Analisi di dati DInSAR in aree urbane affette da subsidenza o frane a cinematica lenta

2012 - 2013Subsidence and slow-moving landslides systematically cause social, economic and environmental impacts all over the world. For this reason studies aimed at both the characterization of subsidence and slow-moving landslides and the analysis of the consequences on the exposed elements interacting with them are of great interest for the scientific and the technical community. These studies, to be useful in land use planning and management, need a huge number of displacement measurements within and on the boundary of the affected areas. Recently the scientific community has shownan increasing interest in the potential of using satellite observation techniques and, in particular, interferometric methods of Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR)image processing. The literature review on DInSAR applications highlights the possibility of further researches pursuing the exploitation of DInSAR potentiality in studies at different scales and the development of procedures for the proper use of interferometric data and their validation with reference to well documented case studies. To this end, this PhD Thesis is aimed at developing original procedures for the analysis of the interferometric measurements specifically devotedto pursue two main objectives: the characterization of the phenomena of interest and the prediction of consequences to buildings interacting with them. The conceived procedures were tested, in sample areas of the Campania region (southern Italy)following a multi-scale approach. With reference to subsidence phenomena, the studies at small-scale involved the entire region and were mainly aimedatdetecting subsiding macro-areas; within these latter, more detailed studies at medium scale were carried out and the most affected municipalities were individuated. At large scale,focusing on one of these municipalities, studies dealing with the analysis of parameters whose variation leadsto the generation of the damage were carried out. Finally, at the scale of the single building the interferometric data were interpretedaccording todamageability criteria adopted in engineering practice. As forslow-moving landslides, the joint use of interferometric measurements and damage surveysallowed the updating of landslide inventory maps at medium scale and the analysis of the consequencesthrough the generation of fragility and vulnerability curves within a test area including 21 municipalities of BeneventoProvince. At large-scale studies were performed on a landslide-affected area within the municipality of Ascea(Salerno Province) in order to follow the evolution - in space and time - of the analyzed phenomenon as well as to deepen its kinematic behavior, in turn useful for zoning purposes. The obtained results highlight that the conceived procedures can valuably integrate the current practice for land use planning and as well as for the selection of the most suitablemanagement strategy.XII n.s

A general framework and related procedures for multiscale analyses of DInSAR data in subsiding urban areas

In the last decade Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) data were successfully tested in a number of case studies for the detection, mapping and monitoring of ground displacements associated with natural or anthropogenic phenomena. More recently, several national and regional projects all around the world provided rich data archives whose confident use, however, should rely on multidisciplinary experts in order to avoid misleading interpretations. To this aim, the present work first introduces a general framework for the use of DInSAR data; then, focusing on the analysis of subsidence phenomena and the related consequences to the exposed facilities, a set of original procedures is proposed. By drawing a multiscale approach the study highlights the different goals to be pursued at different scales of analysis via high/very high resolution SAR sensors and presents the results with reference to the case study of the Campania region (southern Italy) where widespread ground displacements occurred and damages of different severity were recorded

ATF6 prevents DNA damage and cell death in colon cancer cells undergoing ER stress

Colon cancer represents one of the most common and aggressive cancers in its advanced state. Among the most innovative anti-cancer approaches, the manipulation of UPR is a promising one, effective also against cancers carrying dysfunctional p53. Interestingly, it is emerging that UPR cross-talks with DDR and that targeting the interplay between these two adaptive responses may be exploited to overcome the resistance to the single DDR- and UPR-targeting treatments. Previous studies have highlighted the role of IRE1 alpha and PERK UPR sensors on DDR, while the impact of ATF6 on this process remains under-investigated. This study shows for the first time that ATF6 sustains the expression level of BRCA-1 and protects colon cancer cells from the cytotoxic effect of ER stressors DPE and Thapsigargin. At molecular level, ATF6 activates mTOR to sustain the expression of HSP90, of which BRCA-1 is a client protein. Therefore, pharmacological or genetic inhibition of ATF6 promoted BRCA-1 degradation and increased DNA damage and cell death, particularly in combination with Adriamycin. All together this study suggests that targeting ATF6 may not only potentiate the cytotoxic effect of drugs triggering ER stress but may render colon cancer cells more sensitive to Adriamycin and possibly to other DNA damaging agents used to treat colon cancer

Inhibition of p38 MAP kinase pathway induces apoptosis and prevents Epstein Barr virus reactivation in Raji cells exposed to lytic cycle inducing compounds

BACKGROUND: EBV lytic cycle activators, such as phorbol esters, anti-immunoglobulin, transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), sodium butyrate, induce apoptosis in EBV-negative but not in EBV-positive Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells. To investigate the molecular mechanisms allowing EBV-infected cells to be protected, we examined the expression of viral and cellular antiapoptotic proteins as well as the activation of signal transduction pathways in BL-derived Raji cells exposed to lytic cycle inducing agents. RESULTS: Our data show that, following EBV activation, the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and the cellular anti-apoptotic proteins MCL-1 and BCL-2 were quickly up-regulated and that Raji cells remained viable even when exposed simultaneously to P(BU)(2), sodium butyrate and TGFβ. We report here that inhibition of p38 pathway, during EBV activation, led to a three fold increment of apoptosis and largely prevented lytic gene expression. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that, during the switch from the latent to the lytic phase of EBV infection, p38 MAPK phosphorylation plays a key role both for protecting the host cells from apoptosis as well as for inducing viral reactivation. Because Raji cells are defective for late antigens expression, we hypothesize that the increment of LMP1 gene expression in the early phases of EBV lytic cycle might contribute to the survival of the EBV-positive cells

