered high damage levels with intensity I = VIII MCS, especially in the historical center, with a damage recurring on the same architectonic elements of the historical heritage. The recent past of the seismic history teaches us that the Apennines is highly seismic, consequently in the future we can expected seismic events of the same magnitude that could still cause damages to the city of Naples. This brief review of the strong Apennines earthquakes highlights that the city of Naples has a high seismic risk level. Therefore is crucial to implement all appropriate measures to reduce seismic risk, but also for planning measures of prevention, useful for the preservation of the rich local architectural heritage declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995. References Porfido, et al., 2007-Seismically induced ground effects of the 1805, 1930 and 1980 earthquakes in the southern Apennines, in «Boll. Soc. Geol. It.»,126, p. 333-346 Porfido S., Alessio G., Gaudiosi G., Nappi R., Spiga E., 2017-Analisi dei risentimenti dei forti terremoti appenninici che hanno colpito Napoli. Proc. Int, Conf.:La Baia di Napoli. Strategie integrate per la conservazione e la fruizione del paesaggio culturale". (in press) Pucci S., P. M. De Martini, R. Civico, F. Villani, R. Nappi et al. 2017 - Coseismic ruptures of the 24 August 2016, Mw 6.0 Amatrice earthquake (central Italy) DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071859

The Evolution of Professional Nursing Culture in Italy

PubMed Central

Rocco, Gennaro; Affonso, Dyanne D.; Mayberry, Linda J.; Stievano, Alessandro; Alvaro, Rosaria; Sabatino, Laura

2014-01-01

We explored the perceptions of Italian nurses regarding their developing culture as a health profession. We sought to understand the ongoing evolution of the nursing profession and the changes that were central to it becoming an intellectual discipline on par with the other health professions in Italy. In 2010, the Regulatory Board of Nursing established a center of excellence to build evidence-based practice, advocate for interdisciplinary health care, and champion health profession reforms for nursing. In this study, focus groups—involving 66 nurse participants from various educational, clinical, and administrative backgrounds—were utilized to better ascertain how the profession has changed. Six themes, three of them metaphors—“vortex,” “leopard spots,” and “deductive jungle”—explain nurses’ experiences of professional change in Italy between 2001 and 2011 and the multiple dimensions that characterize their professional identity and autonomy. PMID:28462290

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

Incidence of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica in an inland area of central Italy: results of the CAMPO-RHE study.

PubMed

De Socio, Antonia; Perrotta, Fabio Massimo; Grasso, Guido Maria; Lubrano, Ennio

2018-01-01

The aim of the CAMPO-RHE study was to determine the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in patients attending a rheumatologic outpatient's clinic of a new institution in Campobasso, Italy. Campobasso is a small town of approximately 50,000 inhabitants located in the inland territory of central Italy (Molise), and Public Health is managed from a single health authority. In Italy, all citizens are registered with a National Health System of General Practitioner (GP) Physicians. Between the 1 st of June 2014 and the 31 st of May 2016, all consecutive adult patients, sent by a GP, of Campobasso with any diagnosis of musculoskeletal symptoms/signs/complaints were evaluated in a single rheumatology outpatient clinic of our Academic Unit. The clinic represents the first and unique reference for GPs about rheumatic diseases in the territory. Subjects were classified using the 2010 EULAR criteria for RA, the CASPAR criteria for PsA and the 2012 ACR classification criteria for PMR. 1003 adult patients, sent by GPs, with articular or musculoskeletal complaints visited our clinic. Of these, 409 inhabitants of the municipality of Campobasso were evaluated for the study. During the 2-year study period we diagnosed 18, 19 and 12 new cases of RA, PsA and PMR respectively, with a new incident cases rate of 21.4, 22.59 and 27.43/100,000/year on the population at risk. The results of our study could contribute to better define the incidence of these rheumatic diseases classified with the new classification criteria.

Seismic dynamics in advance and after the recent strong earthquakes in Italy and New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nekrasova, A.; Kossobokov, V. G.

2017-12-01

We consider seismic events as a sequence of avalanches in self-organized system of blocks-and-faults of the Earth lithosphere and characterize earthquake series with the distribution of the control parameter, η = τ × 10B × (5-M) × L C of the Unified Scaling Law for Earthquakes, USLE (where τ is inter-event time, B is analogous to the Gutenberg-Richter b-value, and C is fractal dimension of seismic locus). A systematic analysis of earthquake series in Central Italy and New Zealand, 1993-2017, suggests the existence, in a long-term, of different rather steady levels of seismic activity characterized with near constant values of η, which, in mid-term, intermittently switch at times of transitions associated with the strong catastrophic events. On such a transition, seismic activity, in short-term, may follow different scenarios with inter-event time scaling of different kind, including constant, logarithmic, power law, exponential rise/decay or a mixture of those. The results do not support the presence of universality in seismic energy release. The observed variability of seismic activity in advance and after strong (M6.0+) earthquakes in Italy and significant (M7.0+) earthquakes in New Zealand provides important constraints on modelling realistic earthquake sequences by geophysicists and can be used to improve local seismic hazard assessments including earthquake forecast/prediction methodologies. The transitions of seismic regime in Central Italy and New Zealand started in 2016 are still in progress and require special attention and geotechnical monitoring. It would be premature to make any kind of definitive conclusions on the level of seismic hazard which is evidently high at this particular moment of time in both regions. The study supported by the Russian Science Foundation Grant No.16-17-00093.

A Human Deciduous Tooth and New 40Ar/39Ar Dating Results from the Middle Pleistocene Archaeological Site of Isernia La Pineta, Southern Italy

PubMed Central

Peretto, Carlo; Arnaud, Julie; Moggi-Cecchi, Jacopo; Manzi, Giorgio; Nomade, Sébastien; Pereira, Alison; Falguères, Christophe; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Grimaud-Hervé, Dominique; Berto, Claudio; Sala, Benedetto; Lembo, Giuseppe; Muttillo, Brunella; Gallotti, Rosalia; Thun Hohenstein, Ursula; Vaccaro, Carmela; Coltorti, Mauro; Arzarello, Marta

2015-01-01

Isernia La Pineta (south-central Italy, Molise) is one of the most important archaeological localities of the Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe. It is an extensive open-air site with abundant lithic industry and faunal remains distributed across four stratified archaeosurfaces that have been found in two sectors of the excavation (3c, 3a, 3s10 in sect. I; 3a in sect. II). The prehistoric attendance was close to a wet environment, with a series of small waterfalls and lakes associated to calcareous tufa deposits. An isolated human deciduous incisor (labelled IS42) was discovered in 2014 within the archaeological level 3 coll (overlying layer 3a) that, according to new 40Ar/39Ar measurements, is dated to about 583–561 ka, i.e. to the end of marine isotope stage (MIS) 15. Thus, the tooth is currently the oldest human fossil specimen in Italy; it is an important addition to the scanty European fossil record of the Middle Pleistocene, being associated with a lithic assemblage of local raw materials (flint and limestone) characterized by the absence of handaxes and reduction strategies primarily aimed at the production of small/medium-sized flakes. The faunal assemblage is dominated by ungulates often bearing cut marks. Combining chronology with the archaeological evidence, Isernia La Pineta exhibits a delay in the appearance of handaxes with respect to other European Palaeolithic sites of the Middle Pleistocene. Interestingly, this observation matches the persistence of archaic morphological features shown by the human calvarium from the Middle Pleistocene site of Ceprano, not far from Isernia (south-central Italy, Latium). In this perspective, our analysis is aimed to evaluate morphological features occurring in IS42. PMID:26457581

Correlation between pore fluid pressures and DInSAR post-seismic deformation of the May 20, 2012 Emilia-Romagna (Italy) earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moro, M.; Stramondo, S.; Albano, M.; Barba, S.; Solaro, G.; Saroli, M.; Bignami, C.

2015-12-01

The present work focuses on the detection and analysis of the postseismic surface deformations following the two earthquakes that hit the Emilia Romagna region (Italy) on May 20 and 29, 2012. The 2012 Emilia earthquake sequence struck the central sector of the Ferrara arc, which represents the external fold-and-thrust system of the Northern Apennines thrust belt buried below the Po plain. The May 20 event occurred on the Ferrara basal thrust at depth, at about 6-7 km, while, during the May 29 event, the rupture jumped on an inner splay of the Ferrara system. The analysis of the postseismic displacements was carried out thanks to a dataset of SAR COSMO­ SkyMed images covering a time span of about one year (May 20, 2012 - May 11, 2013) after the May 20 event. The DInSAR results revealed the presence of two deformation patches: the first one is located in the area that experienced the coseismic uplift. Here the postseismic displacements point out a further ground uplift occurring along the first three months after the 20 May event. The second deformation patch is located in the villages of San Carlo and Mirabello, where ground subsidence lasting about four months was detected. We hypothesized that both the observed phenomena are related to the pore pressure perturbation caused by the coseismic deformation. In particular, the ground uplift is due to the deep crustal deformations caused by the pore fluid diffusion at depth to re-establish the initial hydrostatic stresses. Instead, the ground subsidence is related to the compaction of the shallow sandy layers caused by the liquefaction phenomena, which widely affected the San Carlo and Mirabello area. Preliminary numerical analyses performed with the Finite Element Method and empirical relations confirmed our hypothesis.

Automated Radar Image of Deformation for Amatrice, Italy Earthquake

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-31

Amatrice earthquake in central Italy, which caused widespread building damage to several towns throughout the region. This earthquake was the strongest in that area since the 2009 earthquake that destroyed the city of L'Aquila. The Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) data system, a collaborative project between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, and the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, automatically generated interferometric synthetic aperture radar images from the Copernicus Sentinel 1A satellite operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the European Commission to calculate a map of the deformation of Earth's surface caused by the quake. This false-color map shows the amount of permanent surface movement, as viewed by the satellite, during a 12-day interval between two Sentinel 1 images acquired on Aug. 15, 2016, and Aug. 27, 2016. The movement was caused almost entirely by the earthquake. In this map, the colors of the surface displacements are proportional to the surface motion. The red and pink tones show the areas where the land moved toward the satellite by up to 2 inches (5 centimeters). The area with various shades of blue moved away from the satellite, mostly downward, by as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters). Contours on the surface motion are 2 inches (5 centimeters) The green star shows the epicenter where the earthquake started as located by the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center. Black dots show town locations. Scientists use these maps to build detailed models of the fault slip at depth and associated land movements to better understand the impact on future earthquake activity. The map shows the fault or faults that moved in the earthquake is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) long between Amatrice and Norcia and slopes to the west beneath the area that moved downward. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20896

A Multi-parametric Climatological Approach to Study the 2016 Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) Earthquake Preparatory Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscini, Alessandro; De Santis, Angelo; Marchetti, Dedalo; Cianchini, Gianfranco

2017-10-01

Based on observations prior to earthquakes, recent theoretical considerations suggest that some geophysical quantities reveal abnormal changes that anticipate moderate and strong earthquakes, within a defined spatial area (the so-called Dobrovolsky area) according to a lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling model. One of the possible pre-earthquake effects could be the appearance of some climatological anomalies in the epicentral region, weeks/months before the major earthquakes. In this paper, the period of 2 months preceding the Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) earthquake sequence, that started on 24 August 2016 with an M6 earthquake and a few months later produced other two major shocks (i.e. an M5.9 on 26 October and then an M6.5 on 30 October), was analyzed in terms of skin temperature, total column water vapour and total column of ozone, compared with the past 37-year trend. The novelty of the method stands in the way the complete time series is reduced, where also the possible effect of global warming is properly removed. The simultaneous analysis showed the presence of persistent contemporary anomalies in all of the analysed parameters. To validate the technique, a confutation/confirmation analysis was undertaken where these parameters were successfully analyzed in the same months but considering a seismically "calm" year, when significant seismicity was not present. We also extended the analysis to all available years to construct a confusion matrix comparing the occurrence of climatological data anomalies with real seismicity. This work confirms the potentiality of multi parameters in anticipating the occurrence of large earthquakes in Central Italy, thus reinforcing the idea of considering such behaviour an effective tool for an integrated system of future earthquake prediction.

Glucose tolerance status in 510 children and adolescents attending an obesity clinic in Central Italy.

PubMed

Brufani, Claudia; Ciampalini, Paolo; Grossi, Armando; Fiori, Rossana; Fintini, Danilo; Tozzi, Alberto; Cappa, Marco; Barbetti, Fabrizio

2010-02-01

Childhood obesity is epidemic in developed countries and is accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Establish prevalence of glucose metabolism alterations in a large sample of overweight/obese children and adolescents from Central Italy. The study group included 510 overweight/obese subjects (3-18 yr). Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed with glucose and insulin determination. Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and insulin sensitivity index (ISI) were derived from fasting and OGTT measurements. Beta-cell function was estimated by insulinogenic index. Fat mass was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Glucose metabolism alterations were detected in 12.4% of patients. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was the most frequent alteration (11.2%), with a higher prevalence in adolescents than in children (14.8 vs. 4.1%, p < 0.001); silent T2DM was identified in two adolescents (0.4%). HOMA-IR and glucose-stimulated insulin levels were higher in patients with IGT than individuals with normal glucose tolerance (HOMA-IR = 4.4 +/- 2.5 vs. 3.4 +/- 2.3, p = 0.001). Fat mass percentage and insulinogenic index were not different between the two groups. In multivariate analysis, age, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance influenced independently plasma glucose at 120 min of OGTT. Individuals with combined impaired fasting glucose/IGT (IFG/IGT) and T2DM were older and had reduced plasma insulin values at OGTT when compared to patients with simple IGT. Glucose metabolism alterations are frequently found among children and adolescents with overweight/obesity from Central Italy. Age, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance are main predictors of IGT. We suggest the use of OGTT as a screening tool in obese European adolescents.

Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria spp. and other endoparasite infections in kennel dogs in central Italy

PubMed Central

Sauda, Federica; Malandrucco, Livia; Macrì, Gladia; Scarpulla, Manuela; De Liberato, Claudio; Terracciano, Giuliana; Fichi, Gianluca; Berrilli, Federica; Perrucci, Stefania

2018-01-01

Prevalence and risk factors of Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria spp. and other potentially zoonotic or canine-specific endoparasite infections were assessed in 639 kennel dogs from central Italy. To this end, individual blood and fecal samples were examined using parasitological, immunological and molecular techniques. The presence of compatible clinical pictures, as well as age and gender were considered as putative risks factors. To evaluate risk factors, multivariable analysis with logistic regression and univariable analysis with a Chi square test and a Fischer’s exact test were performed. Overall, 52.6% of dogs (95% CI 48.6-56.5) were found positive, while 39.6% of dogs (95% CI 35.8-43.5) were infected by potentially zoonotic species. Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria repens showed prevalences of 2.5% (95% CI 1.5-4.1) and 2.8% (95% CI 1.7-4.5), respectively. The prevalence of cardiorespiratory parasites was 7.8% (95% CI 5.9-10.3) and included the species Angiostrongylus vasorum, Eucoleus aerophilus, Eucoleus boehmi and D. immitis; the latter showed a prevalence of 0.2% (95% CI 0.001-1). Intestinal parasites were significantly prevalent (38.8%, 95% CI 35-42.7) and they consisted mainly of species of major zoonotic concern, including ancylostomatids, Toxocara canis, Giardia duodenalis, Dipylidium caninum, Taeniidae, Strongyloides stercoralis and Cryptosporidium parvum. Endoparasites were significantly prevalent in clinically suspected dogs. Leishmania infantum and cardiorespiratory nematodes were prevalent in older dogs, while intestinal parasites were prevalent in younger dogs. Results show high dog and public health risks in kennels in central Italy, and suggest the need for more effective control measures. PMID:29388550

Sedimentary geochemistry depicts 2700 years of regional climate and land use change in the Rieti Basin, Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archer, C.; Noble, P. J.; Mensing, S. A.; Tunno, I.; Sagnotti, L.; Florindo, F.; Cifnani, G.; Zimmerman, S. R. H.; Piovesan, G.

2014-12-01

A 14.4 m thick sedimentary sequence was recovered in multiple cores from Lago Lungo in the Rieti Basin, an intrapenninic extensional basin ~80 km north of Rome, Italy. This sequence provides a high-resolution record of environmental change related to climatic influence and anthropogenic landscape alteration. Pollen analyses, corroborated with historical records of land-use change, define the major shifts in forest composition and their historical context. An age model of the sequence was built using ties to regional cultigen datums and archaeomagnetic reference curves. Here we focus on sedimentologic and geochemical data (scanning XRF) from the Roman Period through the Little Ice Age (LIA). The base of the sequence (ca. 680 BCE- 1 CE) is marked by a steady increase in fine-grained detrital elements Ti, Rb, and K, and corresponding decrease in Ca, representing a transition from the unaltered system after the Romans constructed a channel that the basin. The Medieval Period (MP; 900-1350 CE) is lithologically distinct, composed of varicolored bands of alternating silt, clay, and calcareous concretions. Low counts of Ca, high detrital elements and frequent abrupt peaks in levels of the redox elements Fe and Mn indicate episodic clastic influx. Pollen data indicate that the greatest degree of deforestation and erosion occurred during the MP, supported by mean sedimentation rates of ca. 1cm/year, over twice the rate of the underlying interval. The Medieval climate was warmer and more stable, population increased, and elevations >1000 m were exploited for agriculture. The influence of the Velino River on the lake appears to increase during the MP through channel migration, increased flooding, or increased overland flow. The next transition (1350 CE) marks the start of the LIA and is coincident with the Black Plague. Historical records document a large earthquake in 1349 that severely struck Central Italy, with possible effects on the lake's depositional and hydrochemical regime. Clastic input abruptly ceases at the start of the LIA, and peaks in Sr, Ca, and S may be attributed to changes in lake inflow. Core analyses results, corroborated with historical documentation, provide new insights into the basin history and the underlying causes of environmental change.

Paleoandrology and prostatic hyperplasia in Italian mummies (XV-XIX century).

PubMed

Fornaciari, G; Ciranni, R; Ventura, L

2001-01-01

Prostatic hyperplasia, a very common condition today, was well known in the past as cause for bladder distension. The difficulty to identify, at autopsy of natural or artificial mummies, even a normal-sized prostate is probably the result of putrefaction processes and its usually dramatic size reduction as well. We report two ancient cases of prostatic hyperplasia recently observed in natural mummies from Italy. The first case regards Pandolfo III Malatesta (1370-1427), a leading figure of the Italian Renaissance. He was a valiant soldier and horseman with a very active life style. The tomb, containing his naturally mummified body, has recently been discovered in Fano (Marche, Central Italy). After careful X-ray and videographic examination, the autopsy showed good preservation of the skeletal muscles, cartilage, internal and external organs, included prostate gland and penis. Macroscopic examination revealed a staghorn calculus (calcium urate) of the left kidney and a severe enlargement of the prostate, with calcifications detectable by X-ray and large nodules protruding in the lumen of an ectatic urethra. Histology shows fibrous brands of connective and muscular tissue surrounding circular and oblong lacunae, with no preservation of epithelial structures. The macroscopic and histological picture allowed us to diagnose prostatic nodular hyperplasia. The second case (XIX century) concerns the natural mummy of an anonymous 50-60 years old man, found in ancient friary near L'Aquila (central Italy), which underwent computed tomography and a complete autopsy. Pelvic CT scans showed distended urinary bladder and a ring of dense tissue at the site of the prostate. At autopsy the bladder measured 7 x 6 x 5 cm and the prostate was 4 x 5 x 3 cm; prostatic urethra had a diameter of x 2 cm. Histology revealed dense fibrous tissue containing muscular fibers and roundish cavities of variable size, filled with eosinophil, PAS-positive material. Concretions were also present in some of these spaces. Strong immunohistochemical reactivy for PSA was observed in this material. The existence of glandular structures containing eosinophil, PAS-positive material, immunoreactive for PSA, confirmed the prostatic nature of the specimen, already suspected after CT scan and gross examination. The presence itself of the prostate, its histological picture, the preserved and distended urinary bladder, in addition to the age of the subject, supported the diagnosis of prostatic hyperplasia.

New insights on infectious bronchitis virus pathogenesis: characterization of Italy 02 serotype in chicks and adult hens.

PubMed

Dolz, Roser; Vergara-Alert, Júlia; Pérez, Mónica; Pujols, Joan; Majó, Natàlia

2012-05-04

Infectious bronchitis (IB) is a worldwide disease affecting chickens of all ages and causing important economic losses in poultry industry. Despite being one of the predominant IB virus (IBV) serotype in several European countries, slightly is known about pathogenesis and pathogenicity of Italy 02 serotype. In this study chicks and old hens were infected by oculo-nasal route with Italy 02 serotype. Clinical signs, gross and microscopic findings were evaluated, viral nucleic acid detection was assessed by in situ hybridization (ISH) in several tissues and viral RNA was detected by RT-PCR in trachea, kidney and nasal and cloacal swabs. Italy 02 serotype was demonstrated to cause severe respiratory and renal damage in one-day old chicks but not in adult hens in which only respiratory disease and drop in egg production was observed. The use of ISH technique demonstrated the presence of viral RNA in nasal turbinates prior to trachea, but more consistent and longer replication periods in enterocytes of lower gastrointestinal tract. The detection of viral nucleic acid in gut by RT-PCR was consistent and more persistent viral shedding was detected in faeces than in nasal exudates. We describe a complete update of IBV distribution in tissues by the use of molecular techniques and we also provide and in-depth pathological characterization of the new Italy 02 IBV serotype. Furthermore, new data about IBV pathogenesis essential in field control is afforded. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial DNA variants of Podolian cattle breeds testify for a dual maternal origin.

PubMed

Di Lorenzo, Piera; Lancioni, Hovirag; Ceccobelli, Simone; Colli, Licia; Cardinali, Irene; Karsli, Taki; Capodiferro, Marco Rosario; Sahin, Emine; Ferretti, Luca; Ajmone Marsan, Paolo; Sarti, Francesca Maria; Lasagna, Emiliano; Panella, Francesco; Achilli, Alessandro

2018-01-01

Over the past 15 years, 300 out of 6000 breeds of all farm animal species identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have gone extinct. Among cattle, many Podolian breeds are seriously endangered in various European areas. Podolian cattle include a group of very ancient European breeds, phenotypically close to the aurochs ancestors (Bos primigenius). The aim of the present study was to assess the genetic diversity of Podolian breeds and to reconstruct their origin. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-regions of 18 Podolian breeds have been phylogenetically assessed. Nine non-Podolian breeds have been also included for comparison. The overall analysis clearly highlights some peculiarities in the mtDNA gene pool of some Podolian breeds. In particular, a principal component analysis point to a genetic proximity between five breeds (Chianina, Marchigiana, Maremmana, Podolica Italiana and Romagnola) reared in Central Italy and the Turkish Grey. We here propose the suggestive hypothesis of a dual ancestral contribution to the present gene pool of Podolian breeds, one deriving from Eastern European cattle; the other arising from the arrival of Middle Eastern cattle into Central Italy through a different route, perhaps by sea, ferried by Etruscan boats. The historical migration of Podolian cattle from North Eastern Europe towards Italy has not cancelled the mtDNA footprints of this previous ancient migration.

Middle Eocene seagrass facies from Apennine carbonate platforms (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomassetti, Laura; Benedetti, Andrea; Brandano, Marco

2016-04-01

Two stratigraphic sections located in the Latium-Abruzzi (Monte Porchio, Central Apennines, Central Italy) and in the Apulian carbonate platform (S. Cesarea-Torre Tiggiano, Salento, Southern Italy) were measured and sampled to document the sedimentological characteristic and the faunistic assemblages of Middle Eocene seagrass deposits. The faunistic assemblages are dominated by porcellaneous foraminifera Orbitolites, Alveolina, Idalina, Spiroloculina, Quinqueloculina, Triloculina and abundant hooked-shaped gypsinids, associated with hooked red algae and green algae Halimeda. Fabiania, rotaliids and textulariids as well as nummulitids are subordinated. The samples were assigned to Lutetian (SBZ13-16) according to the occurrence of Nummulites cf. lehneri, Alveolina ex. gr. elliptica, Idalina berthelini, Orbitolites complanatus, Slovenites decastroi and Medocia blayensis. At Santa Cesarea reticulate nummulites occur in association with Alveolina spp. and Halkyardia minima marking the lower Bartonian (SBZ17). Three main facies associations have been recognised: I) larger porcellaneous foraminiferal grainstones with orbitolitids and alveolinids deposited into high-energy shallow-water settings influenced by wave processes that reworked the sediments associated with a seagrass; II) grainstone to packstone with small porcellaneous foraminifera and abundant permanently-attached gypsinids deposited in a more protected (e.g., small embayment) in situ vegetated environment; III) bioclastic packstone with parautochthonous material reworked from the seagrass by rip currents and accumulated into rip channels in a slightly deeper environment. The biotic assemblages suggest that the depositional environment is consistent with tropical to subtropical vegetated environments within oligotrophic conditions.

First evidence of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in Italian Aedes albopictus populations 26 years after invasion.

PubMed

Pichler, Verena; Bellini, Romeo; Veronesi, Rodolfo; Arnoldi, Daniele; Rizzoli, Annapaola; Lia, Riccardo Paolo; Otranto, Domenico; Montarsi, Fabrizio; Carlin, Sara; Ballardini, Marco; Antognini, Elisa; Salvemini, Marco; Brianti, Emanuele; Gaglio, Gabriella; Manica, Mattia; Cobre, Pietro; Serini, Paola; Velo, Enkelejda; Vontas, John; Kioulos, Ilias; Pinto, Joao; Della Torre, Alessandra; Caputo, Beniamino

2018-06-01

Aedes albopictus has spread during the last few decades all over the world. This has increased significantly the risk of exotic arbovirus transmission (e.g. chikungunya, dengue, and Zika) also in temperate areas, as demonstrated by the Chikungunya 2007 and 2017 outbreaks in northeastern and central Italy. Insecticides are an important tool for limiting the circulation of these mosquito-borne viruses. The aim of the present study was to address the gap in current knowledge of pyrethroid insecticide resistance of European Ae. albopictus populations, focusing on populations from Italy, Albania and Greece. Bioassays for resistance to permethrin (0.75%), α-cypermethrin (0.05%) or deltamethrin (0.05%) were performed according to World Health Organization (WHO) protocols and showed reduced susceptibility (<90% mortality) of some Italian populations to permethrin and α-cypermethrin, but not to deltamethrin. This study reports the first evidence of resistance to pyrethroids in adult Italian Ae. albopictus populations. Results refer to the season preceding the Chikungunya 2017 outbreak in central Italy and highlight the need to increase efforts to monitor the spread of insecticide resistance and the need to develop strategies to limit the spread of insecticide resistance, particularly in areas where extensive treatments have been carried out to contain disease outbreaks. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integration of land use and land cover inventories for landscape management and planning in Italy.

PubMed

Sallustio, Lorenzo; Munafò, Michele; Riitano, Nicola; Lasserre, Bruno; Fattorini, Lorenzo; Marchetti, Marco

2016-01-01

There are both semantic and technical differences between land use (LU) and land cover (LC) measurements. In cartographic approaches, these differences are often neglected, giving rise to a hybrid classification. The aim of this paper is to provide a better understanding and characterization of the two classification schemes using a comparison that allows maximization of the informative power of both. The analysis was carried out in the Molise region (Central Italy) using sample information from the Italian Land Use Inventory (IUTI). The sampling points were classified with a visual interpretation of aerial photographs for both LU and LC in order to estimate surfaces and assess the changes that occurred between 2000 and 2012. The results underscore the polarization of land use and land cover changes resulting from the following: (a) recolonization of natural surfaces, (b) strong dynamisms between the LC classes in the natural and semi-natural domain and (c) urban sprawl on the lower hills and plains. Most of the observed transitions are attributable to decreases in croplands, natural grasslands and pastures, owing to agricultural abandonment. The results demonstrate that a comparison between LU and LC estimates and their changes provides an understanding of the causes of misalignment between the two criteria. Such information may be useful for planning policies in both natural and semi-natural contexts as well as in urban areas.

Key factors influencing lung cancer survival in northern Italy.

PubMed

Mangone, Lucia; Minicozzi, Pamela; Vicentini, Massimo; Giacomin, Adriano; Caldarella, Adele; Cirilli, Claudia; Falcini, Fabio; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Sant, Milena

2013-06-01

Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer death worldwide. The aims of this study were to analyze presentation, treatment and survival for lung cancer in northern Italy, and identify factors influencing survival. A total of 1180 lung cancer cases diagnosed in four north Italian cancer registries (Biella, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Romagna) in 2003-2005 were analyzed. Information on morphology, stage, diagnostic examinations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical treatment was collected from clinical records. Three-year relative survival and relative excess risks of death were estimated. Overall, 10% of cases were stage I, 50% stage IV, and 12% stage unknown. Romagna - where sophisticated diagnostic examinations were performed more often - had proportionately more microscopically verified cases and resected cases than Biella. Romagna had also high proportions of cases given chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Three-year survival was 14%, range 10% (Biella) to 19% (Romagna); 69% for stage I, 3% for stage IV. Stage I survival was higher in Romagna (82%) than Reggio Emilia and Biella (60-61%) but for operated stage I cases, survival was similar (88%) in Romagna and Biella. The fully adjusted model showed a higher risk of death in Biella (1.23, 95%CI 1.02-1.48) than Modena (reference). Stage and surgery are key factors influencing survival. Centralizing lung cancer treatment to improve diagnostic work-up may improve outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Persistency of rupture directivity in moderate-magnitude earthquakes in Italy: Implications for seismic hazard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rovelli, A.; Calderoni, G.

2012-12-01

A simple method based on the EGF deconvolution in the frequency domain is applied to detect the occurrence of unilateral ruptures in recent damaging earthquakes in Italy. The spectral ratio between event pairs with different magnitudes at individual stations shows large azimuthal variations above corner frequency when the target event is affected by source directivity and the EGF is not or vice versa. The analysis is applied to seismograms and accelerograms recorded during the seismic sequence following the 20 May 2012, Mw 5.6 main shock in Emilia, northern Italy, the 6 April 2009, Mw 6.1 earthquake of L'Aquila, central Italy, and the 26 September 1997, Mw 5.7 and 6.0 shocks in Umbria-Marche, central Italy. Events of each seismic sequence are selected as having consistent focal mechanisms, and the station selection obeys to the constraint of a similar source-to-receiver path for the event pairs. The analyzed data set of L'Aquila consists of 962 broad-band seismograms relative to 69 normal-faulting earthquakes (3.3 ≤ MW ≤ 6.1, according to Herrmann et al., 2011), stations are selected in the distance range 100 to 250 km to minimize differences in propagation paths. The seismogram analysis reveals that a strong along-strike (toward SE) source directivity characterized all of the three Mw > 5.0 shocks. Source directivity was also persistent up to the smallest magnitudes: 65% of earthquakes under study showed evidence of directivity toward SE whereas only one (Mw 3.7) event showed directivity in the opposite direction. Also the Mw 5.6 main shock of the 20 May 2012 in Emilia result in large azimuthal spectral variations indicating unilateral rupture propagation toward SE. According to the reconstructed geometry of the trust-fault plane, the inferred directivity direction suggests top-down rupture propagation. The analysis over the Emilia aftershock sequence is in progress. The third seismic sequence, dated 1997-1998, occurred in the northern Apennines and, similarly to L'Aquila faults, was characterized by normal-faulting earthquakes with strike substantially parallel to the Apennine trend. Although the amount of data is not as abundant as for the most recent earthquakes, the available data were already object of previous studies indicating unilateral rupture propagation in several of the strongest (5.5 < Mw < 6.0) shocks. We show that the effect of directivity is particularly significant in intermontane basins where long-period (T > 1 sec) ground motions are amplified by soft sediments and the combination of local amplification with source directivity causes exceedance of spectral ordinates at those periods up to more than 2 standard deviations from the expected values of commonly used GMPEs for soft sites. These results arise a concern in terms of seismic hazard because source directivity is found to be recurrent feature in the Apennines. Moreover, the predominant fault strike and intermontane basins are both aligned along the Apennine chain offering a condition potentially favorable to extra-amplifications at periods relevant to seismic risk.

Colonization by Legionella spp. of water networks in residential buildings of the Province of Pisa, Italy.

PubMed

Baggiani, A; Casini, B; Totaro, M; Aquino, F; Valentini, P; Bruni, B; Porretta, A; Casalini, F; Miccoli, M; Privitera, G

2015-01-01

Despite the increase of community acquired cases of legionellosis in Italy over the last years, the Italian guidelines do not give indications for prevention and control of Legionella in the hot water networks (or centralized conditioning systems) of residential buildings. We performed a survey on eight medium sized apartment buildings in the Pisa district to assess the prevalence of Legionella spp. in the water network and the respondance to drinking water requisites at the point of use, according to the Italian norms. For each building two hot water and three cold water samples (located at water entrance from the aqueduct network into the building pipework, at the exit from pressure autoclave, and at a remote tap) were collected. Legionella was detected in 20% of residential buildings, mostly in those with a central hot water production system. The study highlights a condition of potential risk for susceptible population subgroups and supports the need for measures of risk assessment and control.

Seismoacoustic Coupled Signals From Earthquakes in Central Italy: Epicentral and Secondary Sources of Infrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shani-Kadmiel, Shahar; Assink, Jelle D.; Smets, Pieter S. M.; Evers, Läslo G.

2018-01-01

In this study we analyze infrasound signals from three earthquakes in central Italy. The Mw 6.0 Amatrice, Mw 5.9 Visso, and Mw 6.5 Norcia earthquakes generated significant epicentral ground motions that couple to the atmosphere and produce infrasonic waves. Epicentral seismic and infrasonic signals are detected at I26DE; however, a third type of signal, which arrives after the seismic wave train and before the epicentral infrasound signal, is also detected. This peculiar signal propagates across the array at acoustic wave speeds, but the celerity associated with it is 3 times the speed of sound. Atmosphere-independent backprojections and full 3-D ray tracing using atmospheric conditions of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts are used to demonstrate that this apparently fast-arriving infrasound signal originates from ground motions more than 400 km away from the epicenter. The location of the secondary infrasound patch coincides with the closest bounce point to I26DE as depicted by ray tracing backprojections.

Cancer among farmers in central Italy.

PubMed

Forastiere, F; Quercia, A; Miceli, M; Settimi, L; Terenzoni, B; Rapiti, E; Faustini, A; Borgia, P; Cavariani, F; Perucci, C A

1993-12-01

This case-referent study evaluated cancer risks among farmers in central Italy. Cancer cases (N = 1674, 17 sites) were selected from all deceased men aged 35-80 years; a random sample of 480 decedents formed the reference series. Farmers had a decreased risk of lung and bladder cancer and melanoma and nonsignificant excess risks for stomach, rectal, kidney, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. Stomach and kidney cancer were significantly increased among the farmers with > 10 years' experience, and stomach, rectal, and pancreatic cancer were increased among licensed pesticide users with > 10 years' experience. Possible relationships emerged between specific crops and cancer: fruit and colon and bladder cancer, wheat and prostate cancer, olives and kidney cancer, and potato and kidney cancer. The results regarding stomach, pancreatic, lung, bladder, and prostate cancer and melanoma congrue with earlier results. The kidney cancer excess, the association of colon and bladder cancer with orchard farming, and the excess of rectal cancer among licensed farmers are new and unexpected findings.

Identification and calibration of the structural model of historical masonry building damaged during the 2016 Italian earthquakes: The case study of Palazzo del Podestà in Montelupone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catinari, Federico; Pierdicca, Alessio; Clementi, Francesco; Lenci, Stefano

2017-11-01

The results of an ambient-vibration based investigation conducted on the "Palazzo del Podesta" in Montelupone (Italy) is presented. The case study was damaged during the 20I6 Italian earthquakes that stroke the central part of the Italy. The assessment procedure includes full-scale ambient vibration testing, modal identification from ambient vibration responses, finite element modeling and dynamic-based identification of the uncertain structural parameters of the model. A very good match between theoretical and experimental modal parameters was reached and the model updating has been performed identifying some structural parameters.

Petrological significance of high-pressure ultramafic xenoliths from ultrapotassic rocks of Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conticelli, Sandro; Peccerillo, Angelo

1989-08-01

Two suites of ultramafic xenoliths have been found in ultrapotassic lavas from the 0.9 Ma old Torre Alfina volcano sited at the northern border of the Vulsinian district (Central Italy). One group of Xenoliths consists of spinel-bearing lherzolites, harzburgites, minor wherlites and dunites with a maximum size of 3-4 cm. Some samples contain discrete laths of phlogopite. A second class consists of phlogopite-rich, glass-bearing peridotites. The first suite displays textural characteristics such as triple points, deformed olivine with well developed kink banding and porphyroclastic textures indicating equilibration at high pressure. Pressure estimates give values in the range 1.3-2.5 GPa, corresponding to mantle depths in the area, where the present-day Moho is about 25 km deep. Equilibration temperatures have been estimated in the range between 950-1000°C. The chemical composition of some phases, such as the very high Fo contents of olivines (up to Fo 94 in harzburgites), Mg content of orthopyroxenes and {Cr}/{Cr}+Al ratios of clinopyroxenes and spinels, suggest that these xenoliths represent peridotites which suffered different degrees of partial melting before being incorporated into the Torre Alfina magma. On the other hand, the occurrence of phlogopite speaks for metasomatic events. The phlogopite-rich, glass-bearing xenoliths consist of phlogopite, olivine, clinopyroxene, rare orthopyroxene and glass. Apatite is the most common accessory. Olivine is present in both euhedral and strained crystals. A few relics of protogranular textures are also observed. Textural and chemical evidence suggests that these xenoliths represent mica-rich peridotites which have undergone phlogopite breakdown during rapid rise to the surface with the development of a K-rich liquid which reacted with mafic phases producing a rapid growth of olivine and, to a lower extent, pyroxene. Originally, these xenoliths may have represented intensively metasomatized upper mantle. However, a cumulitic origin from previous potassic magmatic events cannot be excluded. The host lavas have compositions intermediate between high-silica lamproite and Roman-type ultrapotassic rock. They have high abundances of incompatible elements and radiogenic Sr, coupled with high Mg content, {MgO}/{CaO}, Ni and Cr. These features support a genesis in a residual upper mantle which has suffered partial melting with the extraction of basaltic liquids, followed by metasomatic events which caused an enrichment in incompatible elements and radiogenic Sr. The presence of mantle-derived ultramafic xenoliths in the torre Alfina lavas testifies for a rapid uprise of the magma which reached the surface without suffering fractional crystallization and significant interaction with the upper crust. Accordingly, the Torre Alfina lavas represent an unique example of primitive potassic liquid in Central Italy.

Petrological significance of high-pressure ultramafic xenoliths from ultrapotassic rocks of Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conticelli, Sandro; Peccerillo, Angelo

1990-08-01

Two suites of ultramafic xenoliths have been found in ultrapotassic lavas from the 0.9 Ma old Torre Alfina volcano sited at the northern border of the Vulsinian district (Central Italy). One group of Xenoliths consists of spinel-bearing lherzolites, harzburgites, minor wherlites and dunites with a maximum size of 3-4 cm. Some samples contain discrete laths of phlogopite. A second class consists of phlogopite-rich, glass-bearing peridotites. The first suite displays textural characteristics such as triple points, deformed olivine with well developed kink banding and porphyroclastic textures indicating equilibration at high pressure. Pressure estimates give values in the range 1.3-2.5 GPa, corresponding to mantle depths in the area, where the present-day Moho is about 25 km deep. Equilibration temperatures have been estimated in the range between 950-1000°C. The chemical composition of some phases, such as the very high Fo contents of olivines (up to Fo94 in harzburgites), Mg content of orthopyroxenes and {Cr}/{Cr}+Al ratios of clinopyroxenes and spinels, suggest that these xenoliths represent peridotites which suffered different degrees of partial melting before being incorporated into the Torre Alfina magma. On the other hand, the occurrence of phlogopite speaks for metasomatic events. The phlogopite-rich, glass-bearing xenoliths consist of phlogopite, olivine, clinopyroxene, rare orthopyroxene and glass. Apatite is the most common accessory. Olivine is present in both euhedral and strained crystals. A few relics of protogranular textures are also observed. Textural and chemical evidence suggests that these xenoliths represent mica-rich peridotites which have undergone phlogopite breakdown during rapid rise to the surface with the development of a K-rich liquid which reacted with mafic phases producing a rapid growth of olivine and, to a lower extent, pyroxene. Originally, these xenoliths may have represented intensively metasomatized upper mantle. However, a cumulitic origin from previous potassic magmatic events cannot be excluded. The host lavas have compositions intermediate between high-silica lamproite and Roman-type ultrapotassic rock. They have high abundances of incompatible elements and radiogenic Sr, coupled with high Mg content, {MgO}/{CaO}, Ni and Cr. These features support a genesis in a residual upper mantle which has suffered partial melting with the extraction of basaltic liquids, followed by metasomatic events which caused an enrichment in incompatible elements and radiogenic Sr. The presence of mantle-derived ultramafic xenoliths in the torre Alfina lavas testifies for a rapid uprise of the magma which reached the surface without suffering fractional crystallization and significant interaction with the upper crust. Accordingly, the Torre Alfina lavas represent an unique example of primitive potassic liquid in Central Italy.

Whole-Genome Sequence of a Suid Herpesvirus-1 Strain Isolated from the Brain of a Hunting Dog in Italy

PubMed Central

Pizzurro, Federica; Mangone, Iolanda; Zaccaria, Guendalina; De Luca, Eliana; Malatesta, Daniela; Innocenti, Marco; Carmine, Irene; Cito, Francesca; Marcacci, Maurilia; Di Sabatino, Daria

2016-01-01

Suid herpesvirus-1 (SHV-1), a DNA virus of the family Herpesviridae, causes a severe and fatal disease in a wide range of mammals. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of an SHV-1 isolated in Italy in 2014 from the brain of a hunting dog that suffered from an acute and severe disease. PMID:27908993

On a report that the 2012 M 6.0 earthquake in Italy was predicted after seeing an unusual cloud formation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, J.N.; Masci, F; Love, Jeffrey J.

2015-01-01

Several recently published reports have suggested that semi-stationary linear-cloud formations might be causally precursory to earthquakes. We examine the report of Guangmeng and Jie (2013), who claim to have predicted the 2012 M 6.0 earthquake in the Po Valley of northern Italy after seeing a satellite photograph (a digital image) showing a linear-cloud formation over the eastern Apennine Mountains of central Italy. From inspection of 4 years of satellite images we find numerous examples of linear-cloud formations over Italy. A simple test shows no obvious statistical relationship between the occurrence of these cloud formations and earthquakes that occurred in and around Italy. All of the linear-cloud formations we have identified in satellite images, including that which Guangmeng and Jie (2013) claim to have used to predict the 2012 earthquake, appear to be orographic – formed by the interaction of moisture-laden wind flowing over mountains. Guangmeng and Jie (2013) have not clearly stated how linear-cloud formations can be used to predict the size, location, and time of an earthquake, and they have not published an account of all of their predictions (including any unsuccessful predictions). We are skeptical of the validity of the claim by Guangmeng and Jie (2013) that they have managed to predict any earthquakes.

Early Childhood Trends around the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

2007-01-01

This article shares the views of the members of the World Forum community regarding early childhood education trends around the world. It summarizes trends from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Nepal, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, New Zealand, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt,…

Olive flowering as an indicator of local climatic changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlandi, F.; Ruga, L.; Romano, B.; Fornaciari, M.

2005-07-01

In recent years many studies on climate change and its impacts have been published. In this investigation the flowering of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.) in central Italy was related to climate and its usefulness as a bio-indicator for climatic change has been studied.

Ecological niche modelling of potential West Nile virus vector mosquito species and their geographical association with equine epizootics in Italy.

PubMed

Mughini-Gras, Lapo; Mulatti, Paolo; Severini, Francesco; Boccolini, Daniela; Romi, Roberto; Bongiorno, Gioia; Khoury, Cristina; Bianchi, Riccardo; Montarsi, Fabrizio; Patregnani, Tommaso; Bonfanti, Lebana; Rezza, Giovanni; Capelli, Gioia; Busani, Luca

2014-01-01

In Italy, West Nile virus (WNV) equine outbreaks have occurred annually since 2008. Characterizing WNV vector habitat requirements allows for the identification of areas at risk of viral amplification and transmission. Maxent-based ecological niche models were developed using literature records of 13 potential WNV Italian vector mosquito species to predict their habitat suitability range and to investigate possible geographical associations with WNV equine outbreak occurrence in Italy from 2008 to 2010. The contribution of different environmental variables to the niche models was also assessed. Suitable habitats for Culex pipiens, Aedes albopictus, and Anopheles maculipennis were widely distributed; Culex modestus, Ochlerotatus geniculatus, Ochlerotatus caspius, Coquillettidia richiardii, Aedes vexans, and Anopheles plumbeus were concentrated in north-central Italy; Aedes cinereus, Culex theileri, Ochlerotatus dorsalis, and Culiseta longiareolata were restricted to coastal/southern areas. Elevation, temperature, and precipitation variables showed the highest predictive power. Host population and landscape variables provided minor contributions. WNV equine outbreaks had a significantly higher probability to occur in habitats suitable for Cx. modestus and Cx. pipiens, providing circumstantial evidence that the potential distribution of these two species coincides geographically with the observed distribution of the disease in equines.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with altered neuropsychological performance in young adults.

PubMed

De Carolis, Antonella; Giubilei, Franco; Caselli, Giulio; Casolla, Barbara; Cavallari, Michele; Vanacore, Nicola; Leonori, Rita; Scrocchia, Ilaria; Fersini, Anna; Quercia, Augusto; Orzi, Francesco

2011-01-01

Subjects with ischemic lesions have an increased risk of dementia. In addition, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment share many risk factors. These observations suggest that different diseases that cause altered blood perfusion of the brain or hypoxia promote AD neurodegeneration. In this case-control, cross-sectional study, we sought to test the hypothesis that hypoxia facilitates cognitive decline. We looked for altered neuropsychological performance in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without apparent cardio- or cerebrovascular diseases or risk factors for atherosclerosis. A selected, homogeneous group of workers from two ceramic factories in a small town of central Italy was enrolled in this study. The COPD patients had a slightly, but significantly worse performance than controls in a number of neuropsychological tests. The findings are consistent with the working hypothesis that chronic hypoxia facilitates cognitive decline.

Radical Islamist Ideologies and the Long War: Implications for U.S. Strategic Planning and U.S. Central Command’s Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

conquered a swath of territory from Central Asia to Persia, across North Africa and then on to nearly all of the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Italy...the Iberian Peninsula in 1492, what Princeton Professor Bernard Lewis has termed “the House of Islam” (dar al-Islam)14 continued to expand its...Muslim community, with particular focus on the Arabian peninsula and Middle East region where the caliphate was seated. The anti-Western thrust of

Detection of a chikungunya outbreak in Central Italy, August to September 2017.

PubMed

Venturi, Giulietta; Di Luca, Marco; Fortuna, Claudia; Remoli, Maria Elena; Riccardo, Flavia; Severini, Francesco; Toma, Luciano; Del Manso, Martina; Benedetti, Eleonora; Caporali, Maria Grazia; Amendola, Antonello; Fiorentini, Cristiano; De Liberato, Claudio; Giammattei, Roberto; Romi, Roberto; Pezzotti, Patrizio; Rezza, Giovanni; Rizzo, Caterina

2017-09-01

An autochthonous chikungunya outbreak is ongoing near Anzio, a coastal town in the province of Rome. The virus isolated from one patient and mosquitoes lacks the A226V mutation and belongs to an East Central South African strain. As of 20 September, 86 cases are laboratory-confirmed. The outbreak proximity to the capital, its late summer occurrence, and diagnostic delays, are favouring transmission. Vector control, enhanced surveillance and restricted blood donations are being implemented in affected areas.

Domestic Violence and Implications for Citizenship Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chistolini, Sandra

2013-01-01

This comparative qualitative study was conducted in four countries: Cyprus (central scientific coordinator), Italy, Romania, Slovakia. Research priorities are domestic violence and children's rights. I present the results of the Italian portion of the study and report some of the themes drawn from testimonies (n = 58) from focus group interviews…

Outbreak of mastitis in sheep caused by multi-drug resistant Enterococcus faecalis in Sardinia, Italy.

PubMed

Sanciu, G; Marogna, G; Paglietti, B; Cappuccinelli, P; Leori, G; Rappelli, P

2013-03-01

An outbreak of infective mastitis due to Enterococcus faecalis occurred in an intensive sheep farm in north Sardinia (Italy). E. faecalis, which is only rarely isolated from sheep milk, was unexpectedly found in 22·3% of positive samples at microbiological examination. Forty-five out of the 48 E. faecalis isolates showed the same multi-drug resistance pattern (cloxacillin, streptomycin, kanamycin, clindamycin, oxytetracycline). E. faecalis isolates were analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and all 45 multi-drug resistant strains showed an indistinguishable macrorestiction profile, indicating their clonal origin. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an outbreak of mastitis in sheep caused by E. faecalis.

Dating the beginning of the Roman viticultural model in the Western Mediterranean: The case study of Chianti (Central Italy).

PubMed

Aversano, Riccardo; Basile, Boris; Buonincontri, Mauro Paolo; Carucci, Francesca; Carputo, Domenico; Frusciante, Luigi; Di Pasquale, Gaetano

2017-01-01

Although domestication of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) has been extensively documented, the history of genotype selection and evolution of vineyard management remain relatively neglected fields of study. The find of 454 waterlogged grapevine pips from a well-dated Etrusco-Roman site in the Chianti district (Tuscany, Central Italy) is an extraordinary chance to gain insights into the progress of viticulture occurring in a key historical period in one of the world's most famous wine regions. The molecular and geometrical analyses of grape seeds showed (a) the presence in the site of different grapevine individuals and (b) a sudden increase in pip size, occurring at around 200 BC, whic explainable by the selection and introduction of new varieties. In this period, the Etruscans settlers in Chianti were stimulated by northward-expanding Roman culture to use novel vineyard management practices. We hypothesize that one of the most important innovations may have been the introduction of pruning, inducing vine physiological conditions more favorable to pip growth. Such changes were the consequence of specific entrepreneurial choices made by the Romans in a period of economic investment in grape cultivation and wine making to satisfy the increased trade demand after the conquest of the Central-Western Mediterranean basin.

Dating the beginning of the Roman viticultural model in the Western Mediterranean: The case study of Chianti (Central Italy)

PubMed Central

Carucci, Francesca; Carputo, Domenico; Frusciante, Luigi; Di Pasquale, Gaetano

2017-01-01

Although domestication of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) has been extensively documented, the history of genotype selection and evolution of vineyard management remain relatively neglected fields of study. The find of 454 waterlogged grapevine pips from a well-dated Etrusco-Roman site in the Chianti district (Tuscany, Central Italy) is an extraordinary chance to gain insights into the progress of viticulture occurring in a key historical period in one of the world's most famous wine regions. The molecular and geometrical analyses of grape seeds showed (a) the presence in the site of different grapevine individuals and (b) a sudden increase in pip size, occurring at around 200 BC, whic explainable by the selection and introduction of new varieties. In this period, the Etruscans settlers in Chianti were stimulated by northward-expanding Roman culture to use novel vineyard management practices. We hypothesize that one of the most important innovations may have been the introduction of pruning, inducing vine physiological conditions more favorable to pip growth. Such changes were the consequence of specific entrepreneurial choices made by the Romans in a period of economic investment in grape cultivation and wine making to satisfy the increased trade demand after the conquest of the Central-Western Mediterranean basin. PMID:29140987

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 13 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-05

ISS013-E-77377 (5 Sept. 2006) --- Bernese Alps, Switzerland is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 13 crewmember onboard the International Space Station. The formidable mountain system of the Alps stretches across much of central Europe, with seven countries claiming portions of the mountains within their borders (Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia). The glacial landscape of the Bernese Alps, located in southwestern Switzerland, is well illustrated by this view. The image was taken by a crewmember looking north-northwest while the station was located over the Mediterranean Sea between Corsica and Italy -- this oblique viewing angle imparts a sense of perspective to the image. This type of viewing angle complements more nadir (downward)--viewing imagery of the region. Three of the higher peaks of the central Alps are visible--Jungfrau (4,158 meters), Moench (4,089 meters), and Eiger (3,970 meters). To the east and south of the Jungfrau is the Aletsch Glacier, clearly marked by dark medial moraines extending along the glacier's length parallel to the valley axis. The moraines are formed from rock and soil debris collected along the sides of three mountain glaciers located near the Jungfrau and Moench peaks -- as these flowing ice masses merge to form the Aletsch Glacier, the debris accumulates in the middle of the glacier and is carried along the flow direction. According to geologists, Lake Brienz to the northwest was formed by the actions of both glacial ice and the flowing waters of the Aare and Lutschine rivers, and has a maximum depth of 261 meters. The lake has a particularly fragile ecosystem, as demonstrated by the almost total collapse of the whitefish population in 1999. Possible causes for the collapse, according to the scientists, include increased water turbidity associated with upstream hydropower plant operations, and reduction of phosphorus (a key nutrient for lake algae, a basic element of the local food web) due to water quality concerns.

Technological study of ancient ceramics produced in Casteldurante (central Italy) during the Renaissance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.; Gilardoni, S.; Galli, A.

In order to recover the ancient tradition concerning the materials used for the decoration, majolica shards produced during the Renaissance period in Casteldurante, a famous centre for ceramic production in Italy (Marche), have been examined. In the present study, pigments used for the decorations have been investigated by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and diffuse-reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy. Ochre, lead antimonate yellow, copper-based pigment and smalt have been used as colourants to obtain respectively yellow-orange, yellow, green and blue decorations in accordance with what is reported by the ancient recipes.

Obtaining Reimbursement in France and Italy for New Diabetes Products

PubMed Central

Schaefer, Elmar; Sonsalla, Jessica

2015-01-01

Manufacturers launching next-generation or innovative medical devices in Europe face a very heterogeneous reimbursement landscape, with each country having its own pathways, timing, requirements and success factors. We selected 2 markets for a deeper look into the reimbursement landscape: France, representing a country with central decision making with defined processes, and Italy, which delegates reimbursement decisions to the regional level, resulting in a less transparent approach to reimbursement. Based on our experience in working on various new product launches and analyzing recent reimbursement decisions, we found that payers in both countries do not reward improved next-generation products with incremental reimbursement. Looking at innovations, we observe that manufacturers face a challenging and lengthy process to obtain reimbursement. In addition, requirements and key success factors differ by country: In France, comparative clinical evidence and budget impact very much drive reimbursement decisions in terms of pricing and restrictions, whereas in Italy, regional key opinion leader (KOL) support and additional local observational data are key. PMID:25550411

Obtaining reimbursement in France and Italy for new diabetes products.

PubMed

Schaefer, Elmar; Schnell, Gerald; Sonsalla, Jessica

2015-01-01

Manufacturers launching next-generation or innovative medical devices in Europe face a very heterogeneous reimbursement landscape, with each country having its own pathways, timing, requirements and success factors. We selected 2 markets for a deeper look into the reimbursement landscape: France, representing a country with central decision making with defined processes, and Italy, which delegates reimbursement decisions to the regional level, resulting in a less transparent approach to reimbursement. Based on our experience in working on various new product launches and analyzing recent reimbursement decisions, we found that payers in both countries do not reward improved next-generation products with incremental reimbursement. Looking at innovations, we observe that manufacturers face a challenging and lengthy process to obtain reimbursement. In addition, requirements and key success factors differ by country: In France, comparative clinical evidence and budget impact very much drive reimbursement decisions in terms of pricing and restrictions, whereas in Italy, regional key opinion leader (KOL) support and additional local observational data are key. © 2015 Diabetes Technology Society.

Boot of Italy taken during Expedition Six

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-25

ISS006-E-33736 (25 February 2003) --- The boot of Italy crosses the image in this southwest-looking view taken by an Expedition Six crewmember onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The spine of Italy is highlighted with snow and the largely cloud-covered Mediterranean Sea is at the top. The Adriatic Sea transverses most of the bottom of the image and Sicily appears top left beyond the toe of the boot. The heel lies out of the left side of the image. Corsica and Sardinia appear right of center partly under cloud. The floor of the Po River valley, lower right, is obscured by haze. Experience gained from similar haze events, in which atmospheric pressure, humidity and visibility and atmospheric chemistry were known, suggests that the haze as industrial smog. Industrial haze from the urban region of the central and upper Po valley accumulates to visible concentrations under conditions of high atmospheric pressure and the surrounding mountains prevent easy dispersal. This view illustrates the markedly different color and texture of cloud versus industrial aerosol haze.

Chagas disease as a cause of heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias in patients long removed from endemic areas: an emerging problem in Europe.

PubMed

Vannucchi, Vieri; Tomberli, Benedetta; Zammarchi, Lorenzo; Fornaro, Alessandra; Castelli, Gabriele; Pieralli, Filippo; Berni, Andrea; Yacoub, Sophie; Bartoloni, Alessandro; Olivotto, Iacopo

2015-12-01

Chagas disease is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. In endemic areas (South and Central America), Chagas disease represents a relevant public health issue, and is the most frequent cause of cardiomyopathy. In nonendemic areas, such as Europe, Chagas disease represents an emerging problem following the establishment of sizeable communities from Brazil and Bolivia. Chagas cardiomyopathy represents the most frequent and serious complication of chronic Chagas disease, affecting about 20-30% of patients, potentially leading to heart failure, arrhythmias, thromboembolism, stroke and sudden death. Because late complications of Chagas disease may develop several years or even decades after the acute infection, it may be extremely challenging to reach the correct diagnosis in patients long removed from the countries of origin. We report two examples of Chagas cardiomyopathy in South American women permanently residing in Italy for more than 20 years, presenting with cardiac manifestations ranging from left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure to isolated ventricular arrhythmias. The present review emphasizes that Chagas disease should be considered as a potential diagnosis in patients from endemic areas presenting with 'idiopathic' cardiac manifestations, even when long removed from their country of origin, with potential implications for treatment and control of Chagas disease transmission.

