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The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano starting on 14 April 2010 resulted in the spreading of volcanic ash over most parts of Europe. In Slovenia, the presence of volcanic ash was monitored using ground-based in-situ measurements, lidar-based remote sensing and airborne insitu measurements. Volcanic origin of the detected aerosols was confirmed by subsequent spectral and chemical analysis of the collected samples. The initial arrival of volcanic ash to Slovenia was first detected through the analysis of precipitation, which occurred on 17 April 2010 at 01:00 UTC and confirmed by satellite-based remote sensing. At this time, the presence of low clouds and occasional precipitation prevented ash monitoring using lidar-based remote sensing. The second arrival of volcanic ash on 20 April 2010 was detected by both lidar-based remote sensing and airborne in-situ measurements, revealing two or more elevated atmospheric aerosol layers. The ash was not seen in satellite images due to lower concentrations. The identification of aerosol samples from ground-based and airborne in-situ measurements based on energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed that a fraction of particles were volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption. To explain the history of the air masses bringing volcanic ash to Slovenia, we analyzed airflow trajectories using ECMWF and HYSPLIT models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two airborne remote-sensing flights were conducted above a geothermal field in central Italy (the Latera caldera) where deep, naturally produced CO2 is migrating to surface along faults and leaking to the atmosphere at spatially restricted gas vents. The goal of these surveys was to understand if it is possible to locate CO2 leaking from a CO2 geological storage site through the application of indirect remote-sensing methods that primarily measure plant stress and subsequent ground-based verification using near-surface gas geochemistry techniques. The overall success rate obtained by integrating six different datasets was 39%, although some individual techniques, such as one NDVI survey, achieved a 47% success rate. While the work did discover some vents that were previously unknown, it also failed to locate five vents that are known to exist and, perhaps, other unknown vents. Future work will focus on understanding the various causes of false positives, automation of preliminary data interpretation, and the direct hyperspectral measurement of atmospheric CO2 produced by these natural seeps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recent years, SAR interferometry has become one of the most popular emerging techniques for the assessment of ground displacements, and, as such, it is of great interest as a possible operational tool for civil protection institutions having to deal with landslide risk. The paper presents some of the results obtained in northern Italy during a research project aimed at testing the potentiality of the application of C‐band space‐borne interferometry and Ku‐band ground based interferometry during different specific civil protection activities. Main research objectives were the detection of the movements of complex earth and rock slides affecting built‐up areas during the 1990s, and the near real‐time monitoring of a reactivated rotational earth slide over an emergency period of 15 days. Results of space‐borne interferometry did qualitatively fit with the geological interpretation of the mass movements and with ground truths such as damaged buildings and in situ monitoring systems. However, this was not achieved in quantitative terms, suggesting that this technique should be used limitedly for displacement recognition and not monitoring. On the other hand, ground‐based interferometry proved valuable both for a qualitative and a quantitative estimate of slope movements. Nonetheless, the research has also enabled the limitations that are still to be tackled in order to bring these systems to an operational usage in civil protection to be highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of an oil spill's extent and its quantification are fundamental to limit damage and assess impacts. Remote sensing permits the observation of large areas in a short time, to locate and quantify the phenomenon. We present the case study of the River Lambro, where an oil spill occurred on February 23, 2010 and then flowed into the River Po. The Agenzia di Protezione Civile della Regione Emilia-Romagna quickly commissioned two aerial surveys over the polluted area, performed by Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS) with a hyperspectral sensor, AISA Eagle 1K, in order to obtain qualitative and quantitative assessment of the spilled substances and to support rapid decision-making with real-time monitoring. The method used a Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) classification to locate the pollution. Results showed a successful applicability in the production of the pollution map used for the containment phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WARBO project will facilitate the regulation of water artificial recharge (AR) and determine how to respond to the need to safeguard, protect and enhance water and land ecosystems. The project will focus on sites with AR problems hosting ecosystems of community interest where urgent measures are needed to fight against water scarcity and to develop protocols able to specify how to manage recharge activities. The protocols concerning direct (hydrogeological, geochemical and isotopic) and indirect (geophysical and remote sensing) surveys will be finalized and applied to two main macro-areas. The first is the Friuli plain (NE Italy), with the aim of identifying the short- and long-term effects of the recharge of highly permeable aquifers in order to mitigate the lowering of piezometric levels and the degradation of the forested areas impacted by a gradual shift of the springs towards lower altitudes and to estimate the water savings that could be achieved through the reclamation and use of grey water in the ZIPR test site (San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone). The second is the southern Po Plain in the Copparo area (Ferrara, northern Italy) in order to assess the effectiveness and the issues connected with recharge activities in salinised aquifer inland characterized by medium-low permeability and to estimate the effectiveness of phytopurification systems and the improvement of biodiversity. The aims of the WARBO project are: the integration and updating of the CAMI-LIFE database to improve existing knowledge and to better evaluate the hydrogeological and geochemical evolution of aquifers; the updating of the conceptual model and identification of test areas; the application of innovative hydrological 3D models implementing state-ofthe- art numerical procedures to solve partial differential equations (as finite elements, mixed finite elements, finite volumes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immediate initiation of antiretroviral treatment (iART) is a proven intervention that significantly decreases time to viral suppression and increases patient retention. iART involves starting medication as early as possible, often after a reactive rapid HIV test or re-engagement in care, although it does not have a universal definition. We aimed to understand iART from an implementation science perspective in a wide range of New York City (NYC) clinics providing HIV primary care, including staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as clinic barriers and facilitators to iART., Methods: We used a mixed-methods, convergent study design, with a quantitative survey and in-depth interview (IDI), to understand individual-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as clinic-level barriers and facilitators to iART. We recruited at least one medical and non-medical staff member from a diverse purposive sample of 30 NYC clinics. In quantitative analyses, we used separate binomial logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). In qualitative analyses, we used codebooks created by thematic analyses structured using a Framework Model to develop descriptive analytic memos., Results: Recruited staff completed 46 surveys and 17 IDIs. We found high levels of awareness of the viral suppression and retention in care benefits of iART. Survey respondents more commonly reported medication starts within three to four days of a reactive rapid HIV test rather than same-day initiation. Among survey respondents, compared to medical staff, non-medical staff were more likely to agree that medication should only be initiated after receiving confirmatory HIV test results (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.06-0.8). Additionally, survey respondents from clinics serving a majority people of color were less likely to report iART on the same day as a reactive rapid HIV test (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.02-1.0, p-value < 0.5). IDI results elucidated barriers to implementation, including perceived patient readiness, which potentially leads to added disparities in iART access., Conclusion: iART has proven benefits and support for its implementation among HIV clinic staff. Our findings indicate that barriers to expanding iART access may be overcome if implementation resources are allocated strategically, which can further progress towards health equity., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Consumer involvement in health-care policy and quality management (QM) programming is a key element in making health systems people-centered. Involvement of health-care consumers in these areas, however, remains underdeveloped and under-prioritized. When consumer involvement is actively realized, few mechanisms for assessing its impact have been developed. The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) embraces consumer involvement of people with HIV in QM as a guiding principle, informed by early HIV/AIDS advocacy and a framework of people-centered quality care., Method: HIV consumer involvement is implemented statewide and informs all quality of care programming as a standard for QM in health-care organizations, implemented through four key several initiatives: (i) a statewide HIV Consumer Quality Advisory Committee; (ii) leadership and QM trainings for consumers; (iii) specific tools and activities to engage consumers in QM activities at state, regional and health-care facility levels and (iv) formal organizational assessments of consumer involvement in health-care facility QM programs., Results: We review the literature on this topic and place the methods used by the NYSDOH within a theoretical framework for consumer involvement., Conclusion: We present a model that offers a paradigm for practical implementation of routine consumer involvement in QM programs that can be replicated in other health-care settings, both disease-specific and general, reflecting the priority of active participation of consumers in QM activities at all levels of the health system., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)