Vesuvio civil protection exercise MESIMEX: survey on volcanic risk perception.

In October 2006 the European Civil Protection Exercise MESIMEX (Somma Vesuvio Mesimex – Major Emergency SIMulation Exercise) on volcanic risk took place at Vesuvio, promoted by Campania Region and coordinated by the Italian Civil Protection Department. The exercise was focused on the preparedness phase for a major volcanic emergency in the area of Vesuvio. An evacuation of a sample of 1800 inhabitants from the Vesuvio Red Zone was also tested during the drill because the emergency plan ensures the complete evacuation of the population from the higher risk zone before the onset of the eruption. During that event a survey on volcanic risk perception was carried out on the evacuated population in order to compare the results with the ones coming from a previous similar survey, using the same questionnaire, carried out on a wider sample of residents in the Vesuvio Red Zone few months before MESIMEX exercise. The aim was to point out any differences in population’s attitude towards volcanic risk after having received detailed information on the emergency plan and on the hazards and risk related to the reactivation of Vesuvio, and experiencing the exercise. 463 questionnaires were distributed to the population evacuated from the 18 municipalities of the Red Zone and participating to the exercise. Main results in comparing data from MESIMEX survey with the Vesuvio previous one, put in evidence how the general level of Vesuvio residents’ trust remains quite low, indicating that a continuous and effective effort has to be done by both scientific community and Civil Protection Department. Particular attention should be paid in education and outreach activities and in involving people in risk mitigation procedures, also through more frequent exercises

Chronology of the 2007 eruption of Stromboli and the activity 1 of the Scientific Synthesis Group

On 27 February 2007, at 12.49 GMT, a new eruption of Stromboli took place with the effusion of a 15 lava flow from a fracture cutting the flank of the NE cone, which rapidly reached the sea. The eruption 16 had been heralded by an increase in the amplitude of tremor and flank movement since at least the 14th 17 of February. Short-term precursors were an increase in the rate of occurrence of small landslides within 18 the “Sciara del Fuoco” scar on the North-western flank of the volcano. A new effusive vent opened at 19 18.30 GMT on the Sciara del Fuoco at an height of 400 m asl. The new lava emission caused the 20 sudden termination of the summit flow and initiated a period of non-stationary lava outpouring which 21 ended on 2 April, 2007. The eruption has been characterized by a rapid decrease in the eruption rate after the first days and subsequently by episodic pulse increases. On the 15th 22 of March, the increase in 23 lava outpouring, monitored by a thermal camera, heralded by 9 minutes the occurrence of a violent 24 paroxysmal explosion with the formation of an impulsive eruption column and the emission of small 25 pumices mingled with black scoriae. The pumice had a bulk composition similar to that of the lava and 26 of the black scoriae, but with a distinct lower content of phenocrysts. A similar feature has been 27 repeateadly observed during the major explosive paroxysms of Stromboli. Short term precursors of the 28 paroxysm were recorded by strainmeter and tiltmeter stations. The volcano monitoring activity has 29 been made by a joint team of researchers from the INGV sections of Catania, Napoli, Palermo and 30 Rome, along with researchers from the University of Florence, Pisa, Roma Tre, and Palermo. The 31 scientific activity was coordinated by a Synthesis Group made up by the responsibles of the different 32 monitoring techniques of INGV and Universities and by the volcanic experts of Commissione Nazionale Grandi Rischi of the Prime Minister Office (Civil Protection Department). 33 The group made a 34 daily evaluation of the state of the volcano and transmitted its recommendations to the Civil Protection 35 Department (DPC). Several prevention measures were adopted by DPC, the main of which were the 36 evacuation of the coast zone when strong acceleration of the Sciara del Fuoco slope motion (occurred 37 twice) could led to a dangerous tsunami by flank collapse (as last occurred on 30 December 2002) and 38 four days before the 15 March paroxysm when access was prohibited to the part of the volcano above 39 290m as

Assessing seismic efficiency from scalar Moment-rates: an application to Mt. Etna volcano (Italy)