Paths to Change: Bio-Economic Factors, Geographical Gradients and the Land-Use Structure of Italy.

PubMed

Masini, Emanuela; Barbati, Anna; Bencardino, Massimiliano; Carlucci, Margherita; Corona, Piermaria; Salvati, Luca

2018-01-01

This study introduces a bio-economic approach to evaluate the influence of local socioeconomic contexts on complex processes of landscape transformation (urbanization, withdrawal of farming with woodland creation and loss in crop mosaics) in a sustainable development perspective. Land-use and socioeconomic indicators (including shares of agriculture, industry and services in total product, per-worker value added, productivity by economic sector, distance from central cities, latitude and elevation) at the local district scale in Italy have been considered together in an exploratory approach based on multivariate statistics. The combined use of land-use and socioeconomic indicators was preferred to more traditional approaches based on single-variable analysis and allows identifying latent factors of landscape transformation at the local scale. Our approach sheds light in the intimate relationship between regional economic structures and land-use change in districts with varying socio-environmental attributes across Italy. Urban-rural divides, coastal-inland dichotomy and the elevation gradient were relevant factors shaping urbanization-driven landscape transformations at the country scale. Indicators of economic structure (and especially industrial production and per-worker productivity of industry and services) were also documented to influence greatly entity and direction of change in the use of land. Discontinuous and dispersed urbanization has been demonstrated to be spatially-decoupled from consolidated (continuous and compact) urbanization, expanding into undeveloped rural areas progressively far away from central cities and being spatially associated with forest land.

Paths to Change: Bio-Economic Factors, Geographical Gradients and the Land-Use Structure of Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masini, Emanuela; Barbati, Anna; Bencardino, Massimiliano; Carlucci, Margherita; Corona, Piermaria; Salvati, Luca

2018-01-01

This study introduces a bio-economic approach to evaluate the influence of local socioeconomic contexts on complex processes of landscape transformation (urbanization, withdrawal of farming with woodland creation and loss in crop mosaics) in a sustainable development perspective. Land-use and socioeconomic indicators (including shares of agriculture, industry and services in total product, per-worker value added, productivity by economic sector, distance from central cities, latitude and elevation) at the local district scale in Italy have been considered together in an exploratory approach based on multivariate statistics. The combined use of land-use and socioeconomic indicators was preferred to more traditional approaches based on single-variable analysis and allows identifying latent factors of landscape transformation at the local scale. Our approach sheds light in the intimate relationship between regional economic structures and land-use change in districts with varying socio-environmental attributes across Italy. Urban-rural divides, coastal-inland dichotomy and the elevation gradient were relevant factors shaping urbanization-driven landscape transformations at the country scale. Indicators of economic structure (and especially industrial production and per-worker productivity of industry and services) were also documented to influence greatly entity and direction of change in the use of land. Discontinuous and dispersed urbanization has been demonstrated to be spatially-decoupled from consolidated (continuous and compact) urbanization, expanding into undeveloped rural areas progressively far away from central cities and being spatially associated with forest land.

A study of chlorinated solvent contamination of the aquifers of an industrial area in central Italy: a possibility of bioremediation

PubMed Central

Matteucci, Federica; Ercole, Claudia; del Gallo, Maddalena

2015-01-01

Perchloroethene, trichloroethene, and other chlorinated solvents are widespread groundwater pollutants. They form dense non-aqueous phase liquids that sink through permeable groundwater aquifers until non-permeable zone is reached. In Italy, there are many situations of serious contamination of groundwater that might compromise their use in industry, agriculture, private, as the critical case of a Central Italy valley located in the province of Teramo (“Val Vibrata”), characterized by a significant chlorinated solvents contamination. Data from the various monitoring campaigns that have taken place over time were collected, and new samplings were carried out, resulting in a complete database. The data matrix was processed with a multivariate statistic analysis (in particular principal component analysis, PCA) and was then imported into geographic information system (GIS), to obtain a model of the contamination. A microcosm anaerobic study was utilized to assess the potential for in situ natural or enhanced bioremediation. Most of the microcosms were positive for dechlorination, particularly those inoculated with a mineral medium. This indicate the presence of an active native dechlorinating population in the subsurface, probably inhibited by co-contaminants in the groundwater, or more likely by the absence or lack of nutritional factors. Among the tested electron donors (i.e., yeast extract, lactate, and butyrate) lactate and butyrate enhanced dechlorination of chlorinated compounds. PCA and GIS studies allowed delimiting the contamination; the microcosm study helped to identify the conditions to promote the bioremediation of the area. PMID:26388862

Perception of flood and landslide risk in Italy: a preliminary analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvati, P.; Bianchi, C.; Fiorucci, F.; Giostrella, P.; Marchesini, I.; Guzzetti, F.

2014-05-01

Inundations and landslides are widespread phenomena in Italy, where they cause severe damage and pose a threat to the population. Little is known on the perception of the population of landslides and floods. This is surprising, as an accurate perception is important for the successful implementation of many risk reduction or adaptation strategies. In an attempt to fill this gap, we have conducted two national surveys to measure the perception of landslide and flood risk of the population of Italy. The surveys were executed in 2012 and 2013, performing for each survey approximately 3100 computer assisted telephone interviews. The samples of the interviewees were statistically representative for a national scale quantitative assessment. The interviewees were asked questions designed to obtain information on their: (i) perception of natural, environmental, and technological risks, (ii) direct experience or general knowledge on the occurrence of landslides and floods in their municipality, (iii) perception of the possible threat posed by landslides and floods to their safety, (iv) general knowledge on the number of victims caused by landslides or floods, and on (v) the factors that they considered important to control landslide and flood risks in Italy. The surveys revealed that the population of Italy fears technological risks more than natural risks. Of the natural risks, earthquakes were considered more dangerous than floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Examination of the temporal and geographical distribution of the responses revealed that the occurrence of recent damaging events influenced risk perception locally, and that the perception persisted longer for earthquakes and decreased more rapidly for landslides and floods. We justify the differentiation with the diverse consequences of the risks. The interviewees considered inappropriate land management the main cause of landslide and flood risk, followed by illegal construction, abandonment of the territory, and climate change. Comparison of the risk perception with actual measures of landslide and flood risk, including the number of fatal events, the number of fatalities, and the mortality rates, revealed that in most of the Italian regions the perception of the threat did not match the long-term risk posed by landslides and floods to the population. This outcome points to the need to fostering the understanding of the population of landslide and flood hazards and risks in Italy.

Food waste in Central Europe - challenges and solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

den Boer, Jan; Kobel, Przemysław; Dyjakon, Arkadiusz; Urbańska, Klaudia; Obersteiner, Gudrun; Hrad, Marlies; Schmied, Elisabeth; den Boer, Emilia

2017-11-01

Food waste is an important issue in the global economy. In the EU many activities aimed at this topic are carried out, however in Central Europe is still quite pristine. There is lack of reliable data on food waste quantities in this region, and not many preventive actions are taken. To improve this situation the STREFOWA (Strategies to Reduce and Manage Food Waste in Central Europe) was initiated. It is an international project (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland), founded by the Interreg Central Europe programme, running from July 2016 to June 2019. Its main purpose is to provide solutions to prevent and manage food waste throughout the entire food supply chain. The results of STREFOWA will have positive economical, social and environmental impacts.

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 Science and Its Applications - ICCSA 2014 Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 579, 2014, pp 423-439, doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-09144-0_29. [2] Danese M., Masini N., Biscione M., Lasaponara R. 2014. Predictive modeling for preventive Archaeology: Overview and case study. Central European Journal of Geosciences. March 2014,Volume 6, Issue 1, 42-55, doi: 10.2478/s13533-012-0160-5

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 important events recorded in the past are: 1) the flood of the 2nd of October, 1949, that caused 20 fatalities, and 2) the flooding of May 1729. As first step of our study we reconstructed the spatial pattern and the temporal evolution of the storms affecting the Sannio area using the rainfall data recorded by the meteorological stations distributed across the Benevento Province. Subsequently we mapped all the effects to the landscape caused by the storms as: earth flows, soil slides, flooded area, runoff initiated debris flows and debris avalanches, debris flows initiated by rilling and soil erosion (using mainly Google earth images and field survey). We compered the location of these phenomena with the geological and topographic characteristics to understand likely controls in promote the triggering and the development of this unusual combination of different hazardous effects.

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 into consideration not only from the anthropological or cultural point of view, but also for further phyto-chemical investigation. Our studies, as well as those of other authors, try to provide an original picture of the local ethno-biodiversity. PMID:17537240

[Territory and decentralization in the agenda for productive transformation with equity].

PubMed

Sojo, A

1991-08-01

The regional perspective and the decentralization in Latin American and Caribbean countries was examined in light of technological changes and transformation of economic production to boost productivity. National population policies were not the major cause of redistribution of the population, rather such transformation significantly changed the comparative regional and urban advantages in the use of territory affecting the spatial distribution of the population. Hypotheses were advanced using the transformation of production, regional development, and decentralization on the retention, attraction, and migration of population in different areas with varying economic conditions. Spurious competitiveness means global strategies of enterprises that establish foreign operations by means of factor sourcing. Flexible specialization is a company strategy of permanent innovation based on flexible equipment and a qualified work force. The increasing transnationalization of capital is the source of skills and technology that sustain competitive advantages. Decentralization can resolve local demand, facilitate access to information, mobilize resources, and exercise control over local operations. In Japan, Germany, and Italy vs. the US and France there is a social contract among companies, trade unions, universities, and regional administrations in the interest of capital and the work force. There is no direct relationship between technology and region, the industrial cluster exhibits systemic competitiveness in developed countries (the Emilian model in Italy affirms the ability of small enterprises to develop new products), the regional impact is diverse relative to new technologies (some deprived rural economic areas have potential as in central and northern Italy), and population and region are linked (regional and rural-urban differences in the growth of population and migratory flows account for spatial distribution of the population). Decentralization and systemic competitiveness concern productivity and regional policies (spatial diversity for increased productivity) and technology and human resources are interdependent (technical progress is determined by the level of qualification of the population).

RandAgiamo™, a Pilot Project Increasing Adoptability of Shelter Dogs in the Umbria Region (Italy)

PubMed Central

Menchetti, Laura; Mancini, Stefania; Catalani, Maria Chiara; Boccini, Beatrice; Diverio, Silvana

2015-01-01

Simple Summary In Italy, dog shelters are overcrowded because the rate of dog adoption is lower than that of abandonment. A project called “RandAgiamo” was implemented in a rescue shelter in central Italy. RandAgiamo provides training, socialization and advertising of adult shelter dogs. Official data of the Umbria regional health authorities from the year 2014 showed a higher rate of adoption in shelters involved in the project. RandAgiamo dogs had triple odds of being adopted compared to others housed in shelters of the same province. The increase in adoption rate can be beneficial for both dog welfare and shelter management. Abstract Current Italian legislation does not permit euthanasia of dogs, unless they are ill or dangerous. Despite good intentions and ethical benefits, this “no-kill policy” has caused a progressive overpopulation of dogs in shelters, due to abandonment rates being higher than adoption rates. Shelter overcrowding has negative implications for dog welfare and increases public costs. The aim of this paper is to describe the pilot project “RandAgiamo” implemented in a rescue shelter in the Umbria Region and to evaluate its effectiveness on the rate of dog adoption using official data. RandAgiamo aimed to increase adult shelter dogs’ adoptability by a standard training and socialization programme. It also promoted dogs’ visibility by publicizing them through social media and participation in events. We analysed the official data of the Umbria regional health authorities regarding dog shelters of the Perugia province of the year 2014. In the RandAgiamo shelter, the dog adoption rate was 27.5% higher than that of dogs housed in other shelters located in the same geographical area (p < 0.001). The RandAgiamo project could be beneficial for the dogs’ welfare, owner satisfaction, shelter management, and public perception of shelter dogs. However, staff were required to provide dog training and related activities. PMID:26479385

Alien Insects in Italy: Comparing Patterns from the Regional to European Level

PubMed Central

Inghilesi, Alberto F.; Mazza, Giuseppe; Cervo, Rita; Gherardi, Francesca; Sposimo, Paolo; Tricarico, Elena; Zapparoli, Marzio

2013-01-01

The introduction of species outside their native range contributes to the loss of biodiversity, alters the structure and functioning of ecosystems, and damages economy and human health. Insects are one of the taxa with the highest frequency of introduction due to their high diversity, biological properties, and close association with human activities. Here, the allodiversity of Italian entomofauna was analyzed, with a focus on Tuscany (Central Italy). A list of alien insects in Tuscany is included. The status of the alien entomofauna in Italy was updated. The number of alien insects amounts to 122 in Tuscany and 923 in Italy. An introduction rate of 98 species per decade was estimated in Italy. In Tuscany, alien insects belong to 10 orders, mostly Coleoptera (38%), Hemiptera (Sternorrhyncha and Auchenorrhyncha) (23%), and Hymenoptera (13%). They have been most often introduced through vegetable items (ornamental plants or crops). Most species come from the Nearctic region (26%) and are both phytophagous (63%) and amphigonic (80%). Differences and similarities in introduction patterns and in insect abundances across orders among regional, national, and European scales, also considering worldwide abundances, are discussed. Finally, a paucity of information regarding the negative impacts of many species, except for economic pests, phytosanitary threats, and vectors of disease, is underlined. A deeper understanding of the alien insects' ecological impact might help designate policies aimed at preventing further introductions and control the invasive populations of already established species. PMID:24219427

Liver transplant associated with paracetamol overdose: results from the seven-country SALT study

PubMed Central

Gulmez, Sinem Ezgi; Larrey, Dominique; Pageaux, Georges-Philippe; Bernuau, Jacques; Bissoli, Franco; Horsmans, Yves; Thorburn, Douglas; McCormick, P Aiden; Stricker, Bruno; Toussi, Massoud; Lignot-Maleyran, Séverine; Micon, Sophie; Hamoud, Fatima; Lassalle, Régis; Jové, Jérémy; Blin, Patrick; Moore, Nicholas

2015-01-01

Aims Acute drug overdose, especially with paracetamol, may cause acute liver failure leading to registration for transplantation (ALFT). Population statistics and between-country differences for ALFT related to overdose have been poorly described. The aim of the present study was to evaluate overdose ALFT in the multi-country Study of Acute Liver Transplantation (SALT). Methods All adult overdose-related ALFT, with or without suicidal intent, in France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK between 2005 and 2007 were identified from liver transplant registries and hospital records. These were compared with whole-country and per capita use of paracetamol. Results Six hundred cases of ALFT were identified in 52 of 57 eligible transplant centres, of which 114 involved overdose (72 intentional, 10 non-intentional, 32 uncertain). Overdose represented 20% of all-cause ALFT: Ireland 52%, UK 28%, France 18%, the Netherlands 8%, and Italy 1%. Overdose ALFT were mostly females (61%), mean age 33.6 ± 10.9 years. A total of 111 (97%) of the overdoses involved paracetamol. Event rates ranged from one ALFT for 20.7 tons of paracetamol in Ireland, to one for 1074 tons in Italy and one case in 60 million inhabitants over 3 years in Italy to one case in 286 000 inhabitants per year in Ireland. Per-country event rates for non-overdose ALFT exposed to paracetamol were between 2.5 and 4.0 per million treatment-years sold. Conclusions Paracetamol overdose was found to represent one-sixth of all-cause ALFT. There was a 50-fold difference in Europe in the rates of paracetamol overdose ALFT, and a 200-fold difference per million inhabitants. PMID:26017643

Liver transplant associated with paracetamol overdose: results from the seven-country SALT study.

PubMed

Gulmez, Sinem Ezgi; Larrey, Dominique; Pageaux, Georges-Philippe; Bernuau, Jacques; Bissoli, Franco; Horsmans, Yves; Thorburn, Douglas; McCormick, P Aiden; Stricker, Bruno; Toussi, Massoud; Lignot-Maleyran, Séverine; Micon, Sophie; Hamoud, Fatima; Lassalle, Régis; Jové, Jérémy; Blin, Patrick; Moore, Nicholas

2015-09-01

Acute drug overdose, especially with paracetamol, may cause acute liver failure leading to registration for transplantation (ALFT). Population statistics and between-country differences for ALFT related to overdose have been poorly described. The aim of the present study was to evaluate overdose ALFT in the multi-country Study of Acute Liver Transplantation (SALT). All adult overdose-related ALFT, with or without suicidal intent, in France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the UK between 2005 and 2007 were identified from liver transplant registries and hospital records. These were compared with whole-country and per capita use of paracetamol. Six hundred cases of ALFT were identified in 52 of 57 eligible transplant centres, of which 114 involved overdose (72 intentional, 10 non-intentional, 32 uncertain). Overdose represented 20% of all-cause ALFT: Ireland 52%, UK 28%, France 18%, the Netherlands 8%, and Italy 1%. Overdose ALFT were mostly females (61%), mean age 33.6 ± 10.9 years. A total of 111 (97%) of the overdoses involved paracetamol. Event rates ranged from one ALFT for 20.7 tons of paracetamol in Ireland, to one for 1074 tons in Italy and one case in 60 million inhabitants over 3 years in Italy to one case in 286 000 inhabitants per year in Ireland. Per-country event rates for non-overdose ALFT exposed to paracetamol were between 2.5 and 4.0 per million treatment-years sold. Paracetamol overdose was found to represent one-sixth of all-cause ALFT. There was a 50-fold difference in Europe in the rates of paracetamol overdose ALFT, and a 200-fold difference per million inhabitants. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

Gamasoidosis caused by the special lineage L1 of Dermanyssus gallinae (Acarina: Dermanyssidae): A case of heavy infestation in a public place in Italy.

PubMed

Pezzi, Marco; Leis, Marilena; Chicca, Milvia; Roy, Lise

2017-10-01

Among Gamasina (Acari: Mesostigmata) mites, some dermanyssoid species are known to cause gamasoidosis, a human dermatitis characterized by papulosquamous eruptions and urticarian lesions. We describe a case of mite infestation which occurred in public conference halls in Ferrara (Italy), affecting four people who attended the place and showed signs of gamasoidosis. The mites were collected and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and mitochondrial DNA sequencing (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I partial CDS). Based on morphological and molecular data, the species responsible for the infestation was identified as the special lineage L1 of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer) (Acarina: Dermanissydae), a cryptic species known to be associated with pigeons. Rock doves, Columba livia Gmelin (Columbiformes: Columbidae) were roosting on the top of the public building, thus the mites probably gained access to the halls through small window openings. The present case report is the first one providing morpho-molecular identification of a D. gallinae cryptic species responsible of gamasoidosis in Italy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Obesity-related mortality in France, Italy, and the United States: a comparison using multiple cause-of-death analysis

PubMed Central

Barbieri, Magali; Egidi, Viviana; Demuru, Elena; Frova, Luisa; Meslé, France; Pappagallo, Marilena

2018-01-01

Objectives We investigate the reporting of obesity on death certificates in three countries (France, Italy, and the United States) with different levels of prevalence, and we examine which causes are frequently associated with obesity. Methods We use cause-of-death data for all deaths at ages 50–89 in 2010–2011. Since obesity may not be the underlying cause (UC) of death, we compute age- and sex- standardized death rates considering all mentions of obesity (multiple causes or MC). We use cluster analyses to identify patterns of cause-of-death combinations. Results Obesity is selected as UC in no more than 20% of the deaths with a mention of obesity. Mortality levels, whether measured from the UC or the MC, are weakly related to levels of prevalence. Patterns of cause-of-death combinations are similar across the countries. In addition to strong links with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, we identify several less familiar associations. Conclusions Considering all mentions on the deaths certificates reduces the underestimation of obesity-related mortality based on the UC only. It also enables us to describe the various mortality patterns involving obesity. PMID:28497238

Obesity-related mortality in France, Italy, and the United States: a comparison using multiple cause-of-death analysis.

PubMed

Barbieri, Magali; Désesquelles, Aline; Egidi, Viviana; Demuru, Elena; Frova, Luisa; Meslé, France; Pappagallo, Marilena

2017-07-01

We investigate the reporting of obesity on death certificates in three countries (France, Italy, and the United States) with different levels of prevalence, and we examine which causes are frequently associated with obesity. We use cause-of-death data for all deaths at ages 50-89 in 2010-2011. Since obesity may not be the underlying cause (UC) of death, we compute age- and sex-standardized death rates considering all mentions of obesity (multiple causes or MC). We use cluster analyses to identify patterns of cause-of-death combinations. Obesity is selected as UC in no more than 20% of the deaths with a mention of obesity. Mortality levels, whether measured from the UC or the MC, are weakly related to levels of prevalence. Patterns of cause-of-death combinations are similar across the countries. In addition to strong links with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, we identify several less familiar associations. Considering all mentions on the deaths certificates reduces the underestimation of obesity-related mortality based on the UC only. It also enables us to describe the various mortality patterns involving obesity.

POSTMORTEM FINDINGS IN CETACEANS FOUND STRANDED IN THE PELAGOS SANCTUARY, ITALY, 2007-14.

PubMed

Giorda, Federica; Ballardini, Marco; Di Guardo, Giovanni; Pintore, Maria Domenica; Grattarola, Carla; Iulini, Barbara; Mignone, Walter; Goria, Maria; Serracca, Laura; Varello, Katia; Dondo, Alessandro; Acutis, Pier Luigi; Garibaldi, Fulvio; Scaglione, Frine Eleonora; Gustinelli, Andrea; Mazzariol, Sandro; Di Francesco, Cristina Esmeralda; Tittarelli, Cristiana; Casalone, Cristina; Pautasso, Alessandra

2017-10-01

Between 2007 and 2014, 83 cetaceans were found stranded along the Ligurian coast of Italy, in the Pelagos Sanctuary, the largest marine protected area in the Mediterranean basin. Forty-nine (59%) were submitted to complete or partial necropsy, depending on the conservation status of the carcass. Based on gross and histological pathology and ancillary testing, the cause of death was determined and categorized as anthropogenic or natural (i.e., nonanthropogenic) in origin for 33 animals (67%) and of undetermined origin in the remaining 16 (33%). Natural causes of death, accompanied by either poor or good nutritional status, were attributed to 29 animals (59%), whereas four (8%) were diagnosed with an anthropogenic cause of death, consisting of interaction with fishing activities. Infectious and noninfectious disease was the most common cause of death, involving 29 cetaceans (59%). These data are valuable for understanding health and mortality trends in cetacean populations and can provide information for establishing policies for cetacean conservation and management in such an important protected area of the Mediterranean basin.

First report of brown rot on apple fruit caused by Monilinia fructicola in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola (G. Wint.) Honey, is the most devastating disease of stone fruits in North America resulting in significant economic losses. The fungus has been recently reported to cause pre and postharvest brown rot on apple fruit in Germany, Italy, and Serbia. However, M...

Tephra layers from Holocene lake sediments of the Sulmona Basin, central Italy: implications for volcanic activity in Peninsular Italy and tephrostratigraphy in the central Mediterranean area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giaccio, B.; Messina, P.; Sposato, A.; Voltaggio, M.; Zanchetta, G.; Galadini, F.; Gori, S.; Santacroce, R.

2009-12-01

We present a new tephrostratigraphic record from the Holocene lake sediments of the Sulmona basin, central Italy. The Holocene succession is represented by whitish calcareous mud that is divided into two units, SUL2 (ca 32 m thick) and SUL1 (ca 8 m thick), for a total thickness of ca 40 m. These units correspond to the youngest two out of six sedimentary cycles recognised in the Sulmona basin that are related to the lake sedimentation since the Middle Pleistocene. Height concordant U series age determinations and additional chronological data constrain the whole Holocene succession to between ca 8000 and 1000 yrs BP. This includes a sedimentary hiatus that separates the SUL2 and SUL1 units, which is roughly dated between <2800 and ca 2000 yrs BP. A total of 31 and 6 tephra layers were identified within the SUL2 and SUL1 units, respectively. However, only 28 tephra layers yielded fresh micro-pumices or glass shards suitable for chemical analyses using a microprobe wavelength dispersive spectrometer. Chronological and compositional constraints suggest that 27 ash layers probably derive from the Mt. Somma-Vesuvius Holocene volcanic activity, and one to the Ischia Island eruption of the Cannavale tephra (2920 ± 450 cal yrs BP). The 27 ash layers compatible with Mt. Somma-Vesuvius activity are clustered in three different time intervals: from ca 2000 to >1000; from 3600 to 3100; and from 7600 to 4700 yrs BP. The first, youngest cluster, comprises six layers and correlates with the intense explosive activity of Mt. Somma-Vesuvius that occurred after the prominent AD 79 Pompeii eruption, but only the near-Plinian event of AD 472 has been tentatively recognised. The intermediate cluster (3600-3100 yrs BP) starts with tephra that chemically and chronologically matches the products from the "Pomici di Avellino" eruption (ca 3800 ± 200 yrs BP). This is followed by eight further layers, where the glasses exhibit chemical features that are similar in composition to the products from the so-called "Protohistoric" or AP eruptions; however, only the distal equivalents of three AP events (AP3, AP4 and AP6) are tentatively designated. Finally, the early cluster (7600-4700 yrs BP) comprises 12 layers that contain evidence of a surprising, previously unrecognised, activity of the Mt. Somma-Vesuvius volcano during its supposed period of quiescence, between the major Plinian "Pomici di Mercato" (ca 9000 yrs BP) and "Pomici di Avellino" eruptions. Alternatively, since at present there is no evidence of a similar significant activity in the proximal area of this well-known volcano, a hitherto unknown origin of these tephras cannot be role out. The results of the present study provide new data that enrich our previous knowledge of the Holocene tephrostratigraphy and tephrochronology in central Italy, and a new model for the recent explosive activity of the Peninsular Italy volcanoes and the dispersal of the related pyroclastic deposits.

Bio-Monitoring of Ozone by Young Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzini, Giacomo; Nali, Cristina

2004-01-01

An educational pilot project on the bio-monitoring of air quality was carried out in the Umbria Region of Central Italy. It involved about 1000 young students (ages 4 to 16) from 42 schools of 16 municipalities in active biomonitoring of tropospheric ozone with bio-indicator sensitive tobacco seedlings. Some 6500 raw biological readings were used…

Steps to the Corporate Classroom: A Propositional Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doughty, Howard A.

2008-01-01

The text for this article derives from Antonio Gramsci's Prison Notebooks, which contain the central elements of his extensive critique of education in Benito Mussolini's Italy. In prison from 1926 to 1937, he produced a remarkable amount of writing on many political and cultural subjects, all of which were scribbled out in student notebooks and…

Diffusion and use of health technology assessment in policy making: what lessons for decentralised healthcare systems?

PubMed

Ciani, Oriana; Tarricone, Rosanna; Torbica, Aleksandra

2012-12-01

The Italian National Healthcare System (NHS) is one of the most decentralised systems since the devolution reform approved in 2001. HTA is spreading as an important tool for decision-making processes both at central and local levels. The aims of this study were to review the state of the health technology assessment (HTA) programmes in Italy - with a focus on regional and central initiatives - and to discuss consequences of a multi-level structure of HTA agencies in highly regionalised healthcare systems. Our method combined documentary review with interviews. We reviewed scientific literature about HTA's activities in decentralised systems, legislative and administrative documents from national as well as regional authorities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 key individuals associated with HTA both at the national and regional levels. Data on HTA programmes implemented or under development in nine regions were collected and analysed according to key principles for the improved conduct of health technology assessments for resource allocation decisions. HTA is in the early stage of development in Italy, although with great heterogeneity across regions. The National Agency for Health Services has certainly contributed to HTA diffusion through supporting and training activities. However, the multi-level structure of HTA in Italy has not yet provided full coordination and harmonisation of practices and outcomes across the country, with a consequent exacerbate inequality of access to services and technologies. There is probably need to rethink the multi-layer organizational framework of HTA in Italy by leveraging on current knowledge and efficient redistribution of activities across regions. We would advise for different jurisdictions playing different roles while achieving similar health outcomes for their patients, rather than jurisdictions aiming at doing exactly the same things resulting in unequal access to healthcare service provision. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome among holders of a category B driver's license and among professionals in the Province of Pesaro-Urbino (Italy)].

PubMed

Vittoria, Emanuela; Sisti, Davide; Pascucci, Paolo; Carlotti, Eugenio; Cappelli, Giorgio; Grossi, Paola

2017-01-01

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a sleeping disorder caused by repeated episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airways during sleep. During 2013, a pilot project was performed in the Marche region (Italy), co-jointly by the University "Politecnica delle Marche" and the Italian National Institute of Work Accident Insurance (INAIL), among holders of a category "B" driver's licence and among professionals undergoing screening at an Occupational Medicine Service covering the Province of Pesaro-Urbino (Italy). Nineteen percent of 553 subjects undergoing a screening examination were found to be affected by OSAS. The data collected is of great interest in the phase of implementation of new national laws.

The areal reduction factor: A new analytical expression for the Lazio Region in central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mineo, C.; Ridolfi, E.; Napolitano, F.; Russo, F.

2018-05-01

For the study and modeling of hydrological phenomena, both in urban and rural areas, a proper estimation of the areal reduction factor (ARF) is crucial. In this paper, we estimated the ARF from observed rainfall data as the ratio between the average rainfall occurring in a specific area and the point rainfall. Then, we compared the obtained ARF values with some of the most widespread empirical approaches in literature which are used when rainfall observations are not available. Results highlight that the literature formulations can lead to a substantial over- or underestimation of the ARF estimated from observed data. These findings can have severe consequences, especially in the design of hydraulic structures where empirical formulations are extensively applied. The aim of this paper is to present a new analytical relationship with an explicit dependence on the rainfall duration and area that can better represent the ARF-area trend over the area case of study. The analytical curve presented here can find an important application to estimate the ARF values for design purposes. The test study area is the Lazio Region (central Italy).

Heavy element accumulation in Evernia prunastri lichen transplants around a municipal solid waste landfill in central Italy.

PubMed

Nannoni, Francesco; Santolini, Riccardo; Protano, Giuseppe

2015-09-01

This paper presents the results of a biomonitoring study to evaluate the environmental impact of airborne emissions from a municipal solid waste landfill in central Italy. Concentrations of 11 heavy elements, as well as photosynthetic efficiency and cell membrane integrity were measured in Evernia prunastri lichens transplanted for 4months in 17 monitoring sites around the waste landfill. Heavy element contents were also determined in surface soils. Analytical data indicated that emissions from the landfill affected Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb and Zn concentrations in lichens transplanted within the landfill and along the fallout direction. In these sites moderate to severe accumulation of these heavy elements in lichens was coupled with an increase in cell membrane damage and decrease in photosynthetic efficiency. Nevertheless, results indicated that landfill emissions had no relevant impact on lichens, as heavy element accumulation and weak stress symptoms were detected only in lichen transplants from sites close to solid waste. The appropriate management of this landfill poses a low risk of environmental contamination by heavy elements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pb, Cu and Cd distribution in five estuary systems of Marche, central Italy.

PubMed

Annibaldi, Anna; Illuminati, Silvia; Truzzi, Cristina; Libani, Giulia; Scarponi, Giuseppe

2015-07-15

Heavy metals are subjected to monitoring in estuarine and marine water by the European Union Water Framework Directive, which requires water body health to be achieved by 2021. This is the first survey of heavy metals content in five estuaries of Marche, a region in central Italy. Results showed that total Pb and Cu concentrations decreased by 70-80%, from 1000-2000 to 100-200 ng L(-1) (Pb) and from 2000-3000 to 500-1000 ng L(-1) (Cu) from river to sea. Cd was consistently 20-40 ng L(-1). Dissolved Pb and Cu concentrations declined by 50% and 70% respectively passing from oligohaline to euhaline water, from 150 to 70 ng L(-1) and from 2000-1000 to 600-400 ng L(-1). Cd decreased slightly from ∼20 to ∼10 ng L(-1). Although such concentrations are in the range allowed by the Water Framework Directive, they far exceed (up to 10×) the ground content ceiling set for 2021. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiple subduction imprints in the mantle below Italy detected in a single lava flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikogosian, Igor; Ersoy, Özlem; Whitehouse, Martin; Mason, Paul R. D.; de Hoog, Jan C. M.; Wortel, Rinus; van Bergen, Manfred J.

2016-09-01

Post-collisional magmatism reflects the regional subduction history prior to collision but the link between the two is complex and often poorly understood. The collision of continents along a convergent plate boundary commonly marks the onset of a variety of transitional geodynamic processes. Typical responses include delamination of subducting lithosphere, crustal thickening in the overriding plate, slab detachment and asthenospheric upwelling, or the complete termination of convergence. A prominent example is the Western-Central Mediterranean, where the ongoing slow convergence of Africa and Europe (Eurasia) has been accommodated by a variety of spreading and subduction systems that dispersed remnants of subducted lithosphere into the mantle, creating a compositionally wide spectrum of magmatism. Using lead isotope compositions of a set of melt inclusions in magmatic olivine crystals we detect exceptional heterogeneity in the mantle domain below Central Italy, which we attribute to the presence of continental material, introduced initially by Alpine and subsequently by Apennine subduction. We show that superimposed subduction imprints of a mantle source can be tapped during a melting episode millions of years later, and are recorded in a single lava flow.

Riparian vegetation patterns in relation to fluvial landforms and channel evolution along selected rivers of Tuscany (Central Italy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hupp, C.R.; Rinaldi, M.

2007-01-01

Riparian vegetation distribution patterns and diversity relative to various fluvial geomorphic channel patterns, landforms, and processes are described and interpreted for selected rivers of Tuscany, Central Italy; with emphasis on channel evolution following human impacts. Field surveys were conducted along thirteen gauged reaches for species presence, fluvial landforms, and the type and amount of channel/riparian zone change. Inundation frequency of different geomorphic surfaces was determined, and vegetation data were analyzed using BDA (binary discriminate analysis) and DCA (detrended correspondence analysis) and related to hydrogeomorphology. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct quantitative vegetation patterns relative to six major fluvial geomorphic surfaces. DCA of the vegetation data also showed distinct associations of plants to processes of adjustment that are related to stage of channel evolution, and clearly separated plants along disturbance/landform/soil moisture gradients. Species richness increases from the channel bed to the terrace and on heterogeneous riparian areas, whereas species richness decreases from moderate to intense incision and from low to intense narrowing. ?? 2007 by Association of American Geographers.

The future of terrestrial mammals in the Mediterranean basin under climate change

PubMed Central

Maiorano, Luigi; Falcucci, Alessandra; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Psomas, Achilleas; Pottier, Julien; Baisero, Daniele; Rondinini, Carlo; Guisan, Antoine; Boitani, Luigi

2011-01-01

The Mediterranean basin is considered a hotspot of biological diversity with a long history of modification of natural ecosystems by human activities, and is one of the regions that will face extensive changes in climate. For 181 terrestrial mammals (68% of all Mediterranean mammals), we used an ensemble forecasting approach to model the future (approx. 2100) potential distribution under climate change considering five climate change model outputs for two climate scenarios. Overall, a substantial number of Mediterranean mammals will be severely threatened by future climate change, particularly endemic species. Moreover, we found important changes in potential species richness owing to climate change, with some areas (e.g. montane region in central Italy) gaining species, while most of the region will be losing species (mainly Spain and North Africa). Existing protected areas (PAs) will probably be strongly influenced by climate change, with most PAs in Africa, the Middle East and Spain losing a substantial number of species, and those PAs gaining species (e.g. central Italy and southern France) will experience a substantial shift in species composition. PMID:21844047

Loading Rate Variations Along a Midcrustal Shear Zone Preceding the Mw6.0 Earthquake of 24 August 2016 in Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuan, A.; Sugan, M.; Chiaraluce, L.; Di Stefano, R.

2017-12-01

To identify greater detail in the seismicity pattern preceding the 24 August 2016 Mw6.0 earthquake in Central Italy, we apply waveform matching using 1,028 events as templates. In the 8 months before the mainshock, we find 2,000 additional earthquakes mostly located along a subhorizontal shear zone (SZ) bounding at depth the extensional fault system. Asynchrony is observed in the occurrence of events nucleating along the SZ compared to the ones on fault portions embedded in the shallower upper crust, with the former anticipating the latter. Within the SZ, we also observe along-strike seismic migration episodes with earthquakes pointing toward the Mw6.0 mainshock nucleation zone. These episodes are followed by an apparent quiescence within the main fault area. We suggest that the variations in the seismic activity along the SZ represent the brittle signature of the tectonic loading process enabling portions of the overlaying normal faults to become unlocked.

Insects found on a human cadaver in central Italy including the blowfly Calliphora loewi (Diptera, Calliphoridae), a new species of forensic interest.

PubMed

Vanin, S; Gherardi, M; Bugelli, V; Di Paolo, M

2011-04-15

In the case of unidentified bodies the estimation of the period since death or of the season of death plays an important role to focus the attention on a reduced number of people among the ones reported missing. Forensic entomology can be one of the most important methods for these estimations, as occurred in this case. Flies are typically the first insects to colonize a dead body. The case reported here concerns the colonisation by insects of a male body in advanced decay found during the winter in Central Italy. This case is of particular interest as few data are available on the entomological evidence in the cold season. In particular, in this case we recovered Calliphora loewi (Calliphoridae), a species never collected before on dead bodies in Southern Europe. Larvae of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (Stratiomyidae), pupae and larvae belonging to genus Hydrothea (Muscidae), and Necrobia rufipes (Cleridae) specimens were also collected. The estimated PMI enabled identification of the cadaver, confirmed by DNA analysis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salmonella enterica Serotype Napoli is the First Cause of Invasive Nontyphoidal Salmonellosis in Lombardy, Italy (2010-2014), and Belongs to Typhi Subclade.

PubMed

Huedo, Pol; Gori, Maria; Zolin, Anna; Amato, Ettore; Ciceri, Giulia; Bossi, Anna; Pontello, Mirella

2017-03-01

Salmonella enterica serotype Napoli (S. Napoli) is currently emerging in Europe and particularly in Italy, where in 2014 it caused a large outbreak associated with elevated rates of bacteremia. However, no study has yet investigated its invasive ability and phylogenetic classification. Here, we show that between 2010 and 2014, S. Napoli was the first cause of invasive salmonellosis affecting 40 cases out of 687 (invasive index: 5.8%), which is significantly higher than the invasive index of all the other nontyphoidal serotypes (2.0%, p < 0.05). Genomic and phylogenetic analyses of an invasive isolate revealed that S. Napoli belongs to Typhi subclade in clade A, Paratyphi A being the most related serotype and carrying almost identical pattern of typhoid-associated genes. This work presents evidence of invasive capacity of S. Napoli and argues for reconsideration of its nontyphoidal category.

Effects of particulate matter exposure on multiple sclerosis hospital admission in Lombardy region, Italy

PubMed Central

Laura, Angelici; Mirko, Piola; Tommaso, Cavalleri; Giorgia, Randi; Francesca, Cortini; Roberto, Bergamaschi; Andrea, Baccarelli A; Alberto, Bertazzi Pier; Cecilia, Pesatori Angela; Valentina, Bollati

2016-01-01

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, characterized by recurrent relapses of inflammation that cause mild to severe disability. Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) has been associated with acute increases in systemic inflammatory responses and neuroinflammation. In the present study, we hypothesize that exposure to PM < 10 µm in diameter (PM10) might increase the occurrence of MS-related hospitalizations. Methods We obtained daily concentrations of PM10 from 53 monitoring sites covering the study area and we identified 8287 MS-related hospitalization through hospital admission-discharge records of the Lombardy region, Italy, between 2001 and 2009. We used a Poisson regression analysis to investigate the association between exposure to PM10 and risk of hospitalization. Results A higher RR of hospital admission for MS relapse was associated with exposure to PM10 at different time intervals. The maximum effect of PM10 on MS hospitalization was found for exposure between days 0 and 7: Hospital admission for MS increased 42% (95%CI 1.39–1.45) on the days preceded by one week with PM10 levels in the highest quartile. The p-value for trend across quartiles was < 0.001. Conclusions These data support the hypothesis that air pollution may have a role in determining MS occurrence and relapses. Our findings could open new avenues for determining the pathogenic mechanisms of MS and potentially be applied to other autoimmune diseases. PMID:26624240

Hospitalizations for pneumonia, invasive diseases and otitis in Tuscany (Italy), 2002-2014: Which was the impact of universal pneumococcal pediatric vaccination?

PubMed

Boccalini, Sara; Varone, Ornella; Chellini, Martina; Pieri, Luca; Sala, Antonino; Berardi, Cesare; Bonanni, Paolo; Bechini, Angela

2017-02-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main causative organism of acute media otitis in children and meningitis and bacterial pneumonia in the community. Since 2008 in Tuscany, central Italy, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7-valent vaccine, switched to 13-valent vaccine in 2010) was actively offered free of charge to all newborns. Aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of pneumococcal pediatric vaccination in the Tuscan population on hospitalizations potentially caused by S. pneumoniae, during pre-vaccination (PVP, 2002-2007) and vaccination period (VP, 2009-2014). We analyzed hospital discharge records (HDRs) of all hospitals in Tuscany from 2002 to 2014. Hospitalizations potentially due to pneumococcal diseases were 347, 221. The general hospitalization rate was 716/100,000 inhabitants during PVP and 753/100,000 in VP, with a decrease of 29.1% in the age-group 0-9 y ("target" of the vaccination program) and an increase of 75.7% in subjects >64 y of age. During VP, admission days and hospitalization costs increased (6.2% and 24.2%, respectively), especially in patients >64 y (12.9% and 33.8%, respectively); in children <10 y decreased by 21.2% and 12.8%, respectively. The pneumococcal pediatric vaccination resulted in the decrease of hospitalizations in younger but the expected indirect effect in the elderly was not reported, justifying the Tuscan recommendation to extend the vaccination to subjects > 64 y.

Short History of Malaria and Its Eradication in Italy With Short Notes on the Fight Against the Infection in the Mediterranean Basin

PubMed Central

Majori, Giancarlo

2012-01-01

In Italy at the end of 19th Century, malaria cases amounted to 2 million with 15,000–20,000 deaths per year. Malignant tertian malaria was present in Central-Southern areas and in the islands. Early in the 20th Century, the most important act of the Italian Parliament was the approval of laws regulating the production and free distribution of quinine and the promotion of measures aiming at the reduction of the larval breeding places of Anopheline vectors. The contribution from the Italian School of Malariology (Camillo Golgi, Ettore Marchiafava, Angelo Celli, Giovanni Battista Grassi, Amico Bignami, Giuseppe Bastianelli) to the discovery of the transmission’s mechanism of malaria was fundamental in fostering the initiatives of the Parliament of the Italian Kingdom. A program of cooperation for malaria control in Italy, supported by the Rockefeller Foundation started in 1924, with the establishment of the Experimental Station in Rome, transformed in 1934 into the National Institute of Public Health. Alberto Missiroli, Director of the Laboratory of Malariology, conducted laboratory and field research, that with the advent of DDT brought to Italy by the Allies at the end of the World War II, allowed him to plan a national campaign victorious against the secular scourge. PMID:22550561

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

SKS splitting results in central Italy and Dinaric region inside the AlpArray-CASE project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salimbeni, S.; Prevolnik, S.; Pondrelli, S.; Molinari, I.; Stipcevic, J.; Kissling, E.; Šipka, V.; Herak, M.

2017-12-01

In the framework of the AlpArray project (AlpArray Seismic Network, 2015), the complementary "Central Adriatic Seismic Experiment" (CASE; AlpArray Seismic Network, 2016) was established as collaboration between ETH Zürich, University of Zagreb, INGV and Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Republic of Srpska. The CASE project consists of 9 temporary stations, installed in October 2016, located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Italy. Temporary broadband seismic stations, with the permanent stations present in the region shared by the Croatian Seismological Service and INGV, make an almost continuous transect cutting the Central-Southern Appenines, the central Adriatic region, central External Dinarides and finishing at the eastern margin of the Internal Dinarides. The presence of the the Apenninic and Dinarides slabs, verging in opposite directions and plunging along the opposite sides of the Adriatic plate, make this area a peculiar spot to understand the complex dynamic of the region. Various tomographic images (e.g. Bijwaard and Spakman, 2000; Piromallo and Morelli, 2003) shows not continuous slabs under the Appenines and the Dinarides, suggesting the presence of slab-gaps right beneath the region covered by the CASE experiment. Here we present the preliminary results of the SKS splitting analysis performed on the data recorded by the temporary and permanent seismic stations included in the CASE project. The new results, in combination with previous interpretation, will provide clues about how Northern and Southern Apennines are connected at depth, how the slab rollback of the Apennines thrust belt acted and if and how the Apennines are in relation with the Dinaric region. Together with the measurements from previous studies and from the AlpArray project, our new data will support the mapping of the seismic anisotropy deformation pattern from Western Alps to Pannonian region.

Rotational motions from the 2016, Central Italy seismic sequence, as observed by an underground ring laser gyroscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonelli, A.; Igel, H.; Wassermann, J.; Belfi, J.; Di Virgilio, A.; Beverini, N.; De Luca, G.; Saccorotti, G.

2018-05-01

We present the analysis of rotational and translational ground motions from earthquakes recorded during October/November, 2016, in association with the Central Italy seismic-sequence. We use co-located measurements of the vertical ground rotation rate from a large ring laser gyroscope (RLG), and the three components of ground velocity from a broadband seismometer. Both instruments are positioned in a deep underground environment, within the Gran Sasso National Laboratories (LNGS) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN). We collected dozens of events spanning the 3.5-5.9 Magnitude range, and epicentral distances between 30 km and 70 km. This data set constitutes an unprecedented observation of the vertical rotational motions associated with an intense seismic sequence at local distance. Under the plane wave approximation we process the data set in order to get an experimental estimation of the events back azimuth. Peak values of rotation rate (PRR) and horizontal acceleration (PGA) are markedly correlated, according to a scaling constant which is consistent with previous measurements from different earthquake sequences. We used a prediction model in use for Italy to calculate the expected PGA at the recording site, obtaining consequently predictions for PRR. Within the modeling uncertainties, predicted rotations are consistent with the observed ones, suggesting the possibility of establishing specific attenuation models for ground rotations, like the scaling of peak velocity and peak acceleration in empirical ground-motion prediction relationships. In a second step, after identifying the direction of the incoming wave-field, we extract phase velocity data using the spectral ratio of the translational and rotational components.. This analysis is performed over time windows associated with the P-coda, S-coda and Lg phase. Results are consistent with independent estimates of shear-wave velocities in the shallow crust of the Central Apennines.

Air temperature exposure and outdoor occupational injuries: a significant cold effect in Central Italy.

PubMed

Morabito, Marco; Iannuccilli, Maurizio; Crisci, Alfonso; Capecchi, Valerio; Baldasseroni, Alberto; Orlandini, Simone; Gensini, Gian Franco

2014-10-01

To investigate the short-term effect of air temperature on outdoor occupational injuries (out_OI) in Central Italy, also by taking different geographical factors and employment sectors of workers into account. Out_OI for all of Tuscany (Central Italy), from 2003 to 2010 (n=162,399), were provided by the National Institute of Insurance for Occupational Illness and Injury. Representative daily meteorological data of the geographical area under study were obtained from the European Reanalysis-interim climatological reanalysis archive. Relationships between short-term changes in air temperature and out_OI were studied through Generalised Additive Models. The exposure-response curves of out_OI and short-term changes in air temperature generally showed significant out_OI increases when cold conditions occurred. The air temperature breakpoint corresponded to the 10th centile (-0.8°C) of the air temperature time series used in this study: a 1°C decrease in temperature below the 10th centile corresponded to a 2.3% (CI 1.3% to 3.3%) increase of out_OI throughout all of Tuscany. The cold effect was strongest in plain areas, especially when out_OI occurred in vehicles other than cars. No relationships of injuries with temperature extremes were observed in workers who generally spend half or most of their time outdoors, such as construction, land and forestry workers. However, these latter outdoor workers showed significant linear associations of injuries with typical (far-from-extreme) temperatures. This large population-based study highlights the significant and independent effects of short-term air temperature changes (especially cold) in triggering out_OI. These findings represent the first step towards developing a geographically differentiated, operative outdoor-temperature-occupational-health warning system aimed at preventing outdoor work injuries. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Epidemiological evaluation of influenza in Italy, 1956-73

PubMed Central

Rocchi, G.; Ragona, G.; De Felici, A.; Muzzi, A.

1974-01-01

A statistical study of the mortality from all causes and from respiratory diseases was carried out in an evaluation of the influenza epidemics in Italy from 1956 to 1973. Type A influenzaviruses were responsible for outbreaks every 2-3 years. Type B influenzavirus appeared every 4 years and accounted for a single noteworthy epidemic in 1962-63. From the analysis of data on both general mortality and respiratory mortality a better evaluation of the extent of the influenza outbreaks could be made. PMID:4549033

Herbal Products in Italy: The Thin Line between Phytotherapy, Nutrition and Parapharmaceuticals; A Normative Overview of the Fastest Growing Market in Europe

PubMed Central

Biagi, Marco; Pecorari, Rita; Appendino, Giovanni; Miraldi, Elisabetta; Magnano, Anna Rosa; Governa, Paolo; Cettolin, Giulia; Giachetti, Daniela

2016-01-01

The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based “parapharmaceuticals”. PMID:27801865

Inequalities and impact of socioeconomic-cultural factors in suicide rates across Italy.

PubMed

Pompili, Maurizio; Innamorati, Marco; Vichi, Monica; Masocco, Maria; Vanacore, Nicola; Lester, David; Serafini, Gianluca; Tatarelli, Roberto; De Leo, Diego; Girardi, Paolo

2011-01-01

Suicide is a major cause of premature death in Italy and occurs at different rates in the various regions. The aim of the present study was to provide a comprehensive overview of suicide in the Italian population aged 15 years and older for the years 1980-2006. Mortality data were extracted from the Italian Mortality Database. Mortality rates for suicide in Italy reached a peak in 1985 and declined thereafter. The different patterns observed by age and sex indicated that the decrease in the suicide rate in Italy was initially the result of declining rates in those aged 45+ while, from 1997 on, the decrease was attributable principally to a reduction in suicide rates among the younger age groups. It was found that socioeconomic factors underlined major differences in the suicide rate across regions. The present study confirmed that suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon that may be determined by an array of factors. Suicide prevention should, therefore, be targeted to identifiable high-risk sociocultural groups in each country.

First-order and subsidiary faults controlling the time-space evolution of the Central Italy 2016 seismic sequence - a multi-source data detailed 3D reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavecchia, Giusy; de nardis, Rita; Ferrarini, Federica; Cirillo, Daniele; Brozzetti, Francesco

2017-04-01

The Central Italy 2016 seismic sequence, with its three major events (24 August, Mw 6.0/6.2; 26 October Mw5.9/6.0; 30 October Mw6.5/6.6), activated a well-known active west-dipping extensional fault alignment of central Italy (Vettore-Gorzano faults, VEGO). Soon after the first event, based on geological, interferometric and at that moment available seismological data, a preliminary 3D fault model of VEGO was built. Such a model is here updated and improved at the light of a large amount of relocated earthquake data (time interval 24 August to 30 November 2016, 0.1≤ML ≤6.5, Chiaraluce at al., submitted to SRL) plus additional geological information. The 3D modeling was done using the software package MOVE from the Midland Valley. All the available data were taken into consideration (surface traces, fault-slip data, primary co-seismic surface fractures, geological maps and cross-sections, hypocentral locations and focal mechanisms of both background seismicity and seismic sequences). The VEGO geometric configuration did not substantially changed with respect to the previous model, but some additional structures involved in the sequence were reconstructed. In particular, four additional faults are well evident: a NE-dipping normal fault (dip-angle 50˚ ) antithetic to Vettore Fault, located at depths between 1 and 5 km; a WNW dipping plane (dip-angle 30˚ ) located at depth between 1 and 4 km within the Vettore footwall volume; this structure represents a splay of the late Miocene Sibillini thrust, which is evidently cross-cut and dislocated by the Vettore normal fault; a SW-dipping normal fault representing an unknown northward prosecution of the VEGO alignment, where since 26 October a relevant seismic activity was released; an unknown east-dipping low-angle detachment, where VEGO detaches at a depth of about 10-11 km. An uninterrupted microseismic activity has illuminated such a detachment not only during the overall sequence, but also in the previous months. At the light of the reconstructed geometric pattern integrated with the evidences of primary co-seismic fractures, it results evident that the Central Italy seismic sequence represents a "classic", although complex, intra-Apennine normal-faulting event, reactivating a long-term quiescent seismogenic alignment (e.g. VEGO). The reactivated and inverted compressional structures are confined at shallow depth within the Vettore footwall, and in no way control the major events of the sequence. Conversely, an important regional role is played by the east-dipping detachment. It represents the missing geometric link between the Altotiberina LANF of northern Umbria and the recently discovered LANF of Latium-Abruzzi.

Landscape change analysis and assessment (case studies in Slovakia and Bulgaria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feranec, Jan; Kopecka, Monika; Vatseva, Rumiana; Stoimenov, Anton; Otahel, Jan; Betak, Juraj; Husar, Karol

2009-03-01

Landscape change assessment was conducted in selected areas of Slovakia and Bulgaria in 1990-2000 using CORINE land cover (CLC) data layer analysis. Assessment of causes that led to these changes was undertaken, with an emphasis on those that determined the extensification of agriculture. The LC data were obtained under the CLC90 and I&CLC2000 projects, jointly managed by the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen, Denmark and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in Ispra, Italy. The CLC1990-2000-changes data layer was generated by overlaying the CLC90 and CLC2000 data layers for change in areas of a minimum 5 ha. The analysed causes of changes (driving forces) were then classified. Land cover (LC) changes characterizing urbanization processes occurred only in the Trnava and Tatras areas. Intensification of agriculture was also higher in these two areas. LC changes characterizing the extensification of agriculture were dominant in Plovdiv and Trnava. Deforestation and forestation were identified in all areas (Trnava, Tatras, Plovdiv, and Burgas). The basic reasons of these changes were related to the transformation of national economies from being centrally planned to market controlled, following the fall of socialism and before the countries joined the European Union.

Amelioration and retrofitting of educational buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casciati, Fabio; Casciati, Sara

2018-01-01

Following a seismic event that occurred years ago in Central Italy, the public opinion was growing and growing a concern on the adequacy of educational buildings all across Italy. This activated several political decisions and a consequent technical effort is in progress. Technically speaking one has to manage the classical problem of retrofitting existing buildings. However, the legal environment goes across national codes, targeted guidelines and the professional need of achieving pragmatic solutions based on ethical and social acceptation schemes.This paper introduces the topic in its worldwide exception and focuses then on some operative aspects in the Italian situation. It outlines the consolidated steps along this technical process and emphasizes the weak aspects one meets when going across the designers' reports.

[An enigma named Agostino Gemelli: Catholicism, fascism and psychoanalysis in Italy during the inter-war period].

PubMed

Pasqualini, Mauro

2016-01-01

The Franciscan friar Agostino Gemelli has been the subject of much research and debate. This is due to his important political profile and, above all, to the role he played in mediating between the Catholic world and fascism in Italy during the inter-war period. Gemelli was also a central figure in Italian psychology, especially during the 1930s and 1940s. This article is structured to focus in particular on the way that his connections with political and ecclesiastic powers allowed him to become increasingly significant within Italian psychology. Using the example of Gemelli's relationship with psychoanalysis, this study highlights the tension between his relatively open-minded stance and his links to authoritarian, dogmatic ideologies and institutions.

Radar Shows Italy Area Moved 8 Inches by Amatrice Earthquake

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-27

NASA and its partners are contributing observations and expertise to the ongoing response to the Aug. 23, 2016, magnitude 6.2 Amatrice earthquake in central Italy caused widespread building damage to several towns throughout the region. This earthquake was the strongest in that area since the 2009 earthquake that destroyed the city of L'Aquila. Scientists with the Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis project (ARIA), a collaboration between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, and the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, analyzed interferometric synthetic aperture radar images from the PALSAR-2 instrument on the ALOS-2 satellite operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to calculate a map of the deformation of Earth's surface caused by the quake. This false-color map shows the amount of permanent surface movement, as viewed by the satellite, during a seven-month interval between two ALOS-2 images acquired on Sept. 9, 2015 and Aug. 24, 2016. The movement was caused almost entirely by the earthquake. In this map, the colors of the surface displacements are proportional to the surface motion. The red and pink tones show the areas where the land moved toward the satellite by up to 2 inches (5 centimeters). The area with various shades of blue moved away from the satellite, mostly downward, by as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters). Contours on the surface motion are 2 inches (5 centimeters) The green star shows the epicenter where the earthquake started as located by the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center. Black dots show town locations. Scientists use these maps to build detailed models of the fault slip at depth and associated land movements to better understand the impact on future earthquake activity. The map shows the fault or faults that moved in the earthquake is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) long between Amatrice and Norcia and slopes to the west beneath the area that moved downward. The PALSAR-2 data were provided by JAXA through a science project. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20893

A multi-disciplinary approach to study coastal complex landslides: the case of Torino di Sangro (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciarra, Marco; Carabba, Luigi; Urbano, Tullio; Calista, Monia

2016-04-01

This work illustrates the studies carried out on a complex landslide phenomenon between the Sangro and Osento River's mouths, near Torino di Sangro village in Southern Abruzzo Region (Italy). Historical activity of this landslide is well-documented since 1916; the activation/reactivation of the movements caused several interruptions of a national railway and the damage of few houses. The Torino di Sangro case study can be regarded as representative of many large landslides distributed along the central Adriatic coast (e.g., Ancona, Ortona, Vasto and Petacciato Landslides) that affect densely populated urban areas with a large amount of man-made infrastructure. The main controlling factors of these large and deep-seated landslides are still debated. From the geological and geomorphological viewpoint, the central Adriatic coast is characterized by a low-relief landscape (mesa) carved on clay-sandstone-conglomerate bedrock belonging to the Upper Pliocene - Lower Pleistocene marine deposits and locally to the Middle Pleistocene marine to continental transitional deposits. This high coast is widely affected by slope instability (rock falls, rotational, complex and shallow landslides) on both active and inactive sea cliffs, the first being mainly affected by wave-cut erosion and the latter influenced by heavy rainfall and changes of pore pressure. The main landslide has the typical characteristics of a deep-seated gravitation deformation. The landslide study was based on a multidisciplinary approach including: 1) definition and GIS mapping of geology and geomorphology factors (slope, aspect, topographic curvature, bedrock lithology, near-surface deposits, deposit thickness and land use), by means of DTM processing, multi-temporal analysis, and large-scale geomorphological field survey; 2) monitoring system in the landslide; 3) application of empiric models for the analysis of unstable sandstone-conglomerate escarpments; 4) slope stability analysis performed using a stress-strain numerical modeling solved by a Finite Difference Method (FLAC 2D). This study suggests that rock falls and shallow landslide are hazardous phenomenal that involve the near-surface cover of a bigger and more complex landslide. The distinction between secondary processes, which appear to be the most hazardous in the short-term, and deep-seated one, demonstrated that accurate multi-approach analysis provide important information that can be supportive for local administration and decision makers, and for the comprehension of the factors controlling large and deep-seated landslide affecting the Adriatic coastal slopes.

