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Nell'ambito del progetto di collaborazione tra l'Università degli Studi di Catania - Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile ed Ambientale e l'Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero (IAMC) - sede Geomare del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), nei mesi di Settembre 2001 e Settembre 2002 sono state progettate e realizzate campagne oceanografiche per lo studio e il monitoraggio della "morfodinamica di macroforme di fondo" di un settore prospiciente lo Stretto di Messina.

Nell'ambito del Progetto C.A.R.G. Nazionale inserito nell'accordo Servizio Geologico Nazionale - Regione Campania, si è instaurata una convenzione fra la Regione e l'Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero per la costruzione di Cartografia Geologica Marina. L'IAMC ha quindi progettato diverse Campagne Oceanografiche per l'acquisizione di un dataset aggiornato che consentisse la realizzazione di queste carte. I settori maggiormente scoperti erano, per la difficoltà di acquisizione, quelli prospicienti la linea di battigia. Il 21 ottobre 2004 è iniziata una Campagna Oceanografica, Carg04_02, per il rilevamento morfo-batimetrico intorno alle isole di Ischia e di Procida nella fascia costiera che va dai 3 ai 15 metri di profondità. La Campagna Oceanografica è stata effettuata a bordo del Mb/O Red Fish, un'imbarcazione lunga 8m e larga 4m, con un pescaggio di 1.2m.

Nell'ambito del Progetto C.A.R.G. Nazionale inserito nell'accordo Servizio Geologico Nazionale - Regione Campania, si è instaurata una convenzione fra la Regione e l'Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero per la costruzione di Cartografia Geologica Marina. L'IAMC ha quindi progettato diverse campagne oceanografiche per l'acquisizione di un dataset aggiornato che consentisse la realizzazione di queste carte. I settori maggiormente scoperti erano, per la difficoltà di acquisizione, quelli prospicienti la linea di battigia. Nel periodo 16 Giugno - 16 Luglio 2004 si è svolto un rilievo morfo-batimetrico finalizzato allo studio dei fondali marini compresi tra 4 - 50 metri di profondità, intorno alle isole di Ischia e Procida (Golfo di Napoli).

The Institute for coastal marine environment (IAMC) of Naples carried out a multidisciplinary study focused on the construction of subsurface lithological and bionomic maps along the Maratea coast (Basilicata region, south Tyrrhenian sea) which represent the raw data for the definition of marine protect area. For this purpose we collected data by acoustic swath mapping, sediment sampling and scuba investigation. In September of 2007 the entire margin of the Basilicata Tyrrhenian coast was mapped using the Multibeam Seabat 8125 which, apart from producing very high resolution bathymetric information, can record backscatter information with the so called "sidescan sonar option". In practice the Multibeam's two most external receivers work as the receivers of a standard sidescan sonar by recording the acoustic response of the seabed, in relation to the morphology, composition and fine scale roughness of the beds. The main difference between standard sidescan and the "multibeam sidescan" is that the first may be brought to the towing vessel to the wanted depth, while the "multibeam sidescan" is mounted to the pole and its resolution decreases with increasing depth. Nevertheless the high-resolution data of acoustic swath mapping with Seabat 8125 allowed to create a 20 cm per pixel sidescan sonar mosaic until to -50 m depth. The boundaries of the recognized acoustic facies were subsequently digitalized with the software Geomedia Professional so to create a first interpretation by eye. In June 2008, on the basis of acoustic facies recognized, forty-five samples along the coast (-10 to -30 meters) were collected by grab Van Veen which, combined with scuba investigation, have been used to validate the sidescan acoustic interpretation. In the end all data were collected making it possible to obtain two extremely detailed seabad lithological and bionomic maps. Furthermore the differences between the acoustic signals derived from different facies, in terms of pixel intensity of the sidescan image, have been tested using statistical methods.

Multibeam acoustic data were acquired from the inner shelf of central western Sardinia (western Mediterranean sea) in order to evaluate the relationship between acoustic data (backscatter intensity and angular response) and seabed typologies. The study site is characterized by a complex seabed including sandy and gravelly sediments, Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds growing on sedimentary and hard (i.e. calcareous bio-constructions) substrates. A multibeam survey was carried out in order to collect bathymetric and backscatter data by using a RESON 8111 equipment. The bathymetric range of the acquisition sector was 15-55 m. Ground truth data were collected from 57 stations, by grab sampling and direct inspection by divers. 41 ground truth stations were characterized by sedimentary substrate without benthic vegetation, the remaining by Posidonia oceanica beds. Sediment samples were analyzed for grain size. Sediments were mainly sandy-gravelly. Silt+Clay content did not exceed 20%, while 10 samples showed a gravel content >50%.

The instrumentations used to survey the seafloor, as Multibeam Echosounder and Sidescan Sonar, have been improved during the last years and provide high resolution acoustic data. This paper contains the procedures, used by the acquisition team of the IAMC, to elaborate and to render the bathymetric datasets acquired in shallow waters.

