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This paper contributes to the literature on the determinants of the expansion of mass schooling and the long-term legacy of educational institutions. Based on a new provincial-level dataset for Italy in the period 1861–1911, we argue that different models of schooling provision adopted by the different pre-unification polities influenced primary-education organizations across macro-regions up to WWI. As a result, school access and the capability to generate literacy given current rates of enrollment differed substantially, with the Northern regions aiming to increase schooling for all, while the Center and the South implemented a more elitist model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of digital copies of historical artifacts modeling the territory through the so-called "plan-reliefs" is important for many reasons: the preservation of the artifact if the physical object is damaged or destroyed, the possibility of creating virtual showrooms and providing researchers a tool to study the object combining information from different sources. For these reasons, a set of plan-reliefs created during World War I on the Italian front and kept by the Italian Historical War Museum of Rovereto (Italy) was surveyed to create digital models of the surfaces, which were georeferenced in the ETRS89 datum. A set of historical military maps of the same period was georeferenced to overlay the sets to the surface in the digital representation and to try to infer clues about the cartographic sources used in the historical artifact creation. The best transformation for georeferencing the maps is different depending on the map scale, map origin, conservation status and number of Ground Control Points. The georeferencing process precision and accuracy were evaluated. The digital models created in this study were compared to the official Digital Terrain Model (DTM) provided by the Regions or the autonomous provinces. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, and the combination of the models with the georeferenced maps is used by historians to describe the process used in the creation of plan-reliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) encompasses a range of pathological conditions that are complex to study at the clinical and preclinical levels. Despite the global burden of ALD, there is a lack of effective treatments, and mortality is high. One of the reasons for the unsuccessful development of novel therapies is that experimental studies are hindered by the challenge of recapitulating this multifactorial disorder in vitro, including the contributions of hepatotoxicity, impaired lipid metabolism, fibrosis and inflammatory cytokine storm, which are critical drivers in the pathogenesis of ALD in patients and primary targets for drug development. Here, we present the unique characteristics of the culture of human precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) to replicate key disease processes in ALD. PCLS were prepared from human liver specimens and treated with ethanol alone or in combination with fatty acids and lipopolysaccharide (FA + LPS) for up to 5 days to induce hepatotoxic, inflammatory and fibrotic events associated with ALD. Alcohol insult induced hepatocyte death which was more pronounced with the addition of FA + LPS. This mixture showed a significant increase in the cytokines conventionally associated with the prototypical inflammatory response observed in severe ALD, and interestingly, alcohol alone exhibited a different effect. Profibrogenic activation was also observed in the slices and investigated in the context of slice preparation. These results support the versatility of this organotypic model to study different pathways involved in alcohol-induced liver damage and ALD progression and highlight the applicability of the PCLS for drug discovery, confirming their relevance as a bridge between preclinical and clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep space missions are characterized by severely constrained communication links. To meet the needs of future missions and increase their scientific return, future space systems will require an increased level of autonomy on-board. In this work, we propose a comprehensive approach to on-board autonomy. We rely on model-based reasoning, and we consider many important (on-line and off-line) reasoning capabilities such as plan generation, validation, execution and monitoring, runtime diagnosis, and fault detection, identification, and recovery. The controlled platform is represented symbolically, and the reasoning capabilities are seen as symbolic manipulation of such formal model. We have developed a prototype of our framework, and we have integrated it within an on-board Autonomous Reasoning Engine. Finally, we have evaluated our approach on three case-studies inspired by real-world projects and characterized it in terms of reliability, availability, and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 infection causes severe respiratory involvement (COVID-19) in 5–20% of patients through initial immune derangement, followed by intense cytokine production and vascular leakage. Evidence of immune involvement point to the participation of T, B, and NK cells in the lack of control of virus replication leading to COVID-19. NK cells contribute to early phases of virus control and to the regulation of adaptive responses. The precise mechanism of NK cell dysregulation is poorly understood, with little information on tissue margination or turnover. We investigated these aspects by multiparameter flow cytometry in a cohort of 28 patients hospitalized with early COVID-19. Relevant decreases in CD56brightCD16+/- NK subsets were detected, with a shift of circulating NK cells toward more mature CD56dimCD16+KIR+NKG2A+ and "memory" KIR+CD57+CD85j+ cells with increased inhibitory NKG2A and KIR molecules. Impaired cytotoxicity and IFN-γ production were associated with conserved expression of natural cytotoxicity receptors and perforin. Moreover, intense NK cell activation with increased HLA-DR and CD69 expression was associated with the circulation of CD69+CD103+ CXCR6+ tissue-resident NK cells and of CD34+DNAM-1brightCXCR4+ inflammatory precursors to mature functional NK cells. Severe disease trajectories were directly associated with the proportion of CD34+DNAM-1brightCXCR4+ precursors and inversely associated with the proportion of NKG2D+ and of CD103+ NK cells. Intense NK cell activation and trafficking to and from tissues occurs early in COVID-19, and is associated with subsequent disease progression, providing an insight into the mechanism of clinical deterioration. Strategies to positively manipulate tissue-resident NK cell responses may provide advantages to future therapeutic and vaccine approaches. Author summary: This is a detailed study of activating and inhibitory receptors in NK cells of COVID-19 patients when first admitted to the hospital for respiratory insufficiency. NK cells are known to be the first line of defense against invading viruses, and regulate downstream B and T cell responses, including antibody production. We observed intense NK cell activation with decreased functional activity, as well as intense circulation of putative tissue resident CD69+CD103+CXCR6+ NK cells, with a related surge in inflammatory CD34+ precursors from the bone marrow. The findings suggest that there is unprecedented trafficking of NK cells from peripheral tissues, their increased death with recruitment of emergency precursors from the bone marrow, and a relationship with the subsequent course of the disease of the patients. This in turn suggests possible areas of treatment and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common event and antiplatelet therapy might represent a risk factor for bleeding.