The complete mitochondrial genome of an 11,450-year-old aurochsen (Bos primigenius) from Central Italy.

PubMed

Lari, Martina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Mona, Stefano; Corti, Giorgio; Catalano, Giulio; Chen, Kefei; Vernesi, Cristiano; Larson, Greger; Boscato, Paolo; De Bellis, Gianluca; Cooper, Alan; Caramelli, David; Bertorelle, Giorgio

2011-01-31

Bos primigenius, the aurochs, is the wild ancestor of modern cattle breeds and was formerly widespread across Eurasia and northern Africa. After a progressive decline, the species became extinct in 1627. The origin of modern taurine breeds in Europe is debated. Archaeological and early genetic evidence point to a single Near Eastern origin and a subsequent spread during the diffusion of herding and farming. More recent genetic data are instead compatible with local domestication events or at least some level of local introgression from the aurochs. Here we present the analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of a pre-Neolithic Italian aurochs. In this study, we applied a combined strategy employing both multiplex PCR amplifications and 454 pyrosequencing technology to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of an 11,450-year-old aurochs specimen from Central Italy. Phylogenetic analysis of the aurochs mtDNA genome supports the conclusions from previous studies of short mtDNA fragments--namely that Italian aurochsen were genetically very similar to modern cattle breeds, but highly divergent from the North-Central European aurochsen. Complete mitochondrial genome sequences are now available for several modern cattle and two pre-Neolithic mtDNA genomes from very different geographic areas. These data suggest that previously identified sub-groups within the widespread modern cattle mitochondrial T clade are polyphyletic, and they support the hypothesis that modern European breeds have multiple geographic origins.

Long-distance connections in the Copper Age: New evidence from the Alpine Iceman’s copper axe

PubMed Central

Angelini, Ivana; Kaufmann, Günther; Canovaro, Caterina; Dal Sasso, Gregorio; Villa, Igor Maria

2017-01-01

25 years after the discovery in the Ötztal Italian Alps, the 5,300-year-old mummy keeps providing key information on human biological and medical conditions, aspects of everyday life and societal organization in the Copper Age. The hand axe found with the body of the Alpine Iceman is one of the rare copper objects that is firmly dated to the early Copper Age because of the radiocarbon dating of the axe wooden shaft. Here we report the measurement of the lead isotope ratios of the copper blade. The results unambiguously indicate that the source of the metal is the ore-rich area of Southern Tuscany, despite ample evidence that Alpine copper ore sources were known and exploited at the time. The experimental results are discussed within the framework of all the available coeval archaeometallurgical data in Central-Southern Europe: they show that the Alps were a neat cultural barrier separating distinct metal circuits. The direct evidence of raw metal or object movement between Central Italy and the Alps is surprising and provides a new perspective on long-distance relocation of goods and relationships between the early Copper Age cultures in the area. The result is in line with the recent investigations re-evaluating the timing and extent of copper production in Central Italy in the 4th millennium BC. PMID:28678801

Long-distance connections in the Copper Age: New evidence from the Alpine Iceman's copper axe.

PubMed

Artioli, Gilberto; Angelini, Ivana; Kaufmann, Günther; Canovaro, Caterina; Dal Sasso, Gregorio; Villa, Igor Maria

2017-01-01

25 years after the discovery in the Ötztal Italian Alps, the 5,300-year-old mummy keeps providing key information on human biological and medical conditions, aspects of everyday life and societal organization in the Copper Age. The hand axe found with the body of the Alpine Iceman is one of the rare copper objects that is firmly dated to the early Copper Age because of the radiocarbon dating of the axe wooden shaft. Here we report the measurement of the lead isotope ratios of the copper blade. The results unambiguously indicate that the source of the metal is the ore-rich area of Southern Tuscany, despite ample evidence that Alpine copper ore sources were known and exploited at the time. The experimental results are discussed within the framework of all the available coeval archaeometallurgical data in Central-Southern Europe: they show that the Alps were a neat cultural barrier separating distinct metal circuits. The direct evidence of raw metal or object movement between Central Italy and the Alps is surprising and provides a new perspective on long-distance relocation of goods and relationships between the early Copper Age cultures in the area. The result is in line with the recent investigations re-evaluating the timing and extent of copper production in Central Italy in the 4th millennium BC.

Student Perceptions and Central Administrative Services: The Case of Higher Education in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arena, Marika; Arnaboldi, Michela; Azzone, Giovanni

2010-01-01

In recent years, various reforms have sought to foster forms of marketisation in the Italian public sector, promoting the uptake of concepts such as customer satisfaction and perceived quality. In the field of higher education, such efforts have focused on certain specific areas, like quality of research and teaching, while the quality of…

Drug prescribing during pregnancy in a central region of Italy, 2008-2012.

PubMed

Ventura, Martina; Maraschini, Alice; D'Aloja, Paola; Kirchmayer, Ursula; Lega, Ilaria; Davoli, Marina; Donati, Serena

2018-05-15

Drug consumption during pregnancy is a matter of concern, especially regarding drugs known or suspected to be teratogens. Little is known about drug use in pregnant women in Italy. The present study is aimed at examining the prevalence, and to detect potential inappropriateness of drug prescribing among pregnant women in Latium, a region of central Italy. This retrospective study was conducted on a cohort of women aged 18-45 years who delivered between 2008 and 2012 in public hospitals. Women were enrolled through the Regional Birth Register. After linking the regional Health Information Systems and the Regional Drug Claims Register, women's clinical data and prescribed medications were analyzed. Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evidence were used to investigate inappropriate prescribing and teratogenic risk. Excluding vitamins and minerals, 80.6% (n = 153,079) of the women were prescribed at least one drug during pregnancy, with an average of 4.6 medications per pregnancy. Drugs for blood and hematopoietic organs were the most commonly prescribed (53.0%,), followed by anti-infectives for systemic use (50.7%). Among the inappropriate prescriptions, progestogen supplementation was given in 20.1% of pregnancies; teratogen drugs were prescribed in 0.8%, mostly angiotensin co-enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) (0.3%). In Latium, drugs are widely used in pregnancy. Prescriptions of inappropriate drugs are observed in more than a fifth of pregnancies, and teratogens are still used, despite their known risk. Continuous updates of information provided to practitioners and an increased availability of information to women might reduce inappropriate prescribing.

Population dynamic of the extinct European aurochs: genetic evidence of a north-south differentiation pattern and no evidence of post-glacial expansion.

PubMed

Mona, Stefano; Catalano, Giulio; Lari, Martina; Larson, Greger; Boscato, Paolo; Casoli, Antonella; Sineo, Luca; Di Patti, Carolina; Pecchioli, Elena; Caramelli, David; Bertorelle, Giorgio

2010-03-26

The aurochs (Bos primigenius) was a large bovine that ranged over almost the entirety of the Eurasian continent and North Africa. It is the wild ancestor of the modern cattle (Bos taurus), and went extinct in 1627 probably as a consequence of human hunting and the progressive reduction of its habitat. To investigate in detail the genetic history of this species and to compare the population dynamics in different European areas, we analysed Bos primigenius remains from various sites across Italy. Fourteen samples provided ancient DNA fragments from the mitochondrial hypervariable region. Our data, jointly analysed with previously published sequences, support the view that Italian aurochsen were genetically similar to modern bovine breeds, but very different from northern/central European aurochsen. Bayesian analyses and coalescent simulations indicate that the genetic variation pattern in both Italian and northern/central European aurochsen is compatible with demographic stability after the last glaciation. We provide evidence that signatures of population expansion can erroneously arise in stable aurochsen populations when the different ages of the samples are not taken into account. Distinct groups of aurochsen probably inhabited Italy and northern/central Europe after the last glaciation, respectively. On the contrary, Italian and Fertile Crescent aurochsen likely shared several mtDNA sequences, now common in modern breeds. We argue that a certain level of genetic homogeneity characterized aurochs populations in Southern Europe and the Middle East, and also that post-glacial recolonization of northern and central Europe advanced, without major demographic expansions, from eastern, and not southern, refugia.

Population dynamic of the extinct European aurochs: genetic evidence of a north-south differentiation pattern and no evidence of post-glacial expansion

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The aurochs (Bos primigenius) was a large bovine that ranged over almost the entirety of the Eurasian continent and North Africa. It is the wild ancestor of the modern cattle (Bos taurus), and went extinct in 1627 probably as a consequence of human hunting and the progressive reduction of its habitat. To investigate in detail the genetic history of this species and to compare the population dynamics in different European areas, we analysed Bos primigenius remains from various sites across Italy. Results Fourteen samples provided ancient DNA fragments from the mitochondrial hypervariable region. Our data, jointly analysed with previously published sequences, support the view that Italian aurochsen were genetically similar to modern bovine breeds, but very different from northern/central European aurochsen. Bayesian analyses and coalescent simulations indicate that the genetic variation pattern in both Italian and northern/central European aurochsen is compatible with demographic stability after the last glaciation. We provide evidence that signatures of population expansion can erroneously arise in stable aurochsen populations when the different ages of the samples are not taken into account. Conclusions Distinct groups of aurochsen probably inhabited Italy and northern/central Europe after the last glaciation, respectively. On the contrary, Italian and Fertile Crescent aurochsen likely shared several mtDNA sequences, now common in modern breeds. We argue that a certain level of genetic homogeneity characterized aurochs populations in Southern Europe and the Middle East, and also that post-glacial recolonization of northern and central Europe advanced, without major demographic expansions, from eastern, and not southern, refugia. PMID:20346116

Systematic detection and classification of earthquake clusters in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poli, P.; Ben-Zion, Y.; Zaliapin, I. V.

2017-12-01

We perform a systematic analysis of spatio-temporal clustering of 2007-2017 earthquakes in Italy with magnitudes m>3. The study employs the nearest-neighbor approach of Zaliapin and Ben-Zion [2013a, 2013b] with basic data-driven parameters. The results indicate that seismicity in Italy (an extensional tectonic regime) is dominated by clustered events, with smaller proportion of background events than in California. Evaluation of internal cluster properties allows separation of swarm-like from burst-like seismicity. This classification highlights a strong geographical coherence of cluster properties. Swarm-like seismicity are dominant in regions characterized by relatively slow deformation with possible elevated temperature and/or fluids (e.g. Alto Tiberina, Pollino), while burst-like seismicity are observed in crystalline tectonic regions (Alps and Calabrian Arc) and in Central Italy where moderate to large earthquakes are frequent (e.g. L'Aquila, Amatrice). To better assess the variation of seismicity style across Italy, we also perform a clustering analysis with region-specific parameters. This analysis highlights clear spatial changes of the threshold separating background and clustered seismicity, and permits better resolution of different clusters in specific geological regions. For example, a large proportion of repeaters is found in the Etna region as expected for volcanic-induced seismicity. A similar behavior is observed in the northern Apennines with high pore pressure associated with mantle degassing. The observed variations of earthquakes properties highlight shortcomings of practices using large-scale average seismic properties, and points to connections between seismicity and local properties of the lithosphere. The observations help to improve the understanding of the physics governing the occurrence of earthquakes in different regions.

Egg-related Salmonella enteritidis, Italy, 1991

PubMed Central

Binkin, N.; Scuderi, G.; Novaco, F.; Giovanardi, G. L.; Paganelli, G.; Ferrari, G.; Cappelli, O.; Ravaglia, L.; Zilioli, F.; Amadei, V.; Magliani, W.; Viani, I.; Riccò, D.; Borrini, B.; Magri, M.; Alessandrini, A.; Bursi, G.; Barigazzi, G.; Fantasia, M.; Filetici, E.; Salmaso, S.

1993-01-01

In recent years, Salmonella enteritidis has become an increasingly important public health problem in Italy. In some parts of the country, the fraction of total human salmonella isolates accounted for by S. enteritidis has risen from 3-4% in the mid-1980s to more than 30% in 1990. Between 1990 and 1991, the number of reported S. enteritidis outbreaks increased more than sixfold. The 33 outbreaks reported in 1991 occurred in seven contiguous regions in northern and central Italy and were clustered in time between June and October; in the majority, products containing raw or undercooked shell eggs were implicated. Five of the egg-related outbreaks that occurred within a 30 kilometre radius over a 7-week period were investigated in detail. A phage type 1 strain containing a 38·9 MDa plasmid appeared responsible for three of the outbreaks, while in the remaining two a phage type 4 strain, also with a 38·9 MDa plasmid was isolated. Efforts are being made to enhance epidemiological surveillance and laboratory evaluation, and the use of pasteurized eggs has been recommended for high-risk populations. PMID:8472765

Veneto Region, Italy. Health system review.

PubMed

Toniolo, Franco; Mantoan, Domenico; Maresso, Anna

2012-01-01

The Health Systems in Transition (HiT) profiles are country-based reports that provide a detailed description of a health system and of policy initiatives in progress or under development. This HiT is one of the first to be written on a subnational level of government and focuses on the Veneto Region of northern Italy. HiTs examine different approaches to the organization, financing and delivery of health services and the role of the main actors in health systems; describe the institutional framework, process, content and implementation of health and health care policies; and highlight challenges and areas that require more in-depth analysis. The Veneto Region is one of Italy's richest regions and the health of its resident population compares favourably with other regions in Italy. Life expectancy for both men and women, now at 79.1 and 85.2 years, respectively, is slightly higher than the national average, while mortality rates are comparable to national ones. The major causes of death are tumours and cardiovascular diseases. Under Italy's National Health Service, the organization and provision of health care is a regional responsibility and regions must provide a nationally defined (with regional input) basic health benefit package to all of their citizens; extra services may be provided if budgets allow. Health care is mainly financed by earmarked central and regional taxes, with regions receiving their allocated share of resources from the National Health Fund. Historically, health budget deficits have been a major problem in most Italian regions, but since the early 2000s the introduction of efficiency measures and tighter procedures on financial management have contributed to a significant decrease in the Veneto Regions health budget deficit.The health system is governed by the Veneto Region government (Giunta) via the Departments of Health and Social Services, which receive technical support from a single General Management Secretariat. Health care is provided by 21 local health and social care units, 2 hospital enterprises, 2 national hospitals for scientific research and private accredited providers. Major national health reform legislation in the 1990s started the process of regionalization of the health system and the introduction of managerial methods and quasi-market mechanisms into the National Health Service, a process that has been consolidated since the early 2000s under the framework of fiscal federalism. Future challenges for the Veneto Region include the sustainable provision of the basic health benefit package; the adaptation of services to meet changes in demand, particularly those associated with the ageing population and the incidence of chronic diseases; and the ever-present problem of keeping the regional health budget balanced. World Health Organization 2012, on behalf of the European Observatory on health systems and Policies.

Mortality in a cohort of asbestos-exposed workers undergoing health surveillance.

PubMed

Barbiero, Fabiano; Zanin, Tina; Pisa, Federica Edith; Casetta, Anica; Rosolen, Valentina; Giangreco, Manuela; Negro, Corrado; Bovenzi, Massimo; Barbone, Fabio

2018-02-06

The coastal area of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region, north-eastern Italy, was characterized by work activities in which asbestos was used until the early 1990s, particularly in shipbuilding. A public health surveillance program (PHSP) for asbestos-exposed workers was established, although limited evidence exists about the efficacy of such programs in reducing disease occurrence and mortality. To compare mortality in a cohort of 2,488 men occupationally exposed to asbestos, enrolled in a PHSP in FVG between the early 1990s and 2008, with that of the general population of FVG and Italy. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR), with 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI), for all causes, all cancers, lung (LC) and pleural cancer (PC) were estimated in the cohort and in subgroups of workers with the first hire in shipbuilding that caused asbestos exposure (<1974, 1974-1984, 1985-1994). A strong excess in mortality for PC with reference to FVG (SMR=6.87, 95% CI 4.45-10.17) and Italian population (SMR=13.95, 95% CI 9.02-20.64) was observed. For LC, the FVG-based SMR was 1.49 (95% CI 1.17-1.89) and the Italy-based 1.43 (95% CI 1.12-1.81). Mortality among workers with the first hire in shipbuilding before 1974 was high for PC (FVG-based SMR=8.98, 95% CI 5.56-13.75; Italy-based SMR=18.41, 95% CI 11.40-28.17) and for LC (FVG-based SMR =1.60, 95% CI 1.18-2.11; Italy-based SMR=1.54, 95% CI 1.14-2.03). Further, for LC between 1974 and 1984, the FVG-based SMR was 2.45 (95% CI 1.06-4.82), and the Italy-based SMR was 2.33 (95% CI 1.01-4.60). This cohort experienced an excess mortality for pleural and lung cancer, compared with regional and national populations. For lung cancer, the excess was stronger in workers with the first hire in shipbuilding before 1985, suggesting a key role of asbestos exposure.

Sero-epidemiology of hepatitis B markers in the population of Tuscany, Central Italy, 20 years after the implementation of universal vaccination

PubMed Central

Boccalini, Sara; Pellegrino, Elettra; Tiscione, Emila; Pesavento, Giovanna; Bechini, Angela; Levi, Miriam; Rapi, Stefano; Mercurio, Stefano; Mannelli, Francesco; Peruzzi, Marta; Berardi, Cesare; Bonanni, Paolo

2013-01-01

Italy was one of the first industrialized countries to introduce a program of universal vaccination against hepatitis B in 1991. Twenty years later we verified the impact of universal immunisation on the epidemiology of hepatitis B infection by analyzing the prevalence of specific viral markers (anti-HBs, anti-HBc and HBsAg). The ELISA tests were performed on residual blood samples collected by 0.05% of the resident population aged 1-50 years in Tuscany (Italy). About 63% of subjects aged < 30 years were anti-HBs positive compared to about 25% in older subjects, without differences between genders. About 22% of subjects over 40 years were anti-HBc-positive compared to 5% in the younger age groups. The number of HBsAg-positive subjects was almost 10 fold higher in the unvaccinated age groups than in the cohorts involved in the universal vaccination program. The results of our study show the persisting high anti-HBs reactivity in vaccinated cohorts, while HBV markers related to natural exposure or persistent infection remain remarkably higher in older age groups. This sero-epidemiological study supports with prevalence data the downward incidence trend of acute hepatitis B highlighted by epidemiological surveillance systems, and corroborates the forecast for elimination of hepatitis B in Italy in a few decades. PMID:23354158

Monitoring and modelling for dry-stone walls terracement maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preti, Federico; Errico, Alessandro; Giambastiani, Yamuna; Guastini, Enrico; Penna, Daniele

2017-04-01

An analysis of dry-stone walls stability in agricultural areas based on innovative monitoring and modeling is here presented The field test took place in Lamole, a terraced rural area located in the province of Florence, Tuscany, central Italy, where wine production is the most important agricultural activity business. Results show a good capability of the model to predict the time-space distribution and the intensity of stresses on the instrumented dry-stone wall and to describe the bulging of the ancient ones. We obtained significant information on how the terrace failure in Lamole resulted mainly related to the water concentration pathways at specific portions of the walls. An accurate drainage of the terraced slopes, even by means of simple ditches, could reduce the concentration factor at the critical parts of terraces strongly reducing the water pressures on the walls. The analysis of the effects caused by high return time events has been carried out by means of artificially reproduced severe rainfalls on the presented experimental area.

An extraterrestrial trigger for the Early Cretaceous massive volcanism? Evidence from the paleo-Tethys Ocean.

PubMed

Tejada, M L G; Ravizza, G; Suzuki, K; Paquay, F S

2012-01-01

The Early Cretaceous Greater Ontong Java Event in the Pacific Ocean may have covered ca. 1% of the Earth's surface with volcanism. It has puzzled scientists trying to explain its origin by several mechanisms possible on Earth, leading others to propose an extraterrestrial trigger to explain this event. A large oceanic extraterrestrial impact causing such voluminous volcanism may have traces of its distal ejecta in sedimentary rocks around the basin, including the paleo-Tethys Ocean which was then contiguous with the Pacific Ocean. The contemporaneous marine sequence at central Italy, containing the sedimentary expression of a global oceanic anoxic event (OAE1a), may have recorded such ocurrence as indicated by two stratigraphic intervals with (187)Os/(188)Os indicative of meteoritic influence. Here we show, for the first time, that platinum group element abundances and inter-element ratios in this paleo-Tethyan marine sequence provide no evidence for an extraterrestrial trigger for the Early Cretaceous massive volcanism.

An extraterrestrial trigger for the Early Cretaceous massive volcanism? Evidence from the paleo-Tethys Ocean

PubMed Central

Tejada, M. L. G.; Ravizza, G.; Suzuki, K.; Paquay, F. S.

2012-01-01

The Early Cretaceous Greater Ontong Java Event in the Pacific Ocean may have covered ca. 1% of the Earth's surface with volcanism. It has puzzled scientists trying to explain its origin by several mechanisms possible on Earth, leading others to propose an extraterrestrial trigger to explain this event. A large oceanic extraterrestrial impact causing such voluminous volcanism may have traces of its distal ejecta in sedimentary rocks around the basin, including the paleo-Tethys Ocean which was then contiguous with the Pacific Ocean. The contemporaneous marine sequence at central Italy, containing the sedimentary expression of a global oceanic anoxic event (OAE1a), may have recorded such ocurrence as indicated by two stratigraphic intervals with 187Os/188Os indicative of meteoritic influence. Here we show, for the first time, that platinum group element abundances and inter-element ratios in this paleo-Tethyan marine sequence provide no evidence for an extraterrestrial trigger for the Early Cretaceous massive volcanism. PMID:22355780

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 22 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-12-03

ISS022-E-005807 (3 Dec. 2009) --- Cloud formations and sunglint near Italy are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 22 crew member on the International Space Station. This view depicts the Calabria region of southern Italy ? the toe of Italy?s ?boot? ? outlined by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas to the southeast and northwest respectively. The water surfaces present a mirror-like appearance due to sunglint. This phenomenon is caused by sunlight reflecting off the water surface directly back towards the crew member aboard the space station. The ISS was located over northwestern Romania, approximately 1,040 kilometers to the northeast of Calabria, when this image was taken. The Calabrian peninsula appears shortened and distorted due to the high viewing angle from the station. Such imagery is termed oblique, indicating that the view is not looking directly downwards towards Earth?s surface from the ISS (known as a nadir view). This highly oblique view also highlights two distinct cloud patterns over the Calabrian interior. Patchy, highly textured cumulus clouds are present at lower altitudes, while grey altostratus clouds are elongated by prevailing winds at higher altitudes. The Strait of Messina, just visible at upper right, marks the boundary between the coastlines of Italy and the island of Sicily.

Spillover Events of Infection of Brown Hares (Lepus europaeus) with Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Type 2 Virus (RHDV2) Caused Sporadic Cases of an European Brown Hare Syndrome-Like Disease in Italy and Spain.

PubMed

Velarde, R; Cavadini, P; Neimanis, A; Cabezón, O; Chiari, M; Gaffuri, A; Lavín, S; Grilli, G; Gavier-Widén, D; Lavazza, A; Capucci, L

2017-12-01

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a lagovirus that can cause fatal hepatitis (rabbit haemorrhagic disease, RHD) with mortality of 80-90% in farmed and wild rabbits. Since 1986, RHDV has caused outbreaks in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Europe, but never in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, EBH). In 2010, a new RHDV-related virus, called RHDV2, emerged in Europe, causing extended epidemics because it largely overcame the immunity to RHDV present in most rabbit populations. RHDV2 also was identified in Cape hare (Lepus capensis subsp. mediterraneus) and in Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus). Here, we describe two distinct incidents of RHDV2 infection in EBH that occurred in Italy (2012) and Spain (2014). The two RHDV2 strains caused macroscopic and microscopic lesions similar to European brown hare syndrome (EBHS) in hares, and they were genetically related to other RHDV2 strains in Europe. EBHs are common in Europe, often sharing habitat with rabbits. They likely have been exposed to high levels of RHDV2 during outbreaks in rabbits in recent years, yet only two incidents of RHDV2 in EBHs have been found in Italy and Spain, suggesting that EBHs are not a primary host. Instead, they may act as spillover hosts in situations when infection pressure is high and barriers between rabbits and hares are limited, resulting in occasional infections causing EBHS-like lesions. The serological survey of stocked hare sera taken from Italian and Spanish hare populations provided an understanding of naturally occurring RHDV2 infection in the field confirming its sporadic occurrence in EBH. Our findings increase the knowledge on distribution, host range and epidemiology of RHDV2. © 2016 The Authors. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Financing Vocational Education and Training. Report of Subgroup A Presented at the Advisory Forum Meeting (Turin, Italy, June 10-12, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasskov, Vladimir

For the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, financing schemes of vocational education and training (VET) of other industrialized countries are possible prototypes. These "Partner Countries of the European Training Foundation (ETF)" should focus on the balance of responsibilities between central and local bodies and…

Survey about the potential effects of economic downturn on alcohol consumption, smoking and quality of life in a sample of Central Italy population.

PubMed

Petrelli, Fabio; Grappasonni, Iolanda; Peroni, Annalisa; Kracmarova, Lenka; Scuri, Stefania

2018-03-27

Negative health effects have been associated with the changes in lifestyles in relation with the low income of population. Consequently, in our study we investigated the frequency changes of alcohol and smoke consumption, physical activity, and quality of life in families of Marche Region in Central Italy. In the period 2016-2017, an anonymous questionnaire has been distributed to junior highschool students of Camerino, Fabriano, and Civitanova Marche of Marche Region. The Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), was used to assess subjective quality of life. Data obtained in this research were used to analyze lifestyle changes, specifically those involving alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity, and to assess perceived general quality of life. In all categories of population, an increase of frequency in alcohol consumption was observed. On the contrary, for the tobacco smoke we observed a reduction in particular in the parents category. The MANSA mean value was 4.5 with a Standard Deviation of 1.3. As underlighted, also, by results of the MANSA test we can hypothesize a reduction in the family income produces a change of lifestyles.

Dynamic modeling of normal faults of the 2016 Central Italy earthquake sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aochi, Hideo

2017-04-01

The earthquake sequence of the Central Italy in 2016 are characterized mainly by the Mw6.0 24th August, Mw5.9 26th October and Mw6.4 30th October as well as two Mw5.4 earthquakes (24th August, 26th October) (catalogue INGV). They all show normal faulting mechanisms corresponding to the Apennines's tectonics. They are aligned briefly along NNW-SSE axis, and they may not be on a single continuous fault plane. Therefore, dynamic rupture modeling of sequences should be carried out supposing co-planar normal multiple segments. We apply a Boundary Domain Method (BDM, Goto and Bielak, GJI, 2008) coupling a boundary integral equation method and a domain-based method, namely a finite difference method in this study. The Mw6.0 24th August earthquake is modeled. We use the basic information of hypocenter position, focal mechanism and potential ruptured dimension from the INGV catalogue and Tinti et al., GRL, 2016), and begin with a simple condition (homogeneous boundary condition). From our preliminary simulations, it is shown that a uniformly extended rupture model does not fit the near-field ground motions and localized heterogeneity would be required.

7-year of surface ozone in a coastal city of central Italy: Observations and models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biancofiore, Fabio; Verdecchia, Marco; Di Carlo, Piero; Tomassetti, Barbara; Aruffo, Eleonora; Busilacchio, Marcella; Bianco, Sebastiano; Di Tommaso, Sinibaldo; Colangeli, Carlo

2014-05-01

Hourly concentrations of ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have been measured for seven years, from 1998 to 2005, in a seaside town in the central Italy. Seasonal trends of O3 and NO2 recorded in the considered years are studied. Furthermore, we have focused our attention on data collected during the 2005, analyzing them using two different methods: a regression model and a neural network model. Both models are used to simulate the hourly ozone concentration, using several sets of input. In order to evaluate the performance of the model four statistical criteria are used: correlation coefficient (R), fractional bias (FB), normalized mean squared error (NMSE) e factor of two (FA2). All the criteria show that the neural network has better results compared to the regression model in all the simulations. In addiction we have tested some improvements of the neural network model, results of these tests are discussed. Finally, we have used the neural network to forecast the ozone hourly concentrations a day ahead and 1, 3, 6, 12 hour ahead. Performances of the model in predicting ozone levels are discussed.

Heavy Metals in Spring and Bottled Drinking Waters of Sibylline Mountains National Park (Central Italy).

PubMed

Annibaldi, Anna; Illuminati, Silvia; Truzzi, Cristina; Scarponi, Giuseppe

2018-02-01

Heavy metal concentrations (cadmium, lead, and copper) in spring, tap, and bottled waters of the Sibylline Mountains National Park (central Italy) were investigated using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry from 2004 to 2011. The mean (±SD) concentrations detected (1.3 ± 0.4 ng L -1 cadmium, 14 ± 6 ng L -1 lead, and 0.16 ± 0.10 μg L -1 copper) were below the limits stipulated by Italian and European legislation for drinking and natural mineral water. In the three studied areas of the park (Mount Bove north, Mount Bove south, and springs of River Nera) with very few exceptions, both mineral waters bottled in the area and aqueduct waters from public fountains had approximately the same metal concentrations as did the spring waters from which they were derived. Conversely, substantially higher metal concentrations were found at some sites in private houses, which may be due to release of metals from old metal pipes. At the time of this study, waters of Sibylline Mountains National Park were of good quality, and no influence of the bottling process on heavy metal concentrations was found.

Geoarchaeological results from geophysical prospections at the Roman city of Urbs Salvia, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schettino, Antonio; Perna, Roberto; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Ghezzi, Annalisa; Tassi, Luca; Cingolani, Sofia

2017-04-01

We report on a combined magnetic-GPR survey performed in 2015 and 2016 at the ancient Roman city of Urbs Salvia, located in central Italy. The main objective of this survey was to reconstruct the urban organization of the city forum and determine possible sites of future excavations. We found a complex pattern of buried structures, possibly resulting from the coexistence of republican and imperial artifacts and burned structures. A test excavation at the location where we detected a long linear structure characterized by strong magnetic signal revealed the presence of thermal baths. GPR data were acquired in areas characterized by high magnetic noise induced by metallic infrastructures (e.g., fences), which prevented a correct acquisition of archaeological anomalies. These data not only allowed to overcome the magnetic noise, but provided interesting 3D reconstructions of the buried structures. A detailed GPR survey in the theatre area was also performed, with the aim to investigate the plan of the porticus post scaenam. This survey allowed to identify some interesting structures related to different chronological phases and confirms the epigraphic data related to the development of the monument.

The epistemic and aleatory uncertainties of the ETAS-type models: an application to the Central Italy seismicity.

PubMed

Lombardi, A M

2017-09-18

Stochastic models provide quantitative evaluations about the occurrence of earthquakes. A basic component of this type of models are the uncertainties in defining main features of an intrinsically random process. Even if, at a very basic level, any attempting to distinguish between types of uncertainty is questionable, an usual way to deal with this topic is to separate epistemic uncertainty, due to lack of knowledge, from aleatory variability, due to randomness. In the present study this problem is addressed in the narrow context of short-term modeling of earthquakes and, specifically, of ETAS modeling. By mean of an application of a specific version of the ETAS model to seismicity of Central Italy, recently struck by a sequence with a main event of Mw6.5, the aleatory and epistemic (parametric) uncertainty are separated and quantified. The main result of the paper is that the parametric uncertainty of the ETAS-type model, adopted here, is much lower than the aleatory variability in the process. This result points out two main aspects: an analyst has good chances to set the ETAS-type models, but he may retrospectively describe and forecast the earthquake occurrences with still limited precision and accuracy.

Quaternary fluvial terraces of the Tiber Valley: geochronologic and geometric constraints on the back-arc magmatism-related uplift in central Italy.

PubMed

Marra, Fabrizio; Florindo, Fabio; Petronio, Carmelo

2017-05-31

Through a geomorphological study relying on statistically assessed classes of hilltop elevations, we reconstruct a suite of paleo-surfaces along the Tiber River Valley north of Rome that we identify as fluvial terraces formed by interplay between global sea-level fluctuations and regional upift. Using biostratigraphic constraints provided by marine through continental deposits of Santernian age, we recognize the oldest terrace in this area, corresponding to an early coastal plain of late Santernian-Emilian age. By assuming the simple chronological principle of a staircase geometry we correlate the sea-level highstands of MIS 21 through MIS 5 with the lowest eight paleo-surfaces. By plotting against time the cumulated terrace elevations and the average elevation of the Santernian coastline in the investigated area, we detect rates of uplift during the last 1.8 Ma. Two major pulses of uplift are recognized 0.86 through 0.5 Ma, and 0.25 Ma through the Present, which are interpreted as driven by the subduction process and uprising of metasomatized magma bodies on the Tyrrhenian Sea Margin of central Italy, superimposied on a smaller isostatic component of uplift.

An Analysis Framework Using Satellite Remote Sensing to Understand Landscape Patterns of High Severity Burns from Wildfires in Coastal Woodlands of California and Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potter, C. S.

2016-12-01

The central California coastal landscape has a history of frequent large wildfires that have threatened or destroyed many residential structures at the wildland interface. This study starts with the largest wildfires on the Central Coast over the past 30 years and analyzes the fraction and landscape patterns of high severity burned (HBS) areas from the Landsat-based Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) data base as a function of weather conditions and topographic variations. Results indicate that maximum temperatures at the time of fire and the previous 12 months of rainfall explained a significant portion of the variation in total area burned and the fraction of HBS area. Average patch size and aggregation metrics of HBS areas were included in the analysis framework. Within each burned area, the Landsat (30-meter resolution) differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR), a continuous index of vegetation burn severity, was correlated against slope, aspect, and elevation to better understand landscape level-controls over HBS patches. The Landsat dNBR analysis framework is being extended next to the island of Sardinia, Italy for a comparison of Mediterranean climates and wildfire patterns since the mid-1980s.

[Monitoring microbiological safety of small systems of water distribution. Comparison of two sampling programs in a town in central Italy].

PubMed

Papini, Paolo; Faustini, Annunziata; Manganello, Rosa; Borzacchi, Giancarlo; Spera, Domenico; Perucci, Carlo A

2005-01-01

To determine the frequency of sampling in small water distribution systems (<5,000 inhabitants) and compare the results according to different hypotheses in bacteria distribution. We carried out two sampling programs to monitor the water distribution system in a town in Central Italy between July and September 1992; the Poisson distribution assumption implied 4 water samples, the assumption of negative binomial distribution implied 21 samples. Coliform organisms were used as indicators of water safety. The network consisted of two pipe rings and two wells fed by the same water source. The number of summer customers varied considerably from 3,000 to 20,000. The mean density was 2.33 coliforms/100 ml (sd= 5.29) for 21 samples and 3 coliforms/100 ml (sd= 6) for four samples. However the hypothesis of homogeneity was rejected (p-value <0.001) and the probability of II type error with the assumption of heterogeneity was higher with 4 samples (beta= 0.24) than with 21 (beta= 0.05). For this small network, determining the samples' size according to heterogeneity hypothesis strengthens the statement that water is drinkable compared with homogeneity assumption.

Determination of Interesting Toxicological Elements in PM2.5 by Neutron and Photon Activation Analysis

PubMed Central

Capannesi, Geraldo; Lopez, Francesco

2013-01-01

Human activities introduce compounds increasing levels of many dangerous species for environment and population. In this way, trace elements in airborne particulate have a preeminent position due to toxic element presence affecting the biological systems. The main problem is the analytical determination of such species at ultratrace levels: a very specific methodology is necessary with regard to the accuracy and precision and contamination problems. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Instrumental Photon Activation Analysis assure these requirements. A retrospective element analysis in airborne particulate collected in the last 4 decades has been carried out for studying their trend. The samples were collected in urban location in order to determine only effects due to global aerosol circulation; semiannual samples have been used to characterize the summer/winter behavior of natural and artificial origin. The levels of natural origin element are higher than those in other countries owing to geological and meteorological factors peculiar to Central Italy. The levels of artificial elements are sometimes less than those in other countries, suggesting a less polluted general situation for Central Italy. However, for a few elements (e.g., Pb) the levels measured are only slight lower than those proposed as air ambient standard. PMID:23878525

First report of Angiostrongylus vasorum in a wild red fox (Vulpes vulpes) from Apulia (Italy).

PubMed

Passantino, Giuseppe; Marino, Fabio; Gaglio, Gabriella; Patruno, Rosa; Lanteri, Giovanni; Zizzo, Nicola

2017-04-05

Severe lung strongylosis was detected in a wild red fox (Vulpes vulpes) (1/12) from Apulia (Italy). We performed routine diagnostics on 12 foxes found dead in Apulia. Eleven of them showed lesions consistent with a vehicle collision. However, the remaining fox appeared to have died from other causes. At necropsy we observed, catarrhal enteritis, fatty liver, lung congestion with some areas rm in consistence and brain haemorrhages and malacia. Histopathology revealed lung brosis with mononucleate cells in ltration, thrombosis a several larval nematodes spread in the parenchyma, interstitial nephritis, interstitial myocarditis, encephalitis, encephalomalacia, and a brain granuloma. The larvae recovered from the lung parenchyma were identi ed as the rst stage larvae of Angiostrongylus vasorum. This is the rst documented report of angiostrongylosis in a fox in Southern Italy.

The flood event of 10-12 November 2013 on the Tiber River basin (central Italy): real-time flood forecasting with uncertainty supporting risk management and decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berni, Nicola; Brocca, Luca; Barbetta, Silvia; Pandolfo, Claudia; Stelluti, Marco; Moramarco, Tommaso

2014-05-01

The Italian national hydro-meteorological early warning system is composed by 21 regional offices (Functional Centres, CF). Umbria Region (central Italy) CF provides early warning for floods and landslides, real-time monitoring and decision support systems (DSS) for the Civil Defence Authorities when significant events occur. The alert system is based on hydrometric and rainfall thresholds with detailed procedures for the management of critical events in which different roles of authorities and institutions involved are defined. The real-time flood forecasting system is based also on different hydrological and hydraulic forecasting models. Among these, the MISDc rainfall-runoff model ("Modello Idrologico SemiDistribuito in continuo"; Brocca et al., 2011) and the flood routing model named STAFOM-RCM (STAge Forecasting Model-Rating Curve Model; Barbetta et al., 2014) are continuously operative in real-time providing discharge and stage forecasts, respectively, with lead-times up to 24 hours (when quantitative precipitation forecasts are used) in several gauged river sections in the Upper-Middle Tiber River basin. Models results are published in real-time in the open source CF web platform: www.cfumbria.it. MISDc provides discharge and soil moisture forecasts for different sub-basins while STAFOM-RCM provides stage forecasts at hydrometric sections. Moreover, through STAFOM-RCM the uncertainty of the forecast stage hydrograph is provided in terms of 95% Confidence Interval (CI) assessed by analyzing the statistical properties of model output in terms of lateral. In the period 10th-12th November 2013, a severe flood event occurred in Umbria mainly affecting the north-eastern area and causing significant economic damages, but fortunately no casualties. The territory was interested by intense and persistent rainfall; the hydro-meteorological monitoring network recorded locally rainfall depth over 400 mm in 72 hours. In the most affected area, the recorded rainfall depths correspond approximately to a return period of 200 years. Most rivers in Umbria have been involved, exceeding hydrometric thresholds and causing flooding (e.g. Chiascio river). The flood event was continuously monitored at the Umbria Region CF and the possible evolution predicted and assessed on the basis of the model forecasts. The predictions provided by MISDc and STAFOM-RCM were found useful to support real-time decision-making addressed to flood risk management. Moreover, the quantification of the uncertainty affecting the deterministic forecast stages was found consistent with the level of confidence selected and had practical utility corroborating the need of coupling deterministic forecast and 'uncertainty' when the model output is used to support decisions about flood management. REFERENCES Barbetta, S., Moramarco, T., Brocca, L., Franchini, M., Melone, F. (2014). Confidence interval of real-time forecast stages provided by the STAFOM-RCM model: the case study of the Tiber River (Italy). Hydrological Processes, 28(3), 729-743. Brocca, L., Melone, F., Moramarco, T. (2011). Distributed rainfall-runoff modelling for flood frequency estimation and flood forecasting. Hydrological Processes, 25 (18), 2801-2813

Numerical modeling of fluid flow in a fault zone: a case of study from Majella Mountain (Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, Valentina; Battaglia, Maurizio; Bigi, Sabina; De'Haven Hyman, Jeffrey; Valocchi, Albert J.

2017-04-01

The study of fluid flow in fractured rocks plays a key role in reservoir management, including CO2 sequestration and waste isolation. We present a numerical model of fluid flow in a fault zone, based on field data acquired in Majella Mountain, in the Central Apennines (Italy). This fault zone is considered a good analogue for the massive presence of fluid migration in the form of tar. Faults are mechanical features and cause permeability heterogeneities in the upper crust, so they strongly influence fluid flow. The distribution of the main components (core, damage zone) can lead the fault zone to act as a conduit, a barrier, or a combined conduit-barrier system. We integrated existing information and our own structural surveys of the area to better identify the major fault features (e.g., type of fractures, statistical properties, geometrical and petro-physical characteristics). In our model the damage zones of the fault are described as discretely fractured medium, while the core of the fault as a porous one. Our model utilizes the dfnWorks code, a parallelized computational suite, developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), that generates three dimensional Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) of the damage zones of the fault and characterizes its hydraulic parameters. The challenge of the study is the coupling between the discrete domain of the damage zones and the continuum one of the core. The field investigations and the basic computational workflow will be described, along with preliminary results of fluid flow simulation at the scale of the fault.

Cluster of cases of Salmonella enterica serotype Rissen infection in a general hospital, Italy, 2007.

PubMed

Boschi, T; Aquilini, D; Degl'Innocenti, R; Aleo, A; Romani, C; Nicoletti, P; Buonomini, M I; Marconi, P; Bilei, S; Mammina, C; Nastasi, A

2010-12-01

In 2007, three strains of Salmonella enterica serotype Rissen (S. Rissen) were isolated in the laboratory of diagnostic microbiology of the General Hospital of Prato, Tuscany, Italy, over a 1 month and half interval of time. The first isolate was recovered on January 26 from an outpatient with enteritis. Then, two strains were isolated on February 16 and March 11 respectively, from central venous catheters of patients who were being hospitalized in two departments of the Hospital. An epidemiologically linked cluster of cases of salmonellosis was suspected. The three strains were submitted to single enzyme-amplified fragment length polymorphism (SE-AFLP) and XbaI macrorestriction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) that yielded undistinguishable profiles. Epidemiological investigations failed to identify a common source of infection within the Hospital. Moreover, the third patient had been exclusively total parenteral nutrition fed since his admission with a stomach cancer diagnosis. The first patient had a community-acquired infection, but the source of her illness was uncertain. Twenty-five further isolates identified in the years 2004-2007 in the same geographical area showed distinctly different PFGE and SE-AFLP patterns. The three patients seemed to represent a cluster of epidemiologically unrelated cases caused by a previously never recognized S. Rissen strain. Rapid subtyping of isolates is essential in the early investigation of potential outbreaks, but synthesis of conventional and molecular epidemiological investigation and availability of surveillance data is often critical to prevent the initiation of time-consuming, expensive and ineffective further investigations and control interventions. © 2009 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Tracing sources of Listeria contamination in traditional Italian cheese associated with a US outbreak: investigations in Italy.

PubMed

Acciari, V A; Iannetti, L; Gattuso, A; Sonnessa, M; Scavia, G; Montagna, C; Addante, N; Torresi, M; Zocchi, L; Scattolini, S; Centorame, P; Marfoglia, C; Prencipe, V A; Gianfranceschi, M V

2016-10-01

In 2012 a US multistate outbreak of listeriosis was linked to ricotta salata imported from Italy, made from pasteurized sheep's milk. Sampling activities were conducted in Italy to trace the source of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The cheese that caused the outbreak was produced in a plant in Apulia that processed semi-finished cheeses supplied by five plants in Sardinia. During an 'emergency sampling', 179 (23·6%) out of 758 end-products tested positive for L. monocytogenes, with concentrations from <10 c.f.u./g to 1·1 × 106 c.f.u./g. Positive processing environment samples were found in two out of four processing plants. A 'follow-up sampling' was conducted 8 months later, when environmental samples from three out of six plants tested positive for L. monocytogenes and for Listeria spp. PFGE subtyping showed 100% similarity between US clinical strains and isolates from ricotta salata, confirming the origin of the outbreak. The persistence of strains in environmental niches of processing plants was demonstrated, and is probably the cause of product contamination. Two PFGE profiles from clinical cases of listeriosis in Italy in 2011, stored in the MSS-TESSy database, were found to have 100% similarity to one PFGE profile from a US clinical case associated with the consumption of ricotta salata, according to the US epidemiological investigation (sample C, pulsotype 17). However, they had 87% similarity to the only PFGE profile found both in the US clinical case and in 14 ricotta cheese samples collected during the emergency sampling (sample B, pulsotype 1). Sharing of molecular data and availability of common characterization protocols were key elements that connected the detection of the US outbreak to the investigation of the food source in Italy. Simultaneous surveillance systems at both food and human levels are a necessity for the efficient rapid discovery of the source of an outbreak of L. monocytogenes.

Occupational transmission of an Orthopoxvirus infection during an outbreak in a colony of Macaca tonkeana in Lazio Region, Italy, 2015.

PubMed

Puro, V; Fusco, F M; Castilletti, C; Carletti, F; Colavita, F; Agrati, C; Di Caro, A; Capobianchi, M R; Ippolito, G

2018-03-07

Orthopoxviruses spill over from animal reservoirs to accidental hosts, sometimes causing human infections. We describe the surveillance and infection control measures undertaken during an outbreak due to an Orthopoxvirus occurred in January 2015 in a colony of Macaca tonkeana in the province of Rieti, Latio, Italy, which caused a human asymptomatic infection. According to the epidemiological investigation, the human transmission occurred after an unprotected exposure. The contacts among wild, captive and domestic animals and humans, together with decreased immunity against Orthopoxviruses in the community, may put animal handlers at risk of infection, especially after the cessation of smallpox vaccination. To reduce these threats, standard precautions including respiratory hygiene and transmission-based precautions should be carefully applied also in veterinary medicine. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Integrated geochronology of Acheulian sites from the southern Latium (central Italy): Insights on human-environment interaction and the technological innovations during the MIS 11-MIS 10 period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Alison; Nomade, Sébastien; Moncel, Marie-Hélène; Voinchet, Pierre; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Biddittu, Italo; Falguères, Christophe; Giaccio, Biagio; Manzi, Giorgio; Parenti, Fabio; Scardia, Giancarlo; Scao, Vincent; Sottili, Gianluca; Vietti, Amina

2018-05-01

We have explored the multimethod approach combining 40Ar/39Ar on single crystal, ESR on bleached quartz, and ESR/U-series on teeth to improve the age of four neighbours "Acheulian" sites of the Frosinone Province (Latium, Italy): Fontana Ranuccio, Cava Pompi (Pofi), Isoletta, and Lademagne. Ages obtained by the three methods are in mutual agreement and confirm the potential of dating with confidence Middle Pleistocene sites of Italy using these methods. At Fontana Ranuccio, the 40Ar/39Ar age (408 ± 10 ka, full external error at 2σ) obtained for the archaeological level (unit FR4) and geochemical analyses of glass shards performed on the Unit FR2a layer allow us to attribute the studied volcanic material to the Pozzolane Nere volcanic series, a well-known caldera-forming event originated from the Colli Albani volcanic district. These new data ascribe the Fontana Ranuccio site, as well as the eponym faunal unit, to the climatic optimum of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11. Ages obtained for the Cava Pompi, Isoletta, and Lademagne sites cover a relatively short period of time between 408 ka and 375 ka, spanning MIS 11 climatic optimum to the MIS 11-10 transition. Analysis of small collections of lithic industries, bifacial tools, and small cores technologies from Isoletta, Lademagne, and the neighbour site of Ceprano-Campogrande shows common technical strategies for the period comprised between MIS 11 and MIS 9 (410-325 ka), such as the elaboration of flaked elephant bone industries found over the whole Latium region. However, some features found only in the Frosinone province area, like large-sized bifaces, suggest particular regional behaviours. The presence of one Levallois core in the oldest layer of Lademagne (i.e. > 405 ± 9 ka) suggests a punctual practice of this technology, also proposed as early as MIS 10/11 in the neighbour site of Guado San Nicola (Molise) in central Italy.

Mitochondrial DNA regionalism and historical demography in the extant populations of Chirocephalus kerkyrensis (Branchiopoda: Anostraca).

PubMed

Ketmaier, Valerio; Marrone, Federico; Alfonso, Giuseppe; Paulus, Kirsten; Wiemann, Annika; Tiedemann, Ralph; Mura, Graziella

2012-01-01

Mediterranean temporary water bodies are important reservoirs of biodiversity and host a unique assemblage of diapausing aquatic invertebrates. These environments are currently vanishing because of increasing human pressure. Chirocephalus kerkyrensis is a fairy shrimp typical of temporary water bodies in Mediterranean plain forests and has undergone a substantial decline in number of populations in recent years due to habitat loss. We assessed patterns of genetic connectivity and phylogeographic history in the seven extant populations of the species from Albania, Corfu Is. (Greece), Southern and Central Italy. We analyzed sequence variation at two mitochondrial DNA genes (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16s rRNA) in all the known populations of C. kerkyrensis. We used multiple phylogenetic, phylogeographic and coalescence-based approaches to assess connectivity and historical demography across the whole distribution range of the species. C. kerkyrensis is genetically subdivided into three main mitochondrial lineages; two of them are geographically localized (Corfu Is. and Central Italy) and one encompasses a wide geographic area (Albania and Southern Italy). Most of the detected genetic variation (≈81%) is apportioned among the aforementioned lineages. Multiple analyses of mismatch distributions consistently supported both past demographic and spatial expansions with the former predating the latter; demographic expansions were consistently placed during interglacial warm phases of the Pleistocene while spatial expansions were restricted to cold periods. Coalescence methods revealed a scenario of past isolation with low levels of gene flow in line with what is already known for other co-distributed fairy shrimps and suggest drift as the prevailing force in promoting local divergence. We recommend that these evolutionary trajectories should be taken in proper consideration in any effort aimed at protecting Mediterranean temporary water bodies.

Mitochondrial DNA Regionalism and Historical Demography in the Extant Populations of Chirocephalus kerkyrensis (Branchiopoda: Anostraca)

PubMed Central

Ketmaier, Valerio; Marrone, Federico; Alfonso, Giuseppe; Paulus, Kirsten; Wiemann, Annika; Tiedemann, Ralph; Mura, Graziella

2012-01-01

Background Mediterranean temporary water bodies are important reservoirs of biodiversity and host a unique assemblage of diapausing aquatic invertebrates. These environments are currently vanishing because of increasing human pressure. Chirocephalus kerkyrensis is a fairy shrimp typical of temporary water bodies in Mediterranean plain forests and has undergone a substantial decline in number of populations in recent years due to habitat loss. We assessed patterns of genetic connectivity and phylogeographic history in the seven extant populations of the species from Albania, Corfu Is. (Greece), Southern and Central Italy. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed sequence variation at two mitochondrial DNA genes (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16s rRNA) in all the known populations of C. kerkyrensis. We used multiple phylogenetic, phylogeographic and coalescence-based approaches to assess connectivity and historical demography across the whole distribution range of the species. C. kerkyrensis is genetically subdivided into three main mitochondrial lineages; two of them are geographically localized (Corfu Is. and Central Italy) and one encompasses a wide geographic area (Albania and Southern Italy). Most of the detected genetic variation (≈81%) is apportioned among the aforementioned lineages. Conclusions/Significance Multiple analyses of mismatch distributions consistently supported both past demographic and spatial expansions with the former predating the latter; demographic expansions were consistently placed during interglacial warm phases of the Pleistocene while spatial expansions were restricted to cold periods. Coalescence methods revealed a scenario of past isolation with low levels of gene flow in line with what is already known for other co-distributed fairy shrimps and suggest drift as the prevailing force in promoting local divergence. We recommend that these evolutionary trajectories should be taken in proper consideration in any effort aimed at protecting Mediterranean temporary water bodies. PMID:22363417

Molecular and serological detection of tick-borne pathogens in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Italy.

PubMed

Veronesi, Fabrizia; Morganti, Giulia; Ravagnan, Silvia; Laus, Fulvio; Spaterna, Andrea; Diaferia, Manuela; Moretti, Annabella; Fioretti, Daniela Piergili; Capelli, Gioia

2014-10-10

Donkeys, owing to the frequent outdoor activity, are exposed to a high risk of infection with tick-borne pathogens. This work aimed to detect exposure to Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. of donkeys reared in Central Italy. For this purpose 122 adult donkeys were selected within 11 herds and submitted to blood collection. IgG antibodies to T. equi, B. caballi, A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. were detected by IFAT. Conventional PCRs targeting the genes MSP2 and the flagellin were used for the detection of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. respectively and a Real Time PCR Sybr Green was used to detect Babesia/Theileria spp…. The species identity was determined by amplicons sequencing. Forty eight (39.3%) and 58 (47.5%) animals tested positive for T. equi and B. caballi antibodies, respectively; nine animals (7.4%) were found positive for antibodies against A. phagocytophilum whereas negative results were obtained for B. burgdorferi s.l. Twenty-six (21.3%) animals showed antibodies for both T. equi and B. caballi. Twenty-three (18.8%) donkeys were positive to Babesia/Theileria spp. PCR assay. Out of 21 sequenced amplicons, 20 were identified as T. equi, belonging to three main groups designated A, B and D and one as B. caballi group A. Neither A. phagocytophilum nor B. burgdorferi PCR results were positive. The study showed a high exposure of donkeys to tick-borne pathogens and provides information on the genetic identity of the T. equi strains circulating in Central Italy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spending on pharmaceuticals in Italy: macro constraints with local autonomy.

PubMed

Mapelli, Vittorio; Lucioni, Carlo

2003-01-01

Italy has a national health service (SSN) that is moving toward decentralization and empowerment of local health enterprises (LHEs)-the arms of the regions for delivering health services. Drug policy and spending decisions are both influenced by central government and local authorities. At the "macro" level, the government holds the power to decide the amount of drug expenditure, currently at 13% of total SSN expenditure; the pricing policy, price negotiation, reference price, and price cuts; criteria for reimbursement, inclusion in the positive list, and restrictive notes; and the copayments and exemptions. So far, the government concern has been predominantly on cost containment, and its approach in selecting drugs for reimbursement has been cost minimization. Italy has no centralized office for health technology assessment and this hinders the search for an efficient use of drugs. At the "micro" level, however, the LHEs are showing a great vitality in fostering a better use of drugs by general practitioners. One of the tools employed is local voluntary agreements between LHEs and general practitioners (GPs) that may be supported by economic incentives, in cash or in kind. In 2000 there were 61 agreements in place, 31% of total LHEs, which concerned the respect of drug expenditure ceilings and the local development and implementation of clinical guidelines (47% of LHEs). A traditional and widespread tool for controlling drug expenditure is providing GPs with regular reports on their drug prescriptions (59% of LHEs). Monitoring, moral suasion, and clinical guidelines are the main incentives for efficiency at local level, but focus on health outcomes is limited. The cost-containment mentality still prevails and the use of drug budget for purchasing better health is at its very early stage.

A 2-year entomological study of potential malaria vectors in central Italy.

PubMed

Di Luca, Marco; Boccolini, Daniela; Severini, Francesco; Toma, Luciano; Barbieri, Francesca Mancini; Massa, Antonio; Romi, Roberto

2009-12-01

Europe was officially declared free from malaria in 1975; nevertheless, this disease remains a potential problem related to the presence of former vectors, belonging to the Anopheles maculipennis complex. Autochthonous-introduced malaria cases, recently reported in European countries, together with the predicted climatic and environmental changes, have increased the concern of health authorities over the possible resurgence of this disease in the Mediterranean Basin. In Italy, to study the distribution and bionomics of indigenous anopheline populations and to assess environmental parameters that could influence their dynamics, an entomological study was carried out in 2005-2006 in an at-risk study area. This model area is represented by the geographical region named the Maremma, a Tyrrhenian costal plain in Central Italy, where malaria was hyperendemic up to the 1950s. Fortnightly, entomological surveys (April-October) were carried out in four selected sites with different ecological features. Morphological and molecular characterization, blood meal identification, and parity rate assessment of the anophelines were performed. In total, 8274 mosquitoes were collected, 7691 of which were anophelines. Six Anopheles species were recorded, the most abundant of which were Anopheles labranchiae and An. maculipennis s.s. An. labranchiae is predominant in the coastal plain, where it is present in scattered foci. However, this species exhibits a wider than expected range: in fact it has been recorded, for the first time, inland where An. maculipennis s.s. is the most abundant species. Both species fed on a wide range of animal hosts, also showing a marked aggressiveness on humans, when available. Our findings demonstrated the high receptivity of the Maremma area, where the former malaria vector, An. labranchiae, occurs at different densities related to the kind of environment, climatic parameters, and anthropic activities.

Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Wolf (Canis lupus) Breeding Areas in a Mountainous Region of Central Italy

PubMed Central

Bassi, Elena; Willis, Stephen G.; Passilongo, Daniela; Mattioli, Luca; Apollonio, Marco

2015-01-01

Wolves (Canis lupus) in Italy represent a relict west European population. They are classified as vulnerable by IUCN, though have increased in number and expanded their range in recent decades. Here we use 17 years of monitoring data (from 1993 to 2010) collected in a mountainous region of central Italy (Arezzo, Tuscany) in an ecological niche-based model (MaxEnt) to characterize breeding sites (i.e. the areas where pups were raised) within home ranges, as detected from play-back responses. From a suite of variables related to topography, habitat and human disturbance we found that elevation and distance to protected areas were most important in explaining the locality of wolf responses. Rendezvous sites (family play-back response sites) typically occurred between 800 and 1200 m a.s.l., inside protected areas, and were usually located along mountain chains distant from human settlements and roads. In these areas human disturbance is low and the densities of ungulates are typically high. Over recent years, rendezvous sites have occurred closer to urban areas as the wolf population has continued to expand, despite the consequent human disturbance. This suggests that undisturbed landscapes may be reaching their carrying capacity for wolves. This, in turn, may lead to the potential for increased human-wolf interactions in future. Applying our model, both within and beyond the species’ current range, we identify sites both within the current range and also further afield, that the species could occupy in future. Our work underlines the importance of the present protected areas network in facilitating the recolonisation by wolves. Our projections of suitability of sites for future establishment as the population continues to expand could inform planning to minimize future wolf-human conflicts. PMID:26035174

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of an 11,450-year-old Aurochsen (Bos primigenius) from Central Italy

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Bos primigenius, the aurochs, is the wild ancestor of modern cattle breeds and was formerly widespread across Eurasia and northern Africa. After a progressive decline, the species became extinct in 1627. The origin of modern taurine breeds in Europe is debated. Archaeological and early genetic evidence point to a single Near Eastern origin and a subsequent spread during the diffusion of herding and farming. More recent genetic data are instead compatible with local domestication events or at least some level of local introgression from the aurochs. Here we present the analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of a pre-Neolithic Italian aurochs. Results In this study, we applied a combined strategy employing both multiplex PCR amplifications and 454 pyrosequencing technology to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of an 11,450-year-old aurochs specimen from Central Italy. Phylogenetic analysis of the aurochs mtDNA genome supports the conclusions from previous studies of short mtDNA fragments - namely that Italian aurochsen were genetically very similar to modern cattle breeds, but highly divergent from the North-Central European aurochsen. Conclusions Complete mitochondrial genome sequences are now available for several modern cattle and two pre-Neolithic mtDNA genomes from very different geographic areas. These data suggest that previously identified sub-groups within the widespread modern cattle mitochondrial T clade are polyphyletic, and they support the hypothesis that modern European breeds have multiple geographic origins. PMID:21281509

Magmatic control along a strike-slip volcanic arc: The central Aeolian arc (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruch, J.; Vezzoli, L.; De Rosa, R.; Di Lorenzo, R.; Acocella, V.

2016-02-01

The regional stress field in volcanic areas may be overprinted by that produced by magmatic activity, promoting volcanism and faulting. In particular, in strike-slip settings, the definition of the relationships between the regional stress field and magmatic activity remains elusive. To better understand these relationships, we collected stratigraphic, volcanic, and structural field data along the strike-slip central Aeolian arc (Italy): here the islands of Lipari and Vulcano separate the extensional portion of the arc (to the east) from the contractional one (to the west). We collected >500 measurements of faults, extension fractures, and dikes at 40 sites. Most structures are NNE-SSW to NNW-SSE oriented, eastward dipping, and show almost pure dip-slip motion, consistent with an E-W extension direction, with minor dextral and sinistral shear. Our data highlight six eruptive periods during the last 55 ka, which allow considering both islands as a single magmatic system, in which tectonic and magmatic activities steadily migrated eastward and currently focus on a 10 km long × 2 km wide active segment. Faulting appears to mostly occur in temporal and spatial relation with magmatic events, supporting that most of the observable deformation derives from transient magmatic activity (shorter term, days to months), rather than from steady longer-term regional tectonics (102-104 years). More in general, the central Aeolian case shows how magmatic activity may affect the structure and evolution of volcanic arcs, overprinting any strike-slip motion with magma-induced extension at the surface.

Distribution of gaseous Hg in the Mercury mining district of Mt. Amiata (Central Italy): a geochemical survey prior the reclamation project.

PubMed

Vaselli, Orlando; Higueras, Pablo; Nisi, Barbara; María Esbrí, José; Cabassi, Jacopo; Martínez-Coronado, Alba; Tassi, Franco; Rappuoli, Daniele

2013-08-01

The Mt. Amiata volcano is the youngest and largest volcanic edifice in Tuscany (central-northern Italy) and is characterized by a geothermal field, exploited for the production of electrical energy. In the past Mt. Amiata was also known as a world-class Hg district whose mining activity was mainly distributed in the central-eastern part of this silicic volcanic complex, and particularly in the municipality of Abbadia San Salvatore. In the present work we report a geochemical survey on Hg(0) measurements related to the former mercury mine facilities prior the reclamation project. The Hg(0) measurements were carried out by car for long distance regional surveys, and on foot for local scale surveys by using two LUMEX (915+ and M) devices. This study presents the very first Hg(0) data obtained with this analytical technique in the Mt. Amiata area. The facilities related to the mining areas and structures where cinnabar was converted to metallic Hg are characterized by high Hg values (>50,000ngm(-3)), although the urban center of Abbadia San Salvatore, few hundred meters away, does not appear to be receiving significant pollution from the calcine area and former industrial edifices, all the recorded values being below the values recommended by the issuing Tuscany Region authorities (300ngm(-3)) and in some cases approaching the Hg background levels (3-5ngm(-3)) for the Mt. Amiata area. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Central purchasing bodies and spending review in health sector].

PubMed

Spampinato, Luigi

2017-01-01

The aim of this paper is to analyze the new model of centralization of purchases in Italy after the approval of the 2016 Stability Law, with particular reference to the health sector. In fact, the spending review process in Italy in the health sector has had a strong evolution with the 2016 Stability Law, which has introduced the obligation for the institutions of the National Health Service to obtain supplies, exclusively, from aggregators subjects, for certain product categories of the health sector. The legislature, over the years, was mainly characterized by measures to reduce the spending limits for purchases of goods and services or by resetting the fees, including the provision of an obligation for the renegotiation of health goods and services contracts, in order to ensure the effective implementation of the expenditure rationalization by aggregation of goods and services. From 2016, the legislature has provided an innovative model of centralization of purchases based on a new network governance model on several levels, national and regional, which should ensure an efficiency of procurement processes. The proper functioning of the governance model adopted can be an important driver of economic policy in order to understand that it is important not only to spend less, but to spend better. This can be realized in the public administration with a strong innovation process in this administration and also with a strong investment in skills, in order to ensure the same service quality throughout the national territory to the health sector.

Does fiscal decentralization improve health outcomes? Evidence from infant mortality in Italy.

PubMed

Cavalieri, Marina; Ferrante, Livio

2016-09-01

Despite financial and decision-making responsibilities having been increasingly devolved to lower levels of government worldwide, the potential impact of these reforms remains largely controversial. This paper investigates the hypothesis that a shift towards a higher degree of fiscal autonomy of sub-national governments could improve health outcomes, as measured by infant mortality rates. Italy is used as a case study since responsibilities for healthcare have been decentralized to regions, though the central government still retains a key role in ensuring all citizens uniform access to health services throughout the country. A linear fixed-effects regression model with robust standard errors is employed for a panel of 20 regions over the period 1996-2012 (340 observations in the full sample). Decentralization is proxied by two different indicators, capturing the degree of decision-making autonomy in the allocation of tax revenues and the extent to which regions rely on fiscal transfers from the central government. The results show that a higher proportion of tax revenues raised and/or controlled locally as well as a lower transfer dependency from the central government are consistently associated with lower infant mortality rates, ceteris paribus. The marginal benefit from fiscal decentralization, however, is not constant but depends on the level of regional wealth, favouring poorest regions. In terms of policy implications, this study outlines how the effectiveness of decentralization in improving health outcomes is contingent on the characteristics of the context in which the process takes place. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Naïve Bayes classification for classifying injury-cause groups from Emergency Room data in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region (Northern Italy)].

PubMed

Valent, Francesca; Clagnan, Elena; Zanier, Loris

2014-01-01

to assess whether Naïve Bayes Classification could be used to classify injury causes from the Emergency Room (ER) database, because in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Northern Italy) the electronic ER data have never been used to study the epidemiology of injuries, because the proportion of generic "accidental" causes is much higher than that of injuries with a specific cause. application of the Naïve Bayes Classification method to the regional ER database. sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, agreement, and the kappa statistic were calculated for the train dataset and the distribution of causes of injury for the test dataset. on 22.248 records with known cause, the classifications assigned by the model agreed moderately (kappa =0.53) with those assigned by ER personnel. The model was then used on 76.660 unclassified cases. Although sensitivity and positive predictive value of the method were generally poor, mainly due to limitations in the ER data, it allowed to estimate for the first time the frequency of specific injury causes in the Region. the model was useful to provide the "big picture" of non-fatal injuries in the Region. To improve the collection of injury data at the ER, the options available for injury classification in the ER software are being revised to make categories exhaustive and mutually exclusive.

The 2016-2017 central Italy coseismic surface ruptures and their meaning with respect to foreseen active fault systems segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Martini, P. M.; Pucci, S.; Villani, F.; Civico, R.; Del Rio, L.; Cinti, F. R.; Pantosti, D.

2017-12-01

In 2016-2017 a series of moderate to large normal faulting earthquakes struck central Italy producing severe damage in many towns including Amatrice, Norcia and Visso and resulting in 299 casualties and >20,000 homeless. The complex seismic sequence depicts a multiple activation of the Mt. Vettore-Mt. Bove (VBFS) and the Laga Mts. fault systems, which were considered in literature as independent segments characterizing a recent seismic gap in the region comprised between two modern seismic sequences: the 1997-1998 Colfiorito and the 2009 L'Aquila. We mapped in detail the coseismic surface ruptures following three mainshocks (Mw 6.0 on 24th August, Mw 5.9 and Mw 6.5 on 26th and 30th October, 2016, respectively). Primary surface ruptures were observed and recorded for a total length of 5.2 km, ≅10 km and ≅25 km, respectively, along closely-spaced, parallel or subparallel, overlapping or step-like synthetic and antithetic fault splays of the activated fault systems, in some cases rupturing repeatedly the same location. Some coseismic ruptures were mapped also along the Norcia Fault System, paralleling the VBFS about 10 km westward. We recorded geometric and kinematic characteristics of the normal faulting ruptures with an unprecedented detail thanks to almost 11,000 oblique photographs taken from helicopter flights soon after the mainshocks, verified and integrated with field data (more than 7000 measurements). We analyze the along-strike coseismic slip and slip vectors distribution to be observed in the context of the geomorphic expression of the disrupted slopes and their depositional and erosive processes. Moreover, we constructed 1:10.000 scale geologic cross-sections based on updated maps, and we reconstructed the net offset distribution of the activated fault system to be compared with the morphologic throws and to test a cause-effect relationship between faulting and first-order landforms. We provide a reconstruction of the 2016 coseismic rupture pattern as representative of the VBFS behavior, a discussion on the fault system boundaries persistence, and on the significance of the repeated surface faulting at same location.

Ground Deformation and Sources geometry of the 2016 Central Italy Earthquake Sequence Investigated through Analytical and Numerical Modeling of DInSAR Measurements and Structural-Geological Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solaro, G.; Bonano, M.; Boncio, P.; Brozzetti, F.; Castaldo, R.; Casu, F.; Cirillo, D.; Cheloni, D.; De Luca, C.; De Nardis, R.; De Novellis, V.; Ferrarini, F.; Lanari, R.; Lavecchia, G.; Manunta, M.; Manzo, M.; Pepe, A.; Pepe, S.; Tizzani, P.; Zinno, I.

2017-12-01

The 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence started on 24th August with a MW 6.1 event, where the intra-Apennine WSW-dipping Vettore-Gorzano extensional fault system released a destructive earthquake, causing 300 casualties and extensive damage to the town of Amatrice and surroundings. We generated several interferograms by using ALOS and Sentinel 1-A and B constellation data acquired on both ascending and descending orbits to show that most displacement is characterized by two main subsiding lobes of about 20 cm on the fault hanging-wall. By inverting the generated interferograms, following the Okada analytical approach, the modelling results account for two sources related to main shock and more energetic aftershock. Through Finite Element numerical modelling that jointly exploits DInSAR deformation measurements and structural-geological data, we reconstruct the 3D source of the Amatrice 2016 normal fault earthquake which well fit the main shock. The inversion shows that the co-seismic displacement area was partitioned on two distinct en echelon fault planes, which at the main event hypocentral depth (8 km) merge in one single WSW-dipping surface. Slip peaks were higher along the southern half of the Vettore fault, lower along the northern half of Gorzano fault and null in the relay zone between the two faults; field evidence of co-seismic surface rupture are coherent with the reconstructed scenario. The following seismic sequence was characterized by numerous aftershocks located southeast and northwest of the epicenter which decreased in frequency and magnitude until the end of October, when a MW 5.9 event occurred on 26th October about 25 km to the NW of the previous mainshock. Then, on 30th October, a third large event of magnitude MW 6.5 nucleated below the town of Norcia, striking the area between the two preceding events and filling the gap between the previous ruptures. Also in this case, we exploit a large dataset of DInSAR and GPS measurements to investigate the ground displacement field and to determine, by using elastic dislocation modelling, the geometries and slip distributions of the causative normal fault segments.

Foreword to the Special Issue on "Dynamic Models in Economics and Finance"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardini, Laura; Kubin, Ingrid; Tramontana, Fabio; Wagener, Florian

2018-05-01

International workshops on Dynamic Models in Economics and Finance (MDEF) take place every two years in Urbino (Italy); since the inception of the series in 2000, there have been nine editions. The subject has become a central topic for scholars working on economic dynamics. In 2016 the workshop was held under the auspices of University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" , DESP1

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 29 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-02

ISS029-E-021997 (2 Oct. 2011) --- This is one of a series of night time images photographed by one of the Expedition 29 crew members from the International Space Station. It features Central and Eastern Europe. The view includes the northeast portion of Italy, Germany, Poland, and Hungary. The station was over Corsica at 44.19 degrees north latitude and 12.13 degrees east longitude.

A multi-proxy record of MIS 11-12 deglaciation and glacial MIS 12 instability from the Sulmona basin (central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regattieri, Eleonora; Giaccio, Biagio; Galli, Paolo; Nomade, Sebastien; Peronace, Edoardo; Messina, Paolo; Sposato, Andrea; Boschi, Chiara; Gemelli, Maurizio

2016-01-01

A multi-proxy record (lithology, XRF, CaCO3 content, carbonate δ18O and δ13C) was acquired from a sediment core drilled in the intermountain Sulmona basin (central Italy). Tephrostratigraphic analyses of three volcanic ash layers ascribe the investigated succession to the MIS 12-MIS 11 period, spanning the interval ca. 500-410 ka. Litho-pedo facies assemblage indicates predominant lacustrine deposition, interrupted by a minor sub-aerial and lake low stand episode. Variations in major and minor elements concentrations are related to changes in the clastic input to the lake. The oxygen isotopic composition of carbonate (δ18Oc) intervals is interpreted mainly as a proxy for the amount of precipitation in the high-altitude catchment of the karst recharge system. The record shows pronounced hydrological variability at orbital and millennial time-scales, which appears closely related to the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation pattern and replicates North Atlantic and west Mediterranean Sea Surface Temperature (SST) fluctuations. The MIS 12 glacial inception is marked by an abrupt reduction of precipitation, lowering of the lake level and enhanced catchment erosion. A well-defined and isotopically prominent interstadial with increased precipitation maybe related to insolation maxima-precession minima at ca. 465 ka. This interstadial ends abruptly at ca. 457 ka and it is followed by a phase of strong short-term instability. Drastic lake-level lowering and enhanced clastic flux characterized the MIS 12 glacial maximum. Lacustrine deposition restarted about 440 ka ago. The MIS 12-MIS 11 transition is characterized by a rapid increase in the precipitation, lake-level rise and reduction in the clastic input, interrupted by a short and abrupt return to drier conditions. Comparison with marine records from the Iberian margin and western Mediterranean suggests that major events of ice rafted debris deposition, related to southward migrations of the polar front, match the harshest periods in central Italy. This indicates strong teleconnections between Northern hemisphere ice sheet dynamics, North Atlantic oceanic conditions and Mediterranean continental hydrology.

Study pre-earthquake features in the Earth atmosphere-ionosphere environment associated with 2016 Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) seismic sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouzounov, Dimitar; Pulinets, Sergey; Giuliani, Gioacchino; Hernández-Pajares, Manuel; García-Rigo, Alberto

2017-04-01

The 2016 Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) seismic sequence (M6.3, M6.1 and M6.5), became one of the unusual and important modern earthquake events. Recent studies indicate (including April 6th 2009 Abruzzo earthquake) an enhanced coupling between the atmospheric boundary layer and the ionosphere, which have been proposed to be related with large (>M6) earthquakes. This relationship has been studied for the 2016 Central Italy sequence using an integrated set of observations of five physical and environmental parameters. We present observational data from January to November 2016 of five physical parameters- radon, seismicity, temperature of the atmosphere boundary layer, outgoing earth infrared radiation and GPS/TEC and their temporal and spatial variations several days before the onset of the Amatrice-Norcia earthquake sequence. The Aug 24 M6.2 foreshock was situated about 70 kilometers from the 2 stations of radon near L'Aquila. These data show an increase prior to the main earthquake beginning in July-August this enhancement of radon coincides (with some delay) with an increase in the atmospheric chemical potential (Aug 11) measured near the epicentral area from satellite. And subsequently from Aug12 there was an association with the acceleration of outgoing infrared radiation observed on the top of the atmosphere from EOS satellite (Aug 16). The GPS/Total Electron Content data indicate an increase of electron concentration in ionosphere on August 22 and October 26, 1-2 days before the M6.2 foreshock and the M6.5 main shock on Oct 30, 2016. Both ground and satellite data have in common that they were evident in about the last ten days before the M6.2 foreshock of Aug 24 and continuously up to the main shock of Oct 30, although the radon variations started 2 months earlier. We examined the possible correlation between different pre-earthquake signals in the frame of a multidisciplinary investigation of Lithosphere -Atmosphere -Ionosphere coupling concept.

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 communities (e.g. Quercetum mixtum) and low ostracod-inferred water levels at Lago della Costa correspond to the cold Heinrich events H-2 (LGM; 23,000-19,000 cal. BP) and H-3 (around 28,000 cal. BP), as recorded in the marine sediments of the North Atlantic. Similar patterns of significant temperate tree population collapses during cold Heinrich events are recorded at southern Mediterranean sites (e.g. Monticchio and the Alboran Sea). These findings suggest close linkages between Northern Atlantic and South-Central European climates during the past Glacial.

Pathogenesis, Transmissibility, and Tropism of a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H7N7) Virus Associated With Human Conjunctivitis in Italy, 2013.

PubMed

Belser, Jessica A; Creager, Hannah M; Zeng, Hui; Maines, Taronna R; Tumpey, Terrence M

2017-09-15

H7 subtype influenza viruses represent a persistent public health threat because of their continued detection in poultry and ability to cause human infection. An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H7N7 virus in Italy during 2013 resulted in 3 cases of human conjunctivitis. We determined the pathogenicity and transmissibility of influenza A/Italy/3/2013 virus in mouse and ferret models and examined the replication kinetics of this virus in several human epithelial cell types. The moderate virulence observed in mammalian models and the capacity for transmission in a direct contact model underscore the need for continued study of H7 subtype viruses. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Thank you for not smoking: evidence from the Italian smoking ban.

PubMed

Buonanno, Paolo; Ranzani, Marco

2013-02-01

By 2030, tobacco is expected to be the cause of about 10 million deaths per year worldwide. In Italy tobacco smoking is still a pervasive and relevant phenomenon. Using data from a national health survey, we investigate how individuals react to the introduction of a public smoking ban in Italy. Our estimates suggest that the Italian smoking ban in private places open to the public reduced smoking prevalence by 1.3% and daily cigarettes consumption by 8%. We find heterogeneous effects by gender, marital status, and region of residence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon isotope exchange between CO2 and CH4 in hydrothermal fluids from the Tuscan-Roman and Campanian degassing systems (central-southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tassi, F.; Fiebig, J.; Nocentini, M.; Vaselli, O.

2010-12-01

The carbon isotope composition in CO2 and CH4 are commonly used as exploration tools and diagnostic indicators to investigate the origin of endogenous gases. At temperature <200 °C both proportions and isotope ratios of these two gases are considered to be largely controlled by processes (i.e. bacterial activity, thermal hydrolysis, and cracking of organic matter) that are mainly dictated by kinetics. Recent investigations on abiogenic generation of CH4 suggest that at temperatures as low as 100 °C, CH4 production from CO2 has halftimes in the order of 1 year. The present work is based on the d13C-CO2 and d13C-CH4 values of more than 83 gas discharges from the Tuscan-Roman and Campanian degassing systems (central-southern Italy). The main aims are to i) investigate the processes regulating the chemical and isotopic compositions of CO2 and CH4 and ii) verify the use of the CO2-CH4 carbon isotopic equilibrium for evaluating the temperature of deep hydrothermal reservoirs. Our results show that the d13C-CH4 values, with few exceptions related to local production of biogenic CH4 at shallow depth, are > -40 ‰ V-PDB. The most intriguing feature of the measured d13C-CH4 values is that they progressively decrease from the peri-Tyrrhenian area, where productive geothermal systems and active volcanoes are located, to East, i.e. approaching the CH4-rich reservoirs that mark the Adriatic side of the Italian peninsula. The d13C-CO2 values are substantially spanning from a thermometamorphic to a mantle degassing CO2 and do not show any preferential spatial distribution. Secondary carbon isotope fractionation caused by interaction with relatively shallow aquifers may contribute to the scatter of d13C-CO2 values, considering the high solubility of CO2 in liquid water. However, the CO2-CH4 isotopic compositions of fluids from the high temperature geothermal systems characterizing the Tyrrhenian coast of central-southern Italy, i.e. Larderello, Mt. Amiata, Manziana and Phlegrean Fields, provide apparent equilibrium temperatures in the range of those directly measured in production wells and/or estimated on the basis of the CH4-CO2 chemical geothermometer. These results are consistent with the fact that the carbon isotopic equilibrium in the CO2-CH4 system has to be preceded by that of the chemical exchange because the latter has a kinetic rate 400 times faster than the isotopic partitioning. The observed agreement between measured and/or inferred aquifer temperatures with apparent carbon isotopic equilibration supports recent findings that CO2 and CH4 can attain carbon isotopic equilibrium in high-enthalpy hydrothermal systems. The d13C-CH4 values of gas discharges located eastward, toward the Appennine sedimentary chain, are likely produced by mixing of high temperature fluids from the geothermal areas and a relatively cold deep aquifer characterized by biogenic CH4: The higher distance from the geothermal-volcanic systems, the higher fraction of low temperature fluids.

Molecular Epidemiology of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Hospital Outbreak Driven by a Contaminated Disinfectant-Soap Dispenser

PubMed Central

Lanini, Simone; D'Arezzo, Silvia; Puro, Vincenzo; Martini, Lorena; Imperi, Francesco; Piselli, Pierluca; Montanaro, Marco; Paoletti, Simonetta; Visca, Paolo; Ippolito, Giuseppe

2011-01-01

Background and Objective Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection represents a main cause of morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients. This study describes a fatal epidemic of P. aeruginosa that occurred in a hematology unit in Italy. Methods Retrospective cohort study, prospective surveillance, auditing, extensive testing on healthcare workers and environmental investigation were performed to define the dynamics and potential causes of transmission. RAPD, macrorestriction analyses and sequence typing were used to define relationships between P. aeruginosa isolates. Results Eighteen cases of infection were identified in the different phases of the investigation. Of these, five constitute a significant molecular cluster of infection. A P. aeruginosa strain with the same genetic fingerprint and sequence type (ST175) as clinical isolates strain was also isolated from a heavily contaminated triclosan soap dispenser. Discussion and Conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that patients became indirectly infected, e.g., during central venous catheter handling through contaminated items, and that the triclosan soap dispenser acted as a common continuous source of P. aeruginosa infection. Since P. aeruginosa is intrinsically unsusceptible to triclosan, the use of triclosan-based disinfectant formulations should be avoided in those healthcare settings hosting patients at high risk of P. aeruginosa infection. PMID:21359222

The role of genealogy and clinical family histories in documenting possible inheritance patterns for diabetes mellitus in the pre-insulin era: part 2. Genealogic evidence for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Josephine Imperato's paternal and maternal lineages.

PubMed

Imperato, Pascal James; Imperato, Gavin H

2009-12-01

Part 2 presents detailed genealogic information on Josephine Imperato's paternal and maternal lineages extending from four to seven generations into the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries. Among these lineages are some where early adult death over successive generations is perhaps indicative of type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM). These lineages, all in the town of San Prisco in Italy, include both paternal and maternal ones with the following surnames: Casaccia, Casertano, Cipriano, de Angelis, de Paulis, Peccerillo, Foniciello, di Monaco, Vaccarella, Valenziano, Ventriglia, and Zibella. Genealogic studies of eighteenth and nineteenth century vital records in this area of Italy cannot definitively establish type 2 diabetes mellitus as either an immediate or contributory cause of death. This is because causes of death were not recorded and because disease diagnostic capabilities were largely absent. Genealogic studies of those who lived in Italy in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries can at best provide data on approximate age at time of death. Early adult death in this era was not uncommon. However, its presence over several successive generations in a lineage raises the possibility of inherited diseases prominent among which is type 2 DM.

Application of LANDSAT and Skylab data for land use mapping in Italy. [emphasizing the Alps Mountains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodechtel, J.; Nithack, J.; Dibernardo, G.; Hiller, K.; Jaskolla, F.; Smolka, A.

1975-01-01

Utilizing LANDSAT and Skylab multispectral imagery of 1972 and 1973, a land use map of the mountainous regions of Italy was evaluated at a scale of 1:250,000. Seven level I categories were identified by conventional methods of photointerpretation. Images of multispectral scanner (MSS) bands 5 and 7, or equivalents were mainly used. Areas of less than 200 by 200 m were classified and standard procedures were established for interpretation of multispectral satellite imagery. Land use maps were produced for central and southern Europe indicating that the existing land use maps could be updated and optimized. The complexity of European land use patterns, the intensive morphology of young mountain ranges, and time-cost calculations are the reasons that the applied conventional techniques are superior to automatic evaluation.

Coinfection by Ureaplasma spp., Photobacterium damselae and an Actinomyces-like microorganism in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) with pleuropneumonia stranded along the Adriatic coast of Italy.

PubMed

Di Francesco, Gabriella; Cammà, Cesare; Curini, Valentina; Mazzariol, Sandro; Proietto, Umberto; Di Francesco, Cristina Esmeralda; Ferri, Nicola; Di Provvido, Andrea; Di Guardo, Giovanni

2016-04-01

A case of pleuropneumonia is reported in an adult male bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) found stranded in 2014 along the Central Adriatic coast of Italy. A severe pyogranulomatous pneumonia and thoracic lymphadenopathy were present at necropsy. Numerous Splendore-Hoeppli bodies were found microscopically scattered throughout the lung. Histochemical evidence of Actinomyces-like organisms was obtained from the pulmonary parenchyma, with a strain of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida and Ureaplasma spp. being also isolated from the same tissue. For the latter, a genome fragment of approximately 1400 bp from the 16s rDNA was amplified and sequenced. BLAST analysis revealed 100% identity with an uncultured Ureaplasma spp. (JQ193826.1). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fertility transition: forecast for demography.

PubMed

Caputo, M; Nicotra, M; Gloria-Bottini, E

2008-08-01

By the end of the 20th century most industrialized nations had undergone the so-called fertility transition, characterized by a reduction in fertility to below replacement level and a delay in age at initiation of child-bearing. An emerging concern is the severe economic and social consequences of this demographic decline. We present an overview of fertility changes in Italy in the second half of the 20th century and a mathematical model that may provide projections for the future of the demographic situation. Starting in 1950 the increment of the number of children born in Italy is initially positive; however, beginning in 1965 the trend suddenly becomes negative, and this negative trend further increased in 1975. A slight improvement is observed in 1980, followed by a stable situation beginning in 1987. Relevant socioeconomic and cultural events in Italy coincide with these variations in the fertility trend. Malnutrition, which had been endemic for centuries in some areas of central and southern Italy, disappeared rather abruptly in early 1960. The improvement in the economic situation was also associated with a decrease in illiteracy and with many sociocultural changes, with the emergence of new demands that decreased propensity for childbearing. The additional deceleration observed in 1975 corresponds to the diffusion of contraceptive procedures. The progression of sociocultural changes has led to a progressive liberation of women from the biological burden of childbearing. Two phenomena seem relevant in this context: women's emerging interest in entering the workforce and the possibility to disconnect sex from childbearing. The social function of feminism has overwhelmed the primary function of survival and diffusion of the species, giving rise to relevant and worrying demographic effects. However, the modern woman has an unconscious memory of her primary biological role, depending on both her genetic structure and cultural heritage, that should bring about a change in the present strong tendency to demographic decline. The basic notion of memory functions is widely recognized in sciences, for example, in the evolutionary theory of Darwin. Here, we introduce into the equations governing population growth a memory mechanism and a perturbation, and we estimate the reactions of the system to perturbations caused by environmental changes and subsequent delayed effects, such as those that appear in the birth rate beginning in 1965 and 1975. The mathematical modeling of the effects of perturbations of the fertility rate in the Italian population, with the introduction of a mathematical memory formalism, suggests that the effect is strongly reduced, with a relaxation time of about 10 years when the fertility rate approaches a stable value.

[Risk communication during health crises: results of a cross-sectional study to evaluate the effectiveness of adopted corporate communication strategies during the H1N1 influenza pandemic in Italy and on the training needs of health professionals].

PubMed

De Giusti, Maria; Mannocci, Alice; Miccoli, Silvia; Palazzo, Caterina; Di Thiene, Domitilla; Scalmato, Valeria; Ursillo, Paolo; Monteduro, Maria Antonietta; Turri, Alberto; Mazzoli, Pier Giovanni; Boccia, Antonio; La Torre, Giuseppe

2012-01-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of corporate communication activities carried out during the A(H1N1) pandemic influenza in Italy and to identify educational needs of health professionals with regards to crisis communication. The study compared two samples representing respectively the general population and health professionals, living in different regions of northern, central and southern Italy. A self-administered questionnaire was used, with questions on knowledge about preventive measures during a pandemic and on satisfaction with the adopted communication campaigns. Study results highlight that both samples had very little knowledge of appropriate preventive behaviors to be adopted during a pandemic. The sample of health professionals received a greater amount of information about the pandemic with respect to the general population and showed a strong interest toward the problem of receiving adequate training in risk communication. The degree of knowledge about preventive measures is directly proportional to the existence of institutional communication activities and to having consulted a health professional.

A commercial project for private investments. Update of the 280 MW api Energia IGCC plant construction in central Italy.

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

Del Bravo, R.; Pinacci, P.; Trifilo, R.

1998-07-01

This paper has the aim to give a general overview of the api Energia IGCC project starting from the project background in 1992 and ending with the progress of construction. api Energia S.p.A., a joint VENTURE between api anonima petroli italiana S.p.A., Roma, Italy (51%), ABB Sae Sadelmi S.p.A., Milano, Italy (25%) and Texaco Development Corporation (24%), is building a 280 MW Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle plant in the api refinery at Falconara Marittima, on Italy' s Adriatic coast, using heavy oil residues. The plant is based on the modern concept of employing a highly efficient combined cycle power plantmore » fed with a low heating value fuel gas produced by gasifying heavy refinery residues. This scheme provides consistent advantages in terms of efficiency and environmental impact over alternative applications of the refinery residues. The electric power produced will feed the national grid. The project has been financed using the ``project financing'' scheme: over 1,000 billion Lira, representing 75% of the overall capital requirement, have been provided by a pool of international banks. In November 1996 the project reached financial closure and immediately after the detailed design and procurement activities started. Engineering, Procurement and Construction activities, carried out by a Consortium of companies of the ABB group, are totally in line with the schedule. Commercial operation of the plant, is scheduled for November 1999.« less

Integrated care of muscular dystrophies in Italy. Part 2. Psychological treatments, social and welfare support, and financial costs.

PubMed

Magliano, Lorenza; Scutifero, Marianna; Patalano, Melania; Sagliocchi, Alessandra; Zaccaro, Antonella; Civati, Federica; Brighina, Erika; Vita, Gianluca; Messina, Sonia; Sframeli, Maria; Lombardo, Maria Elena; Scalise, Roberta; Colia, Giulia; Catteruccia, Maria; Berardinelli, Angela; Motta, Maria Chiara; Gaiani, Alessandra; Semplicini, Claudio; Bello, Luca; Astrea, Guja; Ricci, Giulia; D'Angelo, Maria Grazia; Vita, Giuseppe; Pane, Marika; D'Amico, Adele; Balottin, Umberto; Angelini, Corrado; Battini, Roberta; Politano, Luisa

2017-06-01

This paper describes the psycho-social treatments received by 502 patients with MDs and their relatives, and the costs for care sustained by the families in the previous six month period. Data were collected by the MD-Care Schedule (MD-CS) and the Family Problems Questionnaire (FPQ). Psycho-educational interventions were provided to 72 patients (14.3%), and social/welfare support to 331 patients (65.9%). Social/welfare support was higher in patients with DMD or LGMD, in those showing more severe disability, and in patients who were in contact with centres located in Northern Italy. Psycho-educational interventions were received by 156 (31%) relatives, and social/welfare support by 55 (10.9%) and mainly provided by Family/Patients Associations (83.6%). Relatives with higher educational levels, who spent more daily hours in the assistance of patients with DMD, and in contact with centres in Central Italy more frequently benefited from psycho-educational interventions. In the previous year, costs for care were sustained by 314 (63.9%) relatives. Financial difficulties related to patient's condition, were higher in families of patients who needed more intensive rehabilitation and daily hours of caregiving, and in families who lived further away from the reference's centre. These results showed that psycho-social aspects of MDs care are only partially met in Italy, and that ad hoc supportive interventions for these patients and their families should be potentiated.

First Rescue Under the Rubble: The Medical Aid in the First Hours After the Earthquake in Amatrice (Italy) on August 24, 2016.

PubMed

Blasetti, Angelo Geremia; Petrucci, Emiliano; Cofini, Vincenza; Pizzi, Barbara; Scimia, Paolo; Pozone, Tullio; Necozione, Stefano; Fusco, Pierfrancesco; Marinangeli, Franco

2018-02-01

Specific Event Identifiers a. Event Type: Earthquake measuring 6.2 (SD=0.016) on the moment magnitude; b. Event Onset: August 24, 2016 - 03:36:32 CEST (01:36 UTC); c. Location of Event: Central Italy, in the town of Amatrice; d. Geographic Coordinates: latitude (DMS): 42°37'45.77″N; longitude (DMS): 13°17'18.14″E; elevation: 955 meters above sea-level; e. Dates: August 24, 2016 at 4:48 AM; f. Response Type: Medical Relief. On August 24, 2016, an earthquake hit the town of Amatrice (Italy). This study aims to document the first medical aid provided to earthquake victims in Amatrice immediately following the earthquake. Patient data were collected and recorded during the first clinical evaluation and before definitive hospitalization. Blood gas tests were performed on survivors extricated from the rubble using the iSTAT (Abbott Point of Care Inc.; Princeton, New Jersey USA) handheld blood analyzer. Performing "victim-side" blood gas tests could provide concrete information to facilitate clinical evaluation and decision making when treating buried victims. After a natural disaster, it is essential to provide effective analgo-sedation to victims. Blasetti AG , Petrucci E , Cofini V , Pizzi B , Scimia P , Pozone T , Necozione S , Fusco P , Marinangeli F . First rescue under the rubble: the medical aid in the first hours after the earthquake in Amatrice (Italy) on August 24, 2016. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(1):109-113.

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.

Isolation of hydroxyoctaprenyl-1',4'-hydroquinone, a new octaprenylhydroquinone from the marine sponge Sarcotragus spinosulus and evaluation of its pharmacological activity on acetylcholine and glutamate release in the rat central nervous system.

PubMed

Bisio, Angela; Fedele, Ernesto; Pittaluga, Anna; Olivero, Guendalina; Grilli, Massimo; Chen, Jiayang; Mele, Giacomo; Malafronte, Nicola; De Tommasi, Nunziatina; Leddae, Fabio; Manconi, Renata; Pronzato, Roberto; Marchi, Mario

2014-11-01

Three polyprenyl-1',4'-hydroquinone derivatives, heptaprenyl-1',4'-hydroquinone (1), octaprenyl-1',4'-hydroquinone (2), and hydroxyoctaprenyl-1',4'- hydroquinone (3) were isolated from the marine sponge Sarcotragus spinosulus collected at Baia di Porto Conte, Alghero (Italy). Our findings indicate that the compounds isolated from S. spinosulus can significantly modulate the release of glutamate and acetylcholine in the rat hippocampus and cortex and might, therefore, represent the prototype of a new class of drugs regulating glutamatergic and cholinergic transmission in the mammalian central nervous system.

Widening socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in six Western European countries.

PubMed

Mackenbach, Johan P; Bos, Vivian; Andersen, Otto; Cardano, Mario; Costa, Giuseppe; Harding, Seeromanie; Reid, Alison; Hemström, Orjan; Valkonen, Tapani; Kunst, Anton E

2003-10-01

During the past decades a widening of the relative gap in death rates between upper and lower socioeconomic groups has been reported for several European countries. Although differential mortality decline for cardiovascular diseases has been suggested as an important contributory factor, it is not known what its quantitative contribution was, and to what extent other causes of death have contributed to the widening gap in total mortality. We collected data on mortality by educational level and occupational class among men and women from national longitudinal studies in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, England/Wales, and Italy (Turin), and analysed age-standardized death rates in two recent time periods (1981-1985 and 1991-1995), both total mortality and by cause of death. For simplicity, we report on inequalities in mortality between two broad socioeconomic groups (high and low educational level, non-manual and manual occupations). Relative inequalities in total mortality have increased in all six countries, but absolute differences in total mortality were fairly stable, with the exception of Finland where an increase occurred. In most countries, mortality from cardiovascular diseases declined proportionally faster in the upper socioeconomic groups. The exception is Italy (Turin) where the reverse occurred. In all countries with the exception of Italy (Turin), changes in cardiovascular disease mortality contributed about half of the widening relative gap for total mortality. Other causes also made important contributions to the widening gap in total mortality. For these causes, widening inequalities were sometimes due to increasing mortality rates in the lower socioeconomic groups. We found rising rates of mortality from lung cancer, breast cancer, respiratory disease, gastrointestinal disease, and injuries among men and/or women in lower socioeconomic groups in several countries. Reducing socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in Western Europe critically depends upon speeding up mortality declines from cardiovascular diseases in lower socioeconomic groups, and countering mortality increases from several other causes of death in lower socioeconomic groups.

Non-Volcanic release of CO2 in Italy: quantification, conceptual models and gas hazard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiodini, G.; Cardellini, C.; Caliro, S.; Avino, R.

2011-12-01

Central and South Italy are characterized by the presence of many reservoirs naturally recharged by CO2 of deep provenance. In the western sector, the reservoirs feed hundreds of gas emissions at the surface. Many studies in the last years were devoted to (i) elaborating a map of CO2 Earth degassing of the region; (ii) to asses the gas hazard; (iii) to develop methods suitable for the measurement of the gas fluxes from different types of emissions; (iv) to elaborate the conceptual model of Earth degassing and its relation with the seismic activity of the region and (v) to develop physical numerical models of CO2 air dispersion. The main results obtained are: 1) A general, regional map of CO2 Earth degassing in Central Italy has been elaborated. The total flux of CO2 in the area has been estimated in ~ 10 Mt/a which are released to the atmosphere trough numerous dangerous gas emissions or by degassing spring waters (~ 10 % of the CO2 globally estimated to be released by the Earth trough volcanic activity). 2) An on line, open access, georeferenced database of the main CO2 emissions (~ 250) was settled up (http://googas.ov.ingv.it). CO2 flux > 100 t/d characterise 14% of the degassing sites while CO2 fluxes from 100 t/d to 10 t/d have been estimated for about 35% of the gas emissions. 3) The sites of the gas emissions are not suitable for life: the gas causes many accidents to animals and people. In order to mitigate the gas hazard a specific model of CO2 air dispersion has been developed and applied to the main degassing sites. A relevant application regarded Mefite d'Ansanto, southern Apennines, which is the largest natural emission of low temperature CO2 rich gases, from non-volcanic environment, ever measured in the Earth (˜2000 t/d). 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 many people and animals. The application of the physical numerical model allowed us to define the zones which potentially can be affected by dangerous CO2 concentration at breathing height for humans. 4) Many evidences indicate that at depth, in the seismic zone of the Apennines, the gas can be stored in over-pressurized reservoirs. Such gas reservoirs have been taught to have played a major role in triggering the seismicity of the last two main crises occurred in the area (Colfiorito 1997 and L'Aquila 2009).

Arsenic: Association of regional concentrations in drinking water with suicide and natural causes of death in Italy.

PubMed

Pompili, Maurizio; Vichi, Monica; Dinelli, Enrico; Erbuto, Denise; Pycha, Roger; Serafini, Gianluca; Giordano, Gloria; Valera, Paolo; Albanese, Stefano; Lima, Annamaria; De Vivo, Benedetto; Cicchella, Domenico; Rihmer, Zoltan; Fiorillo, Andrea; Amore, Mario; Girardi, Paolo; Baldessarini, Ross J

2017-03-01

Arsenic, as a toxin, may be associated with higher mortality rates, although its relationship to suicide is not clear. Given this uncertainty, we evaluated associations between local arsenic concentrations in tapwater and mortality in regions of Italy, to test the hypothesis that both natural-cause and suicide death rates would be higher with greater trace concentrations of arsenic. Arsenic concentrations in drinking-water samples from 145 sites were assayed by mass spectrometry, and correlated with local rates of mortality due to suicide and natural causes between 1980 and 2011, using weighted, least-squares univariate and multivariate regression modeling. Arsenic concentrations averaged 0.969 (CI: 0.543-1.396) µg/L, well below an accepted safe maximum of 10µg/L. Arsenic levels were negatively associated with corresponding suicide rates, consistently among both men and women in all three study-decades, whereas mortality from natural causes increased with arsenic levels. Contrary to an hypothesized greater risk of suicide with higher concentrations of arsenic, we found a negative association, suggesting a possible protective effect, whereas mortality from natural causes was increased, in accord with known toxic effects of arsenic. The unexpected inverse association between arsenic and suicide requires further study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

HUBBLE'S PLANETARY NEBULA GALLERY

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

[Top left] - IC 3568 lies in the constellation Camelopardalis at a distance of about 9,000 light-years, and has a diameter of about 0.4 light-years (or about 800 times the diameter of our solar system). It is an example of a round planetary nebula. Note the bright inner shell and fainter, smooth, circular outer envelope. Credits: Howard Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute), Robin Ciardullo (Pennsylvania State University) and NASA [Top center] - NGC 6826's eye-like appearance is marred by two sets of blood-red 'fliers' that lie horizontally across the image. The surrounding faint green 'white' of the eye is believed to be gas that made up almost half of the star's mass for most of its life. The hot remnant star (in the center of the green oval) drives a fast wind into older material, forming a hot interior bubble which pushes the older gas ahead of it to form a bright rim. (The star is one of the brightest stars in any planetary.) NGC 6826 is 2,200 light- years away in the constellation Cygnus. The Hubble telescope observation was taken Jan. 27, 1996 with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Credits: Bruce Balick (University of Washington), Jason Alexander (University of Washington), Arsen Hajian (U.S. Naval Observatory), Yervant Terzian (Cornell University), Mario Perinotto (University of Florence, Italy), Patrizio Patriarchi (Arcetri Observatory, Italy) and NASA [Top right ] - NGC 3918 is in the constellation Centaurus and is about 3,000 light-years from us. Its diameter is about 0.3 light-year. It shows a roughly spherical outer envelope but an elongated inner balloon inflated by a fast wind from the hot central star, which is starting to break out of the spherical envelope at the top and bottom of the image. Credits: Howard Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute), Robin Ciardullo (Pennsylvania State University) and NASA [Bottom left] - Hubble 5 is a striking example of a 'butterfly' or bipolar (two-lobed) nebula. The heat generated by fast winds causes each of the lobes to expand, much like a pair of balloons with internal heaters. This observation was taken Sept. 9, 1997 by the Hubble telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Hubble 5 is 2,200 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Credits: Bruce Balick (University of Washington), Vincent Icke (Leiden University, The Netherlands), Garrelt Mellema (Stockholm University), and NASA [Bottom center ] - Like NGC 6826, NGC 7009 has a bright central star at the center of a dark cavity bounded by a football-shaped rim of dense, blue and red gas. The cavity and its rim are trapped inside smoothly-distributed greenish material in the shape of a barrel and comprised of the star's former outer layers. At larger distances, and lying along the long axis of the nebula, a pair of red 'ansae', or 'handles' appears. Each ansa is joined to the tips of the cavity by a long greenish jet of material. The handles are clouds of low-density gas. NGC 7009 is 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. The Hubble telescope observation was taken April 28, 1996 by the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Credits: Bruce Balick (University of Washington), Jason Alexander (University of Washington), Arsen Hajian (U.S. Naval Observatory), Yervant Terzian (Cornell University), Mario Perinotto (University of Florence, Italy), Patrizio Patriarchi (Arcetri Observatory, Italy), NASA [Bottom right ] - NGC 5307 also lies in Centaurus but is about 10,000 light-years away and has a diameter of approximately 0.6 light-year. It is an example of a planetary nebula with a pinwheel or spiral structure; each blob of gas ejected from the central star has a counterpart on the opposite side of the star. Credits: Howard Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute), Robin Ciardullo (Pennsylvania State University) and NASA

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Based on Data Collected by a Network of Clinical Microbiology Laboratories, in Italy.

PubMed

Salfa, Maria Cristina; Suligoi, Barbara

Bacterial and protozoal sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, may cause acute symptoms, chronic infections and severe long-term complications. The complications of these infections in women include pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Moreover, infection during pregnancy is associated with premature rupture of the membranes, low birth weight and miscarriage.In Italy, Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis infections are not subject to mandatory reporting; while gonorrhoea is subject to mandatory reporting.To extend surveillance to STIs that are widespread yet often asymptomatic and to improve the knowledge on the epidemiology of these infections in Italy, in 2009 the "Centro Operativo AIDS of the Istituto Superiore di SanitÁ", in collaboration with the Association of Italian Clinical Microbiologists (AMCLI, Associazione Microbiologi Clinici Italiani), launched the sentinel STIs surveillance system based on a network of 13 clinical microbiology laboratories.The main objective of the surveillance was to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoea infections among individuals attending microbiology laboratories in Italy.

West Nile virus transmission: results from the integrated surveillance system in Italy, 2008 to 2015.

PubMed

Rizzo, Caterina; Napoli, Christian; Venturi, Giulietta; Pupella, Simonetta; Lombardini, Letizia; Calistri, Paolo; Monaco, Federica; Cagarelli, Roberto; Angelini, Paola; Bellini, Romeo; Tamba, Marco; Piatti, Alessandra; Russo, Francesca; Palù, Giorgio; Chiari, Mario; Lavazza, Antonio; Bella, Antonino

2016-09-15

In Italy a national Plan for the surveillance of imported and autochthonous human vector-borne diseases (chikungunya, dengue, Zika virus disease and West Nile virus (WNV) disease) that integrates human and veterinary (animals and vectors) surveillance, is issued and revised annually according with the observed epidemiological changes. Here we describe results of the WNV integrated veterinary and human surveillance systems in Italy from 2008 to 2015. A real time data exchange protocol is in place between the surveillance systems to rapidly identify occurrence of human and animal cases and to define and update the map of affected areas i.e. provinces during the vector activity period from June to October. WNV continues to cause severe illnesses in Italy during every transmission season, albeit cases are sporadic and the epidemiology varies by virus lineage and geographic area. The integration of surveillance activities and a multidisciplinary approach made it possible and have been fundamental in supporting implementation of and/or strengthening preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of transmission of WNV trough blood, tissues and organ donation and to implementing further measures for vector control. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2016.

What has contributed to the change in life expectancy in Italy between 1980 and 1992?

PubMed

Ngongo, K N; Nante, N; Chenet, L; McKee, M

1999-07-01

Life expectancy at birth in southern Europe is known to be greater than expected in comparison with levels of economic development. This has been attributed to the 'Mediterranean diet'. There are, however, concerns that this comparative advantage is being lost. This paper examines the factors underlying changing life expectancy in Italy since 1980. The subjects of this analysis are obtained from data on all deaths in Italy between 1980 and 1992. Change in age specific death rates is calculated from selected causes and, using the method developed by Pollard, the contribution of deaths from different causes and at different ages to changing life expectancy at birth is estimated. Between 1980 and 1992, life expectancy at birth increased by 2.70 years for men and 2.75 years for women. Death rates have fallen among children and those over 40. In contrast, death rates have increased among men aged between 20 and 39 and have increased very slightly among women aged 25-29. Falling death rates from ischaemic heart disease are continuing to contribute to increasing life expectancy. Death rates from lung and breast cancer are rising among women but are compensated for by falling death rates from other cancers. Among men, falling death rates from cancer at younger ages are being offset by increases at older ages. The rising death rate among younger men is almost entirely due to AIDS, with accidents also making a small contribution. Life expectancy in Italy has improved throughout the 1980s, largely driven by falling death rates from cardiovascular diseases. Here are, however, some worrying trends, most notably the rising death rate among young men, due almost entirely to AIDS. The changing pattern of mortality has some similarities with Spain, another Mediterranean country, but there are also important differences.

Twelve novel HGD gene variants identified in 99 alkaptonuria patients: focus on 'black bone disease' in Italy.

PubMed

Nemethova, Martina; Radvanszky, Jan; Kadasi, Ludevit; Ascher, David B; Pires, Douglas E V; Blundell, Tom L; Porfirio, Berardino; Mannoni, Alessandro; Santucci, Annalisa; Milucci, Lia; Sestini, Silvia; Biolcati, Gianfranco; Sorge, Fiammetta; Aurizi, Caterina; Aquaron, Robert; Alsbou, Mohammed; Lourenço, Charles Marques; Ramadevi, Kanakasabapathi; Ranganath, Lakshminarayan R; Gallagher, James A; van Kan, Christa; Hall, Anthony K; Olsson, Birgitta; Sireau, Nicolas; Ayoob, Hana; Timmis, Oliver G; Sang, Kim-Hanh Le Quan; Genovese, Federica; Imrich, Richard; Rovensky, Jozef; Srinivasaraghavan, Rangan; Bharadwaj, Shruthi K; Spiegel, Ronen; Zatkova, Andrea

2016-01-01

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene leading to the deficiency of HGD enzyme activity. The DevelopAKUre project is underway to test nitisinone as a specific treatment to counteract this derangement of the phenylalanine-tyrosine catabolic pathway. We analysed DNA of 40 AKU patients enrolled for SONIA1, the first study in DevelopAKUre, and of 59 other AKU patients sent to our laboratory for molecular diagnostics. We identified 12 novel DNA variants: one was identified in patients from Brazil (c.557T>A), Slovakia (c.500C>T) and France (c.440T>C), three in patients from India (c.469+6T>C, c.650-85A>G, c.158G>A), and six in patients from Italy (c.742A>G, c.614G>A, c.1057A>C, c.752G>A, c.119A>C, c.926G>T). Thus, the total number of potential AKU-causing variants found in 380 patients reported in the HGD mutation database is now 129. Using mCSM and DUET, computational approaches based on the protein 3D structure, the novel missense variants are predicted to affect the activity of the enzyme by three mechanisms: decrease of stability of individual protomers, disruption of protomer-protomer interactions or modification of residues in the region of the active site. We also present an overview of AKU in Italy, where so far about 60 AKU cases are known and DNA analysis has been reported for 34 of them. In this rather small group, 26 different HGD variants affecting function were described, indicating rather high heterogeneity. Twelve of these variants seem to be specific for Italy.

Twelve novel HGD gene variants identified in 99 alkaptonuria patients: focus on ‘black bone disease' in Italy

PubMed Central

Nemethova, Martina; Radvanszky, Jan; Kadasi, Ludevit; Ascher, David B; Pires, Douglas E V; Blundell, Tom L; Porfirio, Berardino; Mannoni, Alessandro; Santucci, Annalisa; Milucci, Lia; Sestini, Silvia; Biolcati, Gianfranco; Sorge, Fiammetta; Aurizi, Caterina; Aquaron, Robert; Alsbou, Mohammed; Marques Lourenço, Charles; Ramadevi, Kanakasabapathi; Ranganath, Lakshminarayan R; Gallagher, James A; van Kan, Christa; Hall, Anthony K; Olsson, Birgitta; Sireau, Nicolas; Ayoob, Hana; Timmis, Oliver G; Le Quan Sang, Kim-Hanh; Genovese, Federica; Imrich, Richard; Rovensky, Jozef; Srinivasaraghavan, Rangan; Bharadwaj, Shruthi K; Spiegel, Ronen; Zatkova, Andrea

2016-01-01

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene leading to the deficiency of HGD enzyme activity. The DevelopAKUre project is underway to test nitisinone as a specific treatment to counteract this derangement of the phenylalanine-tyrosine catabolic pathway. We analysed DNA of 40 AKU patients enrolled for SONIA1, the first study in DevelopAKUre, and of 59 other AKU patients sent to our laboratory for molecular diagnostics. We identified 12 novel DNA variants: one was identified in patients from Brazil (c.557T>A), Slovakia (c.500C>T) and France (c.440T>C), three in patients from India (c.469+6T>C, c.650–85A>G, c.158G>A), and six in patients from Italy (c.742A>G, c.614G>A, c.1057A>C, c.752G>A, c.119A>C, c.926G>T). Thus, the total number of potential AKU-causing variants found in 380 patients reported in the HGD mutation database is now 129. Using mCSM and DUET, computational approaches based on the protein 3D structure, the novel missense variants are predicted to affect the activity of the enzyme by three mechanisms: decrease of stability of individual protomers, disruption of protomer-protomer interactions or modification of residues in the region of the active site. We also present an overview of AKU in Italy, where so far about 60 AKU cases are known and DNA analysis has been reported for 34 of them. In this rather small group, 26 different HGD variants affecting function were described, indicating rather high heterogeneity. Twelve of these variants seem to be specific for Italy. PMID:25804398

International trends in health science librarianship: part 4--four Southern European countries.

PubMed

Lappa, Evagelia; Chaleplioglou, Artemis; Cognetti, Gaetana; Della Seta, Maurella; Napolitani Cheyne, Federica; Juan-Quilis, Veronica; Muñoz-Gonzalez, Laura; Lopes, Sílvia; Murphy, Jeannette

2012-12-01

This is the fourth in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in four Southern European countries in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors are from Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Future issues will track trends in Latin America and Central Europe. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

JPRS Report, Soviet Union KOMMUNIST No 10, July 1988.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-17

sciences; and Kirill Kiril - lovich Shirinya, consultant, CPSU Central Committee Institute of Marxism-Leninism, doctor of historical sci- ences] [Text...Spain and Italy), as well as from above, from the Comintern leadership, which was assumed by G. Dimitrov , the hero of the Leipzig trial. Life...demanded a new tactical and strategic orientation and changes in the methods of activity of the Comintern. In developing the new approaches, G. Dimitrov

Combination of Multiplex PCR and PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis for Monitoring Common Sourdough-Associated Lactobacillus Species

PubMed Central

Settanni, Luca; Valmorri, Sara; van Sinderen, Douwe; Suzzi, Giovanna; Paparella, Antonello; Corsetti, Aldo

2006-01-01

A combination of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and a previously described multiplex PCR approach was employed to detect sourdough lactobacilli. Primers specific for certain groups of Lactobacillus spp. were used to amplify fragments, which were analyzed by DGGE. DGGE profiles obtained from Lactobacillus type strains acted as standards to analyze lactobacilli from four regional Abruzzo (central Italy) sourdoughs. PMID:16672538

The Effect of Population Distribution on L1 and L2 Acquisition: Evidence from the Multilingual Region of South Tyrol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Angelis, Gessica

2012-01-01

The present article examines the effect of population distribution on L1 (Italian) and L2 (German) acquisition in the multilingual context of South Tyrol, Italy. Population distribution is regarded as a central variable to assess the impact of two factors included in willingness to communicate (WTC) theory: (1) Fear of assimilation to the L2…

Italy

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-17

... standing water appear in blue or purple-blue hues, because sun glitter (an ensemble of specular reflection points, see below) causes ... to look brighter to a camera that is pointing toward the Sun. The purple-blue areas indicate the extensive irrigation network that ...

Data Analysis of Seismic Sequence in Central Italy in 2016 using CTBTO- International Monitoring System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mumladze, Tea; Wang, Haijun; Graham, Gerhard

2017-04-01

The seismic network that forms the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-test-ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) will ultimately consist of 170 seismic stations (50 primary and 120 auxiliary) in 76 countries around the world. The Network is still under the development, but currently more than 80% of the network is in operation. The objective of seismic monitoring is to detect and locate underground nuclear explosions. However, the data from the IMS also can be widely used for scientific and civil purposes. In this study we present the results of data analysis of the seismic sequence in 2016 in Central Italy. Several hundred earthquakes were recorded for this sequence by the seismic stations of the IMS. All events were accurately located the analysts of the International Data Centre (IDC) of the CTBTO. In this study we will present the epicentral and magnitude distribution, station recordings and teleseismic phases as obtained from the Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB). We will also present a comparison of the database of the IDC with the databases of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Present work shows that IMS data can be used for earthquake sequence analyses and can play an important role in seismological research.