Here we propose an improved estimation of the scalar seismic (from instrumental and historical catalogues), geodetic and geologic moment-rates for the eastern flank of Mt. Etna. The estimated moment-rates have been compared in terms of seismic efficiency. Results show that all the calculated efficiency values are lower than 40%, i.e., the geodetic moment-rate estimations are generally larger than the seismic and the geologic ones. Although a number of reasons may account for the observed discrepancy, we are confident that a large amount of the deformation affecting the eastern flank occurs aseismically

Potential association of specific Candida parapsilosis genotypes, bloodstream infections and colonization of health workers' hands

Fungal nosocomial infections continue to be a serious problem among hospitalized patients, decreasing quality of life and adding millions of euros to healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of fungi associated with the hands of healthcare workers and to genotype Candida parapsilosis isolates in order to understand whether their high clinical prevalence stems from endemic nosocomial genotypes or from the real emergence of epidemiologically-unrelated strains. Approximately 39% (50/129) of healthcare workers were positive for yeasts and among 77 different fungal isolates recovered, C. parapsilosis was the most frequent (44/77; 57%). Twenty-seven diverse genotypes were obtained by microsatellite analysis of 42 selected blood and hand isolates. Most of the isolates from hands showed a new, unrelated, genotype, whereas a particular group of closely related genotypes prevailed in blood samples. Some of the latter genotypes were also found on the hands of healthcare workers, indicating a persistence of these clones within our hospital. C. parapsilosis genotypes from the hands were much more heterogeneous than clinical ones, thus reflecting a high genetic diversity among isolates, which is notably unusual and unexpected for this species

Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio predicts 5-fluorouracil sensitivity independently of p53 status

p53 tumour-suppressor gene is involved in cell growth control, arrest and apoptosis. Nevertheless cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction can be observed in p53-defective cells after exposure to DNA-damaging agents such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) suggesting the importance of alternative pathways via p53-independent mechanisms. In order to establish relationship between p53 status, cell cycle arrest, Bcl-2/Bax regulation and 5-FU sensitivity, we examined p53 mRNA and protein expression and p53 protein functionality in wild-type (wt) and mutant (mt) p53 cell lines. p53 mRNA and p53 protein expression were determined before and after exposure to equitoxic 5-FU concentration in six human carcinoma cell lines differing in p53 status and displaying marked differences in 5-FU sensitivity, with IC 50 values ranging from 0.2–22.6 mM. 5-FU induced a rise in p53 mRNA expression in mt p53 cell lines and in human papilloma virus positive wt p53 cell line, whereas significant decrease in p53 mRNA expression was found in wt p53 cell line. Whatever p53 status, 5-FU altered p53 transcriptional and translational regulation leading to up-regulation of p53 protein. In relation with p53 functionality, but independently of p53 mutational status, after exposure to 5-FU equitoxic concentration, all cell lines were able to arrest in G1. No relationship was evidenced between G1 accumulation ability and 5-FU sensitivity. Moreover, after 5-FU exposure, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins regulation was under p53 protein control and a statistically significant relationship (r= 0.880,P= 0.0097) was observed between Bcl-2/Bax ratio and 5-FU sensitivity. In conclusion, whatever p53 status, Bcl-2 or Bax induction and Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio were correlated to 5-FU sensitivity. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Unwinding of a cholesteric liquid crystal and bidirectional surface anchoring

We examine the influence of bidirectional anchoring on the unwinding of a planar cholesteric liquid crystal induced by the application of a magnetic field. We consider a liquid crystal layer confined between two plates with the helical axis perpendicular to the substrates. We fixed the director twist on one boundary and allow for bidirectional anchoring on the other by introducing a high-order surface potential. By minimizing the total free energy for the system, we investigate the untwisting of the cholesteric helix as the liquid crystal attempts to align with the magnetic field. The transitions between metastable states occur as a series of pitchjumps as the helix expels quarter or half-turn twists, depending on the relative sizes of the strength of the surface potential and the bidirectional anchoring. We show that secondary easy axis directions can play a significant role in the unwinding of the cholesteric in its transition towards a nematic, especially when the surface anchoring strength is large