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after mild TBI in patients on antiplatelet therapy through a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective observational studies on patients with mild TBI on antiplatelet therapy vs. those not on any antithrombotic therapy. The primary outcome was the risk of ICH in patients with mild TBI based on the first computed tomography scan. Secondary outcome was the risk of mortality and neurosurgery.Results: Nine studies and 14,545 patients were included. The incidence of ICH ranged from 3.6% to 29.4% in the antiplatelet group and from 1.6% to 21.1% in the control group. Patients on antiplatelet therapy had a higher risk of ICH after a mild TBI compared with patients that were not on antithrombotic therapy (risk ratio 1.51; 95% confidence interval 1.21-1.88). No difference was found in the composite outcome of mortality and neurosurgery.Conclusions: Patients on antiplatelet therapy have an increased risk of ICH after mild TBI compared with patients not on antithrombotic therapy. However, the risk is just slightly increased, and the need to perform a computed tomography scan in patients on antiplatelet therapy after a mild TBI should be evaluated case by case, but always considered in patients with other risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work deals with the landslides affecting the area surrounding the village of San Martino sulla Marrucina and involving the neighboring municipalities of Casacanditella and Filetto. The geological and geomorphological settings of this area are being discussed. The enclosed maps have been realized following a multidisciplinary approach, based on morphometric, geological, and geomorphological analyses and supported by air-photo interpretation, dendrochronology, and satellite SAR interferometry (InSAR). The map is organized in four sections: orography (on the upper part), geological map (on the upper right part), main geomorphological map (in the central left part, 1:7,500 scale), and multitemporal analysis (in the lower part). The aforementioned multi-temporal assessment of landslides was performed according to the geomorphological evidence-based criteria and the past ground displacement measurements were obtained by dendrochronology and InSAR. The aim of the study is to understand the evolution in time and space of this landslide area, focusing on the corresponding kinematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hundreds of landslides were triggered by the mainshocks (up to Mw 6.5) that occurred in 2016 in Central Italy during the seismic sequence that originated in the Apennine and ended in January 2017. These landslides were studied via field-based investigation and remote sensing techniques during the weeks immediately after the mainshocks occurred. EarthQuake-triggered Landslides (EQtLs) mostly consisted of rockfalls and rockslides. The spatial distribution of the examined EQtLs with respect to the epicentres of the main shocks resulted in very good agreement with the available empirical curves of maximum distance vs. magnitude. Based on the collected dataset, approximately 70% of the landslides impacted transportation routes (national, provincial and secondary roads linking towns and mountain villages) since they principally detached from road cuts. The landslides caused traffic interruption, and some delayed rescue vehicles from reaching the zones most damaged by earthquakes; moreover, some landslides caused the temporary isolation of several localities in the epicentre area. Even if it seems obvious that road cuts favour slope failure under shaking conditions, the dataset reported here is the first one for Italy where such an effect is quantified. Moreover, a statistical analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between the spatial distribution of EQtLs and some selected causative factors, including both natural (i.e., earthquake and terrain) and anthropogenic factors (i.e., presence of roads and trackways). Among the considered combinations of causative factors (both natural and anthropogenic), this study demonstrates that the occurrence of the uphill road cuts at the bottom of deep incised V-shaped valleys strongly influenced the spatial clustering of the EQtL triggered in 2016 in Central Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper ‘Guidelines on the use of inverse velocity method as a tool for setting alarm thresholds and forecasting landslides and structure collapses’ by T. Carlà, E. Intrieri, F. Di Traglia, T. Nolesini, G. Gigli and N. Casagli deals with a sensitive topic for landslide risk management. Exploring the pre-failure behaviour of four different case histories, the authors proposed standard procedures for the application of the inverse velocity method (INV, Fukuzono 1985). Specifically, they suggested guidelines for the filtering of velocity data and an original and simple approach to automatically set the first and the second alarm thresholds using the inverse velocity method. The present discussion addresses three different topics: (1) data filter selection according to the features of monitoring instrument; (2) the importance of data sampling frequency for the forecasting analysis and (3) the influence of the starting point (SP in this discussion) for the application of INV analysis. Moreover, based on this matter, a new method is proposed to update the INV analysis on an ongoing basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mismatch between technological development and human development is evident in the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education, making ethical formation an important point of discussion in this context. This article shows results of research that investigates how this education is represented in the speech of the pedagogical managers of the Network. From the data, the emphasis is on disciplinary approaches and professional or professionalizing representations of business and neoliberal ethics. It is concluded that the morality theme should integrate the debates about Professional Education, reconciling the technical and human dimensions of formation and thus guiding the educational process toward emancipatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do women's economic decision-making and political empowerment vary so widely? What are the main potential determinants of such variations? Over a cross-section of Italian provincial data, we analyze the association between two specific facets of women's empowerment, the percentage of women holding office in local political bodies and the percentage of women in high-ranking jobs, and the religious and cultural conditions which facilitate or hinder women's inclusion. Our hypothesis is that culture, in particular those values embodied by religious culture, plays a central role in shaping norms and beliefs about the role and involvement of women in society. Moreover we suggest that these cultural norms are inherited from the past and therefore have a high degree of inertia. Both OLS and IV results indicate that our measures of women's empowerment are strongly associated with religious culture, as proxied by religious marriages. These results are robust and consistent across specifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute abdominal pain represents a challenge for the physician because it can hide a serious intra-abdominal pathology necessitating emergency intervention. A 65-year old man presented to Emergency Department with sudden-onset abdominal pain. He underwent liver transplantation four years before. He complained tenderness on abdominal palpation. Blood chemistry and abdominal x-ray were normal. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed acute renal artery thrombosis. The patient underwent renal arterial thrombectomy and stent placement in less than two hours. Organ transplantation is a condition that makes patients at greater risk of life-threatening conditions. Renal artery thrombosis is a rare, severe and misdiagnosed condition which can benefit from a prompt cooperation among emergency physician, surgeon, and interventional radiologist. Transplant patients with acute abdominal pain should be considered at high risk of medical emergency. Acute renal artery thrombosis is a time dependent medical emergency in those patients with chronic drug-induced nephrotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the ability of advanced satellite interferometry to monitor pre-failure landslide behaviours and the potential application of this technique to Failure Forecasting Methods (FFMs) are analysed. Several limits affect the ability of the technique to monitor a landslide process, especially during the pre-failure phase (tertiary creep). In this study, two of the major limitations affecting the technique have been explored: (1) the low data sampling frequency and (2) the phase ambiguity constraints. We explored the time series of displacements for 56 monitored landslides inferred from the scientific literature and from different in situ and remote monitoring instruments (i.e., extensometers, inclinometers, distometers, Ground Base InSAR, and total station). Furthermore, four different forecasting techniques have been applied to the monitoring data of the selected landslides. To analyse the reliability of the FFMs based on the InSAR satellite data, the 56 time series have been sampled based on different satellite features, simulating the satellite revisit time and the phase ambiguity constraints. Our analysis shows that the satellite InSAR technique could