Epidemiological study of hazelnut bacterial blight in central Italy by using laboratory analysis and geostatistics.

PubMed

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Fabi, Alfredo; Ridolfi, Roberto; Varvaro, Leonardo

2013-01-01

Incidence of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina, the causal agent of hazelnut bacterial blight, was analyzed spatially in relation to the pedoclimatic factors. Hazelnut grown in twelve municipalities situated in the province of Viterbo, central Italy was studied. A consistent number of bacterial isolates were obtained from the infected tissues of hazelnut collected in three years (2010-2012). The isolates, characterized by phenotypic tests, did not show any difference among them. Spatial patterns of pedoclimatic data, analyzed by geostatistics showed a strong positive correlation of disease incidence with higher values of rainfall, thermal shock and soil nitrogen; a weak positive correlation with soil aluminium content and a strong negative correlation with the values of Mg/K ratio. No correlation of the disease incidence was found with soil pH. Disease incidence ranged from very low (<1%) to very high (almost 75%) across the orchards. Young plants (4-year old) were the most affected by the disease confirming a weak negative correlation of the disease incidence with plant age. Plant cultivars did not show any difference in susceptibility to the pathogen. Possible role of climate change on the epidemiology of the disease is discussed. Improved management practices are recommended for effective control of the disease.

Epidemiological Study of Hazelnut Bacterial Blight in Central Italy by Using Laboratory Analysis and Geostatistics

PubMed Central

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Fabi, Alfredo; Ridolfi, Roberto; Varvaro, Leonardo

2013-01-01

Incidence of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina, the causal agent of hazelnut bacterial blight, was analyzed spatially in relation to the pedoclimatic factors. Hazelnut grown in twelve municipalities situated in the province of Viterbo, central Italy was studied. A consistent number of bacterial isolates were obtained from the infected tissues of hazelnut collected in three years (2010–2012). The isolates, characterized by phenotypic tests, did not show any difference among them. Spatial patterns of pedoclimatic data, analyzed by geostatistics showed a strong positive correlation of disease incidence with higher values of rainfall, thermal shock and soil nitrogen; a weak positive correlation with soil aluminium content and a strong negative correlation with the values of Mg/K ratio. No correlation of the disease incidence was found with soil pH. Disease incidence ranged from very low (<1%) to very high (almost 75%) across the orchards. Young plants (4-year old) were the most affected by the disease confirming a weak negative correlation of the disease incidence with plant age. Plant cultivars did not show any difference in susceptibility to the pathogen. Possible role of climate change on the epidemiology of the disease is discussed. Improved management practices are recommended for effective control of the disease. PMID:23424654

Water-table and discharge changes associated with the 2016-2017 seismic sequence in central Italy: hydrogeological data and a conceptual model for fractured carbonate aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petitta, Marco; Mastrorillo, Lucia; Preziosi, Elisabetta; Banzato, Francesca; Barberio, Marino Domenico; Billi, Andrea; Cambi, Costanza; De Luca, Gaetano; Di Carlo, Giuseppe; Di Curzio, Diego; Di Salvo, Cristina; Nanni, Torquato; Palpacelli, Stefano; Rusi, Sergio; Saroli, Michele; Tallini, Marco; Tazioli, Alberto; Valigi, Daniela; Vivalda, Paola; Doglioni, Carlo

2018-01-01

A seismic sequence in central Italy from August 2016 to January 2017 affected groundwater dynamics in fractured carbonate aquifers. Changes in spring discharge, water-table position, and streamflow were recorded for several months following nine Mw 5.0-6.5 seismic events. Data from 22 measurement sites, located within 100 km of the epicentral zones, were analyzed. The intensity of the induced changes were correlated with seismic magnitude and distance to epicenters. The additional post-seismic discharge from rivers and springs was found to be higher than 9 m3/s, totaling more than 0.1 km3 of groundwater release over 6 months. This huge and unexpected contribution increased streamflow in narrow mountainous valleys to previously unmeasured peak values. Analogously to the L'Aquila 2009 post-earthquake phenomenon, these hydrogeological changes might reflect an increase of bulk hydraulic conductivity at the aquifer scale, which would increase hydraulic heads in the discharge zones and lower them in some recharge areas. The observed changes may also be partly due to other mechanisms, such as shaking and/or squeezing effects related to intense subsidence in the core of the affected area, where effects had maximum extent, or breaching of hydraulic barriers.

Winter survival of Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola in central Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aradis, A.; Miller, M.W.; Landucci, G.; Ruda, P.; Taddei, S.; Spina, F.

2008-01-01

The Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola is a popular game bird in much of Europe. However, little is known about its population dynamics. We estimated winter survival of woodcock in a protected area with no hunting in central Italy. We radio-tagged 68 woodcocks with battery-powered radio-transmitters during 2001-2005. Woodcocks were captured in fields at night from November through February and fitted with radios. Birds were classified on capture as juveniles or adults using plumage characteristics. Woodcocks were relocated daily through March of each year or until they died, disappeared from the study area, or until their radio failed. We constructed a set of eight competing models of daily survival for the period 1 December - 28 February. Estimates of survival were obtained using the program SURVIV and Akaike's Information Criteria. The best model suggested daily survival was a constant 0.9985 (95% CI = 0.9972-0.9998), corresponding to a survival rate of 0.88 (SE = 0.05) for the 90-day winter study period. Our estimate of juvenile survival is higher than previously reported, and may reflect the protected status of the study area. Our estimates of winter survival may be helpful in managing harvested woodcock populations as well as in conserving populations in an increasingly urbanised environment. ?? Wildlife Biology (2008).

A Genome-Wide Study of Modern-Day Tuscans: Revisiting Herodotus's Theory on the Origin of the Etruscans

PubMed Central

Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Amigo, Jorge; Martinón-Torres, Federico

2014-01-01

Background The origin of the Etruscan civilization (Etruria, Central Italy) is a long-standing subject of debate among scholars from different disciplines. The bulk of the information has been reconstructed from ancient texts and archaeological findings and, in the last few years, through the analysis of uniparental genetic markers. Methods By meta-analyzing genome-wide data from The 1000 Genomes Project and the literature, we were able to compare the genomic patterns (>540,000 SNPs) of present day Tuscans (N = 98) with other population groups from the main hypothetical source populations, namely, Europe and the Middle East. Results Admixture analysis indicates the presence of 25–34% of Middle Eastern component in modern Tuscans. Different analyses have been carried out using identity-by-state (IBS) values and genetic distances point to Eastern Anatolia/Southern Caucasus as the most likely geographic origin of the main Middle Eastern genetic component observed in the genome of modern Tuscans. Conclusions The data indicate that the admixture event between local Tuscans and Middle Easterners could have occurred in Central Italy about 2,600–3,100 years ago (y.a.). On the whole, the results validate the theory of the ancient historian Herodotus on the origin of Etruscans. PMID:25230205

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

Historical ecology reveals landscape transformation coincident with cultural development in central Italy since the Roman Period.

PubMed

Mensing, Scott A; Schoolman, Edward M; Tunno, Irene; Noble, Paula J; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Florindo, Fabio; Piovesan, Gianluca

2018-02-01

Knowledge of the direct role humans have had in changing the landscape requires the perspective of historical and archaeological sources, as well as climatic and ecologic processes, when interpreting paleoecological records. People directly impact land at the local scale and land use decisions are strongly influenced by local sociopolitical priorities that change through time. A complete picture of the potential drivers of past environmental change must include a detailed and integrated analysis of evolving sociopolitical priorities, climatic change and ecological processes. However, there are surprisingly few localities that possess high-quality historical, archeological and high-resolution paleoecologic datasets. We present a high resolution 2700-year pollen record from central Italy and interpret it in relation to archival documents and archaeological data to reconstruct the relationship between changing sociopolitical conditions, and their effect on the landscape. We found that: (1) abrupt environmental change was more closely linked to sociopolitical and demographic transformation than climate change; (2) landscape changes reflected the new sociopolitical priorities and persisted until the sociopolitical conditions shifted; (3) reorganization of new plant communities was very rapid, on the order of decades not centuries; and (4) legacies of forest management adopted by earlier societies continue to influence ecosystem services today.

Biochemical and antigenic properties of the first isolates of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus from salmonid fish in Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arkush, K.D.; Bovo, G.; DeKinkelin, P.; Winton, J.R.; Wingfield, W.H.; Hedrick, R.P.

1989-01-01

The first isolates of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) recovered from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (formerly Salmo gairdneri) in France and Italy were compared to six representative strains from North America by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of virion polypeptides and neutralization by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). All three IHNV isolates from Europe had similar polypeptide profiles when compared by SDS-PAGE. An analysis of the antigenic relatedness of the European isolates to representative strains from North America showed that they were clearly different from viruses obtained from salmonids in California. The RB/B5 MAb, which was developed against virus isolated from adult steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) reared in central Oregon, neutralized all isolates examined. The 193–110/B4 MAb, developed against IHNV isolated from infected yearling rainbow trout in southern Idaho, neutralized all isolates tested except those from California. The SRCV/A4 MAb, developed against Sacramento River chinook virus (SRCV) isolated from adult spring chinook salmon O. tshawytscha in central California, was the least reactive, and strong neutralization was observed only with the SRCV strain of IHNV from California. However, partial reactivity of the virus isolates from France with the SRCV/A4 MAb distinguished them from the virus recovered from salmonids in Italy.

Integrated biomonitoring of air quality with plants and lichens: a case study on ambient ozone from central Italy.

PubMed

Nali, C; Balducci, E; Frati, L; Paoli, L; Loppi, S; Lorenzini, G

2007-05-01

A biennial integrated survey, based on the use of vascular plants for the bioindication of the effects of tropospheric ozone together with the use of automatic analysers of ozone, as well as the mapping of lichen biodiversity was performed in the area of Castelfiorentino (Tuscany, central Italy). Photochemically produced ozone proved to be a fundamental presence during the warm season, with maximum hourly means reaching 114 ppb, exceeding the information threshold as fixed by EU: the use of supersensitive tobacco Bel-W3 confirmed the opportunity of carrying out detailed cost-effective monitoring surveys. The potential for didactical and educational implications of this methodology are appealing. Critical levels set up for the protection of vegetation have exceeded considerably. The comparison of biomass productivity in sensitive and resistant individuals (NC-S and NC-R white clover clones, in the framework of an European network) provided evidence that ambient ozone levels are associated with relevant reduction (up to 30%) in the performance of sensitive material; effects on flowering were also pronounced. The economic assessment of such an impact deserves attention. Mapping of epiphytic lichen biodiversity--which has been used to monitor air quality worldwide--was not related to ozone geographical distribution as depicted by tobacco response.

Water-table and discharge changes associated with the 2016-2017 seismic sequence in central Italy: hydrogeological data and a conceptual model for fractured carbonate aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petitta, Marco; Mastrorillo, Lucia; Preziosi, Elisabetta; Banzato, Francesca; Barberio, Marino Domenico; Billi, Andrea; Cambi, Costanza; De Luca, Gaetano; Di Carlo, Giuseppe; Di Curzio, Diego; Di Salvo, Cristina; Nanni, Torquato; Palpacelli, Stefano; Rusi, Sergio; Saroli, Michele; Tallini, Marco; Tazioli, Alberto; Valigi, Daniela; Vivalda, Paola; Doglioni, Carlo

2018-06-01

A seismic sequence in central Italy from August 2016 to January 2017 affected groundwater dynamics in fractured carbonate aquifers. Changes in spring discharge, water-table position, and streamflow were recorded for several months following nine Mw 5.0-6.5 seismic events. Data from 22 measurement sites, located within 100 km of the epicentral zones, were analyzed. The intensity of the induced changes were correlated with seismic magnitude and distance to epicenters. The additional post-seismic discharge from rivers and springs was found to be higher than 9 m3/s, totaling more than 0.1 km3 of groundwater release over 6 months. This huge and unexpected contribution increased streamflow in narrow mountainous valleys to previously unmeasured peak values. Analogously to the L'Aquila 2009 post-earthquake phenomenon, these hydrogeological changes might reflect an increase of bulk hydraulic conductivity at the aquifer scale, which would increase hydraulic heads in the discharge zones and lower them in some recharge areas. The observed changes may also be partly due to other mechanisms, such as shaking and/or squeezing effects related to intense subsidence in the core of the affected area, where effects had maximum extent, or breaching of hydraulic barriers.

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 people's knowledge of wild food plants and the way they use them. Finally, after having compared the collected data with the most important international and national food ethnobotanical databases that focus on wild edible plants, we pointed out a few uncommon plant food uses (e.g. Celtis aetnensis fruits, Cicerbita alpine shoots, Helichrysum italicum leaves, Lonicera caprifolium fruits, Symphytum officinale leaves), which are new, or have thus far been recorded only rarely. PMID:17480214

[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 prevalence in the previous decades, but new generations are experiencing a higher prevalence of HPV and will probably have higher risk of cervical cancer. The consequence may be an epidemic of cervical cancer in the next decades, if adequate screening programs are not implemented.

Biomechanical and optical behavior of human corneas before and after photorefractive keratectomy.

PubMed

Sánchez, Paolo; Moutsouris, Kyros; Pandolfi, Anna

2014-06-01

To evaluate numerically the biomechanical and optical behavior of human corneas and quantitatively estimate the changes in refractive power and stress caused by photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Athineum Refractive Center, Athens, Greece, and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. Retrospective comparative interventional cohort study. Corneal topographies of 10 human eyes were taken with a scanning-slit corneal topographer (Orbscan II) before and after PRK. Ten patient-specific finite element models were created to estimate the strain and stress fields in the cornea in preoperative and postoperative configurations. The biomechanical response in postoperative eyes was computed by directly modeling the postoperative geometry from the topographer and by reproducing the corneal ablation planned for the PRK with a numerical reprofiling procedure. Postoperative corneas were more compliant than preoperative corneas. In the optical zone, corneal thinning decreased the mechanical stiffness, causing local resteepening and making the central refractive power more sensitive to variations in intraocular pressure (IOP). At physiologic IOP, the postoperative corneas had a mean 7% forward increase in apical displacement and a mean 20% increase in the stress components at the center of the anterior surface over the preoperative condition. Patient-specific numerical models of the cornea can provide quantitative information on the changes in refractive power and in the stress field caused by refractive surgery. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Reduction of meat consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with health benefits in Italy].

PubMed

Farchi, Sara; Lapucci, Enrica; Michelozzi, Paola

2015-01-01

the reduction in red meat consumption has been proposed as one of the climate change mitigation policies associated to health benefits. In the developed world, red meat consumption is above the recommended intake level. the aim is to evaluate health benefits, in term of mortality decline, associated to different bovine meat consumption reduction scenarios and the potential reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. meat consumption in Italy has been estimated using the Italian National Food Consumption Survey INRAN-SCAI (2005-2006) and the Multipurpose survey on household (2012) of the Italian National Institute for Statistics. Colorectal cancer and stoke mortality data are derived from the national survey on causes of death in 2012. Bovine meat consumption risk function has been retrieved from systematic literature reviews. Mean meat consumption in Italy is equal to 770 grams/week; gender and geographical variations exist: 69 per cent of the adult population are habitual bovine meat consumers; males have an average intake of over 400 grams/week in all areas of Italy (with the exception of the South), while females have lower intakes (360 grams per week), with higher consumption in the North-West (427 gr) and lower in the South of Italy. Four scenarios of reduction of bovine meat consumption (20%, 40%, 50% e 70%, respectively) have been evaluated and the number of avoidable deaths by gender and area of residence have been estimated. GHG emissions attributed to bovine meat adult consumption have been estimated to be to 10 gigagrams CO2-eq. from low to high reduction scenario, the percentage of avoidable deaths ranged from 2.1% to 6.5% for colorectal cancer and from 1.6% to 5.6% for stroke. Health benefits were greatest for males and for people living in the North-Western regions of Italy. in Italy, in order to adhere to bovine meat consumption recommendations and to respect EU GHG emission reduction targets, scenarios between 50% and 70% need to be adopted.

Hydrogeochemistry of regional aquifer systems from Tuscany (central Italy): the state of the art before the definition of a geochemical baseline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisi, Barbara; Battaglini, Raffaele; Raco, Brunella

2013-04-01

European Community Water Framework Directive (WFD) and its derivative regulations have recognized the urgent need to adopt specific measures against the contamination of water bodies by individual pollutants that may significantly affect the quality of water itself. Italian regulation takes into account the EU Directives, and charges the regional authorities to create monitoring networks and produce assessment reports on the contamination of groundwater. The knowledge of "natural baseline" for various dissolved elements in groundwaters on a regional scale becomes of primary importance to distinguish natural sources and anthropogenic inputs. The studied area includes the whole Tuscan regional district (central Italy) and covers an area of about 23,000 km2. From a geolithological point of view, Tuscan territory consists of several complexes outcropping regionally, the most typical features being the Mesozoic and Cenozoic carbonate and evaporitic formations, overlain by flysch sequences, as well as granite intrusions and volcanic rocks. Moreover, two geothermal areas (Larderello and Mt. Amiata), a large number of thermal springs and CO2-rich gas vents are mostly present in the central-southern part of Tuscany. Finally in southern Tuscany (e.g. Campiglia M.Ma, Mt. Amiata, Elba Island), mining districts, predominantly characterized by polimetallic sulphides ore deposits, were exploited since the Etruscan time. In this work statistical distribution models are used to develop summary statistics and estimate probabilities of exceeding water-quality standards according to the National Legislative Decree 152/06. Descriptive statistics on solute concentrations are based on geochemical data from the main Tuscan aquifers and investigated by the CNR-IGG (Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources of Pisa, Italy) and Department of Earth Sciences (University of Florence, Italy). The data processing was carried out on 4,767 water samples collected from 1997 to 2009. According to the National Legislative, the chemical constituents were selected according to a priority interest: As, B, Cd, Cr (VI), F, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, sulphate and chloride. For each species probability plots in logarithmic scale were computed and the statistical parameters were evaluated for the individual populations as resulting by the procedure of partitioning. Most of the solutes have concentrations that span within 2-3 orders of magnitude, although Ni, SO4 and Cl concentrations show a larger variability (up to 4 orders of magnitude). All the considered variables are mainly characterized by polymodal distributions and composed by more than one population. High concentration populations, exceeding water-quality standards, are generally recognized for SO4, As, B, Cd, Cr(VI), F, Hg, Ni, Pb and Se.

Mediterranean climate patterns and wine quality in North and Central Italy.

PubMed

Dalu, John David; Baldi, Marina; Marta, Anna Dalla; Orlandini, Simone; Maracchi, Gianpiero; Dalu, Giovanni; Grifoni, Daniele; Mancini, Marco

2013-09-01

Results show that the year-to-year quality variation of wines produced in North and Central Italy depends on the large-scale climate variability, and that the wine quality improvement in the last four decades is partially due to an increase of temperature and to a decrease of precipitation in West and Central Mediterranean Europe (WME; CME). In addition, wine quality is positively correlated with air temperature throughout the entire active period of the grapevine, weakly negatively correlated with precipitation in spring, and well negatively correlated in summer and fall. The month-to-month composites of the NAO anomaly show that, in years of good quality wine, this anomaly is negative in late spring, oscillates around zero in summer, and is positive in early fall; while, in years of bad quality wine, it is positive in late spring and summer, and negative in early fall, i.e. its polarity has an opposite sign in spring and fall in good versus bad years. The composite seasonal maps show that good wines are produced when the spring jet stream over the Atlantic diverts most of the weather perturbations towards North Europe, still providing a sufficient amount of rainwater to CME; when summer warming induced by southerly winds is balanced by the cooling induced by westerly winds; and when a positive geopotential anomaly over WME shelters CME from fall Atlantic storms. Bad quality wines are produced when the jet stream favors the intrusion of the Atlantic weather perturbations into the Mediterranean. Results suggest that atmospheric pattern persistencies can be used as precursors for wine quality forecast.

Optimal plasma progranulin cutoff value for predicting null progranulin mutations in neurodegenerative diseases: a multicenter Italian study.

PubMed

Ghidoni, Roberta; Stoppani, Elena; Rossi, Giacomina; Piccoli, Elena; Albertini, Valentina; Paterlini, Anna; Glionna, Michela; Pegoiani, Eleonora; Agnati, Luigi F; Fenoglio, Chiara; Scarpini, Elio; Galimberti, Daniela; Morbin, Michela; Tagliavini, Fabrizio; Binetti, Giuliano; Benussi, Luisa

2012-01-01

Recently, attention was drawn to a role for progranulin in the central nervous system with the identification of mutations in the progranulin gene (GRN) as an important cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. GRN mutations are associated with a strong reduction of circulating progranulin and widely variable clinical phenotypes: thus, the dosage of plasma progranulin is a useful tool for a quick and inexpensive large-scale screening of carriers of GRN mutations. To establish the best cutoff threshold for normal versus abnormal levels of plasma progranulin. 309 cognitively healthy controls (25-87 years of age), 72 affected and unaffected GRN+ null mutation carriers (24-86 years of age), 3 affected GRN missense mutation carriers, 342 patients with neurodegenerative diseases and 293 subjects with mild cognitive impairment were enrolled at the Memory Clinic, IRCCS S. Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy, and at the Alzheimer Unit, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and IRCCS Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milan, Italy. Plasma progranulin levels were measured using an ELISA kit (AdipoGen Inc., Seoul, Korea). Plasma progranulin did not correlate with age, gender or body mass index. We established a new plasma progranulin protein cutoff level of 61.55 ng/ml that identifies, with a specificity of 99.6% and a sensitivity of 95.8%, null mutation carriers among subjects attending to a memory clinic. Affected and unaffected GRN null mutation carriers did not differ in terms of circulating progranulin protein (p = 0.686). A significant disease anticipation was observed in GRN+ subjects with the lowest progranulin levels. We propose a new plasma progranulin protein cutoff level useful for clinical practice. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Association of anorexia with sarcopenia in a community-dwelling elderly population: results from the ilSIRENTE study.

PubMed

Landi, Francesco; Liperoti, Rosa; Russo, Andrea; Giovannini, Silvia; Tosato, Matteo; Barillaro, Christian; Capoluongo, Ettore; Bernabei, Roberto; Onder, Graziano

2013-04-01

There is increasing evidence that anorexia of aging can cause physical and mental impairment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between anorexia and sarcopenia in elderly persons aged 80 years or older. Data are from the baseline evaluation of 354 subjects enrolled in the ilSIRENTE study. The ilSIRENTE study is a prospective cohort study performed in the mountain community living in the Sirente geographic area (L'Aquila, Abruzzo) in Central Italy. We defined anorexia as the presence of loss of appetite and/or lower food intake. According to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria, diagnosis of sarcopenia required the documentation of low muscle mass plus the documentation of either low muscle strength or low physical performance. The relationship between anorexia and sarcopenia was estimated by deriving odds ratios from the multiple logistic regression models considering sarcopenia as the dependent variable. Nearly 21 % of the study sample showed symptoms of anorexia. Using the EWGSOP-suggested algorithm, 103 subjects (29.1 %) with sarcopenia were identified. Thirty-four (46.6 %) participants were affected by sarcopenia among subjects with anorexia compared to 69 subjects [24.6 %] without anorexia (p < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders including age, gender, functional and cognitive impairment, physical activity, urinary incontinence, comorbidity, congestive heart failure, COPD, depression, anti-cholinergic drugs, and TNF-α plasmatic levels, participants with anorexia had a higher risk of sarcopenia compared with non-anorexic subjects (HR 1.88, 95 % CI 1.01-3.51). Anorexia is common among community-dwelling older subjects in Italy. Our results suggest that among old-old subjects, anorexia is independently associated with sarcopenia.

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 higher in less advantaged social groups. This gradient is independent of confounders and explains the geographical variation. PMID:26359282

Geographic and socioeconomic variation of sodium and potassium intake in Italy: results from the MINISAL-GIRCSI programme.

PubMed

Cappuccio, Francesco P; Ji, Chen; Donfrancesco, Chiara; Palmieri, Luigi; Ippolito, Renato; Vanuzzo, Diego; Giampaoli, Simona; Strazzullo, Pasquale

2015-09-10

To assess geographic and socioeconomic gradients in sodium and potassium intake in Italy. Cross-sectional survey in Italy. 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). 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. 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. Salt intake in Italy is significantly higher in less advantaged social groups. This gradient is independent of confounders and explains the geographical variation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Use of Uas for the Conservation of Historical Buildings in Case of Emergencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagliolo, S.; Fagandini, R.; Federici, B.; Ferrando, I.; Passoni, D.; Pagliari, D.; Pinto, L.; Sguerso, D.

2017-05-01

The task of conservation and management of cultural heritage is quite central in Italy, which lists a high number of beautiful architectures. A quick and precise survey may be requested in case of calamity. In the present paper, the most commonly used survey techniques are discussed, focusing on their applications for the conservation of the artistic heritage in case of emergency. Particular attention is given to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) photogrammetry and its potentiality in obtaining good results in terms of speed, cheapness, precision and accuracy, assuring at the same time the safety of the operators in critical situations (e.g. natural disasters). A case study, realized at the Castle of Casalbagliano (Alessandria, Italy), is discussed. Different image block configurations and acquisition geometries (nadiral and oblique images) have been exploited, with the aim of defining useful guidelines for emergencies UAS survey of partially collapsed structures. An application to a significative case study is introduced.

A revision of hominin fossil teeth from Fontana Ranuccio (Middle Pleistocene, Anagni, Frosinone, Italy).

PubMed

Rubini, Mauro; Cerroni, Vittorio; Festa, Giulia; Sardella, Raffaele; Zaio, Paola

2014-12-01

The Fontana Ranuccio hominin teeth (FR, Latium, Italy) are dated to the Middle Pleistocene. In previous studies these teeth were classified as two lower (left and right) second molars, one lower left central incisor and a badly worn incisor crown, the exact position of which could not be determined. In 2012 these remains were acquired by the Anthropological Service of S.B.A.L. (Italian Ministry of Culture) and for this reason re-analysed. In a thorough revision we have reassessed them both morphologically and dimensionally as two lower (left and right) first molars, one lower left lateral incisor and a possible upper left canine. The comparison with penecontemporaneous and diachronic samples shows that the Fontana Ranuccio teeth are morphologically similar to Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos, Arago XIII and Neanderthal samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The ambiguities of performance-based governance reforms in Italy: Reviving the fortunes of evaluation and performance measurement.

PubMed

Marra, Mita

2018-08-01

Over the past two decades, Italy's administrative reforms have institutionalized evaluation to improve program effectiveness, staff productivity, and results-driven accountability against waste and corruption. Across ministries, regional governments, universities, schools and environmental protection agencies, seemingly unexpected consequences have emerged out of the implementation of performance measurement and evaluation regimes within public organizations. Formal compliance to legally binding evaluation procedures, judicially-sanctioned managerial accountability and lack of cross-agency coordination coupled with long-standing cultural separations among evaluators are some of the ambiguities associated with a performance-based governance system within Italian public administration. Building upon the 'new governane theory,' and qualitative fieldwork, I explore the political consequences of evaluation and performance measurement for possible improvements. From a normative perspective, greater integration between program evaluation and performance measurement can support organizational learning and democratic accountability both at the central and local level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Oscheius tipulae in Italy: Evidence of an Alien Isolate in the Integral Natural Reserve of Montecristo Island (Tuscany).

PubMed

Torrini, Giulia; Mazza, Giuseppe; Strangi, Agostino; Barabaschi, Delfina; Landi, Silvia; Mori, Emiliano; Menchetti, Mattia; Sposimo, Paolo; Giuliani, Claudia; Zoccola, Antonio; Lazzaro, Lorenzo; Ferretti, Giulio; Foggi, Bruno; Roversi, Pio Federico

2016-03-01

Montecristo Island is an integral natural reserve of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Central Italy), characterized by a peculiar assemblage of flora and fauna, with several endemic taxa, and also with a high number of alien species. During a soil survey, we found an alien Oscheius tipulae Lam & Webster, 1971 isolate, phylogenetically close to others from South America. In this article, we examined the possible pathways of introduction of this nematode. Because of the high number of alien plants in this protected area and the low desiccation survival ability of O. tipulae, we hypothesized that the presence of this alien nematode isolate may be related to the soil of introduced plants, although historical association with plant-associated invertebrates is also possible. Further studies with more populations and marker molecules are necessary to investigate the distribution of O. tipulae and the possible impact on this natural reserve.

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

Ovine Paratuberculosis: A Seroprevalence Study in Dairy Flocks Reared in the Marche Region, Italy

PubMed Central

Anna Rita, Attili; Victor, Ngu Ngwa; Silvia, Preziuso; Luciana, Pacifici; Anastasia, Domesi; Vincenzo, Cuteri

2011-01-01

In order to fulfil the seroprevalence gap on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in ovine dairy farms of Marche region (central Italy), a stratified study was carried out on 2086 adult female sheep randomly chosen from 38 herds selected in Ancona and Macerata provinces. 73.7% flocks resulted infected by a commercial ELISA test (Pourquier, France), with a mean seroprevalence of 6.29% of sampled sheep in both provinces. A higher number of MAP seropositive ewes was recorded in the large herds' consistence than in the small and medium herds' consistence (P = 0.0269), and a greater percentage of infected sheep was obtained among female at early/late than in peak lactation stage (P = 0.0237). MAP infection was confirmed in 12.6% of infected farms by faecal culture. The true sheep-level seroprevalence was 15.1% ± 7.3%. PMID:21876850

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.

National Levee Database: monitoring, vulnerability assessment and management in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbetta, Silvia; Camici, Stefania; Maccioni, Pamela; Moramarco, Tommaso

2015-04-01

A properly designed and constructed levees system can often be an effective device for repelling floodwaters and provide barriers against inundation to protect urbanized and industrial areas. However, the delineation of flooding-prone areas and the related hydraulic hazard mapping taking account of uncertainty (Apel et al., 2008) are usually developed with a scarce consideration of the possible occurrence of levee failures along river channels (Mazzoleni et al., 2014). Indeed, it is well known that flooding is frequently the result of levee failures that can be triggered by several factors, as: (1) overtopping, (2) scouring of the foundation, (3) seepage/piping of levee body/foundation, and (4) sliding of the foundation. Among these failure mechanisms that are influenced by the levee's geometrical configuration, hydraulic conditions (e.g. river level and seepage), and material properties (e.g. permeability, cohesion, porosity, compaction), the piping caused by seepage (ICOLD, http://www.icold-cigb.org) is considered one of the most dominant levee failure mechanisms (Colleselli F., 1994; Wallingford H. R., 2003). The difficulty of estimating the hydraulic parameters to properly describe the seepage line within the body and foundation of the levee implies that the study of the critical flood wave routing is typically carried out by assuming that the levee system is undamaged during the flood event. In this context, implementing and making operational a National Levee Database (NLD), effectively structured and continuously updated, becomes fundamental to have a searchable inventory of information about levees available as a key resource supporting decisions and actions affecting levee safety. The ItaliaN LEvee Database (INLED) has been recently developed by the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI) for the Civil Protection Department of the Presidency of Council of Ministers. INLED has the main focus of collecting comprehensive information about Italian levees and historical breach failures to be exploited in the framework of an operational procedure addressed to the seepage vulnerability assessment of river reaches where the levee system is an important structural measure against flooding. For its structure, INLED is a dynamic geospatial database with ongoing efforts to add levee data from authorities with the charge of hydraulic risk mitigation. In particular, the database is aimed to provide the available information about: i) location and condition of levees; ii) morphological and geometrical properties; iii) photographic documentation; iv) historical levee failures; v) assessment of vulnerability to overtopping and seepage carried out through a procedure based on simple vulnerability indexes (Camici et al. 2014); vi) management, control and maintenance; vii)flood hazard maps developed by assuming the levee system undamaged/damaged during the flood event. Currently, INLED contains data of levees that are mostly located in the Tiber basin, Central Italy. References Apel H., Merz B. & Thieken A.H. Quantification of uncertainties in flood risk assessments. Int J River Basin Manag 2008, 6, (2), 149-162. Camici S,, Barbetta S., Moramarco T., Levee body vulnerability to seepage: the case study of the levee failure along the Foenna stream on 1st January 2006 (central Italy)", Journal of Flood Risk Management, in press. Colleselli F. Geotechnical problems related to river and channel embankments. Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Springer, 1994. H. R.Wallingford Consultants (HRWC). Risk assessment for flood and coastal defence for strategic planning: high level methodology technical report, London, 2003. Mazzoleni M., Bacchi B., Barontini S., Di Baldassarre G., Pilotti M. & Ranzi R. Flooding hazard mapping in floodplain areas affected by piping breaches in the Po River, Italy. J Hydrol Eng 2014, 19, (4), 717-731.

Structural damages of L'Aquila (Italy) earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, H.; Bilgin, H.; Yilmaz, S.; Binici, H.; Öztas, A.

2010-03-01

On 6 April 2009 an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 occurred in L'Aquila city, Italy. In the city center and surrounding villages many masonry and reinforced concrete (RC) buildings were heavily damaged or collapsed. After the earthquake, the inspection carried out in the region provided relevant results concerning the quality of the materials, method of construction and the performance of the structures. The region was initially inhabited in the 13th century and has many historic structures. The main structural materials are unreinforced masonry (URM) composed of rubble stone, brick, and hollow clay tile. Masonry units suffered the worst damage. Wood flooring systems and corrugated steel roofs are common in URM buildings. Moreover, unconfined gable walls, excessive wall thicknesses without connection with each other are among the most common deficiencies of poorly constructed masonry structures. These walls caused an increase in earthquake loads. The quality of the materials and the construction were not in accordance with the standards. On the other hand, several modern, non-ductile concrete frame buildings have collapsed. Poor concrete quality and poor reinforcement detailing caused damage in reinforced concrete structures. Furthermore, many structural deficiencies such as non-ductile detailing, strong beams-weak columns and were commonly observed. In this paper, reasons why the buildings were damaged in the 6 April 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy are given. Some suggestions are made to prevent such disasters in the future.

[Mortality study in metal electroplating workers in Bologna (Northern Italy)].

PubMed

Gerosa, Alberto; Scarnato, Corrado; Giacomozzi, Giuseppe; d'Errico, Angelo

2013-01-01

to investigate general and cause-specific mortality of workers exposed to metals and other chemicals in the electroplating industry in Bologna Province. factory records of workers employed in 90 electroplating companies present in 1995 were used to build a cohort of subjects potentially exposed to carcinogenic and other substances in this industry, defined as "revised cohort", which was followed-up for mortality from 1960, or since first employment in an electroplating company if later, to 2008. Mortality risk was also examined separately in a subset of the cohort, composed of workers with at least one year of employment in electroplating, denominated "final cohort". Death rates of residents in Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy) were used as a reference. follow-up completeness was 99%. During the observation period, 533 deaths out of 2,983 subjects were observed in the revised cohort and 317 out of 1,739 in the final cohort. Significantly increased Standardized Mortality Ratios were estimated for overall mortality and for mortality from AIDS in the revised cohort and for bladder and rectal cancer in both cohorts. the present study is, to authors' knowledge, the largest mortality investigation conducted in Italy on electroplating workers, for both size and temporal extension. The presence of excess mortality from causes of death not consistently associated in the literature with exposure to agents in this industry suggests that further research is needed to confirm these associations.

Usutu virus, Austria and Hungary, 2010–2016

PubMed Central

Bakonyi, Tamás; Erdélyi, Károly; Brunthaler, René; Dán, Ádám; Weissenböck, Herbert; Nowotny, Norbert

2017-01-01

Usutu virus (USUV, Flaviviridae) was first reported in Europe in Austria in 2001, where it caused wild bird (mainly blackbird) mortality until 2005. Since 2006 no further USUV cases were diagnosed in the country. However, the virus emerged in other European countries (Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic) between 2005 and 2011. In 2016, widespread USUV-associated wild bird mortality was observed in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In this study, we report the results of passive monitoring for USUV in Austria and Hungary between 2010 and 2016. In Hungary, USUV caused sporadic cases of wild bird mortality between 2010 and 2015 (altogether 18 diagnosed cases), whereas in summer and autumn 2016 the number of cases considerably increased to 12 (ten blackbirds, one Eurasian jay and one starling). In Austria, USUV was identified in two blackbirds in 2016. Phylogenetic analyses of coding-complete genomes and partial regions of the NS5 protein gene revealed that USUVs from Hungary between 2010 and 2015 are closely related to the virus that emerged in Austria in 2001 and in Hungary in 2005, while one Hungarian sequence from 2015 and all sequences from Hungary and Austria from 2016 clustered together with USUV sequences reported from Italy between 2009 and 2010. The results of the study indicate continuous USUV circulation in the region and exchange of USUV strains between Italy, Austria and Hungary. PMID:29018253

Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection in a leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) housed in a zoological park in north-eastern Italy

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Canine heartworm (cHW) disease is now recognised as potential cause of serious disease in cats and other felids, especially in endemic areas. In March 2009, a 23-years-old male African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) housed in a zoological park located in the Province of Padova (Veneto Region), a cHW endemic area of the north-eastern Italy, died and was immediately necropsied. A cloth completely occluding the pyloric lumen was considered the presumptive cause of death. During necropsy, six nematodes (4 males and 2 females) were found within the right ventricle of the heart and the pulmonary artery. Diagnosis of HW (Dirofilaria immitis) infection was carried out by morphological features of adult worms and microfilariae, and then confirmed by detection of circulating HW antigens using a commercial SNAP kit (IDEXX Laboratories inc., USA). D. immitis infection was also confirmed by PCR amplification of the 5S ribosomal spacer region, performed on worm fragments and microfilaraemic blood samples obtained from the right ventricle of the heart. A glomerulonephritis of immuno-mediated origin and most likely associated with the HW infection is also reported. HW chemoprophylaxis and annual serological testing on wild felids housed outdoors in endemic cHW disease areas are recommended. This is the first diagnosis of D. immitis infection in an exotic felid in Italy. PMID:20377859

Space-time evolution of cataclasis in carbonate fault zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, Francesco; Grieco, Donato Stefano; Agosta, Fabrizio; Prosser, Giacomo

2018-05-01

The present contribution focuses on the micro-mechanisms associated to cataclasis of both calcite- and dolomite-rich fault rocks. This work combines field and laboratory data of carbonate fault cores currently exposed in central and southern Italy. By first deciphering the main fault rock textures, their spatial distribution, crosscutting relationships and multi-scale dimensional properties, the relative timing of Intragranular Extensional Fracturing (IEF), chipping, and localized shear is inferred. IEF was predominant within already fractured carbonates, forming coarse and angular rock fragments, and likely lasted for a longer period within the dolomitic fault rocks. Chipping occurred in both lithologies, and was activated by grain rolling forming minute, sub-rounded survivor grains embedded in a powder-like carbonate matrix. The largest fault zones, which crosscut either limestones or dolostones, were subjected to localized shear and, eventually, to flash temperature increase which caused thermal decomposition of calcite within narrow (cm-thick) slip zones. Results are organized in a synoptic panel including the main dimensional properties of survivor grains. Finally, a conceptual model of the time-dependent evolution of cataclastic deformation in carbonate rocks is proposed.

Probabilistic clustering of rainfall condition for landslide triggering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Mauro; Luciani, Silvia; Cesare Mondini, Alessandro; Kirschbaum, Dalia; Valigi, Daniela; Guzzetti, Fausto

2013-04-01

Landslides are widespread natural and man made phenomena. They are triggered by earthquakes, rapid snow melting, human activities, but mostly by typhoons and intense or prolonged rainfall precipitations. In Italy mostly they are triggered by intense precipitation. The prediction of landslide triggered by rainfall precipitations over large areas is commonly based on the exploitation of empirical models. Empirical landslide rainfall thresholds are used to identify rainfall conditions for the possible landslide initiation. It's common practice to define rainfall thresholds by assuming a power law lower boundary in the rainfall intensity-duration or cumulative rainfall-duration space above which landslide can occur. The boundary is defined considering rainfall conditions associated to landslide phenomena using heuristic approaches, and doesn't consider rainfall events not causing landslides. Here we present a new fully automatic method to identify the probability of landslide occurrence associated to rainfall conditions characterized by measures of intensity or cumulative rainfall and rainfall duration. The method splits the rainfall events of the past in two groups: a group of events causing landslides and its complementary, then estimate their probabilistic distributions. Next, the probabilistic membership of the new event to one of the two clusters is estimated. The method doesn't assume a priori any threshold model, but simple exploits the real empirical distribution of rainfall events. The approach was applied in the Umbria region, Central Italy, where a catalogue of landslide timing, were obtained through the search of chronicles, blogs and other source of information in the period 2002-2012. The approach was tested using rain gauge measures and satellite rainfall estimates (NASA TRMM-v6), allowing in both cases the identification of the rainfall condition triggering landslides in the region. Compared to the other existing threshold definition methods, the prosed one (i) largely reduces the subjectivity in the choice of the threshold model and in how it is calculated, and (ii) it can be easier set-up in other study areas. The proposed approach can be conveniently integrated in existing early-warning system to improve the accuracy of the estimation of the real landslide occurrence probability associated to rainfall events and its uncertainty.

Erosion processes by water in agricultural landscapes: a low-cost methodology for post-event analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosdocimi, Massimo; Calligaro, Simone; Sofia, Giulia; Tarolli, Paolo

2015-04-01

Throughout the world, agricultural landscapes assume a great importance, especially for supplying food and a livelihood. Among the land degradation phenomena, erosion processes caused by water are those that may most affect the benefits provided by agricultural lands and endanger people who work and live there. In particular, erosion processes that affect the banks of agricultural channels may cause the bank failure and represent, in this way, a severe threat to floodplain inhabitants and agricultural crops. Similarly, rills and gullies are critical soil erosion processes as well, because they bear upon the productivity of a farm and represent a cost that growers have to deal with. To estimate quantitatively soil losses due to bank erosion and rills processes, area based measurements of surface changes are necessary but, sometimes, they may be difficult to realize. In fact, surface changes due to short-term events have to be represented with fine resolution and their monitoring may entail too much money and time. The main objective of this work is to show the effectiveness of a user-friendly and low-cost technique that may even rely on smart-phones, for the post-event analyses of i) bank erosion affecting agricultural channels, and ii) rill processes occurring on an agricultural plot. Two case studies were selected and located in the Veneto floodplain (northeast Italy) and Marche countryside (central Italy), respectively. The work is based on high-resolution topographic data obtained by the emerging, low-cost photogrammetric method named Structure-from-Motion (SfM). Extensive photosets of the case studies were obtained using both standalone reflex digital cameras and smart-phone built-in cameras. Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) derived from SfM revealed to be effective to estimate quantitatively erosion volumes and, in the case of the bank eroded, deposited materials as well. SfM applied to pictures taken by smartphones is useful for the analysis of the topography and Earth surface processes at very low-cost. This methodology should be of great help for farmers and/or technician who work at Land Reclamation Consortia or at Civil Protection for taking suitable post-event field surveys in support to flood risk and soil management.

Seismic Risk Assessment of Italian Seaports Using GIS

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

Bartolomei, Anna; Corigliano, Mirko; Lai, Carlo G.

Seaports are crucial elements in the export and import of goods and/or on the flow of travellers in the tourism industry of many industrialised nations included Italy. Experience gained from recent earthquakes (e.g. 1989 Loma Prieta in USA, 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu and 2003 Tokachi-Oki in Japan) have dramatically demonstrated the seismic vulnerability of seaport structures and the severe damage that can be caused by ground shaking. In Italy, the Department of Civil Protection has funded a research project to develop a methodology for the seismic design of new marginal wharves and assessment of existing structures at seaports located in areas ofmore » medium or high seismicity. This paper shows part of the results of this research project, currently underway, with particular reference to the seismic risk assessment through an interactive, geographically referenced database (GIS). Standard risk assessment have been carried out for the Gioia Tauro port in Calabria (Italy) using the empirical curves implemented by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS, 2004)« less

The Child Health Care System in Italy.

PubMed

Corsello, Giovanni; Ferrara, Pietro; Chiamenti, Gianpietro; Nigri, Luigi; Campanozzi, Angelo; Pettoello-Mantovani, Massimo

2016-10-01

Pediatric care in Italy has been based during the last 40 years on the increased awareness of the importance of meeting the psychosocial and developmental needs of children and of the role of families in promoting the health and well-being of their children. The pediatric health care system in Italy is part of the national health system. It is made up of 3 main levels of intervention: first access/primary care, secondary care/hospital care, and tertiary care based on specialty hospital care. This overview will also include a brief report on neonatal care, pediatric preventive health care, health service accreditation programs, and postgraduate training in pediatrics. The quality of the Italian child health care system is now considered to be in serious danger because of the restriction of investments in public health caused both by the 2008 global and national economic crisis and by a reduction of the pediatric workforce as a result of progressively insufficient replacement of specialists in pediatrics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Further circulation of West Nile and Usutu viruses in wild birds in Italy.

PubMed

Llopis, Isis Victoriano; Rossi, Luca; Di Gennaro, Annapia; Mosca, Andrea; Teodori, Liana; Tomassone, Laura; Grego, Elena; Monaco, Federica; Lorusso, Alessio; Savini, Giovanni

2015-06-01

Usutu virus (USUV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are emerging pathogens that can cause neurological disease in humans. From March 2012 to June 2013, a sero-survey on wild birds was carried out to investigate the circulation of both viruses in Northwest (NW) Italy. Samples belonging to 47 different bird species have been collected using a volunteer based network and a wildlife rehabilitation center. Four of 297 serum samples had neutralizing antibodies against USUV (P=1.34%, IC 95% 0.36-3.4), while 10 of 233 samples tested positive for WNV (P=4.29%, IC 95% 2.07-7.75). Neutralizing antibodies for WNV were significantly more prevalent (p<0.001) in trans-Saharan migrants (P=21%, IC 95% 9.55-37.3) than in resident and short-distance birds, but no migratory habit-related differences were found for USUV. Antibodies in resident bird species suggest that both viruses are circulating in NW Italy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Petechial typhus in Napoleonic Italy. Scientific debate and the role of Giovanni Rasori].

PubMed

Sabbatani, Sergio

2006-12-01

During the Napoleonic wars, an epidemic recrudescence of petechial typhus was observed throughout Europe. In Italy, the epidemic first broke out in Genoa, in 1799, coming from southern France, during the sieges of the Austro-Hungarian army. Giovanni Rasori, a young Republican physician and man of the sciences, supported the besieged and contributed to defend the city. From the beginning, Rasori identified the cause of the epidemic in petechial typhus, being able to evaluate its clinical presentation, and developed a pathogenetic theory, known as contrastimulus. At that time, this theory obtained some success, though opposed by the academic establishment in Lombardy. In this article, we present the medical and philosophical ideas which, in the period between the 18th and 19th century, pervaded medical Italian culture. Furthermore, a biographic profile of Giovanni Rasori is described, a courageous scientist who did not disdain to take part in political and cultural Italian life during a historical period that was to become important for the future fortunes of Italy.

Crustal structure, evolution, and volcanic unrest of the Alban Hills, Central Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chiarabba, C.; Amato, A.; Delaney, P.T.

1997-01-01

The Alban Hills, a Quaternary volcanic center lying west of the central Apennines, 15-25 km southeast of Rome, last erupted 19ka and has produced approximately 290 km3 of eruptive deposits since the inception of volcanism at 580 ka. Earthquakes of moderate intensity have been generated there at least since the Roman age. Modern observations show that intermittent periods of swarm activity originate primarily beneath the youngest features, the phreatomagmatic craters on the west side of the volcano. Results from seismic tomography allow identification of a low-velocity region, perhaps still hot or partially molten, more than 6 km beneath the youngest craters and a high-velocity region, probably a solidified magma body, beneath the older central volcanic construct. Thirty centimeters of uplift measured by releveling supports the contention that high levels of seismicity during the 1980s and 1990s resulted from accumulation of magma beneath these craters. The volume of magma accumulation and the amount of maximum uplift was probably at least 40 ?? 106 m3 and 40 cm, respectively. Comparison of newer levelings with those completed in 1891 and 1927 suggests earlier episodes of uplift. The magma chamber beneath the western Alban Hills is probably responsible for much of the past 200 ka of eruptive activity, is still receiving intermittent batches of magma, and is, therefore, continuing to generate modest levels of volcanic unrest. Bending of overburden is the most likely cause of the persistent earthquakes, which generally have hypocenters above the 6-km-deep top of the magma reservoir. In this view, the most recent uplift and seismicity are probably characteristic and not precursors of more intense activity.

On the forces that drive and resist deformation of the south-central Mediterranean: a mechanical model study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nijholt, Nicolai; Govers, Rob; Wortel, Rinus

2018-04-01

The geodynamics of the Mediterranean comprises a transitional setting in which slab rollback and plate convergence compete to shape the region. In the central Mediterranean, where the balance of driving and resisting forces changes continuously and rapidly since the Miocene, both kinematic and seismo-tectonic observations display a strong variation in deformation style and, therefore possibly, lithospheric forces. We aim to understand the current kinematics in southern Italy and Sicily in terms of lithospheric forces that cause them. The strong regional variation of geodetic velocities appears to prohibit such simple explanation. We use mechanical models to quantify the deformation resulting from large-scale Africa-Eurasia convergence, ESE retreat of the Calabrian subduction zone, pull by the Aegean slab, and regional variations in gravitational potential energy (topography). A key model element is the resistance to slip on major regional fault zones. We show that geodetic velocities, seismicity and sense of slip on regional faults can be understood to result from lithospheric forces. Our most important new finding is that regional variations in resistive tractions are required to fit the observations, with notably very low tractions on the Calabrian subduction contact, and a buildup towards a significant earthquake in the Calabrian fore-arc. We also find that the Calabrian net slab pull force is strongly reduced (compared to the value possible in view of the slab's dimensions) and that trench suction tractions are negligible. Such very small contributions to the present-day force balance in the south-central Mediterranean suggest that the Calabrian arc is now further transitioning towards a setting dominated by Africa-Eurasia plate convergence, whereas during the past 30 Myrs slab retreat continually was the dominant factor.

Emerging organic contaminants in surface water and groundwater: a first overview of the situation in Italy.

PubMed

Meffe, Raffaella; de Bustamante, Irene

2014-05-15

This paper provides the first review of the occurrence of 161 emerging organic compounds (EOCs) in Italian surface water and groundwater. The reported EOCs belong to the groups of industrials, pharmaceuticals, estrogens and illicit drugs. Occurrence of 137 pesticides was also reported. The reviewed research works have been published between 1997 and 2013. The majority of the studies have been carried out in Northern Italy (n. 30) and to a lower extent in Central Italy (n. 13). Only a limited number of research studies report EOC concentrations in water resources of Southern Italy. The EOCs that have been more frequently studied are in the following descending order, pesticides (16), pharmaceuticals (15), industrials (13), estrogens (7) and illicit drugs (2). Research activities investigating the EOC occurrence in surface water are more numerous than those in groundwater. This is consistent with the higher complexity involved in groundwater sampling and EOC detection. Among the reported EOCs, industrials and pesticides are those occurring in both surface water and groundwater with the highest concentrations (up to 15 × 10(6) and 4.78 × 0(5)ng L(-1), respectively). Concentrations of pharmaceuticals in surface water reach a maximum of 3.59 × 10(3)ng L(-1), whereas only the antimicrobial agent josamycin has been encountered in groundwater with a concentration higher than 100 ng L(-1). Both estrogens and illicit drugs appeared in surface water with concentrations lower than 50 ng L(-1). Groundwater concentrations for estrogens were measured to be below the detection limits, whereas illicit drugs have so far not been studied in groundwater. The present review reveals the serious contamination status of Italian surface water and groundwater especially by pesticides, industrials and to a lower extent by pharmaceuticals and the necessity to foster the research on EOC occurrence in Italian water resources, in particular in Southern Italy where a limited number of investigations currently exist. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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 of conserving foodstuffs, they also led to the use of products easily available within each home. The values of E.I. (ethnobotanicity index) for the upper Molise region are considered amongst the highest in Italian areas. Nevertheless, like the values for other areas of Italy, they are lower than those of many Spanish areas, perhaps (and not only) because of the more rapid cultural erosion experienced in Italy. PMID:18334029

Terraced landscape: from an old best practice to a rising land abandoned-related soil erosion risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarolli, Paolo; Preti, Federico; Romano, Nunzio

2013-04-01

Among the most evident landscape signatures of human fingerprint during the Holocene, the terraces related to agricultural activities deserve a great importance. Landscape terracing probably represents one of the oldest best practice primarily for crop production, but also for mitigating soil erosion and stabilizing hillslopes in landforms dominated by steep slopes. This technique is widely used in various parts of the world even under different environmental conditions. In some zones, terraced landscapes, because of their history and locations, can also be considered a historical heritage and a sort of "cultural landscape" to preserve, an absolutely value for tourism. To preserve their original role of soil erosion prevention, terraces should be properly designed built according to specific and sustainable engineering rules. Then, their maintenance is the most critical issue to deal with. It is well known from literature that terraced landscapes subject to abandonment would result in an increasing of terrace failure and related land degradation. If not maintained, a progressively increasing of gully erosion affects the structure of the walls. The results of this process is the increasing of connectivity and runoff. During the last few years and partly because of changing in the society perspective and migration toward metropolitan areas, some Countries have been affected by a serious and wider land abandonment with an increasing of soil erosion and derived landslide risk. Italy is one example. In this work, we consider three typical case studies of a terraced landscape where the lack of maintenance characterizing the last few years, increased the landslide risk with several problems to the population. The first case study is located along the renowed "Amalfi Coast" (a portion of land located near Salerno, southern Italy), the second is placed in the north of Toscana (a region located in Central Italy), and the third one along the so-called "Cinque Terre" (a region located near La Spezia, in Central Italy). The goals are to present the state of the art of such issue by integrating historical and cultural point of views, to land use and hydrogeomorphological analysis, also through remotely sensed technologies such LiDAR. Only with a fully integrated approach it is possible to mitigate such problem, planning new sustainable soil conservation practices, and at the same way maintaining agricultural activities.

Time-dependent neo-deterministic seismic hazard scenarios for the 2016 Central Italy earthquakes sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peresan, Antonella; Kossobokov, Vladimir; Romashkova, Leontina; Panza, Giuliano F.

2017-04-01

Predicting earthquakes and related ground shaking is widely recognized among the most challenging scientific problems, both for societal relevance and intrinsic complexity of the problem. The development of reliable forecasting tools requires their rigorous formalization and testing, first in retrospect, and then in an experimental real-time mode, which imply a careful application of statistics to data sets of limited size and different accuracy. Accordingly, the operational issues of prospective validation and use of time-dependent neo-deterministic seismic hazard scenarios are discussed, reviewing the results in their application in Italy and surroundings. Long-term practice and results obtained for the Italian territory in about two decades of rigorous prospective testing, support the feasibility of earthquake forecasting based on the analysis of seismicity patterns at the intermediate-term middle-range scale. Italy is the only country worldwide where two independent, globally tested, algorithms are simultaneously applied, namely CN and M8S, which permit to deal with multiple sets of seismic precursors to allow for a diagnosis of the intervals of time when a strong event is likely to occur inside a given region. Based on routinely updated space-time information provided by CN and M8S forecasts, an integrated procedure has been developed that allows for the definition of time-dependent seismic hazard scenarios, through the realistic modeling of ground motion by the neo-deterministic approach (NDSHA). This scenario-based methodology permits to construct, both at regional and local scale, scenarios of ground motion for the time interval when a strong event is likely to occur within the alerted areas. CN and M8S predictions, as well as the related time-dependent ground motion scenarios associated with the alarmed areas, are routinely updated since 2006. The issues and results from real-time testing of the integrated NDSHA scenarios are illustrated, with special emphasis on the sequence of destructive earthquakes that struck Central Italy starting on August 2016. The results obtained so far evidence the validity of the proposed methodology in anticipating ground shaking from approaching strong earthquakes and prove that the information provided by time-dependent NDSHA can be useful in assigning priorities for timely and effective mitigation actions.

Descriptive epidemiology of chronic liver disease in northeastern Italy: an analysis of multiple causes of death.

PubMed

Fedeli, Ugo; Schievano, Elena; Lisiero, Manola; Avossa, Francesco; Mastrangelo, Giuseppe; Saugo, Mario

2013-10-10

The analysis of multiple causes of death data has been applied in the United States to examine the population burden of chronic liver disease (CLD) and to assess time trends of alcohol-related and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related CLD mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the mortality for CLD by etiology in the Veneto Region (northeastern Italy). Using the 2008-2010 regional archive of mortality, all causes registered on death certificates were extracted and different descriptive epidemiological measures were computed for HCV-related, alcohol-related, and overall CLD-related mortality. The crude mortality rate of all CLD was close to 40 per 100,000 residents. In middle ages (35 to 74 years) CLD was mentioned in about 10% and 6% of all deaths in males and females, respectively. Etiology was unspecified in about half of CLD deaths. In females and males, respectively, HCV was mentioned in 44% and 21% and alcohol in 11% and 26% of overall CLD deaths. A bimodal distribution with age was observed for HCV-related proportional mortality among females, reflecting the available seroprevalence data. Multiple causes of death analyses can provide useful insights into the burden of CLD mortality according to etiology among different population subgroups.

Avoidable interruptions during drug administration in an intensive rehabilitation ward: improvement project.