Disease-Modifying Therapies and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies on the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Methods: We retrospectively collected data of PwMS with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. All the patients had complete follow-up to death or recovery. Severe COVID-19 was defined by a 3-level variable: mild disease not requiring hospitalization versus pneumonia or hospitalization versus intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death. We evaluated baseline characteristics and MS therapies associated with severe COVID-19 by multivariate and propensity score (PS)-weighted ordinal logistic models. Sensitivity analyses were run to confirm the results. Results: Of 844 PwMS with suspected (n = 565) or confirmed (n = 279) COVID-19, 13 (1.54%) died; 11 of them were in a progressive MS phase, and 8 were without any therapy. Thirty-eight (4.5%) were admitted to an ICU; 99 (11.7%) had radiologically documented pneumonia; 96 (11.4%) were hospitalized. After adjusting for region, age, sex, progressive MS course, Expanded Disability Status Scale, disease duration, body mass index, comorbidities, and recent methylprednisolone use, therapy with an anti-CD20 agent (ocrelizumab or rituximab) was significantly associated (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-4.74, p = 0.015) with increased risk of severe COVID-19. Recent use (<1 month) of methylprednisolone was also associated with a worse outcome (OR = 5.24, 95% CI = 2.20-12.53, p = 0.001). Results were confirmed by the PS-weighted analysis and by all the sensitivity analyses. Interpretation: This study showed an acceptable level of safety of therapies with a broad array of mechanisms of action. However, some specific elements of risk emerged. These will need to be considered while the COVID-19 pandemic persists

Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed. In part 2, 112 patients with LC and 56 matched controls were entered in the cross-sectional study. In part 3, 5 patients with cirrhosis were entered in the in vivo study and 4 healthy subjects (HSs) were entered in the in vitro study to explore if albumin may affect platelet activation by modulating oxidative stress. In the 753 patients with LC, the prevalence of PVT was 16.7%; logistic analysis showed that only age (odds ratio [OR], 1.024; P = 0.012) and serum albumin (OR, -0.422; P = 0.0001) significantly predicted patients with PVT. Analyzing the 112 patients with LC and controls, soluble clusters of differentiation (CD)40-ligand (P = 0.0238), soluble Nox2-derived peptide (sNox2-dp; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (P = 0.0078) were higher in patients with LC. In LC, albumin was correlated with sCD4OL (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [r(s)], -0.33; P < 0.001), sNox2-dp (r(s), -0.57; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (r(s), -0.48; P < 0.0001) levels. The in vivo study showed a progressive decrease in platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha-III formation 2 hours and 3 days after albumin infusion. Finally, platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and isoprostane formation significantly decreased in platelets from HSs incubated with scalar concentrations of albumin. Conclusion: Low serum albumin in LC is associated with PVT, suggesting that albumin could be a modulator of the hemostatic system through interference with mechanisms regulating platelet activation

COVID-19 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis: Putting Data Into Context

Background and objectives: It is unclear how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the severity of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to compare COVID-19-related outcomes collected in an Italian cohort of patients with MS with the outcomes expected in the age- and sex-matched Italian population. Methods: Hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death after COVID-19 diagnosis of 1,362 patients with MS were compared with the age- and sex-matched Italian population in a retrospective observational case-cohort study with population-based control. The observed vs the expected events were compared in the whole MS cohort and in different subgroups (higher risk: Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score > 3 or at least 1 comorbidity, lower risk: EDSS score ≤ 3 and no comorbidities) by the χ2 test, and the risk excess was quantified by risk ratios (RRs). Results: The risk of severe events was about twice the risk in the age- and sex-matched Italian population: RR = 2.12 for hospitalization (p < 0.001), RR = 2.19 for ICU admission (p < 0.001), and RR = 2.43 for death (p < 0.001). The excess of risk was confined to the higher-risk group (n = 553). In lower-risk patients (n = 809), the rate of events was close to that of the Italian age- and sex-matched population (RR = 1.12 for hospitalization, RR = 1.52 for ICU admission, and RR = 1.19 for death). In the lower-risk group, an increased hospitalization risk was detected in patients on anti-CD20 (RR = 3.03, p = 0.005), whereas a decrease was detected in patients on interferon (0 observed vs 4 expected events, p = 0.04). Discussion: Overall, the MS cohort had a risk of severe events that is twice the risk than the age- and sex-matched Italian population. This excess of risk is mainly explained by the EDSS score and comorbidities, whereas a residual increase of hospitalization risk was observed in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and a decrease in people on interferon

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.39–3.02, p < 0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.18–0.99, p = 0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

Troisi, Roberta, and Livia Arena. "Organizational Aspects of Sustainable Infrastructure Safety Planning by Means of Alert Maps

Road infrastructure safety is a key issue in urban planning for numerous agencies, authorities, central and local administrations, road operators and contractors, in addition to researchers and technology experts. The present study describes a theoretical framework and examines coordination models highlighting how the integration between agencies can be developed with a supporting methodology. By means of alert maps derived from the elaboration of DInSAR (differential interferometry synthetic aperture radar) data, the study defines the actors involved, the alert level for each road infrastructure and the rationale for centralized or flexible coordination models. The potential applications of the approach are tested on a case study in Italy, in an area with about 1600 km of roads in Rome. The study aims to promote synergy between the various agencies for more sustainable infrastructure safety planning and governance