be successful in monitoring the landslide's tertiary creep phase and, in some cases, for forecasting the corresponding time of failure using FFMs. However, the low data sampling frequency of the present satellite systems do not capture the necessary detail for the application of FFMs in actual risk management problems or for early warning purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive investigation of more than 90 landslides affecting a small river basin in Central Italy was performed by combining field surveys and remote sensing techniques. We thus defined the geomorphological setting of slope instability processes. Basic information, such as landslides mapping and landslides type definition, have been acquired thanks to geomorphological field investigations and multi-temporal aerial photos interpretation, while satellite SAR archive data (acquired by ERS and Envisat from 1992 to 2010) have been analyzed by means of A-DInSAR (Advanced Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) techniques to evaluate landslides past displacements patterns. Multi-temporal assessment of landslides state of activity has been performed basing on geomorphological evidence criteria and past ground displacement measurements obtained by A-DInSAR. This step has been performed by means of an activity matrix derived from information achieved thanks to double orbital geometry. Thanks to this approach we also achieved more detailed knowledge about the landslides kinematics in time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In economy nowadays, methanol is already a key compound widely employed as building block for producing intermediates or synthetic hydrocarbons, solvent, energy storage medium, and fuel. This status is expected to last in the near future or even improve to the point of making this compound a central participant in the worldwide economic landscape. For these reasons, every improvement to its production process, in terms of energy savings, optimization, etc., has potential to promote relevant economic benefits. Methanol production comprises three main steps: preparation of syngas, methanol synthesis and downstream separation. This paper aims at reviewing technologies and procedures for modeling and optimizing the second aforementioned phase: the synthesis reactor. Specifically, we focus on packed-bed units, which represent the most widespread technology. In the manuscript, we are going to describe and compare both steady-state and dynamic reactor models as well as analyze typical assumptions and implementation schemes. The kinetics of methanol synthesis is also reported in detail due to a long debate, present in the literature, concerning the real carbon source for methanol, the nature of the active sites and the effect of their morphology and oxidation state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a multi-modelling approach that incorporates contributions from morpho-evolutionary modelling, detailed engineering-geological modelling and time-dependent stress-strain numerical modelling to analyse the rheological evolution of a river valley slope over approximately 10 2 kyr. The slope is located in a transient, tectonically active landscape in southwestern Tyrrhenian Calabria (Italy), where gravitational processes drive failures in rock slopes. Constraints on the valley profile development were provided by a morpho-evolutionary model based on the correlation of marine and river strath terraces. Rock mass classes were identified through geomechanical parameters that were derived from engineering-geological surveys and outputs of a multi-sensor slope monitoring system. The rock mass classes were associated to lithotechnical units to obtain a high-resolution engineering-geological model along a cross section of the valley. Time-dependent stress-strain numerical modelling reproduced the main morpho-evolutionary stages of the valley slopes. The findings demonstrate that a complex combination of eustatism, uplift and Mass Rock Creep (MRC) deformations can lead to first-time failures of rock slopes when unstable conditions are encountered up to the generation of stress-controlled shear zones. The multi-modelling approach enabled us to determine that such complex combinations may have been sufficient for the first-time failure of the S. Giovanni slope at approximately 140 ka (MIS 7), even without invoking any trigger. Conversely, further reactivations of the landslide must be related to triggers such as earthquakes, rainfall and anthropogenic activities. This failure involved a portion of the slope where a plasticity zone resulted from mass rock creep that evolved with a maximum strain rate of 40% per thousand years, after the formation of a river strath terrace. This study demonstrates that the multi-modelling approach presented herein is a useful tool for estimating the progressive development of slope failures because it can highlight time-dependent continuous deformations as the major processes that drive rocky slopes to failure. This type of approach can be devoted to the best selection of risk mitigation strategies with respect to both human life and anthropic infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In European seas, ocean monitoring strategies in terms of key parameters, space and time scale vary widely for a range of technical and economic reasons. Nonetheless, the growing interest in the ocean interior promotes the investigation of processes such as oxygen consumption, primary productivity and ocean acidity requiring that close attention is paid to the instruments in terms of measurement setup, configuration, calibration, maintenance procedures and quality assessment. To this aim, two separate hardware and software tools were developed in order to test and simultaneously intercompare several oxygen probes and fluorometers/turbidimeters, respectively in the same environmental conditions, with a configuration as close as possible to real in-situ deployment. The chamber designed to perform chlorophyll-a and turbidity tests allowed for the simultaneous acquisition of analogue and digital signals of several sensors at the same time, so it was sufficiently compact to be used in both laboratory and onboard vessels. Methodologies and best practice committed to the intercomparison of dissolved oxygen sensors and fluorometers/turbidimeters have been used, which aid in the promotion of interoperability to access key infrastructures, such as ocean observatories and calibration facilities. Results from laboratory tests as well as field tests in the Mediterranean Sea are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a multidisciplinary study carried out in an urban area affected by subsidence and related structural damages. The study area is located about 20 km east of Rome (Italy) and is characterised by relevant groundwater exploitation for various purposes as well as by the presence of compressible soils immediately below the ground level. Extensive processing at different scales of SAR satellite images (ERS and ENVISAT provided by ESA in the frame of a CAT-1 project) by means of A-DInSAR technique was performed. The time histories of ground displacements, have been analysed in combination with a detailed geological setting of the study area and with the hydrogeological changes occurred in the last decades (as the response to the anthropic stress) based on a large piezometric dataset. This comprehensive dataset allowed us to describe the space and time distributions of the subsidence process. The spatial pattern and deformation rate change is attributed to the following causes: i) the changes in the groundwater levels due to the intensification of mine exploitation (requiring dewatering operations) and ii) the distribution and thickness of recent compressible deposits. Specifically, it is derived that the groundwater level variations drive the timing of subsidence triggering over the area, whereas the local geological conditions control the magnitude of the deformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oceanic ambient noise measurements can be analyzed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about wind and rainfall phenomena over the ocean filling the existing gap of reliable meteorological observations at sea. The Ligurian Sea Acoustic Experiment was designed to collect long-term synergistic observations from a passive acoustic recorder and surface sensors (i.e., buoy mounted rain gauge and anemometer and weather radar) to support error analysis of rainfall rate and wind speed quantification techniques developed in past studies. The study period included combination of high and low wind and rainfall episodes and two storm events that