PubMed

Buchini, Sara; Quattrin, Rosanna

2012-04-01

To record the frequency of interruptions and their causes, to identify 'avoidable' interruptions and to build an improvement project to reduce 'avoidable' interruptions. In Italy each year 30,000-35,000 deaths per year are attributed to health-care system errors, of which 19% are caused by medication errors. The factors that contribute to drug management error also include interruptions and carelessness during treatment administration. A descriptive study design was used to record the frequency of interruptions and their causes and to identify 'avoidable' interruptions in an intensive rehabilitation ward in Northern Italy. A data collection grid was used to record the data over a 6-month period. A total of 3000 work hours were observed. During the study period 1170 interruptions were observed. The study identified 14 causes of interruption. The study shows that of the 14 cases of interruptions at least nine can be defined as 'avoidable'. An improvement project has been proposed to reduce unnecessary interruptions and distractions to avoid making errors. An additional useful step to reduce the incidence of treatment errors would be to implement the use of a single patient medication sheet for the recording of drug prescription, preparation and administration and also the incident reporting. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Outdoor post-mortem bite injuries by Tapinoma nigerrimum (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) on a human corpse: Case report.

PubMed

Bonacci, Teresa; Vercillo, Vannio

2015-07-01

Ants are among the insects that colonize exposed human and animal corpses during the early stage of decomposition. In Calabria, Italy (as well as in other countries), Formicidae have been observed preying on immature stages of Diptera and other insects, as well as causing irregular scalloped areas of superficial skin loss on human corpses and animal carcasses. We present a case of injuries on a human corpse caused by ant feeding. The macroscopic appearance is described and the results of a histochemical investigation of the skin lesions caused by worker ants are reported for the first time. The investigation was carried out on the fresh corpse of a 53-year-old man discovered in a rural area of Cosenza province (Calabria, southern Italy). Numerous irregular areas of superficial skin loss caused by the ant Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander 1856) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) were observed on the body surface, inflicted very early in the post-mortem period. Because the classification of lesions is of crucial importance for forensic investigations, the macroscopic appearance and distribution pattern of the lesions on the corpse are illustrated. The histochemical investigation of the damaged skin explains, for the first time, the mechanism of production of the lesions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural and socio-demographic correlates of homophobic attitude among university students in three European countries.

PubMed

Ciocca, G; Niolu, C; Déttore, D; Antonelli, P; Conte, S; Tuziak, B; Limoncin, E; Mollaioli, D; Carosa, E; Gravina, G L; Di Sante, S; Di Lorenzo, G; Fisher, A D; Maggi, M; Lenzi, A; Siracusano, A; Jannini, E A

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate homophobic attitudes in three European countries: Italy, Albania, and Ukraine. One thousand and forty-eight students were recruited in Italian (n = 766), Albanian (n = 180), and Ukrainian (n = 102) university centers. A socio-demographic questionnaire and Homophobia Scale (HS) were administered by our staff. Cross-cultural and significant differences among Italian, Albanian, and Ukrainian students were found on the Homophobia Scale (HS; Italy: mean = 22.26 ± 16.73; Albania: mean = 38.15 ± 17.28; Ukraine: mean = 59.18 ± 16.23). The analysis of socio-demographic characteristics revealed that the male gender emerged as main predictor of homophobic attitude in all the three countries, although also a conservative political orientation and the religious belief predict higher homophobia levels in Italy and Albania, particularly. This study revealed that in these European countries assessed, attitudes toward homosexuality are different. Ukrainians display higher levels of homophobia than Albanians and Italians, confirming the central role of cultural differences in homophobic attitudes. Nevertheless, some socio-demographic aspects such as identification as male have a similar influence on homophobic attitudes in all assessed populations.

The necropolis of Bolgare (Lombardy, Italy): Anthropological and paleopathological features of a Lombard population.

PubMed

Sguazza, E; Mazzucchi, A; Fortunati, M; Cattaneo, C

2015-04-01

The mediaeval necropolis of Bolgare - St. Chierico is an important site in northern Italy, located in the Bergamo Province (about 40 km East of Milan). In order to reconstruct aspects of the demographic and health status of this Lombard population, macroscopic (morphological, metric and radiographic) and microscopic analyses were performed on over 400 skeletons for the assessments of sex (cranial and pelvic morphology, metrics), age (subadults: dental and bone development; adults: mainly pubic symphysis, auricular surface of the ilium, 4th rib) and stature, for the determination of ancestry and the identification of pathologies. Results proved the sample to be heterogeneous with males, females, adults and subadults. The sample seemed to be composed of several groups, including individuals with northern or eastern (Uralic) European features and, on the other hand, individuals with central European or Mediterranean characteristics. The first may be indicative of migrations of Lombards (suggested by tall stature estimates); the second could be considered autochthonous, bearing features more typical of northern Italian populations. Among palaeopathological finds, the study showed the presence of tuberculosis, gout, DISH and degenerative pathologies particularly on the pelvis and spinal column. The population of Bolgare constitutes one of the main sources of anthropological data on Lombards in Italy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. 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.

Cultural Explanations of Sleep Paralysis in Italy: The Pandafeche Attack and Associated Supernatural Beliefs.

PubMed

Jalal, Baland; Romanelli, Andrea; Hinton, Devon E

2015-12-01

The current study examines cultural explanations regarding sleep paralysis (SP) in Italy. The study explores (1) whether the phenomenology of SP generates culturally specific interpretations and causal explanations and (2) what are the beliefs and local traditions associated with such cultural explanations. The participants were Italian nationals from the general population (n = 68) recruited in the region of Abruzzo, Italy. All participants had experienced at least one lifetime episode of SP. The sleep paralysis experiences and phenomenology questionnaire were orally administered to participants. We found a multilayered cultural interpretation of SP, namely the Pandafeche attack, associated with various supernatural beliefs. Thirty-eight percent of participants believed that this supernatural being, the Pandafeche-often referred to as an evil witch, sometimes as a ghost-like spirit or a terrifying humanoid cat-might have caused their SP. Twenty-four percent of all participants sensed the Pandafeche was present during their SP. Strategies to prevent Pandafeche attack included sleeping in supine position, placing a broom by the bedroom door, or putting a pile of sand by the bed. Case studies are presented to illustrate the study findings. The Pandafeche attack thus constitutes a culturally specific, supernatural interpretation of the phenomenology of SP in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

[Morbidity in a population living close to urban waste incinerator plants in Lazio Region (Central Italy): a retrospective cohort study using a before-after design].

PubMed

Golini, Martina Nicole; Ancona, Carla; Badaloni, Chiara; Bolignano, Andrea; Bucci, Simone; Sozzi, Roberto; Davoli, Marina; Forastiere, Francesco

2014-01-01

the body of evidence on health effects of residential exposure to urban waste incinerators suggests association with reproductive outcomes and some cancers, but the overall evidence is still limited. we evaluated the impact of two incinerators on hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in a cohort of people living nearby two incineration plants in Lazio Region (Central Italy) using a before-and-after design. the study area was defined as the 7-km radius around the incinerators. People who were resident in the area from 1996 to 2008 were enrolled in a retrospective longitudinal study. All addresses were geocoded. A Lagrangian dispersion model (SPRAY) for PM₁₀ (ng/m³) was used for incinerators exposure assessment. Average annual concentration of background PM₁₀ (μg/m³) was estimated on a regional basis by means of RAMS and FARM models. Both PM₁₀ exposures were estimated at the residential address. All subjects were followed for hospital admissions in the period before (1996-2002) and after (2003-2008) the activation of the plants. The association between exposure to emissions from incinerators and hospitalizations in the two periods was estimated using the multivariate Cox model (for repeated events), adjusting for age, area-level socioeconomic status, distance from industries, traffic roads and highways. An interaction term between the period of follow-up (before or after the activation of the plants) and the exposure levels was used to test the effect of the incinerators. 47,192 subjects resident in the study area were enrolled. No clear association between pollution exposure from incinerators and cause-specific morbidity of residents in highest concentration areas was found when compared to the reference group. However, an effect of PM₁₀ on respiratory diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was suggested. The effect was due to excesses of hospitalizations for the same causes among men living in highest exposure areas in respect to the reference group (hazard ratio - HR: 1.26; 95%CI 0.99-1.60, and HR: 1.86; 95%CI 1.04-3.33, respectively). There were associations between exposure to background pollution from other sources and hospitalizations for diseases of the circulatory system (HR: 1.08; 95%CI 1.03-1.13) and respiratory diseases (HR: 1.07; 95%CI 1.02-1.11) (for a unitary increment of PM₁₀, μg/m³). living in areas with high PM₁₀ levels due to incinerators was associated with increased morbidity levels for respiratory disorders among men. The study area is critical from an environmental point of view, hence an epidemiological surveillance is recommended.

Morphology and evolution of sulphuric acid caves in South Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Angeli, Ilenia M.; De Waele, Jo; Galdenzi, Sandro; Madonia, Giuliana; Parise, Mario; Vattano, Marco

2016-04-01

Sulphuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) related to the upwelling of acid water enriched in H2S and CO2 represents an unusual way of cave development. Since meteoric infiltration waters are not necessarily involved in speleogenesis, caves can form without the typical associated karst expressions (i.e. dolines) at the surface. The main mechanism of sulphuric acid dissolution is the oxidation of H2S (Jones et al., 2015) which can be amplified by bacterial mediation (Engel et al., 2004). In these conditions, carbonate dissolution associated with gypsum replacement, is generally believed to be faster than the normal epigenic one (De Waele et al., 2016). In Italy several SAS caves have been identified, but only few systems have been studied in detail: Frasassi and Acquasanta Terme (Marche)(Galdenzi et al., 2010), Monte Cucco (Umbria) (Galdenzi & Menichetti, 1995), and Montecchio (Tuscany) (Piccini et al., 2015). Other preliminary studies have been carried out in Calabria (Galdenzi, 2007) and Sicily (De Waele et al., 2016). Several less studied SAS cave systems located in South Italy, and in particular in Apulia (Santa Cesarea Terme), Sicily (Acqua Fitusa, Acqua Mintina) and Calabria (Mt. Sellaro and Cassano allo Ionio) have been selected in the framework of a PhD thesis on SAS caves and their speleogenesis. Using both limestone tablet weight loss (Galdenzi et al., 2012) and micro erosion meter (MEM) (Furlani et al., 2010) methods the dissolution rate above and under water in the caves will be quantified. Geomorphological observations, landscape analysis using GIS tools, and the analysis of gypsum and other secondary minerals (alunite and jarosite) (stable isotopes and dating) will help to reconstruct the speleogenetic stages of cave formation. Preliminary microbiological analysis will determine the microbial diversity and ecology in the biofilms. References Engel S.A., Stern L.A., Bennett P.C., 2004 - Microbial contributions to cave formation: New insight into sulfuric acid speleogenesis. Geology, 32: 369-372. De Waele J., Audra P., Madonia G., Vattano M., Plan L., D'Angeli I.M., Bigot J.-Y., Nobécourt J.-C., 2016 - Sulfuric acid speleogenesis (SAS) close to the water table: examples from southern France, Austria, and Sicily. Geomorphology, 253: 452-467. Furlani S., Cucchi F., Odorico R., 2010 - A new method to study micro-topographical changes in the intertidal zone: one year of TMEM measurements on a limestone removable slab (RRS). Z. Geomorph., 54(2): 137-151. Galdenzi S., 1997 - Initial geological observations in caves bordering the Sibari plain (southern Italy). J. Cave Karst Stud., 59: 81-86. Galdenzi S., 2012 - Corrosion of limestone tablets in sulfidic ground-water: measurements and speleogenetic implications. Int. J. Spel., 41(2): 149-159. Galdenzi S., Menichetti M., 1995 - Occurrence of hypogenic caves in a karst region: examples from central Italy. Environmental Geology, 26: 39-47. Galdenzi S., Cocchioni F., Filipponi G., Selvaggio R., Scuri S., Morichetti L., Cocchioni M., 2010 - The sulfidic thermal caves of Acquasanta Terme (central Italy). J. Cave Karst Stud. 72(1): 43-58. Jones, D.S., Polerecky, L., Galdenzi, S., Dempsey, B.A., Macalady, J.L., 2015 - Fate of sulfide in the Frasassi cave system and implications for sulfuric acid speleogenesis. Chemical Geology, 410: 21-27.

Rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury in Italy: a multi-centred study.

PubMed

Zampolini, M; Zaccaria, B; Tolli, V; Frustaci, A; Franceschini, M

2012-01-01

The aims of this study were to analyse TBI rehabilitation in Italy, identifying the main factors conditioning motor and functional recovery and destination upon discharge of traumatic severe acquired brain injury (sABI) patients who had undergone intensive rehabilitative treatment. An observational prospective study of 863 consecutive patients admitted to 52 Rehabilitation Centres from January 2001 to December 2003. The main cause of trauma was road accidents (79.8%), the mean length of stay was 87.31 ± 77.26 days and 40.4% access to rehabilitation facilities after a month. Pressure sore rates fell from 26.1% to 6.6% during the rehabilitation programme. After discharge 615 patients returned home, whilst 212 were admitted to other health facilities. This study highlights some major criticisms of rehabilitation of TBI. The delay of admission and evitable complications such as pressure sores are correlated to a worse outcome. While LOS causes a problem of cost-effectiveness, the rate of home discharge is prevalent and very high compared with other studies.

Usutu virus: an emerging flavivirus in Europe.

PubMed

Ashraf, Usama; Ye, Jing; Ruan, Xindi; Wan, Shengfeng; Zhu, Bibo; Cao, Shengbo

2015-01-19

Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex. USUV is closely related to Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus. USUV was discovered in South Africa in 1959. In Europe, the first true demonstration of circulation of USUV was reported in Austria in 2001 with a significant die-off of Eurasian blackbirds. In the subsequent years, USUV expanded to neighboring countries, including Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, England, Czech Republic, Greece, and Belgium, where it caused unusual mortality in birds. In 2009, the first two human cases of USUV infection in Europe have been reported in Italy, causing meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. This review describes USUV in terms of its life cycle, USUV surveillance from Africa to Europe, human cases, its cellular tropism and pathogenesis, its genetic relationship with other flaviviruses, genetic diversity among USUV strains, its diagnosis, and a discussion of the potential future threat to Asian countries.

Oak tree-rings record spatial-temporal pollution trends from different sources in Terni (Central Italy).

PubMed

Perone, A; Cocozza, C; Cherubini, P; Bachmann, O; Guillong, M; Lasserre, B; Marchetti, M; Tognetti, R

2018-02-01

Monitoring atmospheric pollution in industrial areas near urban center is essential to infer past levels of contamination and to evaluate the impact for environmental health and safety. The main aim of this study was to understand if the chemical composition of tree-ring wood can be used for monitoring spatial-temporal variability of pollutants in Terni, Central Italy, one of the most polluted towns in Italy. Tree cores were taken from 32 downy oaks (Quercus pubescens) located at different distances from several pollutant sources, including a large steel factory. Trace element (Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Hg, Mo, Ni, Tl, W, U, V, and Zn) index in tree-ring wood was determined using high-resolution laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). We hypothesized that the presence of contaminants detected in tree-rings reflected industrial activities over time. The accumulation of contaminants in tree-rings was affected by anthropogenic activities in the period 1958-2009, though signals varied in intensity with the distance of trees from the industrial plant. A stronger limitation of tree growth was observed in the proximity of the industrial plant in comparison with other pollutant sources. Levels of Cr, Ni, Mo, V, U and W increased in tree-ring profiles of trees close to the steel factory, especially during the 80's and 90's, in correspondence to a peak of pollution in this period, as recorded by air quality monitoring stations. Uranium contents in our tree-rings were difficult to explain, while the higher contents of Cu, Hg, Pb, and Tl could be related to the contaminants released from an incinerator located close to the industrial plant. The accumulation of contaminants in tree-rings reflected the historical variation of environmental pollution in the considered urban context. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. piperitum) florets, a traditional culinary spice in Italy: evaluation of phenolics and volatiles in local populations, and comparison with the composition of other plant parts.

PubMed

Ferioli, Federico; Giambanelli, Elisa; D'Antuono, L Filippo

2017-12-01

Wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. piperitum) florets are used as a typical spice in central and southern Italy. Although fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), belonging to the Apiaceae (syn. Umbelliferae) family, is a well-known vegetable and aromatic plant, whose main phytochemical compounds have been extensively analysed and investigated as flavouring agents and for their putative health promoting functions, its florets have not been specifically considered up to now. Therefore, the volatile and phenolic composition of florets from an Italian wild fennel crop was determined at different developmental stages, and compared to that of leaves and fruits. Moreover, florets of nine Italian wild fennel populations of different geographical origin from northern-central Italy were also analysed. The total phenolic amount increased from leaves to florets, reaching its highest value in early florets, at 58 012 mg kg -1 of dry matter (DM), then constantly decreased in fruits. In florets of wild populations, phenolics ranged from 6666 to 43 368 mg kg -1 DM. The total amount of volatile compounds was more than twice higher in florets (21 449 mg kg -1 DM) than in leaves (10 470 mg kg -1 DM), reaching its highest value in fruits (50 533 mg kg -1 DM). Estragole and trans-anethole were the main compounds of the volatile fraction. Total volatiles ranged from 24 367 to 60 468 mg kg -1 DM in florets of local populations. Significant changes in the total amount and profile of both phenolic and volatile compounds occurred during plant development. The consistent increase of estragole at later developmental stages supported the claim of different sensory properties of florets and fruits. Geographical origin significantly affected phenolic and volatile composition of wild fennel florets. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

A new multi-parametric climatological approach to the study of the earthquake preparatory phase: the 2016 Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) seismic sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscini, Alessandro; De Santis, Angelo; Marchetti, Dedalo; Cianchini, Gianfranco

2017-04-01

Based on observations prior to earthquakes, recent theoretical considerations suggest that some geophysical quantities reveal abnormal changes that anticipate moderate and strong earthquakes, within a defined spatial area (the so-called Dobrovolsky area) according to a Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere coupling (LAIC) model. One of the possible pre-earthquake effects could be the appearance of some climatological anomalies in the epicentral region, weeks/months before the major earthquakes. An ESA-funded project, SAFE (Swarm for Earthquake study) was dedicated to investigate the LAIC from ground to satellite. In this work, the period of two months preceding the Amatrice-Norcia (Central Italy) earthquake sequence that started on 24 August 2016 with an M6 earthquake, and some months later produced other two major shocks, i.e. an M5.9 on 26 October and then an M6.5 on 30 October, was analyzed in terms of some climatological parameters. In particular, starting from a date preceding of about two months the first major shock, we applied a new approach based on the comparison of the thirty-seven year time series at the same seasonal time of three land/atmospheric parameters, i.e. skin temperature (skt), total column water vapour (tcwv) and total column of ozone (tco3), collected from European Center Medium Weather Forecast (ECMWF), and the year in which the earthquake sequence occurred. The originality of the method stands in the way the complete time series is reduced, where also the possible effect of global warming is properly removed. A confutation/confirmation analysis was undertaken where these parameters were successfully analyzed in the same months but considering two seismically "calm" years, when significant seismicity was not present, in order to validate the technique. We also extended the analysis to all available years to construct a confusion matrix comparing the climatological anomalies with the real seismicity. This latter analysis has confirmed the potentiality of two climatological parameters, i.e. skt and tcwv, in anticipating the occurrence of large earthquakes in Central Italy. The simultaneous analysis of the three climatological parameters related to the Amatrice-Norcia seismic sequence showed the presence of persistent contemporary anomalies in all of them, thus reinforcing the idea of considering such behaviour an effective tool for an integrated system of future earthquake prediction.

Facets of personality linked to underweight and overweight

PubMed Central

Terracciano, Antonio; Sutin, Angelina R.; McCrae, Robert R.; Deiana, Barbara; Ferrucci, Luigi; Schlessinger, David; Uda, Manuela; Costa, Paul T.

2009-01-01

Objective Personality traits underlie maladaptive behaviors, and cognitive and emotional disturbances that contribute to major preventable causes of global disease burden. This study examines detailed personality profiles of underweight, normal, and overweight individuals to provide insights into the causes and treatments of abnormal weight. Methods More than half of the population from four towns in Sardinia, Italy (N=5,693; aged 14-94; M=43; SD=17), were assessed on multiple anthropometric measures and 30 facets that comprehensively cover the five major dimensions of personality, using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Results High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness were associated with being underweight and obese, respectively. High Impulsiveness (specifically eating-behavior items) and low Order were associated with BMI categories of overweight and obese, and with measures of abdominal adiposity (waist and hip circumference). Those scoring in the top 10% of Impulsiveness were about 4 Kg heavier than those in the bottom 10%, an effect independent and larger than the FTO genetic variant. Prospective analyses confirmed that Impulsiveness and Order were significant predictors of general and central measures of adiposity assessed 3 years later. Conclusions Overweight and obese individuals have difficulty resisting cravings and lack methodical and organized behaviors that might influence diet and weight control. While individuals’ traits have limited impact on the current obesogenic epidemic, personality traits can improve clinical assessment, suggest points of intervention, and help tailor prevention and treatment approaches. PMID:19414622

[Seven cases of port-a-cath contamination caused by Pantoea agglomerans in the Oncological Service of Iseo Hospital, Brescia (Italy)].

PubMed

Izzo, Ilaria; Lania, Donatella; Castro, Antonino; Lanzini, Fernanda; Bella, Daniele; Pagani, Adriano; Colombini, Paolo

2014-06-01

Pantoea agglomerans, a gram negative bacillus in the Enterobacteriaceae family, has been isolated from feculent material, plants and soil. Soft tissue and bone-joint infections due to P. agglomerans following penetrating trauma by vegetation and bacteraemia in association with intravenous fluid, total parenteral nutrition, blood products and anaesthetic agent contamination have been reported. Between October 2009 and January 2010 seven cases of port a cath contamination caused by P. agglomerans were observed in the Oncological Service of our hospital. All patients presented with septic fever after heparinization of the central venous catheter. 5/7 patients were female; mean age was 67 years (range 58-75). 6/7 patients were affected by colorectal adenocarcinoma, 1/7 by mammarian cancer. Mean time from CVC insertion was 23.8 months (range 13-42) at the time of fever. In three cases, port a cath was removed following the oncologist prescription. P. agglomerans was isolated from the catheter tip in one case and from CVC blood culture in 6-7 cases. In all cases peripheral blood cultures were negative. Patients were treated with ciprofloxacin lock therapy and systemic therapy (per os), obtaining negative cultures from port a cath. Notwithstanding the absence of isolation of Pantoea strains from environmental cultures, after educational intervention, which underlined some faulty procedures in CVC management, no further cases were observed.

Impact of stinging jellyfish proliferations along south Italian coasts: human health hazards, treatment and social costs.

PubMed

De Donno, Antonella; Idolo, Adele; Bagordo, Francesco; Grassi, Tiziana; Leomanni, Alessandro; Serio, Francesca; Guido, Marcello; Canitano, Mariarita; Zampardi, Serena; Boero, Ferdinando; Piraino, Stefano

2014-02-27

Stinging jellyfish outbreaks represent a health hazard, causing contact dermatitis and systemic reactions. This study investigated the epidemiology, severity, and treatment protocols of jellyfish stings in a coastal area with high tourist development and frequent stinging jellyfish outbreaks of the central Mediterranean (Salento, Southern Italy), and the associated costs for the Italian National Health Service. In 2007-2011, 1,733 bathers (mostly children and females) sought medical assistance following jellyfish stings, the main cause of human pathologies due to contact with marine organisms. The majority of events were reported in the years 2007-2009, whereas the occurrence of cnidarian jellyfish outbreaks has been increasingly reported in the same area since summer 2010. Most symptoms were limited to local and cutaneous reactions; conversely, 8.7% of cases evoked complications, mainly due to allergic reactions. The main drugs used were corticosteroids, locally applied and systemic (46% and 43%, respectively), and with ammonia (74%) as the main non-pharmacological treatment. The estimated cost of jellyfish-related first-aid services along the Salento coastline over the 5-year period was approximately 400,000 Euros. Therefore the management of jellyfish outbreak phenomena need coordinated research efforts towards a better understanding of underlying ecological mechanisms, together with the adoption of effective prevention policy, mitigation strategies, and appropriate planning of health services at tourist hot spots.

Vertigo/dizziness as a Drugs' adverse reaction.

PubMed

Chimirri, Serafina; Aiello, Rossana; Mazzitello, Carmela; Mumoli, Laura; Palleria, Caterina; Altomonte, Mariolina; Citraro, Rita; De Sarro, Giovambattista

2013-12-01

Vertigo, dizziness, and nausea encompass a spectrum of balance-related symptoms caused by a variety of etiologies. Balance is affected by many systems: Proprioceptive pathways and visual, cerebellar, vestibulocochlear, and vascular / vasovagal systems. Vertigo is a subtype of dizziness, in which a subject, as a result to a dysfunction of the vestibular system, improperly experiments the perception of motion. The most useful clinical subdivision is to categorize vertigo into true vertigo and pseudovertigo, whereas from a pathophysiological point of view, vertigo can be classified into central, peripheral, and psychogenic. It is not easy to identify the cause of vertigo since the patients often are not able to precisely describe their symptoms. An impressive list of drugs may cause vertigo or dizziness. The aim of the present study was to analyze the data extracted from the reporting cards of the ADRs (adverse drug reactions), received at our Pharmacovigilance Regional Center (Calabria, Italy) in 2012. In particular, the data concerning the occurrence of vertigo and dizziness, after taking certain classes of drugs, have been considered. Our results show that, among the side-effects of different classes of drugs such as anti-convulsants, anti-hypertensives, antibiotics, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and anti-inflammatory, also vertigo or dizziness are included. Spontaneous reports of vertigo or dizziness, as side-effect of certain drugs, received at our Pharmacovigilance Center, represented the 5% of all reports in 2012. Considering the high incidence of such an ADR for several drugs' classes, it can be speculated that under-reporting also affect vertigo and dizziness. Despite the fact that these ADRs might not represent a direct threaten for life, indirectly they can cause secondary damage to patients such as falls, fractures etc. Balance should be accurately monitored during drug use and particularly in fragile patients.

Vertigo/dizziness as a Drugs’ adverse reaction

PubMed Central

Chimirri, Serafina; Aiello, Rossana; Mazzitello, Carmela; Mumoli, Laura; Palleria, Caterina; Altomonte, Mariolina; Citraro, Rita; De Sarro, Giovambattista

2013-01-01

Introduction: Vertigo, dizziness, and nausea encompass a spectrum of balance-related symptoms caused by a variety of etiologies. Balance is affected by many systems: Proprioceptive pathways and visual, cerebellar, vestibulocochlear, and vascular / vasovagal systems. Vertigo is a subtype of dizziness, in which a subject, as a result to a dysfunction of the vestibular system, improperly experiments the perception of motion. The most useful clinical subdivision is to categorize vertigo into true vertigo and pseudovertigo, whereas from a pathophysiological point of view, vertigo can be classified into central, peripheral, and psychogenic. It is not easy to identify the cause of vertigo since the patients often are not able to precisely describe their symptoms. An impressive list of drugs may cause vertigo or dizziness. Materials and Methods: The aim of the present study was to analyze the data extracted from the reporting cards of the ADRs (adverse drug reactions), received at our Pharmacovigilance Regional Center (Calabria, Italy) in 2012. In particular, the data concerning the occurrence of vertigo and dizziness, after taking certain classes of drugs, have been considered. Results: Our results show that, among the side-effects of different classes of drugs such as anti-convulsants, anti-hypertensives, antibiotics, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and anti-inflammatory, also vertigo or dizziness are included. Conclusions: Spontaneous reports of vertigo or dizziness, as side-effect of certain drugs, received at our Pharmacovigilance Center, represented the 5% of all reports in 2012. Considering the high incidence of such an ADR for several drugs’ classes, it can be speculated that under-reporting also affect vertigo and dizziness. Despite the fact that these ADRs might not represent a direct threaten for life, indirectly they can cause secondary damage to patients such as falls, fractures etc. Balance should be accurately monitored during drug use and particularly in fragile patients. PMID:24347974

Measles in Italy: Co-circulation of B3 variants during 2014.

PubMed

Magurano, Fabio; Baggieri, Melissa; Bordi, Licia; Lalle, Eleonora; Chironna, Maria; Lazzarotto, Tiziana; Amendola, Antonella; Baldanti, Fausto; Ansaldi, Filippo; Filia, Antonietta; Declich, Silvia; Iannazzo, Stefania; Pompa, Maria Grazia; Bucci, Paola; Marchi, Antonella; Nicoletti, Loredana

2016-06-01

In 2013, the majority of the WHO/EUR countries reported an annual incidence of >1 case per one million population indicating that the elimination target is far from being met. Thus, there is the urgent need to uncover and analyze chains of measles virus (MV) transmission with the objective to identify vulnerable groups and avoid possible routes of introduction of MV variants in the European population. The analysis of molecular epidemiology of MV B3 strains identified in 2014 has shown that four different variants co-circulated in Italy, including the strain that caused a cruise-line ship outbreak at the beginning of the year. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Curative gastric resection for the elderly patients suffering from gastric cancer.

PubMed

Al Mansour, M; Izzo, L; Mazzone, G; Gabriele, R; Di Cello, P; Basso, L; Ranieri, E; Costi, U; Jovanovic, T; Izzo, P

2016-01-01

The improvement of the socio-economic conditions and the progress of medicine have extended the life span of the world's population and as a result, the number of patients with malignant neoplasms has increased. Gastric cancer is the third most common cancer (after lung and prostate) and the second leading cause of death caused by cancer (after lung bronchogenic cell carcinoma) in males; while it's the fifth cancer by frequency and the fourth cause of cancer death in females. It presents a peculiar geographical distribution with a lower incidence in Western Europe and North America, and higher incidence in the Far East, South America and Eastern Europe. Its incidence in Italy is 122 cases per 100000 inhabitants in males and 83 cases per 100000 inhabitants in females (in Italy). It occurs more frequently in old age, is quite rare in individuals under the age of 45. The aim of this work is to analyze the clinical and pathological characteristics of gastric carcinoma and the feasibility of curative surgery in patients over 75, identifying the factors affecting mortality, morbidity, survival and quality of life after surgery. These data have been compared with those of younger patients to assess the correct type of surgery.

Genetic diversity analysis of cultivated and wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) accessions around the Mediterranean basin and Central Asia.

PubMed

Riaz, Summaira; De Lorenzis, Gabriella; Velasco, Dianne; Koehmstedt, Anne; Maghradze, David; Bobokashvili, Zviad; Musayev, Mirza; Zdunic, Goran; Laucou, Valerie; Andrew Walker, M; Failla, Osvaldo; Preece, John E; Aradhya, Mallikarjuna; Arroyo-Garcia, Rosa

2018-06-27

The mountainous region between the Caucasus and China is considered to be the center of domestication for grapevine. Despite the importance of Central Asia in the history of grape growing, information about the extent and distribution of grape genetic variation in this region is limited in comparison to wild and cultivated grapevines from around the Mediterranean basin. The principal goal of this work was to survey the genetic diversity and relationships among wild and cultivated grape germplasm from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean basin collectively to understand gene flow, possible domestication events and adaptive introgression. A total of 1378 wild and cultivated grapevines collected around the Mediterranean basin and from Central Asia were tested with a set of 20 nuclear SSR markers. Genetic data were analyzed (Cluster analysis, Principal Coordinate Analysis and STRUCTURE) to identify groups, and the results were validated by Nei's genetic distance, pairwise F ST analysis and assignment tests. All of these analyses identified three genetic groups: G1, wild accessions from Croatia, France, Italy and Spain; G2, wild accessions from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia; and G3, cultivars from Spain, France, Italy, Georgia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkmenistan, which included a small group of wild accessions from Georgia and Croatia. Wild accessions from Georgia clustered with cultivated grape from the same area (proles pontica), but also with Western Europe (proles occidentalis), supporting Georgia as the ancient center of grapevine domestication. In addition, cluster analysis indicated that Western European wild grapes grouped with cultivated grapes from the same area, suggesting that the cultivated proles occidentalis contributed more to the early development of wine grapes than the wild vines from Eastern Europe. The analysis of genetic relationships among the tested genotypes provided evidence of genetic relationships between wild and cultivated accessions in the Mediterranean basin and Central Asia. The genetic structure indicated a considerable amount of gene flow, which limited the differentiation between the two subspecies. The results also indicated that grapes with mixed ancestry occur in the regions where wild grapevines were domesticated.

First-episode psychosis and migration in Italy (PEP-Ita migration): a study in the Italian mental health services

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background It has been frequently reported a higher incidence of psychotic disorders in immigrants than in native populations. There is, however, a lack of knowledge about risk factors which may explain this phenomenon. A better understanding of the causes of psychosis among first-generation migrants is highly needed, particularly in Italy, a country with a recent massive migration. Methods/Design The “Italian study on first-episode psychosis and migration (PEP-Ita)” is a prospective observational study over a two-year period (1 January 2012–31 December 2013) which will be carried out in 11 Italian mental health centres. All participating centres will collect data about all new cases of migrants with first-episode psychosis. The general purpose (“core”) of the PEP-Ita study is to explore the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and the pathways to care of a population of first-episode psychosis migrants in Italy. Secondary aims of the study will be: 1) to understand risk and protective factors for the development of psychotic disorders in migrants; 2) to evaluate the correlations between psychopathology of psychotic disorders in migrants and socio-demographic characteristics, migration history, life experiences; 3) to evaluate the clinical and social outcomes of first-episode psychoses in migrants. Discussion The results of the PEP-Ita study will allow a better understanding of risk factors for psychosis in first-generation migrants in Italy. Moreover, our results will contribute to the development of prevention programmes for psychosis and to the improvement of early intervention treatments for the migrant population in Italy. PMID:24957972

Bovine meat versus pork in Toxoplasma gondii transmission in Italy: A quantitative risk assessment model.

PubMed

Belluco, Simone; Patuzzi, Ilaria; Ricci, Antonia

2018-03-23

Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread zoonotic parasite with a high seroprevalence in the human population and the ability to infect almost all warm blooded animals. Humans can acquire toxoplasmosis from different transmission routes and food plays a critical role. Within the food category, meat is of utmost importance, as it may contain bradyzoites inside tissue cysts, which can potentially cause infection after ingestion if parasites are not inactivated through freezing or cooking before consumption. In Italy, the most commonly consumed meat-producing animal species are bovines and pigs. However, T. gondii prevalence and consumption habits for meat of these animal species are very different. There is debate within the scientific community concerning which of these animal species is the main source of meat-derived human toxoplasmosis. The aim of this work was to build a quantitative risk assessment model to estimate the yearly probability of acquiring toxoplasmosis infection due to consumption of bovine meat and pork (excluding cured products) in Italy, taking into account the different eating habits. The model was fitted with data obtained from the literature regarding: bradyzoite concentrations, portion size, dose-response relation, prevalence of T. gondii in bovines and swine, meat consumption and meat preparation habits. Alternative handling scenarios were considered. The model estimated the risk per year of acquiring T. gondii infection in Italy from bovine and swine meat to be 0.034% and 0.019%, respectively. Results suggest that, due to existing eating habits, bovine meat can be a not negligible source of toxoplasmosis in Italy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Estrogen Metabolism and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Prospective Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

cardiovascolari) Corso di Formazione e Aggiornamento in Diete Vegetariane e Salute, A.B.N.I Associazione Biologi Nutrizionisti Italiani, Rome, Italy...November 2007 9) Speaker, “Plant-based diets and mortality caused by tumours and heart-disease” (Plant-based diets e mortalità per tumori e malattie...Cancer Causes and Control) 2) Colombo C, Muti P, Pala V, Cavalleri A, Venturelli E, Locardi M, Berrino F, Secreto G. Plant-based diet , serum

Social Anthropological Considerations on the Predictability and Unpredictability of Community Outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Gregory O.

This chapter surveys community process in a circumscribed area of central Italy in a comparative effort to show how simple quantitative methods can provide insights into the nature of community constitution. It is evident that individual and psychological processes are rooted in community experience, and in order to have a fuller understanding of the various system levels discussed in this volume, it is valuable also to have some insights into the organizational dynamics of localized communities.

A new species and new country records for the genus Leptobium Casey in the Palaearctic Region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae).

PubMed

Anlaş, Sinan

2017-10-24

Leptobium yagmuri Anlaş, sp. n., from central Anatolia, Turkey, is described, illustrated and distinguished from related congeners. New and additional country records of 19 Leptobium species in the Palaearctic Region are also reported; among them four species are first country records: Iraq (2), Italy (1) and Kazakhstan (1). A key to Turkish Leptobium is presented. Distributions of endemic Leptobium species in Anatolia are mapped.

Arrangement on the Recognition of Common Criteria Certificates In the Field of Information Technology Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-05-01

Security Establishment from Canada and Ministry of Finance from Finland and Service Central de la Sécurité des Systèmes d’Information from France and...Nazionale per la Sicurezza CESIS III Reparto - UCSi from Italy and Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations from The Netherlands and Page 3 of...39 HQ Defence Command Norway/Security Division from Norway and Ministerio de Administraciones Públicas from Spain and Communications-Electronics

Workshop on "Enhancing the Role of Social Partner Organisations in the Area of Vocational Education and Training in Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe." Proceedings. (Turin, Italy, December 15-16, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

These proceedings contain reports of the plenary and working group sessions of a seminar to exchange information on such topics as the social dialogue on vocational education and training (VET) at the European level and involvement of social partners in development and implementation of European Community VET policy. Each report is introduced by a…

Major controls on architecture, sequence stratigraphy and paleosols of middle Pleistocene continental sediments ("Qc Unit"), eastern central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Celma, Claudio; Pieruccini, Pierluigi; Farabollini, Piero

2015-05-01

Middle Pleistocene continental sediments in central Italy ("Qc Unit") record the oldest fluvial accumulation along the uplifting margin of the Peri-Adriatic basin. The architecture of the sediment body can be divided into two unconformity-bounded, fining-upward cycles interpreted as genetically related depositional sequences. These sequences highlight the systematic adjustment of the fluvial system to changes in the ratio between accommodation space and sediment supply (A/S ratio) and, from base to top, comprise the following surfaces and stratal components: (i) a regionally correlative sequence boundary resulting from an A/S ratio ≤ 0; (ii) a low-accommodation systems tract characterized by conglomerate-rich, amalgamated channel fills and recording an A/S ratio < 1; (iii) an expansion surface marking the turnaround point from low-accommodation systems tract to high-accommodation systems tract deposits; (iv) a high-accommodation systems tract dominated by floodplain fines encasing lens-like, fluvial channel deposits and denoting an A/S ratio > 1; and (v) a mature red argillic paleosol. To constrain the climatic signal for paleosols formation, the two sequence-capping mature paleosols have been investigated. The results of these studies suggest that they were developed under humid and warm climatic conditions associated with interglacial phases, which have been correlatively attributed to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages 11 and 9.

The underground seismic array of Gran Sasso (UNDERSEIS), central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarpa, R.; Muscente, R.; Tronca, F.; Fischione, C.; Rotella, P.; Abril, M.; Alguacil, G.; Martini, M.; de Cesare, W.

2003-04-01

Since early May, 2002, a small aperture seismic array has been installed in the underground Physics Laboratories of Gran Sasso, located near seismic active faults of central Apennines, Italy. This array is presently composed by 21 three-component short period seismic stations (Mark L4C-3D), with average distance 90 m and semi-circular aperture of 400 m x 600 m. It is intersecting a main seismogenic fault where the presence of slow earthquakes has been recently detected through two wide band geodetic laser interferometers. The underground Laboratories are shielded by a limestone rock layer having 1400 m thickness. Each seismometer is linked, through a 24 bits A/D board, to a set of 6 industrial PC via a serial RS-485 standard. The six PC transmit data to a server through an ethernet network. Time syncronization is provided by a Master Oscillator controlled by an atomic clock. Earthworm package is used for data selection and transmission. High quality data have been recorded since May 2002, including local and regional earthquakes. In particular the 31 October, 2002, Molise (Mw=5.8 earthquake) and its aftershocks have been recorded at this array. Array techniques such as polarisation and frequency-slowness analyses with the MUSIC noise algorithm indicate the high performance of this array, as compared to the national seismic network, for identifying the basic source parameters for earthquakes located at distance of few hundreds of km.

Molecular analyses of Erwinia amylovora strains isolated in Russia, Poland, Slovenia and Austria describing further spread of fire blight in Europe.

PubMed

Jock, Susanne; Wensing, Annette; Pulawska, Joanna; Drenova, Nataliya; Dreo, Tanja; Geider, Klaus

2013-08-25

Fire blight, a bacteriosis of apple and pear, was assayed with molecular tools to associate its origin in Russia, Slovenia and south-eastern Austria with neighboring countries. The identification of all investigated strains was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy except one. Independent isolation was verified by the level of amylovoran synthesis and by the number of short sequence DNA repeats in plasmid pEA29. DNA of gently lysed E. amylovora strains from Russia, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Poland, Central Europe and Iran was treated with restriction enzymes XbaI and SpeI to create typical banding patterns for PFGE analysis. The pattern Pt2 indicated that most Russian E. amylovora strains were related to strains from Turkey and Iran. Strains from Slovenia exhibited patterns Pt3 and Pt2, both present in the neighboring countries. Strains were also probed for the recently described plasmid pEI70 detected in Pt1 strains from Poland and in Pt3 strains from other countries. The distribution of pattern Pt3 suggests distribution of fire blight from Belgium and the Netherlands to Central Spain and Northern Italy and then north to Carinthia. The PFGE patterns indicate that trade of plants may have introduced fire blight into southern parts of Europe proceeded by sequential spread. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Role of high-elevation groundwater flows in the hydrogeology of the Cimino volcano (central Italy) and possibilities to capture drinking water in a geogenically contaminated environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscopo, V.; Armiento, G.; Baiocchi, A.; Mazzuoli, M.; Nardi, E.; Piacentini, S. M.; Proposito, M.; Spaziani, F.

2018-01-01

Origin, yield and quality of the groundwater flows at high elevation in the Cimino volcano (central Italy) were examined. In this area, groundwater is geogenically contaminated by arsenic and fluoride, yet supplies drinking water for approximately 170,000 inhabitants. The origin of the high-elevation groundwater flows is strictly related to vertical and horizontal variability of the rock types (lava flows, lava domes and ignimbrite) in an area of limited size. In some cases, groundwater circuits are related to perched aquifers above noncontinuous aquitards; in other cases, they are due to flows in the highly fractured dome carapace, limited at the bottom by a low-permeability dome core. The high-elevation groundwater outflow represents about 30% of the total recharge of Cimino's hydrogeological system, which has been estimated at 9.8 L/s/km2. Bicarbonate alkaline-earth, cold, neutral waters with low salinity, and notably with low arsenic and fluoride content, distinguish the high-elevation groundwaters from those of the basal aquifer. Given the quantity and quality of these resources, approaches in the capture and management of groundwater in this hydrogeological environment should be reconsidered. Appropriate tapping methods such as horizontal drains, could more efficiently capture the high-elevation groundwater resources, as opposed to the waters currently pumped from the basal aquifer which often require dearsenification treatments.

Geographical and genetic factors do not account for significant differences in the clinical spectrum of giant cell arteritis in southern europe.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Gay, Miguel A; Boiardi, Luigi; Garcia-Porrua, Carlos; Macchioni, Pierluigi; Amor-Dorado, Juan C; Salvarani, Carlo

2004-03-01

To investigate whether genetic and geographical differences may influence the clinical spectrum of giant cell arteritis (GCA), we compared the demographic and clinical features of patients with biopsy-proven GCA from Reggio Emilia (Northern Italy) and Lugo (Northwest Spain) during a 15-year period. We performed a retrospective review of the case records of all patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven GCA at Hospital Xeral-Calde (Lugo, Spain) and Hospital Santa Maria Nuova (Reggio Emilia, Italy) between 1 January 1986 and 31 December 2001. Both hospitals are the only referral centers for populations living in central Galicia and central Emilia Romagna, respectively. During the period of study, 194 Lugo residents and 126 Reggio Emilia residents were diagnosed with biopsy proven GCA. Reggio Emilia patients were more likely to be female (74% vs 54%; p = 0.0001). Although Lugo patients complained of headache (86%) more commonly than did those from Reggio Emilia (77%), the difference was only marginally significant (p = 0.05). The proportion of patients with visual manifestations or visual loss was remarkably similar (22% for visual manifestations and 17% for visual loss in Lugo and 29% and 21% for Reggio Emilia residents). The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate prior to the onset of therapy was also similar. Apart from differences in sex, the clinical spectrum of GCA in these 2 Southern European regions was similar.

Role of high-elevation groundwater flows in the hydrogeology of the Cimino volcano (central Italy) and possibilities to capture drinking water in a geogenically contaminated environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscopo, V.; Armiento, G.; Baiocchi, A.; Mazzuoli, M.; Nardi, E.; Piacentini, S. M.; Proposito, M.; Spaziani, F.

2018-06-01

Origin, yield and quality of the groundwater flows at high elevation in the Cimino volcano (central Italy) were examined. In this area, groundwater is geogenically contaminated by arsenic and fluoride, yet supplies drinking water for approximately 170,000 inhabitants. The origin of the high-elevation groundwater flows is strictly related to vertical and horizontal variability of the rock types (lava flows, lava domes and ignimbrite) in an area of limited size. In some cases, groundwater circuits are related to perched aquifers above noncontinuous aquitards; in other cases, they are due to flows in the highly fractured dome carapace, limited at the bottom by a low-permeability dome core. The high-elevation groundwater outflow represents about 30% of the total recharge of Cimino's hydrogeological system, which has been estimated at 9.8 L/s/km2. Bicarbonate alkaline-earth, cold, neutral waters with low salinity, and notably with low arsenic and fluoride content, distinguish the high-elevation groundwaters from those of the basal aquifer. Given the quantity and quality of these resources, approaches in the capture and management of groundwater in this hydrogeological environment should be reconsidered. Appropriate tapping methods such as horizontal drains, could more efficiently capture the high-elevation groundwater resources, as opposed to the waters currently pumped from the basal aquifer which often require dearsenification treatments.

Modeling regional initiation of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Salciarini, D.; Godt, J.W.; Savage, W.Z.; Conversini, P.; Baum, R.L.; Michael, J.A.

2006-01-01

We model the rainfall-induced initiation of shallow landslides over a broad region using a deterministic approach, the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope-stability (TRIGRS) model that couples an infinite-slope stability analysis with a one-dimensional analytical solution for transient pore pressure response to rainfall infiltration. This model permits the evaluation of regional shallow landslide susceptibility in a Geographic Information System framework, and we use it to analyze susceptibility to shallow landslides in an area in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy. As shown on a landslide inventory map produced by the Italian National Research Council, the area has been affected in the past by shallow landslides, many of which have transformed into debris flows. Input data for the TRIGRS model include time-varying rainfall, topographic slope, colluvial thickness, initial water table depth, and material strength and hydraulic properties. Because of a paucity of input data, we focus on parametric analyses to calibrate and test the model and show the effect of variation in material properties and initial water table conditions on the distribution of simulated instability in the study area in response to realistic rainfall. Comparing the results with the shallow landslide inventory map, we find more than 80% agreement between predicted shallow landslide susceptibility and the inventory, despite the paucity of input data.

The interaction between active normal faulting and large scale gravitational mass movements revealed by paleoseismological techniques: A case study from central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moro, M.; Saroli, M.; Gori, S.; Falcucci, E.; Galadini, F.; Messina, P.

2012-05-01

Paleoseismological techniques have been applied to characterize the kinematic behaviour of large-scale gravitational phenomena located in proximity of the seismogenic fault responsible for the Mw 7.0, 1915 Avezzano earthquake and to identify evidence of a possible coseismic reactivation. The above mentioned techniques were applied to the surface expression of the main sliding planes of the Mt. Serrone gravitational deformation, located in the southeastern border of the Fucino basin (central Italy). The approach allows us to detect instantaneous events of deformation along the uphill-facing scarp. These events are testified by the presence of faulted deposits and colluvial wedges. The identified and chronologically-constrained episodes of rapid displacement can be probably correlated with seismic events determined by the activation of the Fucino seismogenic fault, affecting the toe of the gravitationally unstable rock mass. Indeed this fault can produce strong, short-term dynamic stresses able to trigger the release of local gravitational stress accumulated by Mt. Serrone's large-scale gravitational phenomena. The applied methodology could allow us to better understand the geometric and kinematic relationships between active tectonic structures and large-scale gravitational phenomena. It would be more important in seismically active regions, since deep-seated gravitational slope deformations can evolve into a catastrophic collapse and can strongly increase the level of earthquake-induced hazards.

Near-field fault slip of the 2016 Vettore Mw 6.6 earthquake (Central Italy) measured using low-cost GNSS.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Maxwell W; McCaffrey, Ken J W; Jones, Richard R; Roberts, Gerald P; Holdsworth, Robert E; Gregory, Laura C; Walters, Richard J; Wedmore, Luke; Goodall, Huw; Iezzi, Francesco

2017-07-04

The temporal evolution of slip on surface ruptures during an earthquake is important for assessing fault displacement, defining seismic hazard and for predicting ground motion. However, measurements of near-field surface displacement at high temporal resolution are elusive. We present a novel record of near-field co-seismic displacement, measured with 1-second temporal resolution during the 30 th October 2016 M w 6.6 Vettore earthquake (Central Italy), using low-cost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers located in the footwall and hangingwall of the Mt. Vettore - Mt. Bove fault system, close to new surface ruptures. We observe a clear temporal and spatial link between our near-field record and InSAR, far-field GPS data, regional measurements from the Italian Strong Motion and National Seismic networks, and field measurements of surface ruptures. Comparison of these datasets illustrates that the observed surface ruptures are the propagation of slip from depth on a surface rupturing (i.e. capable) fault array, as a direct and immediate response to the 30 th October earthquake. Large near-field displacement ceased within 6-8 seconds of the origin time, implying that shaking induced gravitational processes were not the primary driving mechanism. We demonstrate that low-cost GNSS is an accurate monitoring tool when installed as custom-made, short-baseline networks.

Leprosy in a Lombard-Avar cemetery in central Italy (Campochiaro, Molise, 6th-8th century AD): ancient DNA evidence and demography.

PubMed

Rubini, Mauro; Zaio, Paola; Spigelman, Mark; Donoghue, Helen D

2017-09-01

The study of past infectious diseases increases knowledge of the presence, impact and spread of pathogens within ancient populations. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine bones for the presence of Mycobacterium leprae ancient DNA (aDNA) as, even when leprosy is present, bony changes are not always pathognomonic of the disease. This study also examined the demographic profile of this population and compared it with two other populations to investigate any changes in mortality trends between different infectious diseases and between the pre-antibiotic and antibiotic eras. The individuals were from a site in Central Italy (6th-8th CE) and were examined for the presence of Mycobacterium leprae aDNA. In addition, an abridged life mortality table was constructed. Two individuals had typical leprosy palaeopathology, and one was positive for Mycobacterium leprae aDNA. However, the demographic profile shows a mortality curve similar to that of the standard, in contrast to a population that had been subjected to bubonic plague. This study shows that, in the historical population with leprosy, the risk factors for health seem to be constant and distributed across all age classes, similar to what is found today in the antibiotic era. There were no peaks of mortality equivalent to those found in fatal diseases such as the plague, probably due to the long clinical course of leprosy.

[Spatial representativeness of monitoring stations for air quality in Florence (Tuscany Region, Central Italy) according to ARPAT e LaMMA. Critical observations].

PubMed

Grechi, Daniele

2016-01-01

On March 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region (Central Italy) and the Laboratory of monitoring and environmental modelling published a Report on spatial representativeness of monitoring stations for Tuscan air quality, where they supported the decommissioning of modelling stations located in the Florentine Plain. The stations of Signa, Scandicci, and Firenze-Bassi, located in a further South area, were considered representative Believing that air quality of the Plain could be evaluated by these stations is a stretch. In this text the author show the inconsistency of the conclusion of the Report through correlation graphs comparing daily means of PM10 detected in the disposed stations and in the active ones, showing relevant differences between the reported values and the days when the limits are exceeded. The discrepancy is due to the fact that uncertainty of theoretical estimates is greater than the differences recorded by the stations considered as a reference and the areas they may represent. The area of the Plain has a population of 150,000 individuals and it is subject to a heavy environmental pression, which will change for the urban works planned for the coming years. The population's legitimate request for the analytical monitoring of air pollution could be met through the organization of participated monitoring based on the use of low-cost innovative tools.

European emissions of HFC-365mfc, a chlorine-free substitute for the foam blowing agents HCFC-141b and CFC-11.

PubMed

Stemmler, Konrad; Folini, Doris; Ubl, Sandy; Vollmer, Martin K; Reimann, Stefan; O'Doherty, Simon; Greally, Brian R; Simmonds, Peter G; Manning, Alistair J

2007-02-15

HFC-365mfc (1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane) is an industrial chemical used for polyurethane foam blowing. From early 2003, HFC-365mfc has been commercially produced as a substitute for HCFC-141b, whose use in Europe has been banned since January 2004. We describe the first detection of HFC-365mfc in the atmosphere and report on a 2 year long record at the high Alpine station of Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) and the Atlantic coast station of Mace Head (Ireland). The measurements at Jungfraujoch are used to estimate the central European emissions of HFC-365mfc, HCFC-141b, and CFC-11. For HFC-365mfc, we estimate the central European emissions (Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) in 2003 and 2004 as 400-500 tonnes year(-1). These emissions are about one-third lower on a per capita basis than what we estimate from the Mace Head measurements for the total of Europe. The estimated emissions of HCFC-141b for central Europe are higher (i.e., 7.2-3.5 ktonnes year(-1)) with a decreasing trend in the period from 2000 to 2004. Residual emissions of CFC-11 are estimated at 2.4-4.7 ktonnes year(-1) in the same time period. The Po Valley (northern Italy) appears to be a main source region for HFC-365mfc and for the former blowing agents HCFC-141b and CFC-11. In 2004, the emissions of HFC-365mfc arose from a wider region of Europe, which we attribute to an increased penetration of HFC-365mfc into the European market.

Seismotectonics of Northeastern Sicily and Southern Calabria (Italy): New constraints on the tectonic structures featuring in a crucial sector for the Central Mediterranean geodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarfì, Luciano; Barberi, Graziella; Musumeci, Carla; Patanè, Domenico

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding on the tectonic structures featuring in a crucial sector of central Mediterranean area, including the Aeolian Islands, southern Calabria and northeastern Sicily, where the convergence between Eurasian and African plates has given rise to a complicated collisional/subduction complex. A high quality dataset of about 3000 earthquakes has been exploited for local earthquake tomography and focal mechanisms computation. Results depict undiscovered details of a network of faults which enables the contemporary existence of adjacent compressional and extensional domains. In particular, tomographic images, seismic events distribution and focal mechanisms pinpoint the geometry and activity of a lithospheric-scale tear faults system which, with a NW-SE trend through Sicily and the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas, represents the southern edge of the Ionian subduction trench zone. At crustal depth, this tearing is well highlighted by a rotation of the maximum horizontal stress, moving across the area from west toward east. In addition, the shallow normal fault regime, characterising the northeastern Sicily mainland, south of the NW-SE lineament, changes in the deeper part of the crust. Indeed, a NE-SW earthquake distribution, NW gently dipping, and inverse fault solutions indicate a still active contractional deformation in the eastern Sicily, caused by the Africa-Eurasia convergence and well framed with the current compressive regime along the southern Tyrrhenian zone and at the front of the Sicilian Chain-Foreland.

Reduced central line infection rates in children with leukemia following caregiver training

PubMed Central

Lo Vecchio, Andrea; Schaffzin, Joshua K.; Ruberto, Eliana; Caiazzo, Maria Angela; Saggiomo, Loredana; Mambretti, Daniela; Russo, Danila; Crispo, Sara; Continisio, Grazia Isabella; Dello Iacovo, Rossano; Poggi, Vincenzo; Guarino, Alfredo

2016-01-01

Abstract Infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children with acute leukemia. Central-line (CL) devices increase this population's risk of serious infections. Within the context of a quality improvement (QI) project, we tested the effect of caregiver education on CL management on the CL-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate among children with acute leukemia seen at a large referral center in Italy. The intervention consisted of 9 in-person sessions for education and practice using mannequins and children. One hundred and twenty caregivers agreed to participate in the initiative. One hundred and five (87.5%) completed the training, 5 (4.1%) withdrew after the first session, and 10 (8.3%) withdrew during practical sessions. After educational intervention, the overall CLABSI rate was reduced by 46% (from 6.86 to 3.70/1000 CL-days). CLABSI rate was lower in children whose caregivers completed the training (1.74/1000 CL-days, 95% CI 0.43–6.94) compared with those who did not receive any training (12.2/1000 CL-days, 95% CI 7.08–21.0, P < 0.05) or were in-training (3.96/1000 CL-days, 95% CI 1.98–7.91) at the time of infection. Caregiver training in CL management, applied within a multifaceted QI approach, reduced the rate of CLABSI in children with acute leukemia. Specific training and active involvement of caregivers in CL management may be effective to reduce CLABSI in high-risk children. PMID:27336888

Rainfall thresholds for possible landslide occurrence in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peruccacci, Silvia; Brunetti, Maria Teresa; Gariano, Stefano Luigi; Melillo, Massimo; Rossi, Mauro; Guzzetti, Fausto

2017-08-01

The large physiographic variability and the abundance of landslide and rainfall data make Italy an ideal site to investigate variations in the rainfall conditions that can result in rainfall-induced landslides. We used landslide information obtained from multiple sources and rainfall data captured by 2228 rain gauges to build a catalogue of 2309 rainfall events with - mostly shallow - landslides in Italy between January 1996 and February 2014. For each rainfall event with landslides, we reconstructed the rainfall history that presumably caused the slope failure, and we determined the corresponding rainfall duration D (in hours) and cumulated event rainfall E (in mm). Adopting a power law threshold model, we determined cumulated event rainfall-rainfall duration (ED) thresholds, at 5% exceedance probability, and their uncertainty. We defined a new national threshold for Italy, and 26 regional thresholds for environmental subdivisions based on topography, lithology, land-use, land cover, climate, and meteorology, and we used the thresholds to study the variations of the rainfall conditions that can result in landslides in different environments, in Italy. We found that the national and the environmental thresholds cover a small part of the possible DE domain. The finding supports the use of empirical rainfall thresholds for landslide forecasting in Italy, but poses an empirical limitation to the possibility of defining thresholds for small geographical areas. We observed differences between some of the thresholds. With increasing mean annual precipitation (MAP), the thresholds become higher and steeper, indicating that more rainfall is needed to trigger landslides where the MAP is high than where it is low. This suggests that the landscape adjusts to the regional meteorological conditions. We also observed that the thresholds are higher for stronger rocks, and that forested areas require more rainfall than agricultural areas to initiate landslides. Finally, we observed that a 20% exceedance probability national threshold was capable of predicting all the rainfall-induced landslides with casualties between 1996 and 2014, and we suggest that this threshold can be used to forecast fatal rainfall-induced landslides in Italy. We expect the method proposed in this work to define and compare the thresholds to have an impact on the definition of new rainfall thresholds for possible landslide occurrence in Italy, and elsewhere.

