Is It Safe Living in the Vicinity of Cellular Towers? Analysis of Long-Term Human EMF Exposure at Population Scale

We focus on the ElectroMagnetic Field (EMF) exposure safety for people living in the vicinity of cellular towers. To this aim, we analyze a large dataset of long-term EMF measurements collected over almost 20 years in more than 2000 measurement points spread over an Italian region. We evaluate the relationship between EMF exposure and the following factors: (i) distance from the closest installation(s), (ii) type of EMF sources in the vicinity, (iii) Base Station (BS) technology, and (iv) EMF regulation updates. Overall, the exposure levels from BSs in the vicinity are below the Italian EMF limits, thus ensuring safety for the population. Moreover, BSs represent the lowest exposure compared to Radio/TV repeaters and other EMF sources. However, the BS EMF exposure in proximity to users exhibits an increasing trend over the last years, which is likely due to the pervasive deployment of multiple technologies and to the EMF regulation updates. As a side consideration, if the EMF levels continue to increase with the current trends, the EMF exposure in proximity to BSs will saturate to the maximum EMF limit by the next 20 years at a distance of 30 meters from the closest BS

Sac enlargement due to seroma after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with the Endologix PowerLink device

A patient who had undergone endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm with the Endologix PowerLink bifurcated system presented with delayed aortic aneurysm enlargement due to assumed endotension. He was treated with aortic sac evacuation and wrapping of the endograft. This is the first report of endotension and aneurysm sac enlargement after implantation of the PowerLink endograft

Regge behavior saves string theory from causality violations

Higher-derivative corrections to the Einstein-Hilbert action are present in bosonic string theory leading to the potential causality violations recently pointed out by Camanho et al. [1]. We analyze in detail this question by considering high-energy string-brane collisions at impact parameters b ≤ l s (the string-length parameter) with l s ≫ R p (the characteristic scale of the D p -brane geometry). If we keep only the contribution of the massless states causality is violated for a set of initial states whose polarization is suitably chosen with respect to the impact parameter vector. Such violations are instead neatly avoided when the full structure of string theory — and in particular its Regge behavior — is taken into account

Factors influencing choice of chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

Management of metastatic colorectal cancer requires a multimodal approach and must be performed by an experienced, multidisciplinary expert team. The optimal choice of the individual treatment modality, according to disease localization and extent, tumor biology, and patient clinical characteristics, will be one that can maintain quality of life and long-term survival, and even cure selected patients. This review is an overview of the different therapeutic approaches available in metastatic colorectal cancer, for the purpose of defining personalized therapeutic algorithms according to tumor biology and patient clinical features

Microscopic unitary description of tidal excitations in high-energy string-brane collisions

The eikonal operator was originally introduced to describe the effect of tidal excitations on higher-genus elastic string amplitudes at high energy. In this paper we provide a precise interpretation for this operator through the explicit tree-level calculation of generic inelastic transitions between closed strings as they scatter off a stack of parallel Dp-branes. We perform this analysis both in the light-cone gauge, using the Green-Schwarz vertex, and in the covariant formalism, using the Reggeon vertex operator. We also present a detailed discussion of the high energy behaviour of the covariant string amplitudes, showing how to take into account the energy factors that enhance the contribution of the longitudinally polarized massive states in a simple way.Comment: 58 page

Charged Free Fermions, Vertex Operators and Classical Theory of Conjugate Nets

We show that the quantum field theoretical formulation of the $\tau$-function theory has a geometrical interpretation within the classical transformation theory of conjugate nets. In particular, we prove that i) the partial charge transformations preserving the neutral sector are Laplace transformations, ii) the basic vertex operators are Levy and adjoint Levy transformations and iii) the diagonal soliton vertex operators generate fundamental transformations. We also show that the bilinear identity for the multicomponent Kadomtsev-Petviashvili hierarchy becomes, through a generalized Miwa map, a bilinear identity for the multidimensional quadrilateral lattice equations.Comment: 28 pages, 3 Postscript figure

Quantitative risk assessment of human salmonellosis and listeriosis related to the consumption of raw milk in Italy.