caused two floods in the vicinity of La Spezia and in the city of Genoa in 2011. The availability of high resolution in situ meteorological data allows improving data processing technique to detect and especially to provide effective estimates of wind and rainfall at sea. Results show a very good correspondence between estimates provided by passive acoustic recorder algorithm and in situ observations for both rainfall and wind phenomena and demonstrate the potential of using measurements provided by passive acoustic instruments in open sea for early warning of approaching coastal storms, which for the Mediterranean coastal areas constitutes one of the main causes of recurrent floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many European countries have undertaken the static preservation of native elm genotypes in clone collections maintained ex situ. Less development has been devoted to the dynamic conservation of elm populations in situ. Case studies of elm conservation in France are given here as an illustration of methods employed at country level. We also briefly review the process used by the "European Forest Genetic Resources Programme" (EUFORGEN) to monitor elm dynamic conservation in a pan-European perspective. Dynamic conservation methods were promoted by EUFORGEN through leaflets, strategies, Technical Guidelines and the geo-referenced database EUFGIS on Dynamic Conservation Units (DCUs). Because the network of DCUs needs to be representative of the partitioning of adaptive diversity across the species distribution range, a GIS-aided approach has been developed to position DCUs in environmental zones and identify conservation gaps. The two DCUs of European white elm (Ulmus laevis Pall.) selected in riparian forests of two different climatic zones of France show that management oriented toward habitat protection is compatible with dynamic conservation, and that the species can still be conserved in situ in spite of Dutch Elm Disease (DED). Collaboration with habitat conservationists enabled the monitoring of losses to DED and the assessment of within- population diversity for flowering phenology. Collaboration with forest geneticists revealed that the diversity of the Garonne population was low, but that it contained rare DNA variants and adaptive traits. Since 1987, experimental restoration of countryside hedges has been carried out, using field elm clones (U. minor Mill.) selected from the French national collection and tested for lower susceptibility to the agent of DED in artificial inoculation tests. Such plantations can be viewed as a very dynamic form of conservation if they permit the local gene pool to be reinforced with trees able to reach sexual maturity and exchange pollen with elms in the neighborhood, hence contributing new genotypes that will be submitted to natural selection and provide fuel for ongoing adaptation processes. Initiatives assembling a large consortium of stakeholders, including habitat conservationists and hedge re-constructors, are needed to trigger new conservation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differences in the expression of Natural Killer cell receptors have been reported to reflect divergent clinical courses in patients with chronic infections or tumors. However, extensive molecular characterization at the transcriptional level to support this view is lacking. The aim of this work was to characterize baseline differences in purified NK cell transcriptional activity stratified by response to treatment with PEG-IFNα/RBV in patients chronically infected with HCV. Methods: To this end we here studied by flow cytometer and gene expression profile, phenotypic and transcriptional characteristics of purified NK cells in patients chronically infected with HCV genotype-1 virus who were subsequently treated with PEG-IFNα/RBV. Results were further correlated with divergent clinical response obtained after treatment. Results: The pre-treatment transcriptional patterns of purified NK cells from patients subsequently undergoing a sustained virologic response (SVR) clearly segregated from those of non-responder (NR) patients. A set of 476 transcripts, including molecules involved in RNA processing, ubiquitination pathways as well as HLA class II signalling were differently expressed among divergent patients. In addition, treatment outcome was associated with differences in surface expression of NKp30 and NKG2D. A complex relationship was observed that suggested for extensive post-transcriptional editing. Only a small number of the NK cell transcripts identified were correlated with chronic HCV infection/replication indicating that inherent transcriptional activity prevails over environment effects such as viral infection. Conclusions: Collectively, inherent/genetic modulation of NK cell transcription is involved in setting the path to divergent treatment outcomes and could become useful to therapeutic advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AltaRica is a language used to describe safety critical systems that has become a de-facto European industrial standard for Model-Based Safety Assessment (MBSA). However, even the most mature tool for the support for MBSA of AltaRica models, i.e. Dassault's OCAS, has several limitations. The most important ones are its inability to perform many analyses exhaustively, severe scalability issues, and the lack of model checking techniques for temporal properties. In this paper we present a novel approach for the analysis of AltaRica models, based on a translation into an extended version of the model checker NuSMV. The translation relies on a novel formal characterization of the Dataflow dialect of AltaRica used in OCAS. The translation is formally defined, and its correctness is proved. Based on this formal characterization, a toolset has been developed and integrated within OCAS, thus enabling functional verification and safety assessment with the state of the art techniques of NuSMV. The whole approach is validated by an experimental evaluation on a set of industrial case studies, which demonstrates the advantages of the proposed technique over the currently available tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten small rock slides (with a volume ranging from 10 to 10 m) on a slope affected by working activities were detected, located, and timed using pictures collected by an automatic camera during 40 months of continuous monitoring with terrestrial SAR interferometry (TInSAR). These landslides were analyzed in detail by examining their pre-failure time series of displacement inferred from high-sampling frequency (approximately 5 min) TInSAR monitoring. In most of these cases, a typical creep behavior was observed with the displacement starting 370 to 12 h before the collapse. Additionally, an evident acceleration decrease of the displacement a few hours before the failure was observed in some rock/debris slides, thus suggesting the possibility of a mechanical feature of the slope that differs from the classical creep theory. The efficacy of the linear Fukuzono approach for the prediction of time of failure was tested by back-analyzing the ten landslides. Furthermore, a modified Fukuzono approach named average data Fukuzono (ADF) was implemented and applied to our dataset. Such an approach is able to improve forecasting effectiveness by reducing the error due to anomalies in the time series of displacement, like the acceleration decrease before failure. A prediction with a temporal accuracy of at least 2 h was obtained for all the analyzed rock/debris slides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size and complexity of software in spacecraft is increasing exponentially, and this trend complicates its validation within the context of the overall spacecraft system. Current validation methods are labor-intensive as they rely on manual analysis, review and inspection. For future space missions, we developed – with challenging requirements from the European space industry – a novel modeling language and toolset for a (semi-)automated validation approach. Our modeling language is a dialect of AADL and enables engineers to express the system, the software, and their reliability aspects. The COMPASS toolset utilizes state-of-the-art model checking techniques, both qualitative and probabilistic, for the analysis of requirements related to functional correctness, safety, dependability and performance. Several pilot projects have been performed by industry, with two of them having focused on the system-level of a satellite platform in development. Our efforts resulted in a significant advancement of validating spacecraft designs from several perspectives, using a single integrated system model. The associated technology readiness level increased from level 1 (basic concepts and ideas) to early level 4 (laboratory-tested). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therise and dissolutions of CO2or CH4particles(bubbles or drops) from deep ocean is important for understandingthe fate of the release of these components from marine sediments.In this paper is presented a complete fluid-dynamic and dissolutionmodel that accounts also the effect of the presence of gas hydratesat the interface of the particles. The rise velocity is a result ofthe effect of the particle deformation on the drag coefficient. Theproposed model for evaluating the particle rise velocity has not bedeveloped specifically for the case of CO2and CH4release here analyzed, but it is general for liquid–liquidor gas–liquid systems. The comparison of the model with experimentaldata reported in the literature shows a good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Over the last decades, time-of-failure semi-empirical prediction functions have been developed and applied to different landslides with mixed results. In this study, a field experiment was carried out to calibrate these functions with the simultaneous consideration of small-size landslides and landslides that occur on slopes modified by human activities. Four years of continuous monitoring using an integrated platform consisting of both traditional sensors (i.e., inclinometers, piezometers, load cells, topographic measurement) and innovative remote-sensing equipment (i.e., Terrestrial SAR Interferometer) resulted in the collection of a notably large amount of data. Several landslides affecting different slopes (i.e., cut slopes, cut slopes covered by spritz-beton and slopes stabilised by anchored bulkheads) were observed as part of the experiment, thus facilitating the inference of detailed information for the pre-failure behaviour. Nine landslides were back-analysed, thus allowing for calibration of the failure prediction functions for different types of slopes. From these observations, it was found that events occurring on slopes modified by human interventions could be effectively predicted using the Voight function if suitable parameters are used. As a general remark, the landslides that originate from cut slopes in natural terrain behave similar to large landslides reported in the literature (similar values of A and α) while landslides that originate from cut slopes covered by spritz beton and slopes stabilised by anchored bulkheads show α values that are significantly lower and A values that are significantly higher than those of landslides on natural terrains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Come già ampiamente discusso, a causa del dilatarsi della vita media della popolazione e della maggior prevalenza delle patologie croniche associate, il medico internista si confronta sempre più spesso con le grandi Sindromi tipiche del paziente geriatrico. Tra queste il delirium è senz'altro di particolare interesse a causa dell'impatto sulla qualità di vita e sugli outcomes di salute. Attraverso analisi multiparametrica delle linee guida fino a oggi pubblicate in merito, questa seconda parte del lavoro si propone di offrire raccomandazioni Evidence Based per la prevenzione, l'identificazione, la diagnosi e la cura del delirium, fornendo spunti di riflessione per identificare il setting di cura più adeguato per il trattamento del paziente. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riconosciuta da oltre 2500 anni come una condizione acuta di alterazione dello stato di coscienza, il Delirium è a tutt'oggi una sindrome neuropsichiatrica poco diagnosticata e poco trattata a causa della presentazione clinica estremamente variabile. In realtà è comune ai pazienti anziani con patologie acute e, per la sua complessità e multidimensionalità, trova nel Medico con competenze internistiche il miglior referente clinico. Il Delirium ha un forte impatto in termini di qualità di vita e di outcomes di salute ed è inoltre spesso precipitato da fattori modificabili di tipo ambientale e individuale. La prima parte del presente lavoro ha l'obiettivo di sensibilizzare il clinico fornendo utili spunti di riflessione e di approfondimento riguardo a una sindrome geriatrica diffusa nelle Unità Operative di Medicina Interna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrity of complex dynamic systems often relies on the ability to detect, during operation, the occurrence of faults, or, in other words, to diagnose the system. The feasibility of this task, also known as diagnosability , depends on the nature of the system dynamics, the impact of faults, and the availability of a suitable set of sensors. Standard techniques for analyzing the diagnosability problem rely on a model of the system and on proving the absence of a faulty trace that cannot be distinguished by a non-faulty one (this pair of traces is called critical pair). In this paper, we tackle the problem of verifying diagnosability under the presence of fairness conditions. These extend the expressiveness of the system models enabling the specification of assumptions on the system behavior such as the infinite occurrence of observations and/or faults. We adopt a comprehensive framework that encompasses fair transition systems, temporally extended fault models, delays between the occurrence of a fault and its detection, and rich operational contexts. We show that in presence of fairness the definition of diagnosability has several interesting variants, and discuss the relative strengths and the mutual relationships. We prove that the existence of critical pairs is not always sufficient to analyze diagnosability, and needs to be generalized to critical sets. We define new notions of critical pairs, called ribbon-shape , with special looping conditions to represent the critical sets. Based on these findings, we provide algorithms to prove the diagnosability under fairness. The approach is built on top of the classical twin plant construction, and generalizes it to cover the various forms of diagnosability and find sufficient delays. The proposed algorithms are implemented within the xSAP platform for safety analysis, leveraging efficient symbolic model checking primitives. An experimental evaluation on a heterogeneous set of realistic benchmarks from various application domains demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an extensive reviewof the scientific literatureand the experimental and industrial cases. It highlights how the stateof the art in fluid distributors is still claiming for additionaldedicated experiments to complement the existing available data andto further improve the knowledge for design and operation purposes.This review has been the basis for the development of an experimentaland theoretical study of liquid distributors for packed columns thatwill constitute the focus of a following paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper dealswith the experimental campaigns and the sensitivityanalysis of a packed column system with respect to the main geometricaland operational parameters. The aims of the paper are (i) to providethe general guidelines to design and operate a reasonably flexiblepilot-scale plant for experimentations, (ii) to assess the relevantparameters that affect the effective operability and efficiency ofpacked unit operations, and (iii) to investigate the interactionsbetween the liquid distributor and the structured packing. Since themaximum efficiency of the packed units is obtained near the loadingconditions, certain nonconventional situations such as the entrainmentphenomenon and the loading and flooding conditions are examined. Also,the interactions between entrainment, loading, and flooding are emphasizedby means of dedicated experimental campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The incision of a natural or an artificial slope in a clay deposit initiates a morphological evolution and determines variations of the internal state of stress in the deposit. This evolution can be analyzed considering the variations over time of the lateral stress at rest coefficient K0. This paper is focused on the evolution of the K0 in overconsolidated clay deposits submitted to the incision of natural slopes. The proposed idea is that, under specific morphological and evolutionary conditions, a value of K0 <1 could be considered reliable even for medium–high OC clay deposits. This idea is here discussed with the support of in-situ and laboratory data from: i) pressuremeter tests performed in overconsolidated clay deposits in Central Italy and ii) a scaled physical modeling experiment reproducing a normally consolidated clay