Echovirus-4 meningitis outbreak imported from India.

PubMed

Gobbi, Federico; Calleri, Guido; Spezia, Claudia; Lipani, Filippo; Balbiano, Rosanna; De Agostini, Maura; Milia, Maria Grazia; Caramello, Pietro

2010-01-01

We describe seven cases of meningitis in a group of young Italian travelers coming back from India. Virologic studies identified echovirus-4 as the cause of this cluster of cases, the first imported echovirus outbreak in Italy. Enteroviruses may play an important role in undiagnosed fevers in travelers.

Mortality among discharged psychiatric patients in Florence, Italy.

PubMed

Meloni, Debora; Miccinesi, Guido; Bencini, Andrea; Conte, Michele; Crocetti, Emanuele; Zappa, Marco; Ferrara, Maurizio

2006-10-01

Psychiatric disorders involve an increased risk of mortality. In Italy psychiatric services are community based, and hospitalization is mostly reserved for patients with acute illness. This study examined mortality risk in a cohort of psychiatric inpatients for 16 years after hospital discharge to assess the association of excess mortality from natural or unnatural causes with clinical and sociodemographic variables and time from first admission. At the end of 2002 mortality and cause of death were determined for all patients (N=845) who were admitted during 1987 to the eight psychiatric units active in Florence. The mortality risk of psychiatric patients was compared with that of the general population of the region of Tuscany by calculating standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Poisson multivariate analyses of the observed-to-expected ratio for natural and unnatural deaths were conducted. The SMR for the sample of psychiatric patients was threefold higher than that for the general population (SMR=3.0; 95 percent confidence interval [CI]=2.7-3.4). Individuals younger than 45 years were at higher risk (SMR=11.0; 95 percent CI 8.0-14.9). The SMR for deaths from natural causes was 2.6 (95 percent CI=2.3-2.9), and for deaths from unnatural causes it was 13.0 (95 percent CI=10.1-13.6). For deaths from unnatural causes, the mortality excess was primarily limited to the first years after the first admission. For deaths from natural causes, excess mortality was more stable during the follow-up period. Prevention of deaths from unnatural causes among psychiatric patients may require promotion of earlier follow-up after discharge. Improving prevention and treatment of somatic diseases of psychiatric patients is important to reduce excess mortality from natural causes.

Central vestibular syndrome in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with presumptive right caudal cerebral artery ischemic infarct and prevalent midbrain involvement.

PubMed

Ricciardi, Mario; Gernone, Floriana; Simone, Antonio De; Giannuzzi, Pasquale

2017-01-01

A wild young male red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) was found in the mountainous hinterland of Rome (Italy) with a heavily depressed mental status and unresponsive to the surrounding environment. Neurological examination revealed depression, left circling, right head tilt, ventromedial positional strabismus and decreased postural reactions on the left side. Neurological abnormalities were suggestive of central vestibular syndrome. Two consecutive MRIs performed with 30 days interval were compatible with lacunar ischemic infarct in the territory of right caudal cerebral artery and its collateral branches. The lesion epicentre was in the right periaqueductal portion of the rostral mesencephalic tegmentum. Neuroanatomical and neurophysiological correlation between lesion localization and clinical presentation are discussed.

Central vestibular syndrome in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with presumptive right caudal cerebral artery ischemic infarct and prevalent midbrain involvement

PubMed Central

Ricciardi, Mario; Gernone, Floriana; Simone, Antonio De; Giannuzzi, Pasquale

2017-01-01

A wild young male red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was found in the mountainous hinterland of Rome (Italy) with a heavily depressed mental status and unresponsive to the surrounding environment. Neurological examination revealed depression, left circling, right head tilt, ventromedial positional strabismus and decreased postural reactions on the left side. Neurological abnormalities were suggestive of central vestibular syndrome. Two consecutive MRIs performed with 30 days interval were compatible with lacunar ischemic infarct in the territory of right caudal cerebral artery and its collateral branches. The lesion epicentre was in the right periaqueductal portion of the rostral mesencephalic tegmentum. Neuroanatomical and neurophysiological correlation between lesion localization and clinical presentation are discussed. PMID:28717604

A retrospective study of viral central nervous system infections: relationship amongst aetiology, clinical course and outcome.

PubMed

Calleri, Guido; Libanore, Valentina; Corcione, Silvia; De Rosa, Francesco G; Caramello, Pietro

2017-04-01

To describe the clinical pattern of viral central nervous system (CNS) infections and compare meningitis and encephalitis. This is a retrospective study reporting the clinical characteristics and outcome of 138 cases of viral meningitis and meningoencephalitis in a real life experience at a referral centre in Turin, Northern Italy. Enteroviruses were predominant in younger patients who were mainly presenting with signs of meningitis, had shorter hospital admission and absence of complications, whereas herpesviruses had more often signs of encephalitis, were more frequent in elderly patients, had longer hospital admission and frequent complications and sequelae. Two main clinical entities with different epidemiology, clinical aspects and prognosis may be identified within the group of viral CNS inefctions.

Surface Temperature and Precipitation Affecting GPS Signals Before the 2009 L'Aquila Earthquake (Central Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crescentini, L.; Amoruso, A.; Chiaraluce, L.

2017-12-01

This work focuses on GPS time series recorded before the Mw 6.1 earthquake which struck Central Italy in April 2009. It shows how environmental noise effects may be subtle and relevant when investigating relatively small strain signals and how the availability of data from weather stations and water level sensors co-located with GPS stations may provide critical information which must be taken into consideration while dealing with deformation signals.The preparatory phase of a large earthquake may include both seismic (foreshocks) and aseismic (slow slip event, SSE) deforming episodes but, unlike afterslip, no slow event has yet been recorded before moderate earthquakes, even when they occurred close to high-sensitivity strain meters. An exception to this seems to be represented by the 2009 earthquake. The main shock was preceded by a foreshock sequence lasting 6 months; it has been claimed that an analysis of continuous GPS data shows that during the foreshock sequence a 5.9 Mw SSE occurred along a decollement located beneath the reactivated normal fault system. This hypothesized SSE, that started in the middle of February 2009 and lasted for almost two weeks, would have eventually loaded the largest foreshock and the main shock.We show that the strain signal that the SSE would have generated at two laser strainmeters operating at about 20 km NE from the SSE source was essentially undetected. On the contrary, a transient signal is present in temperature and precipitation time series recorded close to the GPS station, MTTO, that has largest signal referred to the SSE, implying that these contaminated the GPS record. This interpretation is corroborated by the strong similarity, during the coldest winter months, between the displacement data of MTTO and a linear combination of filtered temperature and precipitation data, mimicking simple heat conduction and snow accumulation/removal processes. Such a correlation between displacement and environmental data is missing during the other seasons, when it neither snows nor freezes. This lack of correlation seems to exclude simple thermal expansion of the bedrock or the pillar monument itself as a local source of deformation. We hypothesize that thermal effects might be caused by ground freezing and consequent water expansion (about 9%) when liquid water is converted into ice.

Epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus infection in blood donations in Europe and Italy

PubMed Central

Suligoi, Barbara; Raimondo, Mariangela; Regine, Vincenza; Salfa, Maria Cristina; Camoni, Laura

2010-01-01

Background The safety of blood with regards to transmission of infectious diseases is guaranteed by European laws that regulate both the selection of donors through pre-donation questionnaires and serological screening. However, variability in the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in different countries and some differences in the selection of donors can influence the efficacy (with regards to the safety of blood) of these processes. In this study we compared the prevalence of HIV in blood donations in the three macro-areas of Europe and in various western European countries, analysed the criteria of selection and rewarding of donors in western European countries, and studied the trend in the prevalence of HIV in Italy from to 1995 and 2006. Methods European data were derived from the European Centre for the Surveillance of HIV; Italian data were obtained from the Transfusion-Transmitted Infections Surveillance System and National and Regional Register of blood and plasma. The information on eligibility criteria and rewarding offered to donors was derived from international sources. Results The prevalence of HIV in blood donations was highest in eastern Europe, followed by central Europe and western Europe. Among the western European countries, Spain, Italy and Israel had the highest prevalences; the prevalence was noted to be higher in countries which did not offer any rewarding to the donor. In Italy the prevalence of HIV was 3.8 cases per 100,000 donations in 2006 and increased between 1995 and 2006, both among donations from repeat donors and first time donors. Conclusions The data highlight the need to continue improving the selection of donors and the coverage of the surveillance systems for HIV infection in transfusion services. PMID:20671878

Epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus infection in blood donations in Europe and Italy.

PubMed

Suligoi, Barbara; Raimondo, Mariangela; Regine, Vincenza; Salfa, Maria Cristina; Camoni, Laura

2010-07-01

The safety of blood with regards to transmission of infectious diseases is guaranteed by European laws that regulate both the selection of donors through pre-donation questionnaires and serological screening. However, variability in the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in different countries and some differences in the selection of donors can influence the efficacy (with regards to the safety of blood) of these processes. In this study we compared the prevalence of HIV in blood donations in the three macro-areas of Europe and in various western European countries, analysed the criteria of selection and rewarding of donors in western European countries, and studied the trend in the prevalence of HIV in Italy from to 1995 and 2006. European data were derived from the European Centre for the Surveillance of HIV; Italian data were obtained from the Transfusion-Transmitted Infections Surveillance System and National and Regional Register of blood and plasma. The information on eligibility criteria and rewarding offered to donors was derived from international sources. The prevalence of HIV in blood donations was highest in eastern Europe, followed by central Europe and western Europe. Among the western European countries, Spain, Italy and Israel had the highest prevalences; the prevalence was noted to be higher in countries which did not offer any rewarding to the donor. In Italy the prevalence of HIV was 3.8 cases per 100,000 donations in 2006 and increased between 1995 and 2006, both among donations from repeat donors and first time donors. The data highlight the need to continue improving the selection of donors and the coverage of the surveillance systems for HIV infection in transfusion services.

A new light on a first example of lustred majolica in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.; Bouquillon, A.; Aucouturier, M.; Barbe, F.

2010-09-01

A study has been realised to elucidate the first step of lustre production in Italy. With this aim in mind, an investigation was carried out on an emblematic lustred object: Baglioni’s albarello. It is conserved at Louvre museum and it is considered as one of the very first examples of lustred object produced in Italy. The characteristics of the lustred film have been determined, identifying interesting aspects that may be used to scientifically confirm the origin of this object. This study was completed by the investigation of other objects: a not lustred albarello, still decorated with the coat of arms of Baglioni’s family and a lustred plate with the coat of arms of the Montefeltro family. The two Baglioni’s albarelli are stylistically and historically considered as produced in one of the numerous workshops of Deruta. The origin of the Montefeltro’s plate, although from central Italy, is not precisely attested. In order to acquire more information, clarifying the origin and place of production of these objects, a comparison of their physico-chemical characteristics with results obtained and already published on different well-attested productions, such as Islamic, Hispano-Moresque and Italian, was carried out. For what concerns the museum objects, the use of non-destructive investigation techniques was mandatory. For this reason, ion beam techniques as PIXE and RBS have been used at AGLAE facility, as well as a new X-ray micro-diffraction equipment, at C2RMF. Moreover, the results were compared with data obtained on shards of certain production origin, by means of chemometric techniques. Some hypothesis concerning the place of production of the examined objects have been formulated.

Downscaling near-surface soil moisture from field to plot scale: A comparative analysis under different environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasta, Paolo; Penna, Daniele; Brocca, Luca; Zuecco, Giulia; Romano, Nunzio

2018-02-01

Indirect measurements of field-scale (hectometer grid-size) spatial-average near-surface soil moisture are becoming increasingly available by exploiting new-generation ground-based and satellite sensors. Nonetheless, modeling applications for water resources management require knowledge of plot-scale (1-5 m grid-size) soil moisture by using measurements through spatially-distributed sensor network systems. Since efforts to fulfill such requirements are not always possible due to time and budget constraints, alternative approaches are desirable. In this study, we explore the feasibility of determining spatial-average soil moisture and soil moisture patterns given the knowledge of long-term records of climate forcing data and topographic attributes. A downscaling approach is proposed that couples two different models: the Eco-Hydrological Bucket and Equilibrium Moisture from Topography. This approach helps identify the relative importance of two compound topographic indexes in explaining the spatial variation of soil moisture patterns, indicating valley- and hillslope-dependence controlled by lateral flow and radiative processes, respectively. The integrated model also detects temporal instability if the dominant type of topographic dependence changes with spatial-average soil moisture. Model application was carried out at three sites in different parts of Italy, each characterized by different environmental conditions. Prior calibration was performed by using sparse and sporadic soil moisture values measured by portable time domain reflectometry devices. Cross-site comparisons offer different interpretations in the explained spatial variation of soil moisture patterns, with time-invariant valley-dependence (site in northern Italy) and hillslope-dependence (site in southern Italy). The sources of soil moisture spatial variation at the site in central Italy are time-variant within the year and the seasonal change of topographic dependence can be conveniently correlated to a climate indicator such as the aridity index.

Synoptic conditions favouring the occurrence of dust transport from Africa toward Sardinia Island.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canu, Annalisa; Pellizzaro, Grazia; Pintus, Gabriella; Duce, Pierpaolo

2016-04-01

Dust events that reach Italy have usually origin in the Sahara and Sahel regions (north-western part of Africa), which represent the dust sources nearest to Italy. In those regions the dust-lifting activity occurs in a remarkable way. Every dust event is different from the others; in fact dust transport and dust concentration in the air can vary remarkably depending on the synoptic situation. In Sardinia, dust events are more frequent in the May-November period, but they can also take place in the December-April period. The main aim of this work was to describe dust outbreaks in Sardinia and to identify the main meteorological scenarios that originate the transport of dust towards the central and western Mediterranean Basin. The evaluation of the geographical dispersion of Saharan dust was performed by using MODIS satellite data and Meteosat imagery combined with SKIRON forecasting model. The origin and the trajectory of the dust carried by winds towards Italy were inferred by the NOAA HYSPLIT model (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model). In addition, PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 μm) and meteorological data registered by the ARPAS (Regional Environmental Protection Agency of Sardinia) monitoring stations were used to highlight the arrival of African air masses in Sardinia. The study was carried out during the 2014. A total of five events occurred during the year (two in spring and three in autumn) were analyzed. The origin of air masses loaded with dust from North Africa was confirmed by satellite imagery and 3-days air mass backward trajectories calculated by the NOAA HYSPLIT model. The analysis of the PM10 daily pattern registered at northern and southern Sardinia sites showed a rising of values during the dust event. The arrival of air masses from Africa caused the daily mean air temperature to rise whereas relative humidity values decreased. Finally, the results showed that all the event analyzed were characterized by a low-pressure system over the Iberian Peninsula that extended towards Morocco and by the associated high-pressure system over the North-East Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Libya) and Sicily. This synoptic structure (low pressure over North-Western Africa) forced the dusty air masses towards the Mediterranean basin, favouring the transport of African air masses towards the Sardinia island.

Monitoring caustic injuries from emergency department databases using automatic keyword recognition software.

PubMed

Vignally, P; Fondi, G; Taggi, F; Pitidis, A

2011-03-31

In Italy the European Union Injury Database reports the involvement of chemical products in 0.9% of home and leisure accidents. The Emergency Department registry on domestic accidents in Italy and the Poison Control Centres record that 90% of cases of exposure to toxic substances occur in the home. It is not rare for the effects of chemical agents to be observed in hospitals, with a high potential risk of damage - the rate of this cause of hospital admission is double the domestic injury average. The aim of this study was to monitor the effects of injuries caused by caustic agents in Italy using automatic free-text recognition in Emergency Department medical databases. We created a Stata software program to automatically identify caustic or corrosive injury cases using an agent-specific list of keywords. We focused attention on the procedure's sensitivity and specificity. Ten hospitals in six regions of Italy participated in the study. The program identified 112 cases of injury by caustic or corrosive agents. Checking the cases by quality controls (based on manual reading of ED reports), we assessed 99 cases as true positive, i.e. 88.4% of the patients were automatically recognized by the software as being affected by caustic substances (99% CI: 80.6%- 96.2%), that is to say 0.59% (99% CI: 0.45%-0.76%) of the whole sample of home injuries, a value almost three times as high as that expected (p < 0.0001) from European codified information. False positives were 11.6% of the recognized cases (99% CI: 5.1%- 21.5%). Our automatic procedure for caustic agent identification proved to have excellent product recognition capacity with an acceptable level of excess sensitivity. Contrary to our a priori hypothesis, the automatic recognition system provided a level of identification of agents possessing caustic effects that was significantly much greater than was predictable on the basis of the values from current codifications reported in the European Database.

Sensitization to Rubber Accelerators in Northeastern Italy: The Triveneto Patch Test Database.

PubMed

Buttazzo, Silvia; Prodi, Andrea; Fortina, Anna Belloni; Corradin, Maria Teresa; Larese Filon, Francesca

2016-01-01

Natural and synthetic rubbers containing rubber accelerators are well-known causes of occupational skin disease. Allergic contact dermatitis caused by rubber gloves is frequent and has almost exclusively been attributed to contact sensitization to accelerators. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of rubber accelerators sensitization in the population living in northeastern Italy, to find time trend and a correlation with occupations, and to investigate co-sensitization between rubber accelerators. A population of 23,774 subjects was patch tested in 6 cities in northeastern Italy in the years 1996 to 2012 using carba mix 3%, thiuram mix 1%, benzothiazole (MBT) mix 1%, and isopropyl phenyl paraphenylamine diamine (IPPD) mix 0.6%. The overall frequency of carbamates, MBT, thiurams, and IPPD mix sensitization was 3.4%, 0.65%, 1.75%, and 0.83%, respectively. On a logistic regression analysis (control group: white-collar workers), we found a statistically significant association to carbamates (odds ratio [OR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.7) and thiurams (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3) for health care workers. Thiuram sensitivity was also significantly associated with dermatitis in maids and restaurant workers (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4-3.6), hairdressers (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.8-7.1), shop assistants (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-6.8), construction workers (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.7-4.1), mechanics (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.4), and professional drivers (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.2-5.9). In conclusion, our results demonstrated that rubber accelerators have an important role in allergic contact dermatitis in the northeast of Italy and their sensitization is associated significantly with occupations that wear gloves or use chemical substances. Between rubber accelerators tested, carbamates sensitization is prevalent and increasing during considered years.

[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.

A Multischool Outbreak Due to Salmonella enterica serovar Napoli Associated with Elevated Rates of Hospitalizations and Bacteremia, Milan, Italy, 2014.

PubMed

Huedo, Pol; Gori, Maria; Amato, Ettore; Bianchi, Roberta; Valerio, Edgardo; Magnoli, Luigi; Pontello, Mirella

2016-08-01

A multischool outbreak of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Napoli was investigated in the province of Milan from October to November 2014, following an increase in school absenteeism coinciding with two positive cases. Epidemiological studies detected 47 cases in four primary schools: 46 children and 1 adult woman (51.4% males and 48.6% females, median age 8.9). From these, 14 cases (29.8%) were severe and resulted in hospitalization, including 6 children (12.8%) who developed an invasive salmonellosis. The epidemic curve revealed an abnormally long incubation period, peaking 1 week after the first confirmed case. Twenty-five available isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showing an identical pattern. The isolate belongs to ST474, an ST composed exclusively of Salmonella Napoli human strains isolated in France and Italy. Antibiotic resistance analysis showed resistance to aminoglycosides, correlating with the presence of the aminoglycoside resistance gene aadA25 in its genome. Trace-back investigations strongly suggested contaminated ham as the most likely food vehicle, which was delivered by a common food center on 21 October. Nevertheless, this ingredient could not be retrospectively investigated since it was no longer available at the repository. This represents the largest Salmonella Napoli outbreak ever reported in Italy and provides a unique scenario for studying the outcome of salmonellosis caused by this emerging and potentially invasive nontyphoidal serotype.

Usutu virus, Austria and Hungary, 2010-2016.

PubMed

Bakonyi, Tamás; Erdélyi, Károly; Brunthaler, René; Dán, Ádám; Weissenböck, Herbert; Nowotny, Norbert

2017-10-11

Usutu virus (USUV, Flaviviridae) was first reported in Europe in Austria in 2001, where it caused wild bird (mainly blackbird) mortality until 2005. Since 2006 no further USUV cases were diagnosed in the country. However, the virus emerged in other European countries (Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic) between 2005 and 2011. In 2016, widespread USUV-associated wild bird mortality was observed in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In this study, we report the results of passive monitoring for USUV in Austria and Hungary between 2010 and 2016. In Hungary, USUV caused sporadic cases of wild bird mortality between 2010 and 2015 (altogether 18 diagnosed cases), whereas in summer and autumn 2016 the number of cases considerably increased to 12 (ten blackbirds, one Eurasian jay and one starling). In Austria, USUV was identified in two blackbirds in 2016. Phylogenetic analyses of coding-complete genomes and partial regions of the NS5 protein gene revealed that USUVs from Hungary between 2010 and 2015 are closely related to the virus that emerged in Austria in 2001 and in Hungary in 2005, while one Hungarian sequence from 2015 and all sequences from Hungary and Austria from 2016 clustered together with USUV sequences reported from Italy between 2009 and 2010. The results of the study indicate continuous USUV circulation in the region and exchange of USUV strains between Italy, Austria and Hungary.Emerging Microbes &Infections (2017) 6, e85; doi:10.1038/emi.2017.72; published online 11 October 2017.

Assessment of local seismic response of the Stracciacappa maar (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moscatelli, Massimiliano; Simionato, Maurizio; Gaudiosi, Iolanda; Sottili, Gianluca; Pagliaroli, Alessandro; Sirianni, Pietro; Pileggi, Domenico; Avalle, Alessandra; Giallini, Silvia; Razzano, Roberto; Mancini, Marco; Vignaroli, Gianluca; Piscitelli, Sabatino; Bellanova, Jessica; Calamita, Giuseppe; Perrone, Angela; Lanzo, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

In this work, we face the definition of a subsoil model aimed at the local seismic response assessment of the Stracciacappa maar (Sabatini Volcanic District, central Italy) (e.g., De Rita and Zanetti, 1986; Marra et al., 2014). The pyroclastic succession of Stracciacappa records two main hydromagmatic eruptive phases ended about 0.09 Ma ago (e.g., Sottili et al., 2010). The preserved crater, with a diameter of about 1500 meters and a crater floor of about 30-40 m, hosted a lake until it was drained in AD 1834. In the framework of the cooperation between CNR IGAG and Italian Department of Civil Protection (DPC) of the Presidency of Council of Ministers (DPC funds 2014), a multidisciplinary approach including detailed stratigraphic and geophysical study has been carried out in the Stracciacappa maar and surrounding areas. New geological map and cross sections illustrate the complex geometric relationships between the thick pyroclastic surge succession, showing diffuse sandwave structures, and even meter-sized lava ballistic. A composite interdigitation between lacustrine and epiclastic debris sediments fills the crater floor. A continuous coring borehole was drilled inside the crater, 45 meters deep from the wellhead, with sampling of undisturbed samples. In addition, four MASW and one SCPTU test were carried out, in order to define the velocity profile of the s-waves within the lacustrine deposits. This Vs profile was then extended at higher depths by using the results of four 2D seismic passive arrays. Moreover, in order to define the resonance frequency of sedimentary covers via the HVSR technique, twenty-eight measurements were carried out with digital sensor Tromino® and seven measurements were performed with a Lennartz® Le-3D/5s sensor with Lennartz Marslite® digitizer. Finally, three electrical resistivity tomography tests, with a total length of about 3500 meters, were carried out with the purpose of constraining the subsoil model. Regarding the non linear properties of soils, the cyclic soil behavior was investigated in laboratory through the Double Specimen Direct Simple Shear device. Particular care was given to organic clays within the lacustrine deposits, which show a stronger linearity and lower damping ratio with respect to inorganic clays of similar plasticity. The collected geological-geophysical dataset suggests the coalescence of several eruptive centres localized at different depths and laterally distributed within the present-day Stracciacappa maar. Data are currently processed for subsequent 2D and 3D numerical simulations of site effects. REFERENCES De Rita D. and Zanetti G., 1986. I centri esplosivi di Baccano e di Stracciacappe (Sabatini orientali, Roma): analogie e differenze della modellistica esplosiva in funzione del grado di interazione acqua/magma. Memorie della Società Geologica Italiana, 35, 689-697. Marra F., Sottili G., Gaeta M., Giaccio B., Jicha B., Masotta M., Palladino D.M., Deocampo D.M., 2014. Major explosive activity in the Monti Sabatini Volcanic District (central Italy) over the 800-390 ka interval: geochronological-geochemical overview and tephrostratigraphic implications Sottili G., Palladino D.M., Marra F., Jicha B., Karner D.B., Renne P., 2010. Geochronology of the most recent activity in the Sabatini Volcanic District, Roman Province, central Italy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 196, 20-30.

Characterization of agricultural drought risk by a two-dimensional copula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergni, Lorenzo; Todisco, Francesca; Mannocchi, Francesco

2015-04-01

In this work, the joint probability distribution of two agricultural drought characteristics (Relative Severity, RS, and Onset, O) has been modeled by a two-dimensional copula. The application is illustrated with reference to a single-station case study (Perugia, Central Italy) and to the crop sunflower, widely grown in Central Italy, usually under rainfed conditions. The 86-year time series of daily precipitation and maximum and minimum temperature from the Perugia station (Central Italy) were used to simulate the soil water dynamics in the root-zone of sunflower. For each year, single seasonal values of RS and O have been quantified by applying the theory of runs to the soil water volume dynamics, with a threshold equal to the crop critical point. RS derives from the summation of the severities (i.e. total water stress) of the drought runs occurred during the growing season. The attribute 'relative' is here used because the severity value is corrected taking into account both the available water capacity of the soil and the growing season length. Thus, RS is a non-dimensional value ranging between 0 (no water stress) and 1 (maximum theoretical water stress for a given growing season length). The characteristic O describes the water stress temporal position (with respect to the growing season length) and it derives from a weighted average of the times of occurrence of the different drought runs (run severities being the weights). O is a non-dimensional value that expresses the temporal position of water stress as percentage of residual growing season, and it ranges between 0 (drought location at harvest) and 1 (drought location at seeding). The information provided by this characteristic can be considered particularly useful in agricultural drought risk management, because, as it is known, the drought impact on crop yield (being equal the severity) can vary substantially with the sensitivity of the growth stages affected by water stress conditions. The analysis showed that the best-fitting marginal distribution for both drought onset and relative severity is a truncated Gumbel distribution. The distribution parameters, estimated by a maximum log-likelihood algorithm are α=0.385 and β=0.091 for O and α=0.183 and β=0.076 for RS. The dependence structure of O and RS was investigated by several graphical and analytical techniques. Among these, the Genest-Rémillard goodness-of-fit test based on the Cramer-Von Mises statistic, has been applied. It was found that a Student copula, (with parameter 0.924 and 18 degrees of freedom) is able to adequately reproduce both the overall dependence structure and the upper tail dependence among variables. The Student copula has been finally used to obtain joint probabilities and bivariate return periods of drought onset and relative severity. To check the reliability of the drought risk assessment provided by the identified copula model, the bivariate return period of each pair (RSi, Oi) was compared with the univariate return period of the corresponding yield value, estimated for each year by means of a crop growth model, specifically calibrated and validated for sunflower in Central Italy. This comparison, taking into account the uncertainty and the complexity of the phenomenon, led to satisfactory results and enabled to identify the combinations of O and RS values that can be considered critical for sunflower in Perugia.

Definition of rainfall thresholds for shallow landslide early warning in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cancelliere, A.; Peres, D. J.

2011-12-01

Extreme rainfall is the main cause of shallow landslides. For risk mitigation, landslide early warning systems can be implemented, on the basis of rainfall monitoring and forecasting, and the use of a landslide triggering model. Several empirical, also referred to as statistical, rainfall-landslide triggering models have been proposed in the scientific literature, and used for early warning systems activated worldwide. Nonetheless, it is not clear how effective are landslide warning systems, and it is difficult to quantify the induced benefits for the implemented ones. Many rainfall thresholds have been determined through the statistical analysis of the rainfall events that have been the cause of past landslides only, thus neglecting the cases of true negatives and false positives, with negative effects on the robustness of the proposed threshold and, probably, on the effectiveness of the warning system. In the present work we address the issue of establishing warning thresholds, which, although in an approximate way, account for the related benefits. We propose the maximization of an objective function, that measures the trade-off between true and false warning issues. A ratio between the disadvantages of false positive and false negatives, not greater than one, is introduced in the function. The effect of this ratio on the determination of the thresholds is analysed. The proposed method is based on the availability of a continuous rainfall time series. In Italy, continuous rainfall time series are available from the 1920s, but practical difficulties arise for using them, as they are not published in the Hydrological Annual Reports, by the Servizio Idrografico e Mareografico Nazionale (National Hydrologic and Oceanographic Service), the manager of the most important rainfall monitoring network in Italy. However, it is possible to have a good approximation of the most intense rainfall events, in terms total rainfall, by using the data of annual maxima of precipitation for given durations, which are available in those Reports. The National Research Council's AVI database, the most complete systematic inventory of landslides events occurred in the past century in Italy, can be exploited to determine the thresholds. Hence the method has applicability for whole Italy, and uses large datasets of easy availability. As the method is based on the analysis of subdaily data, it is reliable for shallow landslides, for which low influence of antecedent precipitation on landslide triggering can be supposed. The method is illustrated through its application to case study areas in Sicily, for which there is high interest for activating early warning systems, after that the 1st October 2009 debris flow caused the loss of 37 lives and severe damage to nearby urban areas in the Peloritan Mountains.

First report of Grapevine rupestris vein feathering virus infecting grapevines in Korea

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grapevine rupestris vein feathering virus (GRVFV), a member of the genus Marafivirus in the family Tymoviridae, was first reported from a Greek grapevine causing chlorotic discolorations of leaf veins. The virus has been reported in United States, Canada, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic an...

Phytophthora tentaculata

Treesearch

Suzanne Rooney-Latham; Cheryl Blomquist; Ted Swiecki; Elizabeth Bernhardt

2015-01-01

Phytophthora tentaculata Kröber & Marwitz was described in 1993 in Germany on greenhouse-grown nursery ornamentals. It has since been found in Italy, Spain, China and the U.S. (California) causing a root and stem rot of many different plant species including nursery-grown native species used for habitat restoration. P. tentaculata...

Warning! fire in the ICU.

PubMed

Rispoli, Fabio; Iannuzzi, Michele; De Robertis, Edoardo; Piazza, Ornella; Servillo, Giuseppe; Tufano, Rosalba

2014-06-01

At 5:30 pm on December 17, 2010, shortly after a power failure, smoke filled the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Federico II University Hospital in Naples, Italy, triggering the hospital emergency alarm system. Immediately, staff began emergency procedures and alerted rescue teams. All patients were transferred without harm. The smoke caused pharyngeal and conjunctival irritation in some staff members. After a brief investigation, firefighters discovered the cause of the fire was a failure of the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

Disability and inclusive education in an Italian Region: analysis of the data for the school year 2012-2013.

PubMed

Lanzarini, Evamaria; Parmeggiani, Antonia

2017-02-17

In Italy, pupils with disabilities enroll in mainstream schools and attend the ordinary classes at all educational levels. For the past twelve years, the Region Emilia Romagna has witnessed an increase in the number of children who are in need of special support. The aim of the study was to identify the causes of disability in children attending public schools during the school year 2012-2013. The study was designed as a cross-sectional survey. Data were obtained from the Regional Education Department, and divided into categories based on clinical diagnoses. Statistical analyses were performed to analyze the distribution of the diagnostic categories among Provinces and school grades. The most recurrent combinations of illnesses were identified. Intellectual disability was the most common cause of impairment (38,5%), often associated with epilepsy and autism. Hyperkinetic disorder associated with specific disorders of scholastic skills was the most recurrent combination of diagnoses. Rare diseases were diagnosed in 4,1%, whereas 5,0% of cases were affected by Psychopathological disorders. Our study is the first in Italy for its focus on the causes of children's disabilities in an Italian region. Being familiar with the causes of disability affecting the children of a territory is important to allocate the available resources efficiently, and to ensure all children's effective social integration.

Communication strategies to address geohydrological risks: the POLARIS web initiative in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvati, Paola; Pernice, Umberto; Bianchi, Cinzia; Marchesini, Ivan; Fiorucci, Federica; Guzzetti, Fausto

2016-06-01

Floods and landslides are common phenomena that cause serious damage and pose a severe threat to the population of Italy. The social and economic impact of floods and landslides in Italy is severe, and strategies to target the mitigation of the effects of these phenomena are needed. In the last few years, the scientific community has started to use web technology to communicate information on geohydrological hazards and the associated risks. However, the communication is often targeted at technical experts. In the attempt to communicate relevant information on geohydrological hazards with potential human consequences to a broader audience, we designed the POpoLazione A RISchio (POLARIS) website. POLARIS publishes accurate information on geohydrological risk to the population of Italy, including periodic reports on landslide and flood risk, analyses of specific damaging events and blog posts on landslide and flood events. By monitoring the access to POLARIS in the 21-month period between January 2014 and October 2015, we found that access increased during particularly damaging geohydrological events and immediately after the website was advertised by press releases. POLARIS demonstrates that the scientific community can implement suitable communication strategies that address different societal audiences, exploiting the role of mass media and social media. The strategies can help multiple audiences understand how risks can be reduced through appropriate measures and behaviours, contributing to increasing the resilience of the population to geohydrological risk.

The Evolution of Los Zetas in Mexico and Central America: Sadism as an Instrument of Cartel Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

investment, tourism , natural resources, migration, energy, and se- curity. In recent years, narco-violence has afflicted our neighbor to the south...Italy, the Yakuza mob in Japan, and the Brothers’ Circle of Eastern Europe.20 The author was cautioned not to even utter the word “Zeta” aloud when...then returned to Cobán, grabbed the son of local official Allan Stowlinsky Vidaurre, and cut him into small pieces. The word was unambiguous: “We 15

Chiasma repatterning across a chromosomal hybrid zone between chromosomal races of Mus musculus domesticus.

PubMed

Castiglia, Riccardo; Capanna, Ernesto

2002-01-01

Chiasma number and distribution were analysed in male house mice from a karyotypic hybrid zone between the CD race (2n = 22) and the standard race (2n = 40) located in central Italy. Chiasma repatterning occurs across the transect. The overall trend produces a diminution of chiasmata in the mice with CD chromosomal background. The progressive reduction of chiasmata indicates that genes could pass from one race to another in an asymmetrical way: from metacentric races to the standard population.

Space Station Crew Member Discusses Live in Space with Italian Prime Minister

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-11-06

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 53 Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli of Italy and ESA (the European Space Agency) discussed the accomplishments of his mission during an in-flight conversation Nov. 6 with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. Nespoli is in the final month of a five-and-a-half-month mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. The crew is scheduled to return to Earth in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft Dec. 14, landing in south central Kazakhstan.

Analysis of Logistics Differences within the European Union with Recommendations for Turkey as a Candidate

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

has the largest food and beverages industry in Central Europe. Pharmaceutical production is concentrated in Hungary and Slovakia. Hungary is also...electricity,gas and other fuels Food and non-alcoholic beverages Clothing and footwear EU25 21.3 12.9 6.0 Belgium 23.1 13.7 5.4 Czech...highest amount of money on food and non-alcoholic beverages , while Greece and Italy are the leaders in the clothing and footwear expenditures. B

F-35 Sustainment: DOD Needs a Plan to Address Risks Related to Its Central Logistics System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

Navy are to declare the ability to operate and deploy the F-35 in 2016 and 2018 respectively, and full-rate production of the aircraft is to begin...capability”) in 2016 and 2018 respectively, and full-rate production decision of the program is planned for 2019.2 Recognizing that a fully...Government, GAO-04-546G (Washington, D.C.: March 2004). 11The international partners are the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey

Slope Stability Analysis In Seismic Areas Of The Northern Apennines (Italy)

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

Lo Presti, D.; Fontana, T.; Marchetti, D.

2008-07-08

Several research works have been published on the slope stability in the northern Tuscany (central Italy) and particularly in the seismic areas of Garfagnana and Lunigiana (Lucca and Massa-Carrara districts), aimed at analysing the slope stability under static and dynamic conditions and mapping the landslide hazard. In addition, in situ and laboratory investigations are available for the study area, thanks to the activities undertaken by the Tuscany Seismic Survey. Based on such a huge information the co-seismic stability of few ideal slope profiles have been analysed by means of Limit equilibrium method LEM - (pseudo-static) and Newmark sliding block analysismore » (pseudo-dynamic). The analysis--results gave indications about the most appropriate seismic coefficient to be used in pseudo-static analysis after establishing allowable permanent displacement. Such indications are commented in the light of the Italian and European prescriptions for seismic stability analysis with pseudo-static approach. The stability conditions, obtained from the previous analyses, could be used to define microzonation criteria for the study area.« less

Relevance of air conditioning for 222Radon concentration in shops of the Savona Province, Italy.

PubMed

Panatto, Donatella; Ferrari, Paola; Lai, Piero; Gallelli, Giovanni

2006-02-15

Radon (222Rn) concentration was evaluated in shops of the Savona Province, Italy, between summer 2002 and winter 2002-2003. The main characteristics of each shops were recorded through a questionnaire investigating the ventilation rate and factors related to 222Rn precursors in the soil and the construction materials. The main variables that were related to radon concentration were the following: age of the building, level of the shop above ground, season of the year, wind exposure, active windows, and type of heating system. Shops equipped with individual air heating/conditioning systems exhibited radon concentrations that were three times higher than those of shops heated by centralized furnaces. Our data indicate that the level of pollution in the shops was of medium level, with an expected low impact on the salespersons' health. Only in wintertime, the action level of 200 Bq m(-3) for the confined environment was reached in 10 shops equipped with individual air heating/conditioning systems.

Application of the 2-piece orthodontic C-implant for provisional restoration with laser welded customized coping: a case report.

PubMed

Paek, Janghyun; Ahn, Hyo-Won; Jeong, Do-Min; Shim, Jeong-Seok; Kim, Seong-Hun; Chung, Kyu-Rhim

2015-03-25

This article presents the application of laser welding technique to fabricate an orthodontic mini-implant provisional restoration in missing area after limited orthodontic treatment. A 15-year-old boy case is presented. Two-piece orthodontic C-implant was placed after regaining space for missing right mandibular central incisor. Due to angular deviation of implant, customized abutment was required. Ready-made head part was milled and lingual part of customized abutment was made with non-precious metal. Two parts then were laser welded (Master 1000, Elettrolaser Italy, Verona, Italy) and indirect lab composite (3 M ESPE Sinfony, St. Paul, MN, USA) was built up. The patient had successful result, confirmed by clinical and radiographic examinations. Before the patient is ready to get a permanent restoration later on, this provisional restoration will be used. This case shows that a two-piece orthodontic C-implant system can be used to maintain small edentulous space after orthodontic treatment.

Lessons learnt from a birthday party: a Bacillus cereus outbreak, Bari, Italy, January 2012.

PubMed

Martinelli, Domenico; Fortunato, Francesca; Tafuri, Silvio; Cozza, Vanessa; Chironna, Maria; Germinario, Cinzia; Pedalino, Biagio; Prato, Rosa

2013-01-01

Bacillus cereus, a ubiquitous bacterium, can be isolated in various starchy food items, causing both emetic and diarrhoeal disease. The real burden of B. cereus outbreaks is actually poorly known in Italy. We report a B. cereus foodborne outbreak that occurred in a pub in Bari (Italy) on January 22nd 2012 during a birthday party, promptly reported by the pub owner. Between January 22nd and 24th 2012, we performed a retrospective cohort study among the guests of the party to identify risk factors associated with illness. Leftovers of different meals were available for microbiological analysis. Faecal specimens were collected from cases. A total of 12 cases among the 13 customers (attack rate: 92%) were reported. All cases had consumed basmati rice and sweet and sour vegetables (aetiological fraction: 100%). B. cereus was isolated from both basmati rice served during the party and faecal specimens. The close collaboration between the pub owner and the public health officers and the possibility to test food leftovers and stool samples contributed to prevent further cases.

Earthquake Forecasting System in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcone, G.; Marzocchi, W.; Murru, M.; Taroni, M.; Faenza, L.

2017-12-01

In Italy, after the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, a procedure was developed for gathering and disseminating authoritative information about the time dependence of seismic hazard to help communities prepare for a potentially destructive earthquake. The most striking time dependency of the earthquake occurrence process is the time clustering, which is particularly pronounced in time windows of days and weeks. The Operational Earthquake Forecasting (OEF) system that is developed at the Seismic Hazard Center (Centro di Pericolosità Sismica, CPS) of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) is the authoritative source of seismic hazard information for Italian Civil Protection. The philosophy of the system rests on a few basic concepts: transparency, reproducibility, and testability. In particular, the transparent, reproducible, and testable earthquake forecasting system developed at CPS is based on ensemble modeling and on a rigorous testing phase. Such phase is carried out according to the guidance proposed by the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP, international infrastructure aimed at evaluating quantitatively earthquake prediction and forecast models through purely prospective and reproducible experiments). In the OEF system, the two most popular short-term models were used: the Epidemic-Type Aftershock Sequences (ETAS) and the Short-Term Earthquake Probabilities (STEP). Here, we report the results from OEF's 24hour earthquake forecasting during the main phases of the 2016-2017 sequence occurred in Central Apennines (Italy).

Do immigrants working illegally reduce the natives' legal employment? Evidence from Italy.

PubMed

Venturini, A

1999-01-01

This paper examines how immigrants working illegally in the shadow economy affect the legal employment of native and foreign workers in the official economy of Italy. The data set used was provided by the Central Statistical Office and includes information regarding the units of labor employed both in official production and in underground production; employment in the latter is subdivided into native workers and foreign workers. Estimates were then made as to how "legal employment" has reacted to changes in "illegal employment", with special reference to the effect of the foreign component of "illegal labor". The results of the cross sector-time series analysis of the demand for legal labor in the Italian economy from 1980 to 1995 showed that the increase of illegal units of labor produces a reduction in the use of legal labor, albeit a very limited one. An analysis by sectors shows that the competitive effects of illegal foreign workers is not homogeneous and is strongest in the agricultural sector while complementarity between the two categories of labor is evident in the nontradable services sector. When comparing the number of effects of illegal foreign and illegal native workers, illegal native workers are lower than the illegal foreign workers. Despite regularization in Italy and the lack of flexibility in the labor market, neither regular nor nonregular foreign workers have begun to openly displace native workers.

Serological survey on Leptospira infection in slaughtered swine in North-Central Italy.

PubMed

Bertelloni, F; Turchi, B; Vattiata, E; Viola, P; Pardini, S; Cerri, D; Fratini, F

2018-05-30

Swine can act as asymptomatic carriers of some Leptospira serovars. In this study, 1194 sera from 61 farms located in five different Regions of North-West Italy were collected from slaughtered healthy pigs. Presence of antibody against four Leptospira serovars was evaluated. Overall, 52.5% of analysed farms presented at least one positive animal and 34.4% presented at least one positive swine with titre ⩾1:400. A percentage of 16.6% sera was positive and 5.9% samples presented a positive titre ⩾1:400. Tuscany and Lombardy showed the highest percentage of positive farms (64.3% and 54.6%, respectively) and sera (28.5% and 13.3%, respectively), probably due to environmental conditions and potential risk factors, which promote maintenance and spreading of Leptospira in these areas. The main represented serogroups were Australis (21.3% positive farms, 8.2% positive sera) and Pomona (18.0% positive farms, 8.1% positive sera). In swine, these serogroups are the most detected worldwide; however, our results seem to highlight a reemerging of serogroup Pomona in pigs in investigated areas. A low percentage of sera (0.6%) scored positive to Canicola, leaving an open question on the role of pigs in the epidemiology of this serovar. Higher antibody titres were detected for serogroups Australis and Pomona. Swine leptospirosis is probably underestimated in Italy and could represent a potential risk for animal and human health.

The Italian genome reflects the history of Europe and the Mediterranean basin

PubMed Central

Fiorito, Giovanni; Di Gaetano, Cornelia; Guarrera, Simonetta; Rosa, Fabio; Feldman, Marcus W; Piazza, Alberto; Matullo, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Recent scientific literature has highlighted the relevance of population genetic studies both for disease association mapping in admixed populations and for understanding the history of human migrations. Deeper insight into the history of the Italian population is critical for understanding the peopling of Europe. Because of its crucial position at the centre of the Mediterranean basin, the Italian peninsula has experienced a complex history of colonization and migration whose genetic signatures are still present in contemporary Italians. In this study, we investigated genomic variation in the Italian population using 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms in a sample of more than 300 unrelated Italian subjects with well-defined geographical origins. We combined several analytical approaches to interpret genome-wide data on 1272 individuals from European, Middle Eastern, and North African populations. We detected three major ancestral components contributing different proportions across the Italian peninsula, and signatures of continuous gene flow within Italy, which have produced remarkable genetic variability among contemporary Italians. In addition, we have extracted novel details about the Italian population's ancestry, identifying the genetic signatures of major historical events in Europe and the Mediterranean basin from the Neolithic (e.g., peopling of Sardinia) to recent times (e.g., ‘barbarian invasion' of Northern and Central Italy). These results are valuable for further genetic, epidemiological and forensic studies in Italy and in Europe. PMID:26554880

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.

Factors other than risks in the workplace as determinants of socioeconomic differences in health in Italy.

PubMed

Mamo, Carlo; Marinacci, Chiara; Demaria, Moreno; Mirabelli, Dario; Costa, Giuseppe

2005-01-01

To evaluate differences in mortality by social class and to determine the impacts of socioeconomic factors on health inequalities in Italy, mortality data from 1981-2001 were analyzed as a function of social class in Turin, controlling for occupational risks, housing conditions, and education. For general and cause-specific mortality, the weight of each socioeconomic indicator was evaluated on population-attributable fraction to social class. Among men, mortality risk was significantly higher in unskilled blue-collar workers (RR = 1.45). Among women, the differences by social class were slighter. Education and economic status mostly explain the mortality differences by social class in men, while economic status showed the highest contribution in women.

Outbreak of type C botulism in birds and mammals in the Emilia Romagna region, northern Italy.

PubMed

Defilippo, Francesco; Luppi, Andrea; Maioli, Giulia; Marzi, Dario; Fontana, Maria Cristina; Paoli, Federica; Bonilauri, Paolo; Dottori, Michele; Merialdi, Giuseppe

2013-10-01

Over a 7-day period beginning 8 August 2011, a large number of wild birds of several species were found dead or with neurologic clinical signs along the shore of Crostolo stream, in the Emilia Romagna region, Italy. Twenty-eight Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), two Hooded Crows (Corvus corone cornix), and three coypus (Myocastor coypus) were found moribund on the Crostolo stream bank, collected, and sent to Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Reggio Emilia Section. The cause of mortality was determined to be Clostridium botulinum type C toxin. The toxin was identified by a mouse bioassay for botulinum toxins and confirmed in bird sera and blowfly larvae (Lucilia caesar) collected from the stomachs of birds.

Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 bacteraemia associated with pneumonia, Italy 2016.

PubMed

Marinello, Serena; Marini, Giulia; Parisi, Giancarlo; Gottardello, Lorena; Rossi, Lucia; Besutti, Valeria; Cattelan, Anna Maria

2017-04-01

This paper describes an elderly male patient, living in the Veneto Region, Italy, who developed Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia and pneumonia. Some days previously, while on holiday in the Lagoon of Venice, he had been collecting clams in seawater, during which he suffered small abrasions of the skin. On admission to hospital, he was confused, had fever and a cough, but neither diarrhoea nor signs of gastroenteritis were found. Both blood and stool cultures grew V. cholerae of non-O1 non-O-139 type, and the patient recovered after prompt administration of intravenous ceftriaxone for 2 weeks. This clinical case emphasises the role of global warming and climate changes in causing increasing numbers of water-borne infections.

From the Law of European Delegation to the Legislative Decree on experiments with animals: consequences for biomedical research.

PubMed

Petrini, C

2014-01-01

The provisions contained in the Legislative Decree no.26 signed by Italy's President on 4th March 2014 will have a considerable impact on the future of experiments with animals. The article briefly describes the stages of the decree's complicated passage through Parliament and the resulting text, which includes bans on: the use of animals for xenotransplants or research on drugs of abuse; the breeding of dogs, cats and non-human primates for experimental use; research without anaesthetic or analgesics that causes pain to the animal, except when anaesthetics or analgesics are being investigated. There is widespread feeling in the scientific community that these provisions will hinder the advancement of biomedical research in Italy.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks: strategies for effective epidemic management, containment and control.

PubMed

Matua, Gerald Amandu; Van der Wal, Dirk Mostert; Locsin, Rozzano C

2015-01-01

Ebola hemorrhagic fever, caused by the highly virulent RNA virus of the filoviridae family, has become one of the world's most feared pathogens. The virus induces acute fever and death, often associated with hemorrhagic symptoms in up to 90% of infected patients. The known sub-types of the virus are Zaire, Sudan, Taï Forest, Bundibugyo and Reston Ebola viruses. In the past, outbreaks were limited to the East and Central African tropical belt with the exception of Ebola Reston outbreaks that occurred in animal facilities in the Philippines, USA and Italy. The on-going outbreak in West Africa that is causing numerous deaths and severe socio-economic challenges has resulted in widespread anxiety globally. This panic may be attributed to the intense media interest, the rapid spread of the virus to other countries like United States and Spain, and moreover, to the absence of an approved treatment or vaccine. Informed by this widespread fear and anxiety, we analyzed the commonly used strategies to manage and control Ebola outbreaks and proposed new approaches that could improve epidemic management and control during future outbreaks. We based our recommendations on epidemic management practices employed during recent outbreaks in East, Central and West Africa, and synthesis of peer-reviewed publications as well as published "field" information from individuals and organizations recently involved in the management of Ebola epidemics. The current epidemic management approaches are largely "reactive", with containment efforts aimed at halting spread of existing outbreaks. We recommend that for better outcomes, in addition to "reactive" interventions, "pre-emptive" strategies also need to be instituted. We conclude that emphasizing both "reactive" and "pre-emptive" strategies is more likely to lead to better epidemic preparedness and response at individual, community, institutional, and government levels, resulting in timely containment of future Ebola outbreaks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Recent outbreak of aseptic meningitis in Italy due to Echovirus 30 and phylogenetic relationship with other European circulating strains.

PubMed

Milia, Maria Grazia; Cerutti, Francesco; Gregori, Gabriella; Burdino, Elisa; Allice, Tiziano; Ruggiero, Tina; Proia, Maria; De Rosa, Giulia; Enrico, Eugenia; Lipani, Filippo; Di Perri, Giovanni; Ghisetti, Valeria

2013-11-01

Enteroviruses (EVs) are common human viral pathogens, causing a variety of diseases, including aseptic meningitis. Recently, EV aseptic meningitis outbreaks have been reported across Europe, but, in Italy, knowledge of recent EV molecular epidemiology is very limited. We report an outbreak of EV aseptic meningitis in 10 adults in North-Western Italy, from October to November 2012. Patients were parents or close relatives of children <5 years old attending the same class of a nursery school, suffering from a mild febrile upper respiratory disease. Phylogenetic relationship with other European circulating strains was analyzed updating E30 circulation in Italy in recent years. EVs were detected from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens with a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation was achieved from rectal and pharyngeal swabs. For cluster definition and phylogenetic studies, viral VP1 region was directly amplified and sequenced from CSF. EVs were identified in CSF from all patients and from rectal and pharyngeal swabs in 7 of them. Direct sequencing of CSF revealed the presence of the same Echovirus 30 (E30) in all patients and phylogenetic analysis identified it as a diverging clade within E30 genotype VII, the most recent strain circulating in UK, Finland and Denmark since 2006. Molecular techniques allowed the rapid identification and typing of E30 from CSF. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the cluster might be due to a new E30 variant within the genotype VII currently circulating in Europe, thus updating the epidemiology of EV circulation in Italy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Myiasis by Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) in a python affected by pulmonitis.

PubMed

Vanin, S; Mazzariol, S; Menandro, M L; Lafisca, A; Turchetto, M

2013-01-01

Myiases are caused by the presence of maggots in vertebrate tissues and organs. Myiases have been studied widely in humans, farm animals, and pets, whereas reports of myiasis in reptiles are scarce. We describe a case of myiasis caused by the Megaselia scalaris (Loew) in an Indian python (Python molurus bivittatus, Kuhl) (Ophida: Boidae). The python, 15 yr old, born and reared in a terrarium in the mainland of Venice (Italy), was affected by diffuse, purulent pneumonia caused by Burkholderia cepacia. The severe infestation of maggots found in the lungs during an autopsy indicated at a myiasis.

San Marino.

PubMed

1985-02-01

San Marino, an independent republic located in north central Italy, in 1983 had a population of 22,206 growing at an annual rate of .9%. The literacy rate is 97% and the infant mortality rate is 9.6/1000. The terrain is mountainous and the climate is moderate. According to local tradition, San Marino was founded by a Christian stonecutter in the 4th century A.D. as a refuge against religious persecution. Its recorded history began in the 9th century, and it has survived assaults on its independence by the papacy, the Malatesta lords of Rimini, Cesare Borgia, Napoleon, and Mussolini. An 1862 treaty with the newly formed Kingdom of Italy has been periodically renewed and amended. The present government is an alliance between the socialists and communists. San Marino has had its own statutes and governmental institutions since the 11th century. Legislative authority at present is vested in a 60-member unicameral parliament. Executive authority is exercised by the 11-member Congress of State, the members of which head the various administrative departments of the goverment. The posts are divided among the parties which form the coalition government. Judicial authority is partly exercised by Italian magistrates in civil and criminal cases. San Marino's policies are tied to Italy's and political organizations and labor unions active in Italy are also active in San Marino. Since World War II, there has been intense rivalry between 2 political coalitions, the Popular Alliance composed of the Christian Democratic Party and the Independent Social Democratic Party, and the Liberty Committee, coalition of the Communist Party and the Socialist Party. San Marino's gross domestic product was $137 million and its per capita income was $6290 in 1980. The principal economic activities are farming and livestock raising, along with some light manufacturing. Foreign transactions are dominated by tourism. The government derives most of its revenue from the sale of postage stamps to collectors around the world and from payment of an annual budget subsidy by the Italian government. Despite its close ties with Italy, San Marino has maintained its distinctive status for centuries.

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.

The importance of economics in fire management analysis

Treesearch

Robert Mavsar; Armando González-Cabán; Verónica Farrera

2010-01-01

Wildfires are a societal problem that threatens many ecosystems, affects millions of people worldwide, and causes major ecosystem and economic impacts at local regional, national and global scales. In Europe, and especially in the Mediterranean countries (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain), wildfires continue to be a major environmental threat (Requardt et al....

Outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes 1/2a in sliced cold beef ham, Italy, May 2016

PubMed Central

Maurella, Cristiana; Gallina, Silvia; Ru, Giuseppe; Adriano, Daniela; Bellio, Alberto; Bianchi, Daniela Manila; Chiavacci, Laura; Crescio, Maria Ines; Croce, Margherita; D'Errico, Valeria; Dupont, Maria Franca; Marra, Alessandro; Natangelo, Ubaldo; Pomilio, Francesco; Romano, Angelo; Stanzione, Stefano; Zaccaria, Teresa; Zuccon, Fabio; Caramelli, Maria; Decastelli, Lucia

2018-01-01

In May 2016, two separate clusters of febrile gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes were detected by the local health authority in Piedmont, in northern Italy. We carried out epidemiological, microbiological and traceback investigations to identify the source. The people affected were students and staff members from two different schools in two different villages located in the Province of Turin; five of them were hospitalised. The epidemiological investigation identified a cooked beef ham served at the school canteens as the source of the food-borne outbreak. L. monocytogenes was isolated from the food, the stools of the hospitalised pupils and the environment of the factory producing the cooked beef ham. All isolates except one were serotype 1/2a, shared an indistinguishable PFGE pattern and were 100% identical by whole genome sequencing (WGS). By combining a classical epidemiological approach with both molecular subtyping and WGS techniques, we were able to identify and confirm a Listeria gastroenteritis outbreak associated with consumption of sliced cold beef ham. PMID:29536831

The joint effect of maternal malnutrition and cold weather on neonatal mortality in nineteenth-century Venice: an assessment of the hypothermia hypothesis.

PubMed

Derosas, Renzo

2009-11-01

Recent studies stress the key role played by neonatal mortality in the demographic regime of north-eastern Italy. In particular, during the period 1700-1830 this area experienced a dramatic upsurge in winter neonatal deaths, pushing overall neonatal and infant mortality rates to the highest in Italy and most of Europe. Scholars have argued that this trend was caused by a general pauperization leading to widespread maternal malnutrition, low birth weight, and an increased frequency of winter neonatal deaths caused by the higher sensitivity of low-birth-weight infants to the cold. The study presented here tested this hypothesis using a large mid-nineteenth-century longitudinal sample of the Venetian population. Two alternative measures of maternal malnutrition were applied: chronic undernourishment and temporary nutritional stress during late gestation. Only the second condition is significantly associated with higher neonatal mortality when outside temperatures were low. This is consistent with mechanisms of neonatal thermoregulation but casts doubt on the pauperization hypothesis suggested by other studies.

