Snow cover monitoring by machine processing of multitemporal LANDSAT MSS data

LANDSAT frames were geometrically corrected and data sets from six different dates were overlaid to produce a 24 channel (six dates and four wavelength bands) data tape. Changes in the extent of the snowpack could be accurately and easily determined using a change detection technique on data which had previously been classified by the LARSYS software system. A second phase of the analysis involved determination of the relationship between spatial resolution or data sampling frequency and accuracy of measuring the area of the snowpack

An improved geometric inequality via vanishing moments, with applications to singular Liouville equations

We consider a class of singular Liouville equations on compact surfaces motivated by the study of Electroweak and Self-Dual Chern-Simons theories, the Gaussian curvature prescription with conical singularities and Onsager's description of turbulence. We analyse the problem of existence variationally, and show how the angular distribution of the conformal volume near the singularities may lead to improvements in the Moser-Trudinger inequality, and in turn to lower bounds on the Euler-Lagrange functional. We then discuss existence and non-existence results.Comment: some references adde

New improved Moser-Trudinger inequalities and singular Liouville equations on compact surfaces

We consider a singular Liouville equation on a compact surface, arising from the study of Chern-Simons vortices in a self dual regime. Using new improved versions of the Moser-Trudinger inequalities (whose main feature is to be scaling invariant) and a variational scheme, we prove new existence results.Comment: to appear in GAF

Chromosome numbers for the Italian flora: 2.

In this contribution new chromosome numbers for Italian endemic taxa are presented. It includes 13 chromosome counts for Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae), Anthemis, Carduus, Centaurea, Cirsium, Hieracium, Taraxacum (Asteraceae), Asyneuma (Campanulaceae), Knautia (Caprifoliaceae), Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae), Linum (Linaceae), Helleborus (Ranunculaceae)

Chromosome numbers for the Italian flora: 2.

In this contribution new chromosome numbers for Italian endemic taxa are presented. It includes 13 chromosome counts for Ornithogalum (Asparagaceae), Anthemis, Carduus, Centaurea, Cirsium, Hieracium, Taraxacum (Asteraceae), Asyneuma (Campanulaceae), Knautia (Caprifoliaceae), Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae), Linum (Linaceae), Helleborus (Ranunculaceae)

Awareness and Sources of Knowledge about Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross Sectional Survey Study

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifactorial sleep breathing disorder, seriously impacting quality of life and involving approximately 1 billion of the world’s population. It is characterized by episodes of total cessation of breathing or decreases in airflow during sleep. Available data suggest that most cases of OSA remain undiagnosed even in developed countries. This is due to a lack of widespread knowledge about this pathology and the medical morbidities and mortality it brings about, among both laypeople and physicians. Moreover, despite receiving indications about the need to undergo specific evaluations for OSA signs and symptoms, sometimes patients do not pay sufficient attention to the problem. This is probably due to a lack of correct information on these issues. The present investigation analyzed the level of knowledge about OSA pathology and the sources through which a group of OSA patients gained information on their condition. A survey of 92 patients diagnosed with OSA (mean age 60.55 ± 10.10) and referred to the Unit of Orthodontics and Dental Sleep Medicine of the University of Bologna was conducted by means of a questionnaire investigating sociodemographic characteristics, the level of general knowledge on OSA pathology and its possible medical consequences. Despite about two third (67.38%) of the population demonstrating extensive knowledge, remarkably, a group of subjects (20.65%) had poor awareness of the OSA condition. A statistically significant correlation emerged between the level of knowledge about OSA and the level of education (p = 0.002). A great effort should be made to improve the quality of information and the communication modalities for OSA to enable a fully appropriate awareness of the condition among patients

Climate-induced conservation risks of historic reinforced concrete buildings: Preliminary results from literature review

Environmental conditions can favour different kinds of deterioration in historic reinforced concrete structures. This preliminary results from literature review are focused on the climate-induced risks affecting reinforced concrete buildings with respect to mechanical, chemical, and biological deterioration. To this purpose, a three-step process defined by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram, was used leading to the inclusion of 45 documents identified via the search engines Scopus and Web of Science. The outcomes highlight that chemical and mechanical decays are the most investigated ones, being mainly triggered by salt weathering and freezing-thawing cycles. It was found that experimental and theoretical approaches are often coupled to estimate climate-induced deterioration mechanisms, also considering environmental parameters. Finally, the literature search provides some milestones which can be used to evaluate gaps and research needs in the field of climate-induced conservative risks affecting reinforced concrete structures

Chromosome numbers for the Italian flora: 1.

In this contribution new chromosome data obtained on material collected in Italy are presented. It includes 15 chromosome counts for Carduus, Crepis, Picris, Taraxacum (Asteraceae), Ceratonia, Lathyrus (Fabaceae), Colchicum (Colchicaceae), Fritillaria (Liliaceae), Petrorhagia (Caryophyllaceae), Potentilla (Rosaceae), Quercus (Fagaceae), Reseda (Resedaceae), and Thymus (Lamiaceae)

Integrative Taxonomy of Armeria arenaria (Plumbaginaceae), with a Special Focus on the Putative Subspecies Endemic to the Apennines

Three subspecies of Armeria arenaria are reported from Italy, two of which are considered endemic to the Apennines. The taxonomic value of these two taxa (A. arenaria subsp. marginata and A. arenaria subsp. apennina) is unclear. Moreover, the relationships between A. arenaria subsp. praecox and Northern Italian populations—currently ascribed to A. arenaria subsp. arenaria—have never been addressed. Accordingly, we used an integrated taxonomic approach, including morphometry, seed morpho–colorimetry, karyology, molecular systematics (psbA–trnH, trnQ–rps16, trnF–trnL, trnL–rpl32, and ITS region), and comparative niche analysis. According to our results, French–Northern Italian populations are clearly distinct from Apennine populations. In the first group, there is evidence which allows the recognition of A. arenaria s.str. (not occurring in Italy) and A. arenaria subsp. praecox. In the second group, the two putative taxa endemic to the Northern Apennines cannot be separated, so a single subspecies is here recognized: A. arenaria subsp. marginata