deposit. This study suggests that when dealing with clay deposits subjected to a simultaneous vertical and horizontal unloading due to slope incision, the K0 coefficient should be considered a parameter variable as a function of the different stress–strain evolutions experienced by each portion of the deposit. The portions involved in the slope incision had different evolutions and are represented by different K0 values. As a consequence, diverse amounts of decrease distinguish the evolution of the K0 for natural rather than artificial slopes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Tyrrhenian portion of the Calabria region (southern Italy) is particularly prone to landslides as a consequence of intense morphodynamic processes. These processes affect the slopes that are composed of highly jointed metamorphic rock masses. Moreover, the frequent intense rainfalls and the up to Mw 7.0 regional earthquakes represent the main landslide triggering factors. An area of approximately $$45\,\hbox {km}^{2}$$ 45 km 2 was selected as a test site in the context of a regional project aimed at reconstructing possible earthquake-reactivated landslide scenarios (i.e., referred to already existing landslide masses). An inventory map led to the identification of 175 landslides, including rock slides, earth slides and rock falls. Ground-motion scenarios based on a spectral-matching method were derived to evaluate the expected earthquake-induced displacements of the existing landslides. Naturally recorded acceleration time histories were selected from international ground-motion databases based on a similarity index and considered representative of the seismological features of the considered seismic sources (i.e., epicentral distance, magnitude, focal mechanism). Spectral attenuation was considered, according to well-established attenuation laws, to define the expected response spectrum at the outcropping bedrock corresponding to each existing landslide. Subsequently, the selected natural records were modified to guarantee spectral matching with the attenuated response spectra at each landslide site. The derived time histories were used to compute co-seismic displacements via the classic Newmark’s sliding-block method. Different scenarios of co-seismic landslide displacements or collapse were generated for different pore-water pressure hypotheses. The strongest $$\hbox {Mw}>6$$ Mw > 6 seismic scenario (Messina Straits seismogenic source) indicated an exceedance probability of earthquake-induced co-seismic landslide collapse varying from 20 to 55 % with the increasing severity of the pore-water pressures. This probability corresponds to a percentage of co-seismic landslide displacements up to 40 % of the total inventoried landslides. The exceedance probability indicated that co-seismic landslide collapse drops below 20 % for $$\hbox {Mw}<6$$ Mw < 6 seismic scenarios. In contrast, if a uniform probability is assumed for the seismic action occurrence, i.e., return periods of 475 and 2,475 years, the total percentage of landslide co-seismic displacements could be as high as 70 and 90 %, respectively, for the considered pore-water pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The results of a study on gravitational induced lateral spreading phenomena are here reported. The lateral spreading processes are widely represented in the Italian Apennines due to the widespread overlapping of stiff rock masses on more ductile ones. The stress–strain evolution of these processes was investigated by combining an analogical and a numerical modelling approach. The analogue modelling reproduced the evolution of a carbonate ridge thrust over a clayey flysch with reference to the case-study of Mt. Roccatagliata–Mt. Sant'Angelo ridge. The rock mass juxtaposition was reproduced in a laboratory experiment by overlapping a brittle concrete on a viscous ductile material; these materials were selected with rheological properties, physically scaled with respect to the natural rock mass prototypes. The spreading phenomenon was modelled by opening horizontal panels in sequential stages and monitoring the resulting stresses within the ductile material during the experiment. A stress–strain modelling was also performed by an FDM numerical solution; this modelling replied the laboratory experiment by testing the use of different rheological constitutive laws. The resulting stresses and morphological evolutions are comparable with the analogical laboratory experiment only if a time-dependent rheological behaviour is assumed for the ductile material. The results show that lateral spreading processes can be properly investigated by combining analogue and numerical modelling techniques which take into account the viscous-plastic behaviour of the used materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The possibility toapply the nonlinear model predictive control(NMPC) to the fixed-bed tubular reactor for methanol synthesis isbroached. The distributed nature of the methanol synthesis reactorimplies a simultaneous management of temporal and spatial dynamicsto control the conventional physical time-dependent parameters (temperature,flows, etc.) but also the axial migration of the temperature hot-spottypical of methanol synthesis. The approach can be easily extendedto other systems characterized by exothermic reactions. Special attentionis given to the prompt response of NMPC to ensure the online effectiveness.Theoretical and practical information is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rapid and permanent granulometric changes within the clastic sedimentary deposits of the Tiber River are directly linked to changes in sediment transport capacity and give insight on climate fluctuations and related sea-level oscillations during Late Pleistocene–Holocene times. In this work, we investigate the stratigraphic features of the sedimentary fill of the Tiber River channel as far as 30km from the coast, and of one tributary, the Grottaperfetta stream. Through direct observation and core sampling of ten, 30 to 80m deep boreholes, and the analysis of a large number of stratigraphic log data, we reconstruct a series of transverse sections and correlate them along a longitudinal profile of the Tiber River course. We provide geochronologic constraints to the deposition of distinct lithostratigraphic units by means of 8 newly acquired 14C ages and 21 previously reported ages of intercalated peat layers and wood fragments. Moreover, we review and select 28 radiocarbon ages from literature on the deposits of the Tiber River in the coastal plain, in order to reconstruct the aggradational history throughout the distal portion of the basin. Finally, we provide curves of sediment aggradation vs. time during the last 19,000yr for the different investigated portions of the Tiber River course. We compare them to sea-level curves from the literature. To perform this comparison, we use a rigorous geotechnical approach to estimate the subsidence due to sediment compaction, and we apply a correction to the Present-day elevation of the dated samples of organic material interbedded with the sedimentary deposits. Two significant sedimentary events at around 13,800yrBP and 7500yrBP, marked by sharp stratigraphic and granulometric changes, are recognized and correlate to important variations in the rate of sea-level rise. Moreover, we show evidence of an erosional event coupled to a reversal of the granulometry (increase in gain size of sediments) affecting the whole investigated tract of the Tiber River channel between 5500 and 3500yrBP and discuss its possible causes. In particular, we discuss whether besides the change in capacity of transport due to a climatic change, also a drop in sea level, in the order of 2–3 meters, may have occurred in this time span, either in response to an increase in global ice volume, glacial isostatic adjustment, or local tectonic uplift. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The manual construction of fault trees for complex systems is an error-prone and time-consuming activity, encouraging automated techniques. In this paper we show how the retrenchment approach to formal system model evolution can be developed into a versatile structured approach for the mechanical construction of fault trees. The system structure and the structure of retrenchment concessions interact to generate fault trees with appropriately deep nesting. We show how this approach can be extended to deal with minimisation, thereby diminishing the post hoc subsumption workload and potentially rendering some infeasible cases feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retrenchment approach to the mechanical construction of fault trees, introduced in the first paper for combinational logic circuits, is extended to handle clocked circuits and then feedback circuits. The temporal behaviour of clocked circuits is captured using their causal relations, and the potentially unbounded behaviour of cyclic circuits is decomposed into an iteration over their acyclic counterparts. The repercussions of all this for the theory of retrenchment are elaborated. For clocked circuits, the techniques we present allow glitches and other transient errors to be properly described. For feedback circuits, the plethora of behaviours that can occur, give rise to infinitary fault trees of an appropriate kind. All this paves the way for automated fault tree generation for reactive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The trophic niche width and feeding strategy (FS) of juvenile European hake were studied during three trawl surveys in two different areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Both of these aspects of trophic behaviour were analysed as function of different biotic and abiotic factors. Prey were grouped by factors such as size, swimming behaviour and energy density. The trophic niche breadth values observed (2.25–2.89) were very similar regardless of the geographic area (geomorphology) and season. The FSs analysed were also quite similar regardless of the geographic area (geomorphology) and season, or predation environment (bottom or water column). Conversely, the FSs were linked with predator size. Increased predator size allowed changes in predatory behaviour through the development of preferences for larger and more energy-rich prey. The changes in FS from generalist to specialist began at a total length (TL) of approximately 12cm in both populations analysed. At larger sizes, the juveniles of both populations became more specialised, as confirmed by the reduction in the breadth of the individual trophic niche. The observed simultaneous changes in the FS, which occurred regardless of the geomorphology and seasonal characteristics, suggest that this shift is driven primarily by endogenous factors. The influence of body size on the foraging behaviour of European hake in the early life stages after bottom recruitment is a crucial information for the application of ecosystem mass-balance models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] HIV-patients with low CD4+ cells may differ in clinical presentation (AIDS/non-AIDS). [•] Non-AIDS patient NK cells show increased expression of NKp46 and NKp30. [•] NK immune activation persists in cART treated patients, both AIDS and non-AIDS. [•] CD4+ T cells in non-AIDS patients have higher potential of interaction with NK cells. [•] Increased activating NK cell receptor–ligand interaction may protect from OI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Large areas of Rome (Italy) are prone to sudden ground collapse because of the degradation of a cavity network related to the long-lasting underground quarrying activity of volcanic Pleistocene deposits. In recent years, the municipality authorities have promoted scientific research in the field of engineering geology to locate these underground voids and to establish a standard methodology to assess the associated risk affecting the overlying structures. In this paper, a multidisciplinary – geophysical and geological – method oriented to cavity location is described, tested and validated. Within this investigation, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is selected as the primary geophysical survey method. The potential for underground cavity mapping is assessed using synthetic simulations and observations at a test site where the position of underground voids is known. Consequently, the ERT diagnostic capability is quantitatively evaluated in the geological scenario of interest and possible interpretation pitfalls when interpreting resistivity anomalies in a geological sense are pointed out. On this basis, an integrated investigation program encompassing ERT measurements and borehole drilling is carried out at a site where the cavity network is unknown. The physical reconstruction offered by ERT, when supported by a detailed geological model, was found very useful in defining the geometry of the subsoil and consequently increasing the percentage of success in cavity location when compared to the one obtained by drilling alone. Two test sites are described: one is characterized by a well-known cavity network, and the other has an unknown tunnel arrangement. The corresponding geological models, resulting from in situ investigation, are discussed. When assisted by a detailed conceptual geological model, ERT is proven to be a very useful tool to detect unknown galleries and consequently to optimize the drilling investigation program. In addition to that, the extensive in-situ testing of the near-surface volcanic deposits of the Rome urban area, permitted to characterize extensively both the electrical resistivity and the seismic (P- and S-waves) velocities of these formations, whose in situ properties have never been studied to this extent in previous literature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Austenitic stainless steels are widely used in many industrial fields, mainly due to their good corrosion resistance; however, their low hardness and poor wear resistance limit their applications. Among different methods of surface hardening, the plasma or ion nitriding technique has also proven to be effective in preserving their corrosion resistance. When austenitic stainless steels such as AISI 316L are nitrided at low temperature, i.e. below 420 °C, an expanded austenite phase free of nitrides is formed, called "S" phase. This phase is a diffusion layer, it is wear and corrosion resistant but there is still a great discussion about its nature. In this work, the structure of the modified layers in AISI 316L nitrided in a pulsed DC discharge were characterized by SEM, SIMS, normal incidence and grazing angle XRD with a Synchrotron source and TEM, for which the sample was prepared with FIB. The nitrogen expanded austenite layer was 4,5 μm thick with a nitrogen content of 27 at% and the calculated expansion of the lattice was about 6,5 %. A second carbon expanded austenite layer, could be observed below the nitrogen expanded phase. With GI XRD, no Cr or Fe nitrides were detected, only the S-phase with broader peaks than the original of the base material and shifted to lower angles, showing not only a lattice expansion but also a stressed layer with defects. In fact, the layer presented a large plastic deformation, since twins were observed in the dark field of the TEM image. Chromium nitrides reflections were also detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: On 30 January 2009, a rock slide involving approximately 0.23Mm3 of highly jointed gneiss from the local Ercinic substratum was recorded in southern Italy. The landslide occurred after exceptional autumnal rainfalls and involved a quarry whose activity has been documented over the past 10years by aerial images. An engineering-geology model of the slope involved in the landslide was developed based on the geomechanical classification of the outcropping rock masses, the ISRM (2007) indexes Ib (the block size index) and Jv (the volumetric joint count), and the observed geological setting of the slope. An equivalent continuum approach was adopted to attribute strength and stiffness parameter values to the different classes of jointed rock masses. A simplified evolutionary model of the slope was developed, starting from 300ka (i.e., from the erosional phase following the deposition of the 300-m-a.s.l. marine terrace deposits overlaying the gneiss substratum) to 30 January 2009. The model took into account the main depositional phases as indicated by the Pleistocene marine terrace deposits and the documented stages of quarry activity. Time-dependent stress–strain numerical modelling was performed by the FDM software FLAC 6.0. A visco-plastic Burger model was used to back-analyse the landslide event and to define the values of the rheological parameters for the jointed gneiss. The results, which were strongly constrained by the geomorphological evidences and by the displacement field observed before and after the landslide, demonstrated a combination of i) time-dependent gravitational slope deformation and ii) anthropogenic release due to quarry activity, which induced a progressive failure process and an increase in the jointing within the gneissic rock mass located behind the cut-wall of the quarry. Failure was ultimately triggered by intense rainfalls that occurred in the 3months before the landslide. The stress–strain numerical modelling demonstrated the reliability of visco-plastic rheology for simulating the rock mass creep in this case history: viscosity values in the range of 1019–1023 Pa·s were derived. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There are many abandoned underground mines beneath the city of Rome, created in the Pleistocene pyroclastic deposits over thousands of years. These pose a serious public safety risk hence the study was undertaken to better assess the stability of the underground workings. The Villa de Sanctis public park was selected as a suitable test site, as in this area the cavity network can be inspected and the different steps of the progressive migration of voids toward the surface can be identified. In addition to an underground geological survey, geophysical investigations were undertaken to elucidate some key characteristics of the involved lithological units, including elastic stiffness and layer thickness. Recommendations are made for further studies of the accessible and inaccessible areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Scilla rock avalanche occurred on 6 February 1783 along the coast of the Calabria region (southern Italy), close to the Messina Strait. It was triggered by a mainshock of the “Terremoto delle Calabrie” seismic sequence, and it induced a tsunami wave responsible for more than 1500 casualties along the neighbouring Marina Grande beach. Based on subaerial and submarine surveys, a 5×106 m3 subaerial landslide was identified together with a 3×106 m3 submarine scar area, whereas block deposits are present in both the subaerial and submerged regions. A detailed geological reconstruction of the slope was obtained and a geomechanical characterisation of the metamorphic rocks involved in the landslide was performed. Based on this reconstruction, intense jointing conditions of the rock mass can be related to main fault zones parallel and normally oriented to the actual coastline. An engineering geology model of the landslide was devised according to an equivalent continuum approach to evaluate both stiffness and strength of the rock mass within the slope. A finite difference stress–strain numerical modelling of the Scilla landslide was performed under dynamic conditions to back-analyse the landslide trigger as well as local seismic amplifications. This modelling gave new insights into the physical interactions between seismic inputs and slopes, as it demonstrated the fundamental role played by i) the interaction between the seismic input and geological setting of unsheared rock slopes (i.e., without preexisting landslide masses), ii) cumulated strain effects due to seismic sequences, and iii) jointing conditions of the involved rock masses responsible for the seismic amplification of the landslide-prone volume, driving it toward failure conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Introduction: To evaluate the use of multidimensional assessment based on the Fluegelman Index (FI) to identify internal medicine patients who are likely to be difficult to discharge from the hospital. Materials and methods: Have been evaluated all patients admitted to the medical wards of the District General Hospital of Arezzo from September 1 to October 31, 2007. We collected data on cancellare la parola age, sex, socioeconomic condition, cause of admission, comorbidity score preadmission functional status (Barthel Index), incontinence, feeding problems, length of hospitalization, condition at discharge, and type of discharge. The FI cut off for difficult discharge was ≥ 17. Results: Of the 413 patients (mean age 80±11.37 years; percentage of women, 56.1%) included in the study, 109 (26.39%) had Flugelman Index ≥17. These patients were significantly older than the patients with lower FIs (85±9.35 vs 78±11.58 years, p<0.001), more likely to be admitted for pneumonia (22% vs. 4.9% of those with lower FIs; p<0,001). They also had more comorbidity, loss of autonomy, cognitive impairment, social frailty, and nursing care needs. The subgroup with FIs ≥17 had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (30.28% vs 6.25%, p<0.001), longer hospital stay (13 vs. 10 days, p<0.05), and higher rates of discharge to nursing homes. Conclusions: Evaluation of internal medicine patients with the Flugelman Index may be helpful for identifying more critical patients likely to require longer hospitalization and to detect factors affecting the hospital stay. This information can be useful for more effective discharge planning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The basin-like setting of stiff bedrock combined with pre-existing landslide masses can contribute to seismic amplifications in a wide frequency range (0-10 Hz) and induce a self-excitation process responsible for earthquake-triggered landsliding. Here, the self-excitation process is proposed to justify the far-field seismic trigger of the Cerda landslide (Sicily, Italy) which was reactivated by the 6th September 2002 Palermo earthquake ( M = 5.4), about 50 km far from the epicentre. The landslide caused damage to farm houses, roads and aqueducts, close to the village of Cerda, and involved about 40 × 10 m of clay shales; the first ground cracks due to the landslide movement formed about 30 min after the main shock. A stress-strain dynamic numerical modelling, performed by FDM code FLAC 5.0, supports the notion that the combination of local geological setting and earthquake frequency content played a fundamental role in the landslide reactivation. Since accelerometric records of the triggering event are not available, dynamic equivalent inputs have been used for the numerical modelling. These inputs can be regarded as representative for the local ground shaking, having a PGA value up to 0.2 m/s, which is the maximum expected in 475 years, according to the Italian seismic hazard maps. A 2D numerical modelling of the seismic wave propagation in the Cerda landslide area was also performed; it pointed out amplification effects due to both the structural setting of the stiff bedrock (at about 1 Hz) and the pre-existing landslide mass (in the range 3-6 Hz). The frequency peaks of the resulting amplification functions ( A( f)) fit well the H/ V spectral ratios from ambient noise and the H/ H spectral ratios to a reference station from earthquake records, obtained by in situ velocimetric measurements. Moreover, the Fourier spectra of earthquake accelerometric records, whose source and magnitude are consistent with the triggering event, show a main peak at about 1 Hz. This frequency value well fits the one amplified by the geological setting of the bedrock in correspondence with the landslide area, which is constituted of marly limestones and characterised by a basin-like geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several processes involve two immiscible liquid phases where the drops of the dispersed phase are surrounded by a continuous phase. The drops coalesce for joining their mother phase. This phenomenon occurs in many industrial mixing, separation, as well as in environmental processes. This paper is focused on the problem of the coalescence of a single drop at the interface with its mother phase. An original model characterizing the mechanism of coalescence is proposed and then validated by comparison with experimental data both from the literature and from the authors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a component-based modelling approach to system-software co-engineering of real-time embedded systems, in particular aerospace systems. Our method is centred around the standardized Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) modelling framework. We formalize a significant subset of AADL, incorporating its recent Error Model Annex for modelling faults and repairs. The major distinguishing aspects of this component-based approach are the possibility to describe nominal hardware and software operations, hybrid (and timing) aspects, as well as probabilistic faults and their propagation and recovery. Moreover, it supports dynamic (i.e. on-the-fly) reconfiguration of components and inter-component connections. The operational semantics gives a precise interpretation of specifications by providing a mapping onto networks of event-data automata. These networks are then subject to different kinds of formal analysis such as model checking, safety and dependability analysis and performance evaluation. Mature tool support realizes these analyses. The activities reported in this paper are carried out in the context of the correctness, modelling, and performance of aerospace systems, project which is funded by the European Space Agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]