[Social cooperatives in Italy].

PubMed

Villotti, P; Zaniboni, S; Fraccaroli, F

2014-06-01

This paper describes the role of social cooperatives in Italy as a type of economic, non-profit organization and their role in contributing to the economic and social growth of the country. The purpose of this paper is to learn more about the experience of the Italian social cooperatives in promoting the work integration process of disadvantaged workers, especially those suffering from mental disorders, from a theoretical and an empirical point of view. Social enterprise is the most popular and consolidated legal and organizational model for social enterprises in Italy, introduced by Law 381/91. Developed during the early 1980s, and formally recognized by law in the early 1990s, social cooperatives aim at pursuing the general interest of the community to promote the human needs and social inclusion of citizens. They are orientated towards aims that go beyond the interest of the business owners, the primary beneficiary of their activities is the community, or groups of disadvantaged people. In Italy, Law 381/91 distinguishes between two categories of social cooperatives, those producing goods of social utility, such as culture, welfare and educational services (A-type), and those providing economic activities for the integration of disadvantaged people into employment (B-type). The main purpose of B-type social cooperatives is to integrate disadvantaged people into the open labour market. This goal is reached after a period of training and working experience inside the firm, during which the staff works to improve both the social and professional abilities of disadvantaged people. During the years, B-type social co-ops acquired a particular relevance in the care of people with mental disorders by offering them with job opportunities. Having a job is central in the recovery process of people suffering from mental diseases, meaning that B-type social co-ops in Italy play an important rehabilitative and integrative role for this vulnerable population of workers. The recent literature has highlighted that difficulties with employment are a feature of mental disorders, with high unemployment rates and short job tenure. Yet, success in employment for this population can be expected when they are provided with adequate support and opportunities. B-type social cooperatives in Italy are found to be very useful in order to help this disadvantaged category of workers find and keep a job. The work environment is more flexible and allows a better integration with less stigma and better work accommodations compared to the open labour market and/or other public/private organizations. Results from B-type Italian social cooperatives studies show that mentally ill workers value the importance of working, are highly satisfied with their job, are motivated to continue working, are engaged in their job and willing to work in the competitive labour market. Also, studies show that environmental characteristics of the social cooperative, such as the implementation of work accommodations and the possibility to work in an environment that is highly supportive, have an impact on increasing the likelihood of being highly satisfied with the job, which in turn is positively related to job tenure. In sum, this article shed light on the historical background that led to the development of social cooperatives in Italy. Furthermore, the features of B-type co-ops that play a central role in facilitating the work integration of people with mental disorders are described in this paper. In general, Italian B-type social cooperatives are found to provide a meaningful work experience to people with mental disorders, that help them increase not only vocational outcomes, but also psycho-social outcomes, and generally to help them better integrate into society. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Fertilizers mobilization in alluvial aquifer: laboratory experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastrocicco, M.; Colombani, N.; Palpacelli, S.

2009-02-01

In alluvial plains, intensive farming with conspicuous use of agrochemicals, can cause land pollution and groundwater contamination. In central Po River plain, paleo-channels are important links between arable lands and the underlaying aquifer, since the latter is often confined by clay sediments that act as a barrier against contaminants migration. Therefore, paleo-channels are recharge zones of particular interest that have to be protected from pollution as they are commonly used for water supply. This paper focuses on fertilizer mobilization next to a sand pit excavated in a paleo-channel near Ferrara (Italy). The problem is approached via batch test leaking and columns elution of alluvial sediments. Results from batch experiments showed fast increase in all major cations and anions, suggesting equilibrium control of dissolution reactions, limited availability of solid phases and geochemical homogeneity of samples. In column experiments, early elution and tailing of all ions breakthrough was recorded due to preferential flow paths. For sediments investigated in this study, dispersion, dilution and chemical reactions can reduce fertilizers at concentration below drinking standards in a reasonable time frame, provided fertilizer loading is halted or, at least, reduced. Thus, the definition of a corridor along paleo-channels is recommended to preserve groundwater quality.

Imaging the complexity of an active normal fault system: The 1997 Colfiorito (central Italy) case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chiaraluce, L.; Ellsworth, W.L.; Chiarabba, C.; Cocco, M.

2003-01-01

Six moderate magnitude earthquakes (5 < Mw < 6) ruptured normal fault segments of the southern sector of the North Apennine belt (central Italy) in the 1997 Colfiorito earthquake sequence. We study the progressive activation of adjacent and nearby parallel faults of this complex normal fault system using ???1650 earthquake locations obtained by applying a double-difference location method, using travel time picks and waveform cross-correlation measurements. The lateral extent of the fault segments range from 5 to 10 km and make up a broad, ???45 km long, NW trending fault system. The geometry of each segment is quite simple and consists of planar faults gently dipping toward SW with an average dip of 40??-45??. The fault planes are not listric but maintain a constant dip through the entire seismogenic volume, down to 8 km depth. We observe the activation of faults on the hanging wall and the absence of seismicity in the footwall of the structure. The observed fault segmentation appears to be due to the lateral heterogeneity of the upper crust: preexisting thrusts inherited from Neogene's compressional tectonic intersect the active normal faults and control their maximum length. The stress tensor obtained by inverting the six main shock focal mechanisms of the sequence is in agreement with the tectonic stress active in the inner chain of the Apennine, revealing a clear NE trending extension direction. Aftershock focal mechanisms show a consistent extensional kinematics, 70% of which are mechanically consistent with the main shock stress field.

Highly anomalous accumulation rates of C and N recorded by a relic, free-floating peatland in Central Italy

PubMed Central

Zaccone, Claudio; Lobianco, Daniela; Shotyk, William; Ciavatta, Claudio; Appleby, Peter G.; Brugiapaglia, Elisabetta; Casella, Laura; Miano, Teodoro M.; D’Orazio, Valeria

2017-01-01

Floating islands mysteriously moving around on lakes were described by several Latin authors almost two millennia ago. These fascinating ecosystems, known as free-floating mires, have been extensively investigated from ecological, hydrological and management points of view, but there have been no detailed studies of their rates of accumulation of organic matter (OM), organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN). We have collected a peat core 4 m long from the free-floating island of Posta Fibreno, a relic mire in Central Italy. This is the thickest accumulation of peat ever found in a free-floating mire, yet it has formed during the past seven centuries and represents the greatest accumulation rates, at both decadal and centennial timescale, of OM (0.63 vs. 0.37 kg/m2/yr), OC (0.28 vs. 0.18 kg/m2/yr) and TN (3.7 vs. 6.1 g/m2/yr) ever reported for coeval peatlands. The anomalously high accretion rates, obtained using 14C age dating, were confirmed using 210Pb and 137Cs: these show that the top 2 m of Sphagnum-peat has accumulated in only ~100 years. As an environmental archive, Posta Fibreno offers a temporal resolution which is 10x greater than any terrestrial peat bog, and promises to provide new insight into environmental changes occurring during the Anthropocene. PMID:28230066

Long-term risk in a recently active volcanic system: Evaluation of doses and indoor radiological risk in the quaternary Vulsini Volcanic District (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capaccioni, B.; Cinelli, G.; Mostacci, D.; Tositti, L.

2012-12-01

Volcanic rocks in the Vulsini Volcanic District (Central Italy) contain high concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K due to subduction-related metasomatic enrichment of incompatible elements in the mantle source coupled with magma differentiation within the upper crust. Due to their favorable mechanical properties they have been extensively used for construction since the Etruscan age. In the old buildings of the Bolsena village, one of the most populated ancient village in the area, the major source of indoor radioactivity is 222Rn, a radioactive noble gas descendant of 238U. Direct 222Rn indoor measurements have detected extremely high values in the old center due to the combined effect of building materials, radon fluxes from the volcanic basement and low air exchange rates. In these cases the evaluated risk of developing lung cancer within a 75 year lifetime reaches up to 40% for ever smokers. Simulations of "standard rooms" built with different tuffs and lavas collected from the Vulsini Volcanic District have also provided estimations of the effective doses and lifetime risk for radiogenic cancer. Other than by the method adopted for calculation, the total evaluated risk for each volcanic rock depends on different parameters, such as: radionuclide content, radon emanation power, occupancy factor and air exchange rate. Occupancy factor and air exchange rate appear as the only controlling parameters able to mitigate the indoor radiological risk.

[Work-to-family influence and social supports: job satisfaction in a north-Italy public health organization --differences between medical and administrative staff].

PubMed

Colombo, Lara; Zito, Margherita; Ghislieri, Chiara

2012-01-01

In recent years, the interest in the well-being at work has grown considerably, also considering the latest law directives. Several scholars have devoted particular attention to the topic of the work-to-family influence and of social supports, as elements able to affect the perceived well-being. The well-being in health care has to consider the particular nature of work and the relevant relational dimensions that require special attention for the emotional side. The research was promoted by the Committee for Equal Opportunities of a public health organization in the North-West Italy. Referring to the job demands-resources theoretical model, this study investigated the role of organizational and family supports, work-to-family spillover (positive and negative) and family workload as possible determinants of job satisfaction, intended as an indicator of psychological well-being at work. Respondents to the questionnaire are 541 (55% of the total employees), their average age is 43 and they are mostly women (80%). Data analysis showed the central role of supervisors supports, of the co-workers supports and, to a lesser extent, the role of the work-to-family spillover in influencing job satisfaction. Moreover, significant differences between medical and administrative staff were detected. The centrality of supports, especially those of supervisors in determining job satisfaction, is in line with studies indicating that a supportive leadership and a family-friendly culture can facilitate the arise of positive outcomes for both workers and organizations.

Temperature Characterization of Different Urban Microhabitats of Aedes albopictus (Diptera Culicidae) in Central-Northern Italy.

PubMed

Vallorani, Roberto; Angelini, Paola; Bellini, Romeo; Carrieri, Marco; Crisci, Alfonso; Mascali Zeo, Silvia; Messeri, Gianni; Venturelli, Claudio

2015-08-01

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is an invasive mosquito species that has spread to many countries in temperate regions bordering the Mediterranean basin, where it is becoming a major public health concern. A good knowledge of the thermal features of the most productive breeding sites for Ae. albopictus is crucial for a better estimation of the mosquitoes' life cycle and developmental rates. In this article, we address the problem of predicting air temperature in three microhabitats common in urban and suburban areas and the air and water temperature inside an ordinary catch basin, which is considered the most productive breeding site for Ae. albopictus in Italy. Temperature differences were statistically proven between the three microhabitats and between the catch basin external and internal temperature. The impacts on the developmental rates for each life stage of Ae. albopictus were tested through a parametric function of the temperature, and the aquatic stages resulted as being the most affected using the specific temperature inside a typical catch basin instead of a generic air temperature. The impact of snow cover on the catch basin internal temperature, and consequently on the mortality of diapausing eggs, was also evaluated. These data can be useful to improve epidemiological models for a better prediction of Ae. albopictus seasonal and population dynamics in central-northern Italian urban areas. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Safety Knowledge and Changing Behavior in Agricultural Workers: an Assessment Model Applied in Central Italy.

PubMed

Cecchini, Massimo; Bedini, Roberto; Mosetti, Davide; Marino, Sonia; Stasi, Serenella

2018-06-01

In recent years, the interest in health and safety in the workplace has increased. Agriculture is one of the human work activities with the highest risk indexes. Studies on risk perception of agricultural workers are often referred to as specific risk factors (especially pesticides), but the risk perception plays an important role in preventing every kind of accident and occupational disease. The aim of this research is to test a new method for understanding the relation between risk perception among farmers and the main risk factors to which they are exposed. A secondary aim is to investigate the influence of training in risk perception in agriculture. The data collection was realized using a questionnaire designed to investigate the risk perception; the questionnaire was given to a sample of 119 agricultural workers in central Italy. Through the use of the "principal components analysis" it was possible to highlight and verify the latent dimensions underlying the collected data in comparison with scales of attitudes. Results show that the highest percentage of strong negative attitude is among the people who have worked for more years, while farmers who have worked for fewer years have a marked positive attitude. The analysis of the questionnaires through the synthetic index method (Rizzi index) showed that agricultural workers involved, in particular the elderly workers, have a negative attitude towards safety; workers are hostile to safety measures if they have not attended special training courses.

Helminth infections in faecal samples of Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) in two protected national parks of central Italy

PubMed

Paoletti, Barbara; Iorio, Raffaella; Traversa, Donato; Di Francesco, Cristina E; Gentile, Leonardo; Angelucci, Simone; Amicucci, Cristina; Bartolini, Roberto; Marangi, Marianna; Di Cesare, Angela

This article reports the results of a copromicroscopic and molecular investigation carried out on faecal samples of wolves (n=37) and brown bears (n=80) collected in two protected national parks of central Italy (Abruzzo Region). Twenty-three (62.2%) samples from wolves were positive for parasite eggs. Eight (34.78%) samples scored positive for single infections, i.e. E. aerophilus (21.74%), Ancylostoma/Uncinaria (4.34%), Trichuris vulpis (4.34%), T. canis (4.34%). Polyspecific infections were found in 15 samples (65.21%), these being the most frequent association: E. aerophilus and Ancylostoma/Uncinaria. Thirty-seven (46.25%) out of the 80 faecal samples from bears were positive for parasite eggs. Fourteen (37.83%) samples were positive for B. transfuga, and six (16.21%) of them also contained Ancylostoma/Uncinaria, one (2.7%) E. aerophilus and one (2.7%) both E. aerophilus and Ancylostoma/Uncinaria. Of the other samples, 19 (51.35%) were positive for Ancylostoma/Uncinaria, two (5.4%) for E. aerophilus and two (5.4%) for both. Molecular analysis found the roundworm and capillariid eggs found in wolves and bear samples to be Toxocara canis, Baylisascaris transfuga and Eucoleus aerophilus (syn. Capillaria aerophila). Considering the high prevalence of zoonotic intestinal helminths detected in this study, it is important to improve the knowledge and awareness of the general public and park operators regarding the potential health risk associated with infections in wildlife.

Effects of fat reserves on annual apparent survival of blackbirds Turdus merula

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, M.W.; Aradis, A.; Landucci, G.

2003-01-01

1. Fat reserves are stored energy that may help birds survive periods of harsh winter weather. This hypothesis predicts that annual apparent survival is higher for birds with large fat reserves than for birds with few or no fat reserves in winter. 2. Blackbirds (Turdus merula Linnaeus) were ringed in central Italy from 16 November to 20 February during 1990-2001. Fat scores were recorded for each bird. We used these capture-mark-recapture data for 1703 blackbirds to estimate the effect of large fat reserves on annual apparent survival, while controlling for transients, using computer programs surviv and mark. Probability of birds retaining large fat reserves, or retaining few fat reserves, over 2 successive years was also estimated. 3. Birds with large fat reserves did not have higher estimated annual apparent survival than birds with few fat reserves, inconsistent with our prediction. No effects of age, sex or year were detected on annual apparent survival. Birds with few fat reserves in any given year tended to have few fat reserves the following year. Birds with large fat reserves in any given year were unlikely to have large fat reserves the next year. 4. Large fat reserves may not increase annual survival of blackbirds wintering in central Italy. Winter weather in our study area may be too mild to effect survival. Alternatively, increased predation risk associated with large fat reserves may counteract any benefits of reduced starvation risk.

Microchemical investigation on Renaissance coins minted at Gubbio (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingo, G. M.; de Caro, T.; Padeletti, G.; Chiozzini, G.

The bulk and surface chemical composition of Renaissance coins minted at Gubbio (Central Italy) from 1508 to 1516 and from 1521 to 1538 by Francesco Maria della Rovere is investigated by means of the combined use of different analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and optical microscopy (OM). The aim of the work is to determine the bulk chemical composition of these commonly used coins at Gubbio, to ascertain their surface nature and if they were coated by a thin film of silver or other white metals similar to silver. The results indicate that the coins were produced by coating a copper core with a thin film of silver and antimony, and also with lead whose thickness is of a few microns which is now scarcely present because the original silvered surface was almost entirely removed by degradation phenomena. Furthermore, the SEM+EDS results show that the surface content of silver and antimony cannot be attributed to long-term selective corrosion phenomena leaving the coin slightly silver or antimony enriched. Therefore, the presence of silver or apparently silver-like metals i.e. antimony and lead, could be considered as a deliberate surface finishing of the coins obtained via inverse segregation or intentional selective corrosion based on pickling solutions or a combination of them. From a historical point of view the presence of a Ag or Sb film on the surface of the coins discloses the occurrence of a period of economic difficulties.

Causal agents of Fusarium head blight of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) in central Italy and their in vitro biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

PubMed

Beccari, G; Colasante, V; Tini, F; Senatore, M T; Prodi, A; Sulyok, M; Covarelli, L

2018-04-01

Durum wheat samples harvested in central Italy (Umbria) were analyzed to: evaluate the occurrence of the fungal community in the grains, molecularly identify the Fusarium spp. which are part of the Fusarium head blight (FHB) complex and characterize the in vitro secondary metabolite profiles of a subset of Fusarium strains. The Fusarium genus was one of the main components of the durum wheat fungal community. The FHB complex was composed of eight species: Fusarium avenaceum (61%), F. graminearum (22%), F. poae (9%), F. culmorum (4%), F. proliferatum (2%), F. sporotrichioides (1%), F. sambucinum (0.5%) and F. langsethiae (0.5%). F. graminearum population was mainly composed of the 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype, while, F. culmorum population was composed of the 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotype. In vitro characterization of secondary metabolite biosynthesis was conducted for a wide spectrum of substances, showing the mycotoxigenic potential of the species complex. F. avenaceum strains were characterized by high enniantin and moniliformin production. F. graminearum strains were in prevalence deoxynivalenol producers. F. poae strains were characterized by a high biosynthesis of beauvericin like the F. sporotrichioides strain which was also found to be a high T-2/HT-2 toxins producer. Production of aurofusarin, butenolide, gibepyrone D, fusarin C, apicidin was also reported for the analyzed strains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in red deer from Central Italy.

PubMed

Rocchigiani, Guido; Nardoni, Simona; D'Ascenzi, Carlo; Nicoloso, Sandro; Picciolli, Federico; Papini, Roberto A; Mancianti, Francesca

2016-12-01

Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are cosmopolite protozoan parasites impacting on human and animal health. In particular, T. gondii commonly infects human beings and all warm-blooded animals, while N. caninum is responsible for bovine abortion and neuromuscular disease in dogs. The aim of the presented survey was to evaluate the occurrence and prevalence of these parasites in the most numerous Italian red deer population. The sera of 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus) inhabiting Central Italy (43°56'N 10°55'E) and killed by selective hunting were examined using an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for both N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies. White blood cells (buffy coat) were also checked by PCR and T. gondii DNA was genotyped. Thirteen out of 60 sera (22%) scored positive for Toxoplasma, 17 samples (28%) were Neospora positive. Coinfection was recorded in 5 cases (8%). T. gondii (genotype II) and N. caninum DNA was detected in one and 3 samples of buffy coat, respectively. The presented study is the first to examine the occurrence of these parasites in the most numerous red deer Italian population, confirming this animal species as carrier of the investigated pathogens. These animals spread near human settlements, co-inhabiting with final hosts of T. gondii and N. caninum and could contribute to their transmission to domestic ruminants and humans. In particular, the seroprevalence value for N. caninum was the highest among European records.

A Cross-Sectional Survey to Estimate the Cat Population and Ownership Profiles in a Semirural Area of Central Italy.

PubMed

Carvelli, Andrea; Iacoponi, Francesca; Scaramozzino, Paola

2016-01-01

Understanding animal population size and its demographic features is essential to address Public Health policies as well as to provide valuable information to pet industries and veterinary practitioners. Nevertheless, official data on feline population are not available worldwide. In the present study, the owned cat population size, its demographic attributes, and the ownership profiles have been investigated through a face-to-face questionnaire in a semirural area of Central Italy. The human : cat ratio was equal to 6.8 (95% CI: 5.7-7.5); 29.3% of households own at least one cat. The majority of cats were living in a rural area (67.8%) and outdoors, were neutered (70.5%), and were fed with commercial food (54.8%) and they visited a veterinarian 1-2 times a year (43.3%). The cat ownership was strongly associated with people living in a rural area and owning another pet. As the cat owned population was mainly kept outdoors in rural areas, the possible relation between the owned and the stray animals is worthy to be monitored in future researches. Our study revealed that the feline owned population was larger than expected and that social and economic human factors do not influence the cat ownership. Health Authorities and veterinary practitioners should promote responsible ownership to increase the veterinary care, to intensify the official identification, and to properly manage the outdoor lifestyle.

Nutritional status in the healthy longeval population from Sardinia (Italy).

PubMed

Buffa, R; Floris, G; Lodde, M; Cotza, M; Marini, E

2010-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate sex- and age-related variations of the nutritional status in the aged population of central Sardinia, a geographical area with a high frequency of long-lived people, particularly men. The sample consisted of 200 subjects over 70 years of age (men: N= 100, age= 81.0 +/- 7.0 years; women: N= 100, age= 81.5 +/- 7.3 years). Orroli (central Sardinia, Italy). Mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) were used to evaluate nutritional status and body composition. The indicators revealed a generally good nutritional status. The MNA results (men: 24.6 +/- 2.2; women: 23.4 +/- 2.5) showed that 64.1% of the subjects had a normal nutritional status and only a small proportion (1.2%) could be classified as malnourished. BIVA showed that most subjects (74.2%) were normal, while the prevalence of low body cell mass was 10.7% and that of dehydration 11.2%. According to the MNA, the nutritional status was significantly better in the men. Almost three-quarters of the men (73.1%) were well nourished vs. half of the women (50.6%). A worsening of the nutritional status with age was observed. The proportion of malnourished individuals, as assessed by MNA, increased from 0% to 9.1% from 70-79 to > 90 years. With respect to their contemporaries from other regions, the elderly of Orroli presented a better nutritional status, a similar worsening with age and generally higher sexual dimorphism.

Testing bird response to roads on a rural environment: A case study from Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morelli, Federico; Jerzak, Leszek; Pruscini, Fabio; Santolini, Riccardo; Benedetti, Yanina; Tryjanowski, Piotr

2015-11-01

The construction of roads is currently well spread in many parts of our world and impacts strongly on wildlife distribution. Some bird species avoid, while other prefer to be in the vicinity of these human structures. However, studies on roads effects on birds, in terms of strength or direction of these effects, are scarce. Therefore, in a study carried out in Central Italy we tested the responses of different bird species to roads at a local spatial scale, using generalized linear models (GLM). Analysis were conducted on a large dataset (more than 1400 sampled sites, mainly on rural environments). Both positive and negative effects of roads on birds were found for bird species of close or semi-close environments, while the negative effects of roads were negligible for bird species of open and semi-open environments. This fact suggest that roads can be a source of "functional heterogeneity" on semi-open environments, providing marginal habitats, hedgerows and residual vegetation typical of roadsides, offering breeding and feeding habitat for some bird species. The proposed methodology provide a useful explorative tool, in order to develop conservation policies to preserve the biodiversity, mainly in rural landscapes. The outputs of GLM can be used as inputs in ecological planning: direction and strength of the effects of roads on bird species are adequate to estimate the response of bird community, up front to the presence of new structures, or identifying which of them should be mitigated to reduce negative effects on the biodiversity.

A MIS 15-MIS 12 record of environmental changes and Lower Palaeolithic occupation from Valle Giumentina, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, Valentina; Pereira, Alison; Chaussé, Christine; Nomade, Sébastien; Giaccio, Biagio; Limondin-Lozouet, Nicole; Fusco, Fabio; Regattieri, Eleonora; Degeai, Jean-Philippe; Robert, Vincent; Kuzucuoglu, Catherine; Boschian, Giovanni; Agostini, Silvano; Aureli, Daniele; Pagli, Marina; Bahain, Jean Jacques; Nicoud, Elisa

2016-11-01

An integrated geological study, including sedimentology, stable isotope analysis (δ18O, δ13C), geochemistry, micromorphology, biomarker analysis, 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and tephrochronology, was undertaken on the Quaternary infill of the Valle Giumentina basin in Central Italy, which also includes an outstanding archaeological succession, composed of nine human occupation levels ascribed to the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic. 40Ar/39Ar dating, and other palaeoenvironmental and tephrochronological data, constrain the sedimentary history of the whole succession to the MIS 15-MIS 12 interval, between 618 ± 13 ka and 456 ± 2 ka. Palaeoenvironmental proxies suggest that over this time interval of about 150 ka, sedimentary and pedogenic processes were mainly influenced by climatic changes, in particular by the pulsing of local mountain glaciers of the Majella massif. Specifically, the Valle Giumentina succession records glacio-fluvial and lacustrine sedimentation during the colder glacial periods and pedogenesis and/or alluvial sedimentation during the warmer interglacial and/or interstadial periods. During this interval, tectonics played a negligible role as a driving factor of local morphogenesis and sedimentation, whereas the general regional uplift experienced in the Middle Pleistocene led to capture of the basin and its definitive extinction after MIS 12. These data substantially improve previous knowledge of the chronology and sedimentary evolution of the succession, providing for the first time, a well constrained chronological and palaeoenvironmental framework for the archaeological and human palaeoecological record of Valle Giumentina.

The healthcare system and the provision of oral healthcare in European Union member states. Part 8: Italy.

PubMed

Bindi, M; Paganelli, C; Eaton, K A; Widström, E

2017-05-26

In Italy healthcare is provided for all Italian citizens and residents and it is delivered mainly by public providers, with some private or private-public entities. Italy's public healthcare system - the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) - is organised by the Ministry of Health and administered on a devolved regional basis. It is financed by general taxation that provides universal coverage, largely free of charge at the point of service. The central government establishes the basic national health benefits package, which must be uniformly provided throughout the country, through services guaranteed under the NHS provision called LEA - (Livelli Essenziali di Assistenza [Essential Level of Assistance]) and allocates national funds to the regions. The regions, through their regional health departments, are responsible for organising, administering and delivering primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services as well as preventive and health promotion services. Regions are allowed a large degree of autonomy in how they perform this role and regarding decisions about the local structure of the system. Complementary and supplementary private health insurance is also available. However, as in most other Mediterranean European countries, in Italy oral healthcare is mainly provided under private arrangements. The public healthcare system provides only 5-8% of oral healthcare services and this percentage varies from region to region. Oral healthcare is included in the Legislation on Essential levels of care (LEAs) for specific populations such as children, vulnerable people (medically compromised and those on low income) and individuals who need oral healthcare in some urgent/emergency cases. For other people, oral healthcare is generally not covered. Apart from the national benefits package, regions may also carry out their own initiatives autonomously, but must finance these themselves. The number of dentists working in Italy has grown rapidly in the last few years. In December 2014, there were 59,324 practicing dentists with a ratio of one dentist every 1025 inhabitants, about 90,000 dental chair-side assistants, about 26,000 dental technicians and about 4000 dental hygienists. To enrol in an Italian dental school a student must pass a competitive national entrance examination after obtaining a high school leaving certificate. For entry in the 2015-2016 cycle, there were 792 places for dentistry. In comparison with dental schools in other EU member states, the number of dental students per school is low with an average of 20 students per year, per school and a range of 10 to 60. The aims of this paper are to give a brief description of the organisation of healthcare in Italy, to outline the system for the provision of oral healthcare in Italy and to explain and discuss the latest changes.

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.

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae Draft Genomes Comparison Reveal Strain-Specific Features Involved in Adaptation and Virulence to Actinidia Species

PubMed Central

Marcelletti, Simone; Ferrante, Patrizia; Petriccione, Milena; Firrao, Giuseppe; Scortichini, Marco

2011-01-01

A recent re-emerging bacterial canker disease incited by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is causing severe economic losses to Actinidia chinensis and A. deliciosa cultivations in southern Europe, New Zealand, Chile and South Korea. Little is known about the genetic features of this pathovar. We generated genome-wide Illumina sequence data from two Psa strains causing outbreaks of bacterial canker on the A. deliciosa cv. Hayward in Japan (J-Psa, type-strain of the pathovar) and in Italy (I-Psa) in 1984 and 1992, respectively as well as from a Psa strain (I2-Psa) isolated at the beginning of the recent epidemic on A. chinensis cv. Hort16A in Italy. All strains were isolated from typical leaf spot symptoms. The phylogenetic relationships revealed that Psa is more closely related to P. s. pv. theae than to P. avellanae within genomospecies 8. Comparative genomic analyses revealed both relevant intrapathovar variations and putative pathovar-specific genomic regions in Psa. The genomic sequences of J-Psa and I-Psa were very similar. Conversely, the I2-Psa genome encodes four additional effector protein genes, lacks a 50 kb plasmid and the phaseolotoxin gene cluster, argK-tox but has acquired a 160 kb plasmid and putative prophage sequences. Several lines of evidence from the analysis of the genome sequences support the hypothesis that this strain did not evolve from the Psa population that caused the epidemics in 1984–1992 in Japan and Italy but rather is the product of a recent independent evolution of the pathovar actinidiae for infecting Actinidia spp. All Psa strains share the genetic potential for copper resistance, antibiotic detoxification, high affinity iron acquisition and detoxification of nitric oxide of plant origin. Similar to other sequenced phytopathogenic pseudomonads associated with woody plant species, the Psa strains isolated from leaves also display a set of genes involved in the catabolism of plant-derived aromatic compounds. PMID:22132095

[On the increase in mortality in Italy in 2015: analysis of seasonal mortality in the 32 municipalities included in the Surveillance system of daily mortality].

PubMed

Michelozzi, Paola; De' Donato, Francesca; Scortichini, Matteo; De Sario, Manuela; Asta, Federica; Agabiti, Nera; Guerra, Ranieri; de Martino, Annamaria; Davoli, Marina

2016-01-01

the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) estimated an increase in mortality in Italy of 11.3% between January and August 2015 compared to the previous year. During summer 2015, an excess in mortality, attributed to heat waves, was observed. to estimate the excess mortality in 2015 using data from the rapid mortality surveillance system (SiSMG) operational in 32 Italian cities. time series models were used to estimate the excess in mortality among the elderly (65+ years) in 2015 by season (winter and summer). Excess mortality was defined as the difference between observed daily and expected (baseline) mortality for the five previous years (2009- 2013); seasonal mortality in 2015 was compared with mortality observed in 2012, 2013, and 2014. An analysis by cause of death (cardiovascular and respiratory), gender, and age group was carried out in Rome. data confirm an overall estimated excess in mortality of +11% in 2015. Seasonal analysis shows a greater excess in winter (+13%) compared to the summer period (+10%). The excess in winter deaths seems to be attributable to the peak in influenza rather than to low temperatures. Summer excess mortality was attributed to the heat waves of July and August 2015. The lower mortality registered in Italy during summer 2014 (-5.9%) may have contributed to the greater excess registered in 2015. In Rome, cause-specific analysis showed a higher excess among the very old (85+ years) mainly for cardiovascular and respiratory causes in winter. In summer, the excess was observed among both the elderly and in the adult population (35-64 years). results suggest the need for a more timely use of mortality data to evaluate the impact of different risk factors. Public health measures targeted to susceptible subgroups should be enhanced (e.g., Heat Prevention Plans, flu vaccination campaigns).

Japanese encephalitis.

PubMed

Morita, K; Nabeshima, T; Buerano, C C

2015-08-01

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an inflammation of the central nervous system in humans and animals, specifically horses and cattle. The disease, which can sometimes be fatal, is caused by the flavivirus Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), of which there are five genotypes (genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). The transmission cycle of the virus involves pigs and wild birds as virus amplifiers and mosquitoes as vectors for transferring the virus between amplifying hosts and to dead- end hosts, i.e. humans, horses and cattle. In horses and cattle the disease is usually asymptomatic, but when clinical signs do occur they include fever, decreased appetite, frothing at the mouth, rigidity of the legs and recumbency, and neurological signs, such as convulsive fits, circling, marked depression and disordered consciousness. In pigs, it can cause abortion and stillbirths. At present, the virus is detected in a wide area covering eastern and southern Asia, Indonesia, northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and Pakistan. JEV RNA has also been detected in Italy, first in dead birds in 1997 and 2000 and then in mosquitoes in 2010. Genotype shift, i.e. a change of genotype from genotype 3 to genotype 1, has occurred in some countries, namely Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Vietnam. Laboratory methods are available for confirming the causative agent of the disease. There are control measures to prevent or minimise infection and, among them, vaccination is one of the most important and one which should be adopted in endemic and epidemic areas.

The Sasso Pizzuto landslide dam and seismically induced rockfalls along the Nera River gorge (Central Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romeo, Saverio; Di Matteo, Lucio; Melelli, Laura; Cencetti, Corrado; Dragoni, Walter; Fredduzzi, Andrea; De Rosa, Pierluigi

2017-04-01

The seismically induced landslides are among the most destructive and dangerous effects of an earthquake. In the Italian contest, this is also documented by a national catalogue that collects data related to earthquake-induced ground failures in the last millennium (CEDIT database). In particular, Central Italy has been affected by several historical landslides triggered by significant earthquakes, the last of which occurred in August-October 2016, representing the Italian strongest event after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake (Mw 6.9). The study presents the effects of recent seismically induced rockfalls occurred within the Central Italy seismic sequence (October 30, 2016) along the Nera River gorge between Umbria and Marche. The study area is completely included in the Monti Sibillini National Park, where the highest mountain chain in the Umbrian-Marchean Apennine is located. Most of rockfalls have affected the "Maiolica" formation, a stratified and fractured pelagic limestone dating to the Early Cretaceous. The seismic sequence produced diffuse instabilities along the SP 209 road within the Nera River gorge: boulders, debris accumulations and diffuse rockfalls have been mapped. Most of boulders have size ranging from 0.3 to 2.0 m in diameter. Although several strong quakes (Mw > 5) occurred during the August-October sequence, only the main quake triggered the Sasso Pizzuto rockfall producing a landslide dam along the Nera River. The landslide appears to have originated as a wedge failure, which evolved to free fall when the rock block lost the contact with the stable rock mass. In other words, the quake produced the "explosion" of the rock wall allowing the rockfall process. Once the rock mass reached the toe of the slope, it was broken triggering a rock avalanche that obstructed both the Nera River and SP 209 road. With the aim to estimate the total volume of involved rock, a field survey was carried out by using a laser rangefinder. Remote measures were acquired taking into account the inclination, horizontal, vertical and slope distance. Through topographical calculations and GIS analysis, it has been possible to reconstruct the size and shape of debris accumulation estimating a volume of about 70000 m3 (±8000 m3 due to measurements accuracy). This agrees with qualitative measures independently performed. The maximum distance between the debris accumulation and rockfall source area is about 200 m; the altitude difference is 270 m. The landslide debris partially dammed the Nera River, generating a lake upstream: currently the stream is flowing on the road among debris.

Serum 25(OH)D seasonality in urologic patients from central Italy.

PubMed

Calgani, Alessia; Iarlori, Marco; Rizi, Vincenzo; Pace, Gianna; Bologna, Mauro; Vicentini, Carlo; Angelucci, Adriano

2016-09-01

Hypovitaminosis D is increasingly recognized as a cofactor in several diseases. In addition to bone homeostasis, vitamin D status influences immune system, muscle activity and cell differentiation in different tissues. Vitamin D is produced in the skin upon exposure to UVB rays, and sufficient levels of serum 25(OH)D are dependent mostly on adequate sun exposure, and then on specific physiologic variables, including skin type, age and Body Mass Index (BMI). In contrast with common belief, epidemiologic data are demonstrating that hypovitaminosis D must be a clinical concern not only in northern Countries. In our study, we investigated vitamin D status in a male population enrolled in a urology clinic of central Italy. In addition, we evaluated the correlation between vitamin D status and UVB irradiance measured in our region. The two principal pathologies in the 95 enrolled patients (mean age 66years) were benign prostate hypertrophy and prostate carcinoma. >50% of patients had serum 25(OH)D values in the deficient range (<20ng/mL), and only 16% of cases had serum vitamin D concentration higher than 30ng/mL (optimal range). The seasonal stratification of vitamin D concentrations revealed an evident trend with the minimum mean value recorded in April and a maximum mean value obtained in September. UVB irradiance measured by pyranometer in our region (Abruzzo, central Italy) revealed a large difference during the year, with winter months characterized by an UV irradiance about tenfold lower than summer months. Then we applied a mathematical model in order to evaluate the expected vitamin D production according to the standard erythemal dose measured in the different seasons. In winter months, the low available UVB radiation and the small exposed skin area resulted not sufficient to obtain the recommended serum doses of vitamin D. Although in summer months UVB irradiance was largely in excess to produce vitamin D in the skin, serum vitamin D resulted sufficient in September only in those patients who declared an outdoor time of at least 3h per day in the previous summer. In conclusion, hypovitaminosis D is largely represented in elderly persons in our region. Seasonal fluctuation in serum 25(OH)D was explained by a reduced availability of UVB in winter and by insufficient solar exposure in summer. The relatively high outdoor time that emerged to be correlated with sufficient serum 25(OH)D in autumn warrants further studies to individuate potential risk co-variables for hypovitaminosis D in elderly men. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seismic Supercycles of Normal Faults in Central Italy over Various Time Scales Revealed by 36Cl Cosmogenic Dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedetti, L. C.; Tesson, J.; Perouse, E.; Puliti, I.; Fleury, J.; Rizza, M.; Billant, J.; Pace, B.

2017-12-01

The use of 36Cl cosmogenic nuclide as a paleoseismological tool for normal faults in the Mediterranean has revolutionized our understanding of their seismic cycle (Gran Mitchell et al. 2001, Benedetti et al. 2002). Here we synthetized results obtained on 13 faults in Central Italy. Those records cover a period of 8 to 45 ka. The mean recurrence time of retrieved seismic events is 5.5 ±6 ka, with a mean slip per event of 2.5 ± 1.8 m and a mean slip-rate from 0.1 to 2.4 mm/yr. Most retrieved events correspond to single events according to scaling relationships. This is also supported by the 2 m-high co-seismic slip observed on the Mt Vettore fault after the October 30, 2016 M6.5 earthquake in Central Italy (EMERGEO working group). Our results suggest that all faults have experienced one or several periods of slip acceleration with bursts of seismic activity, associated with very high slip-rate of 1.7-9 mm/yr, corresponding to 2-20 times their long-term slip-rate. The duration of those bursts is variable from a fault to another (from < 2 kyr to 4-10 kyr). Those periods of acceleration are generally separated by longer periods of quiescence with no or very few events. Those alternating periods correspond to a long-term variation of the strain level with all faults oscillating between strain maximum and minimum, the length of strain loading and release being significantly different from one fault to another, those supercycles occurring over periods of 8 to 45 ka. We found relationships between the mean slip-rate, the mean slip per event and the mean recurrence time. This might suggest that the seismic activity of those faults could be controlled by their intrinsic properties (e.g. long-term slip-rate, fault-length, state of structural maturity). Our results also show events clustering with several faults rupturing in less than 500 yrs on adjacent or distant faults within the studied area. The Norcia-Amatrice seismic sequence, ≈ 50 km north of our study area, also evidenced this clustering behaviour, with over the last 20 yrs several successive events of Mw 5 to 6.5 (from north to south: Colfiorito 1997 Mw6.0, Norcia 2016 Mw6.5, L'Aquila 2009 Mw6.3), rupturing various fault systems, over a total length of ≈100 km. This sequence will allow to better understand earthquake kinematics and spatiotemporal slip distribution during those seismic bursts.

Seismotectonics of northeastern Sicily and southern Calabria (Italy): New constraints on the tectonic structures featuring in a crucial sector for the central Mediterranean geodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarfı, L.; Barberi, G.; Musumeci, C.; Patanè, D.

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding on the tectonic structures featuring in a crucial sector of central Mediterranean area, including the Aeolian Islands, southern Calabria, and northeastern Sicily, where the convergence between Eurasian and African Plates has given rise to a complicated collisional/subduction complex. A high-quality data set of about 3000 earthquakes has been exploited for local earthquake tomography and focal mechanisms computation together with available source mechanisms from published catalogues. The results depict new details of a network of faults which enables the concurrent existence of adjacent compressional and extensional domains. In particular, tomographic images, seismic events distribution, and focal mechanisms pinpoint the geometry and activity of a lithospheric-scale tear faults system which, with a NW-SE trend through Sicily and the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas, represents the southern edge of the Ionian subduction trench zone. At crustal depth, this tearing is well highlighted by a rotation of the maximum horizontal stress, moving across the area from west toward east. In addition, the shallow normal fault regime, characterizing the southern Calabria and northeastern Sicily mainland, south of the NW-SE lineament, changes in the deeper part of the crust. Indeed, a NE-SW earthquake distribution, gently dipping NW, and inverse fault solutions indicate a still active contractional deformation in eastern Sicily, caused by the Africa-Eurasia convergence and well framed with the current compressive regime along the southern Tyrrhenian zone and at the front of the Sicilian Chain-Foreland.

[Neural activity related to emotional and empathic deficits in subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder who survived the L'Aquila (Central Italy) 2009 earthquake].

PubMed

Mazza, Monica; Pino, Maria Chiara; Tempesta, Daniela; Catalucci, Alessia; Masciocchi, Carlo; Ferrara, Michele

2016-01-01

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a chronic anxiety disorder. The continued efforts to control the distressing memories by traumatized individuals, together with the reduction of responsiveness to the outside world, are called Emotional Numbing (EN). The EN is one of the central symptoms in PTSD and it plays an integral role not only in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic symptomatology, but also in the disability of emotional regulation. This disorder shows an abnormal response of cortical and limbic regions which are normally involved in understanding emotions since the very earliest stages of the development of processing ability. Patients with PTSD exhibit exaggerated brain responses to emotionally negative stimuli. Identifying the neural correlates of emotion regulation in these subjects is important for elucidating the neural circuitry involved in emotional and empathic dysfunction. We showed that PTSD patients, all survivors of the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake, have a higher sensitivity to negative emotion and lower empathy levels. These emotional and empathic deficits are accompanied by neural brain functional correlates. Indeed PTSD subjects exhibit functional abnormalities in brain regions that are involved in stress regulation and emotional responses. The reduced activation of the frontal areas and a stronger activation of the limbic areas when responding to emotional stimuli could lead the subjects to enact coping strategies aimed at protecting themselves from the re-experience of pain related to traumatic events. This would result in a dysfunctional hyperactivation of subcortical areas, which may cause emotional distress and, consequently, impaired social relationships often reported by PTSD patients.

Biomass burning contributions estimated by synergistic coupling of daily and hourly aerosol composition records.

PubMed

Nava, S; Lucarelli, F; Amato, F; Becagli, S; Calzolai, G; Chiari, M; Giannoni, M; Traversi, R; Udisti, R

2015-04-01

Biomass burning (BB) is a significant source of particulate matter (PM) in many parts of the world. Whereas numerous studies demonstrate the relevance of BB emissions in central and northern Europe, the quantification of this source has been assessed only in few cities in southern European countries. In this work, the application of Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF) allowed a clear identification and quantification of an unexpected very high biomass burning contribution in Tuscany (central Italy), in the most polluted site of the PATOS project. In this urban background site, BB accounted for 37% of the mass of PM10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter<10 μm) as annual average, and more than 50% during winter, being the main cause of all the PM10 limit exceedances. Due to the chemical complexity of BB emissions, an accurate assessment of this source contribution is not always easily achievable using just a single tracer. The present work takes advantage of the combination of a long-term daily data-set, characterized by an extended chemical speciation, with a short-term high time resolution (1-hour) and size-segregated data-set, obtained by PIXE analyses of streaker samples. The hourly time pattern of the BB source, characterised by a periodic behaviour with peaks starting at about 6 p.m. and lasting all the evening-night, and its strong seasonality, with higher values in the winter period, clearly confirmed the hypothesis of a domestic heating source (also excluding important contributions from wildfires and agricultural wastes burning). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

'Shrouded in a dark fog': comparison of the diagnosis of pellagra in Venice and general paralysis of the insane in the United Kingdom, 1840-1900.

PubMed

Priani, Egidio

2017-06-01

The debate on the causes and the nature of pellagra in Italy during the nineteenth century resembles and evokes the similar debate on General Paralysis of the Insane (GPI) that was growing at the same time in the United Kingdom. Pellagra and GPI had a massive and virulent impact on the populations of Italy and the UK, respectively, and contributed to a great extent to the increase and overcrowding of the asylum populations in these countries. This article compares the two illnesses by examining the features of their nosographic positioning, aetiology and pathogenesis. It also documents how doctors arrived at the diagnoses of the two diseases and how this affected their treatment.

Association of neovascular age-related macular degeneration with month and season of birth in Italy

PubMed Central

Longo, Antonio; Casuccio, Alessandra; Pani, Luca; Avitabile, Teresio; Cillino, Salvatore; Uva, Maurizio G.; Bonfiglio, Vincenza; Russo, Andrea; Parisi, Guglielmo; Cennamo, Gilda; Furino, Claudio; Parravano, Mariacristina; Xoxi, Entela; Reibaldi, Michele

2017-01-01

In order to investigate the influence of season and month of birth on the risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (n-AMD) in Italy, we evaluated the month birth and sex of all patients, recorded in the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monitoring registry of the Italian Medicines Agency, born between 1925–1944, who received intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for n-AMD between January 1, 2013 and July 29, 2015. The numbers of all births in Italy in the same years, extracted from the Italian National Institute of Statistics, were used to calculate the expected number of n-AMD cases. Overall, 45,845 patients (19,207 men, 26,638 women) received intravitreal anti-VEGF for n-AMD; in the same years, 20,140,426 people (10,334,262 male, 9,806,164 female) were born in Italy. Comparing the observed number of n-AMD cases with the expected number of n- AMD cases in each season, we found that the season-specific risk for n-AMD was 2.5% higher for those born in summer (OR=1.03, Bonferroni-corrected P=0.008) and 3% lower for those born in winter (OR=0.96, Bonferroni-corrected P=0.0004). When considering the month of birth, the risk of n-AMD was 5.9% lower for people born in January (OR=0.93, Bonferroni-corrected P=0.0012). The factors causing such differences should be determined. PMID:27997361

Runoff generation through ephemeral streams in south-east Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doglioni, A.; Simeone, V.; Giustolisi, O.

2012-04-01

Ephemeral streams are morphological elements, typical of karst areas, characterized by relatively large and flat bottom transects (Camarasa & Tilford, 2002). These occasionally drain runoff generated by extreme rainfall events, characterized by high return periods. The activation of these streams was investigated by several authors for the Mediterranean regions, and in particular for south Spain and north Africa (Camarasa & Segura, 2001; De Vera, 1984). However, there are few analyses for karst areas of south-east of Italy (Cotecchia, 2006; Polemio, 2010). South-east of Italy, in particular the central part of Apulia, is characterized by a karst morphology, with a moderately elevated plateau, namely Murgia, which is drained by a network of ephemeral streams. These are normally dry, relatively short-length and straights, and their main outlets are on the coast. They normally drain water after extraordinary rainfall events, which can generate very high discharges, which can potentially flood the areas close to the streams. For this reason, the definition of an activation threshold for ephemeral streams is a paramount problem, even if this constitutes a complex problem, since the dynamics of the catchment drained by these streams in highly non-linear and biased by multiple variables (e.g. urbanization, land use, etc.). The main problem affecting the analysis and prediction of flood events in karst semi-arid regions is the almost complete absence of discharge time-series, measured at the outlets of the ephemeral streams. This prevents from the identification of accurate statistics of flood events and on the determination of rainfall events, which may potentially generate floods. Indeed, floods and in general flash floods are relatively rare events for semi-arid karst regions, however they can be really severe and disruptive, causing serious damages to people and infrastructures. This work presents an analysis of the ephemeral stream activation in karst semi-arid areas, in a partially urbanized catchment located in Apulia (south east of Italy). The analysis is based on full 2D simulation of the behaviour of a network of ephemeral streams. A full 2D approach integrates the hydrological and hydraulic models, in order to account first for the dynamic of catchment response to rainfall and activation of the streams, and then for the hydraulic behaviour of the streams. This analysis entails the simulation of extreme events corresponding to low, medium and high return periods, in order to identify which event presumably activate the ephemeral streams. Camarasa, A.M. and Tilford, K.A. (2002). "Rainfall-runoff modelling of ephemeral streams in the Valencia region (eastern Spain)". Hydrological Processes, 16: 3329-3344. Camarasa Belmonte, A.M, and Segura Beltran, F. (2001). "Flood events in Mediterranean ephemeral stream (ramblas) in Valencia Region, Spain". Catena, 45: 229-249. Cotecchia, V. (2006). "Il disordine idraulico evidenziato in Bari dall'evento pluviometrico dell'Ottobre 2005 e il caso dell' ex cava di Maso". Continuità - Rassegna Tecnica Pugliese, 1-2.2006: 25-76. De Vera M. (1984). "Rainfall-Runoff relationship of some catchments with karstic geomorphology under arid to semi-arid conditions". Journal of Hydrology, 68(1-4): 85-93. 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.

Geological and geophysical activities at Spallanzani Science Department (Liceo Scientifico Statale "Lazzaro Spallanzani" - Tivoli, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favale, T.; De Angelis, F.; De Filippis, L.

2012-04-01

The high school Liceo Scientifico "Lazzaro Spallanzani" at Tivoli (Rome) has been fully involved in the study of geological and geophysical features of the town of Tivoli and the surrounding area in the last twelve years. Objective of this activity is to promote the knowledge of the local territory from the geological point of view. Main activities: • School year 2001-2002: Setting up inside the school building of a Geological Museum focusing on "Geological Evolution of Latium, Central Italy" (in collaboration with colleagues M. Mancini, and A. Pierangeli). • March, 15, 2001: Conference of Environmental Geology. Lecturer: Prof. Raniero Massoli Novelli, L'Aquila University and Società Italiana di Geologia Ambientale. • School years 2001-2002 and 2002-2003: Earth Sciences course for students "Brittle deformation and tectonic stress in Tivoli area". • November, 2003: Conference of Geology, GIS and Remote Sensing. Lecturers: Prof. Maurizio Parotto and Dr Alessandro Cecili (Roma Tre University, Rome), and Dr Stefano Pignotti (Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sulla Montagna, Rome). • November, 2003, 2004 and 2005: GIS DAY, organized in collaboration with ESRI Italia. • School year 2006-2007: Earth Sciences course for students "Acque Albule basin and the Travertine of Tivoli, Latium, Central Italy" (focus on travertine formation). • School year 2010-2011: Earth Sciences course for students "Acque Albule basin and the Travertine of Tivoli. Geology, Hydrogeology and Microbiology of the basin, Latium, Central Italy" (focus on thermal springs and spa). In the period 2009-2010 a seismic station with three channels, currently working, was designed and built in our school by the science teachers Felice De Angelis and Tomaso Favale. Our seismic station (code name LTTV) is part of Italian Experimental Seismic Network (IESN) with identification code IZ (international database IRIS-ISC). The three drums are online in real time on websites http://www.spallanzanitivoli.it/stazionesismica/ and http://www.iesn.it. Furthermore, until the end of January 2012 a semi-professional seismograph will work with educational aims. These activities allowed the school to receive the first prize in the 2002 contest held by the italian scientific magazine Quark "Giornalisti Scientifici si diventa" (How to become a scientific journalist), with an article co-authored with three students titled "Una TAC per il Vesuvio" (CT scan for Vesuvius). The article was published in the n. 15 issue of Quark magazine, May 2002. The school also runs a Science and Chemistry Laboratory, equipped with: (a) 1 mobile seismograph with six geophones for seismic invesitgation (rifraction, reflection, REMI, MASW, and HVSR), (b) 1 polarized microscope for mineralogy and petrography, (c) various geochemical instruments for water analysis (pH, Eh, T, etc.), (d) 1 Geiger counter to detect β- particles and γ rays, and (e) 2 calcimeters to calculate the percentage of calcium carbonate in calcareous rocks. Two meteorological stations managed by Physics Laboratory, both online with data processing in real time, are hosted inside school building. Finally, we are planning a new scientific project for the next school year, involving students and science teachers, probably named "Gas hazard in volcanic and geothermal areas of the eastern Rome province".

Genome-Wide Analysis Provides Evidence on the Genetic Relatedness of the Emergent Xylella fastidiosa Genotype in Italy to Isolates from Central America.

PubMed

Giampetruzzi, Annalisa; Saponari, Maria; Loconsole, Giuliana; Boscia, Donato; Savino, Vito Nicola; Almeida, Rodrigo P P; Zicca, Stefania; Landa, Blanca B; Chacón-Diaz, Carlos; Saldarelli, Pasquale

2017-07-01

Xylella fastidiosa is a plant-pathogenic bacterium recently introduced in Europe that is causing decline in olive trees in the South of Italy. Genetic studies have consistently shown that the bacterial genotype recovered from infected olive trees belongs to the sequence type ST53 within subspecies pauca. This genotype, ST53, has also been reported to occur in Costa Rica. The ancestry of ST53 was recently clarified, showing it contains alleles that are monophyletic with those of subsp. pauca in South America. To more robustly determine the phylogenetic placement of ST53 within X. fastidiosa, we performed a comparative analysis based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the study of the pan-genome of the 27 currently public available whole genome sequences of X. fastidiosa. The resulting maximum-parsimony and maximum likelihood trees constructed using the SNPs and the pan-genome analysis are consistent with previously described X. fastidiosa taxonomy, distinguishing the subsp. fastidiosa, multiplex, pauca, sandyi, and morus. Within the subsp. pauca, the Italian and three Costa Rican isolates, all belonging to ST53, formed a compact phylotype in a clade divergent from the South American pauca isolates, also distinct from the recently described coffee isolate CFBP8072 imported into Europe from Ecuador. These findings were also supported by the gene characterization of a conjugative plasmid shared by all the four ST53 isolates. Furthermore, isolates of the ST53 clade possess an exclusive locus encoding a putative ATP-binding protein belonging to the family of histidine kinase-like ATPase gene, which is not present in isolates from the subspecies multiplex, sandyi, and pauca, but was detected in ST21 isolates of the subspecies fastidiosa from Costa Rica. The clustering and distinctiveness of the ST53 isolates supports the hypothesis of their common origin, and the limited genetic diversity among these isolates suggests this is an emerging clade within subsp. pauca.

The size distribution of chemical elements of atmospheric aerosol at a semi-rural coastal site in Venice (Italy). The role of atmospheric circulation.

PubMed

Masiol, Mauro; Squizzato, Stefania; Ceccato, Daniele; Pavoni, Bruno

2015-01-01

The concentrations of selected elemental tracers were determined in the aerosol of a semi-rural coastal site near Venice (Italy). Size-segregated aerosol samples were collected using an 8-stage cascade impactor set at 15m above ground, during the cold season (late autumn and winter), when high levels of many pollutants are known to cause risks for human health. From the experimental data, information was extracted on potential pollutant sources by investigating the relationships between elements in the different size fractions. Moreover, an approach to highlight the importance of local atmospheric circulation and air mass origin in influencing the PM composition and fractional distribution is proposed. Anthropogenic elements are strongly inter-correlated in the submicrometric (<1 μm) (S, K, Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn) and intermediate mode (1-4 μm) (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni) and their relationships highlight the presence of several sources (combustions, secondary aerosol, road traffic). In the intermediate mode, associations having geochemical significance exist between marine (Na, Cl and Mg) and crustal (Si, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti and K) elements. In the coarse mode (>4 μm) Fe and Zn are well correlated and are probably linked to tire and brake wear emissions. Regarding atmospheric circulation, results show increasing levels of elements related to pollution sources (S, K, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn) when air masses come from Central and Eastern Europe direction and on the ground wind blows from NWN-N-NE (from mainland Venice). Low wind speed and high percentage of wind calm hours favor element accumulation in the submicrometric and intermediate modes. Furthermore, strong winds favor the formation of sea-spray and the increase of Si in the coarse mode due to the resuspension of sand fine particles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arsenic in Drinking Water and Mortality for Cancer and Chronic Diseases in Central Italy, 1990-2010

PubMed Central

D’Ippoliti, Daniela; Santelli, Enrica; De Sario, Manuela; Scortichini, Matteo; Davoli, Marina; Michelozzi, Paola

2015-01-01

Background In several volcanic areas of Italy, arsenic levels exceed European regulatory limits (10 μg/L in drinking water). There is still uncertainty about health risks from arsenic at low-medium doses (<100 μg/L). Objectives A large population-based study using an administrative cohort of residents in the Viterbo province (Central Italy), chronically exposed to low-medium arsenic levels via drinking water, was investigated to evaluate the effects of a lifetime exposure to arsenic on mortality from cancers and chronic diseases. Methods The study population consisted of 165,609 residents of 17 municipalities, followed from 1990 until 2010. Average individual arsenic exposure at the first residence (AsI) was estimated through a space-time modeling approach using residential history and arsenic concentrations from water supply. A time-dependent Cumulative Arsenic dose Indicator (CAI) was calculated, accounting for daily water intake and exposure duration. Mortality Hazard Ratios (HR) were estimated by gender for different diseases using Cox proportional models, adjusting for individual and area-level confounders. A flexible non-parametric approach was used to investigate dose-response relationships. Results Mean AsI exposure was 19.3 μg/L, and average exposure duration was 39.5 years. Associations of AsI and CAI indicators with several diseases were found, with greatest risks found for lung cancer in both sexes (HR = 2.61 males; HR = 2.09 females), myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease and COPD in males (HR = 2.94; HR = 2.44; HR = 2.54 respectively) and diabetes in females (HR = 2.56). For lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases dose-response relationship is modelled by piecewise linear functions revealing effects even for doses lower than 10 μg/L, and no threshold dose value was identified as safe for health. Conclusions Results provide new evidence for risk assessment of low-medium concentrations of arsenic and contribute to the ongoing debate about the threshold-dose of effect, suggesting that even concentrations below 10 μg/L carry a mortality risk. Policy actions are urgently needed in areas exposed to arsenic like in the Viterbo province, to comply with current EU regulations. PMID:26383851