The Geographic Information Systems are the correct scientific tools for data analysis and management. The possibility to share the data, using HTTP, WMS and WFS protocols represents an important resource for research institutes and other organization. This paper contains the procedures used by IAMC to implement cartographic server with an html interface to browse the database and get other information using some data analysis tools.

During the work developed by IAMC and Comune di Maratea (Appalto n° 1217 del 24/04/2008 "Indagini Conoscitive Marine Costiere, Comune di Maratea") sedimentologic and bionomic map have been made in the bathymetric range 0 and -50 meters along the cost of Lucania. For this purpose both the indirect morphobathymetric investigation with Multibeam Seabat 8125 (Reson,) and direct investigation with samplings and with scuba diver have been done.

New geophysical and sedimentological data of the Gulf of Oristano and adjacent inner shelf sector are presented in order to analyse the relationships between holocenic carbonate sedimentation and seabed morphology. A multibean survey allowed to map the morphological features present at the entrance of the Gulf, subparallel and NNWSSE elonged, related to a stationary phase of sea level. The analysis of acoustic signal, verified with sediment sampling, allowed to map the distribution of holocenic carbonate sediments and their relationship with inner shelf morphology.

An extensive, high-resolution bathymetric survey has recently been carried out, portraying the continental shelf-slope system of the Campania Region, in southern Italy (Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea). The relative bathymetric data were acquired between 1997 and 2002, using multibeam systems with an average vertical resolution of < 0.25 % water depth and a position accuracy of < 10 m. The survey data were successively merged with a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) created from topographic maps of the onshore coastal area and islands of theNaples Bay, to produce a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) based on a homogeneous grid with cell-spacing of 20 m. The shaded-relief, colour scale map of the Naples Bay presented in this study provides new, detailed information on the morphology of the coastal Campania Region. This continental margin displays evidence of the interplay between tectonics and volcanism and their interference with sedimentary processes during the latest Neogene and Quaternary. The major morphological features revealed by the 3D digital maps are: 1) the system of marine canyons (Dohrn and Magnaghi) that cut the continental slope at a depth between 250 m and 1100 m; 2) the funnelshaped marine slope system of the Ischia volcanic structure; 3) the onshore-offshore volcanic field of the Campi Flegrei; 4) the rugged seafloor area (of a diameter of ca 2 km) off the town of Naples (Banco della Montagna), caused by active uplift of small-scale volcaniclastic diapirs (pyroclastic lumps); and 5) the debris-flow/avalanche deposits on the inner continental shelf of the Eastern Bay of Naples, that evolved from the pyroclastic products of the Vesuvius

To validate a newly developed questionnaire for the measurement of patients' knowledge and practices, with particular attention to its ability in predicting HbA1c levels.The Knowledge and Practices Diabetes Questionnaire (KPDQ) is a questionnaire composed of two scales, investigating patient knowledge and practices. Twenty-two questions, 12 dealing with patients' knowledge and 10 relative to patients' practices, were initially identified. Factor analysis and reliability analysis were used to validate the questionnaire. The ability of the two scales in predicting metabolic control was then evaluated. The questionnaire was administered to a population of Type 1 diabetic subjects intensively treated and regularly attending the diabetes outpatient clinic of Pescara General Hospital. The mean of all HbA1c measurements performed after patients were taken in charge by the clinic was used as an indicator of metabolic control.Out of 133 Type 1 patients identified, 77 (58 %) filled in the questionnaire. Respondents had a mean age (+/- SD) of 37 +/- 13 years and a mean diabetes duration of 13 +/- 9 years. The application of factor and reliability analyses led to the definition of two final scales composed of 10 (Knowledge Score, KS) and 5 items (Practice Score, PS), respectively. Item-scale correlation wasor = 0.40 for all the items investigated. Cronbach's alpha coefficient exceeded the value of 0.70 for both scales. The mean number of HbA1c determinations during a median period of observation of 4 years was of 11 +/- 5. The mean HbA1c value for the whole population was of 7.0% +/- 1.4, while the proportion of patients with valuesor = 7.0% was of 57%. After adjusting for clinical and patient-related characteristics, the KS was the only independent predictor of metabolic control. Patients in the lowest quartile of the KS showed a more than 20-fold increased risk of having mean HbA1c valuesor = 7.0% as opposed to those in the highest quartile (odds ratio, OR=23.3;p=0.009). No association emerged between metabolic control and PS.The KPDQ presents excellent psychometric properties. The KS also shows a very impressive association with the mean HbA1c values over a period of 4 years. These findings are particularly remarkable in that many studies have failed in documenting such a relationship. The KS can thus be considered as a quick and efficient screening tool to be used in an ambulatory setting to monitor the level of practice-oriented knowledge of patients with Type 1 diabetes as well as to identify those subjects who need individualized educational interventions.