Two quantitative risk assessment (RA) models were developed to describe the risk of salmonellosis and listeriosis linked to consumption of raw milk sold in vending machines in Italy. Exposure assessment considered the official microbiological records monitoring raw milk samples from vending machines performed by the regional veterinary authorities from 2008 to 2011, microbial growth during storage, destruction experiments, consumption frequency of raw milk, serving size, and consumption preference. Two separate RA models were developed: one for the consumption of boiled milk and the other for the consumption of raw milk. The RA models predicted no human listeriosis cases per year either in the best or worst storage conditions and with or without boiling raw milk, whereas the annual estimated cases of salmonellosis depend on the dose-response relationships used in the model, the milk storage conditions, and consumer behavior in relation to boiling raw milk or not. For example, the estimated salmonellosis cases ranged from no expected cases, assuming that the entire population boiled milk before consumption, to a maximum of 980,128 cases, assuming that the entire population drank raw milk without boiling, in the worst milk storage conditions, and with the lowest dose-response model. The findings of this study clearly show how consumer behavior could affect the probability and number of salmonellosis cases and in general, the risk of illness. Hence, the proposed RA models emphasize yet again that boiling milk before drinking is a simple yet effective tool to protect consumers against the risk of illness inherent in the consumption of raw milk. The models may also offer risk managers a useful tool to identify or implement appropriate measures to control the risk of acquiring foodborne pathogens. Quantification of the risks associated with raw milk consumption is necessary from a public health perspective

Four-Year Monitoring of Foodborne Pathogens in Raw Milk Sold by Vending Machines in Italy

Prevalence data were collected from official microbiological records monitoring four selected foodborne pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter jejuni) in raw milk sold by self-service vending machines in seven Italian Regions (n. 60907 samples from 1239 vending machines) during the years 2008 to 2011. Data of samples analyzed both by culture-based and real-time PCR methods were collected in one Region. A total of 100 raw milk consumers in four regions were interviewed while purchasing raw milk from vending machines. One hundred and seventy eight samples out of 60907 were positive for one of the four foodborne pathogens investigated; overall, 18 samples were positive for Salmonella spp., 83 for L. monocytogenes, 24 for E. coli O157:H7 and 53 for C. jejuni in the seven Regions investigated. There were no significant differences in prevalence among Regions, but a significant increase in C. jejuni prevalence was observed over the years. A comparison of the two different analysis methods showed that real-time PCR is from 2.71 to 9.40 times more sensitive than culture-based method. Data on consumer habits showed that some behaviors may enhance the risk of infection due to raw milk consumption: 37% of consumers do not boil milk before consumption, 93% never use an insulated bag to transport raw milk home, and raw milk is consumed by children under five years of age. The study emphasizes that end-product controls alone are not sufficient to guarantee an adequate level of consumer protection. The beta distribution of positive samples in this study and the data on raw milk consumer habits are useful and appropriate for the development of a National Quantitative Risk Assessment of Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157 and C. jejuni related to raw milk consumption

Deadwood in forest stands close to old-growthness under Mediterranean conditions in the Italian Peninsula

Considering that indicators of old-growth features can vary across the European ecoregions, this paper provides some results to identify the distinctive traits of old-growth forests in the Mediterranean ecoregion. Deadwood occurrence as indicator of naturalness is investigated in some remote forest areas that have developed in absence of anthropogenic disturbance over the past few decades. Eleven study sites across the Italian peninsula were elected and records of deadwood were carried out in 1-ha size plots. Deadwood volume, deadwood types and decay stages were inventoried in the selected sites. The amounts of deadwood indicate a large variability among the investigated forest stands: the total volume ranged between 2 and 143 m3ha-1, with an average of 60 m3ha-1. Lying deadwood is the most abundant component of deadwood in the investigated forests, due to the natural mortality occurring in the stands in relation to the processes established in the last decades. On the contrary, stumps are the less represented type of deadwood in almost all the study areas. All the decay classes are present in each study site. The amount of deadwood in Southern Europe, even if lower than that reported for North and Central European countries, could have a different meaning due to the faster decay occurring in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. For this reason, old-growth features and the characteristics of each indicator should be framed and referred to well-defined climatic and biogeographic contexts. Distinctively, under the conditions here investigated, three main deadwood features prove to characterize forest stands close to old-growthness: a ratio of dead to living wood not lower than 10%; lying deadwood much more abundant than the standing one; large range of deadwood size and decay classes across all the deadwood components