Ash erupted during normal activity at Stromboli (Aeolian Islands, Italy) raises questions on how the feeding system works

Ash fallout collected during 4 days of sampling at Stromboli confirms that a crystal-rich (HP) degassed magma erupts during the Strombolian explosions that are characteristic of the normal activity of this volcano. We identified 3 different types of juvenile ash fragments (fluidal, spongy and dense), which formed through different mechanisms of fragmentation of the low-viscosity, physically heterogeneous (in terms of the size and spatial distribution of bubbles) shoshonitic magma. A small amount (less than 3 vol%) of volatile-rich magma with low porphyricity (LP), erupted as highly vesicular ash fragments, has been collected, together with the HP magma, during normal strombolian explosions. Laboratory experiments and the morphological, textural and compositional investigations of ash fragments reveal that the LP ash is fresh and not recycled from the last paroxysm (15 March 2007). We suggest that small droplets of LP magma are dragged to the surface by the time-variable but persistent supply of deep derived CO2-rich gas bubbles. This coupled ascent of bubbles and LP melts is transient and does not perturb the dynamics of the HP magma within the shallow reservoir. This finding provides a new perspective on how the Stromboli volcano works and has important implications for monitoring strategies

Laser-Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS): setting operating conditions and instrumental performance

The concentration of thirty nine geochemically relevant trace elements, from 7Li to 238U, was determined in standard silicate glasses (NIST610, NIST612, BCR-2) using the Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) instrumentation at the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Cagliari (Italy). The device is a Quadrupole ICP-MS (Perkin Elmer Elan DRC-e) coupled with a 213 nm Nd:YAG laser probe (New Wave Research). This configuration allows rapid, high quality, in-situ trace elements analysis in glasses and minerals. The calibration strategy, achieved using synthetic multi-element glasses (NIST612), with 44Ca as internal standard, gives an analytical accuracy within 5% error level, providing a precision between 1% and 9%, at 40 µm of crater size for all elements. At a laser spot size of 40 m, the lower limit of detection (LLD) ranges between 0.001 and 1 ppm for all the elements; it increases by about one order of magnitude, without any significant fractionation among the different elements, for a laser spot size of 15 µm. Quality control of LA-ICP-MS analyses is routinely performed analysing a natural standard glass, the BCR-2, certified by the USGS, considered as unknown sample. Results indicate that the instrumentation capabilities are suitable for the geochemical characterisation of various materials of mineralogical, petrological, geological and environmental interest

Dynamics of ash-dominated eruptions at Vesuvius: the post-512 AD AS1a event

Recent stratigraphic studies at Vesuvius have revealed that, during the past 4,000 years, long lasting,moderate to low-intensity eruptions, associated with continuous or pulsating ash emission, have repeatedly occurred. The present work focuses on the AS1a eruption, the first of a series of ash-dominated explosive episodes which characterized the period between the two Subplinian eruptions of 472 AD and 1631 AD. The deposits of this eruption consist of an alternation of massive and thinly laminated ash layers and minor well sorted lapilli beds, reflecting the pulsatory injection into the atmosphere of variably concentrated ash-plumes alternating with Violent Strombolian stages. Despite its nearly constant chemical composition, the juvenile material shows variable external clast morphologies and groundmass textures, reflecting the fragmentation of a magma body with lateral and/or vertical gradients in both vesicularity and crystal content. Glass compositions and mineralogical assemblages indicate that the eruption was fed by rather homogeneous phonotephritic magma batches rising from a reservoir located at ~ 4 km (100 MPa) depth, with fluctuations between magma delivery and magma discharge. Using crystal size distribution (CSD) analyses of plagioclase and leucite microlites, we estimate that the transit time of the magma in the conduit was on the order of ~ 2 days, corresponding to an ascent rate of around 2× 10−2 ms−1. Accordingly, assuming a typical conduit diameter for this type of eruption, the minimum duration of the AS1a event is between about 1.5 and 6 years. Magma fragmentation occurred in an inertially driven regime that, in a magma with low viscosity and surface tension, can act also under conditions of slow ascent

INFLUENZA VIRUS INFECTIONS: CLINICAL UPDATE, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, AND THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS

Influenza is an ancient and deadly disease which has sickened and killed millions of people in local epidemics and global pandemics. Nowadays, it is common knowledge that influenza is a highly infectious viral illness, but before the discovery of viruses the etiological factor of influenza was not known and, therefore, we had to relay solely on the clinical picture characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, unwell feeling, sore throat, and runny nose. These symptoms were clearly described by Hippocrates roughly 2400 years ago, but historical data on influenza were of difficult interpretation, since these symptoms can be similar to those of other respiratory diseases, therefore not distinctive enough. The word Influenza originated in the 15th century from the Italian language, meaning “influence” since the disease was ascribed to unfavorable astrological influences. A different origin could be the word “influsso” for describing the sweating characteristic of the illness or meaning “influence of the cold.” It was not until 1703 when J. Hugger’s thesis submitted at the University of Edinburgh and named “De Catarrho epidemio, vel Influenza, prout in India occidentali sese ostendit” that the Englishspoken world directly associated “influenza” with the disease and its symptoms. After that the name influenza and its shorthand “flu” came into more general use.1 The influenza virus was first isolated from pigs in 1930 by Shope and Lewis.2 This seminal discovery was followed by the isolation in ferrets of influenza A virus by Smith, Andrewes, and Laidlaw.3 In 1936, Burnet demonstrated that influenza virus could be grown in chicken embryonated eggs,4 opening the path for the study of the characteristics of the virus. It is estimated that influenza virus infects every year 5–10% of the adult population worldwide and 20–30% of the children. Even though most patients recover from flu symptoms within a short periodand without serious sequelae, the estimates indicate from 3–5 million cases of serious illness and over 250,000 deaths per year. Therefore, due to its medical importance, influenza viruses have been the focus of extensive research to decipher the molecular mechanisms that dominate cell invasion and pathogenesis

INFLUENZA VIRUS INFECTIONS: CLINICAL UPDATE, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, AND THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS

Influenza is an ancient and deadly disease which has sickened and killed millions of people in local epidemics and global pandemics. Nowadays, it is common knowledge that influenza is a highly infectious viral illness, but before the discovery of viruses the etiological factor of influenza was not known and, therefore, we had to relay solely on the clinical picture characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, unwell feeling, sore throat, and runny nose. These symptoms were clearly described by Hippocrates roughly 2400 years ago, but historical data on influenza were of difficult interpretation, since these symptoms can be similar to those of other respiratory diseases, therefore not distinctive enough. The word Influenza originated in the 15th century from the Italian language, meaning “influence” since the disease was ascribed to unfavorable astrological influences. A different origin could be the word “influsso” for describing the sweating characteristic of the illness or meaning “influence of the cold.” It was not until 1703 when J. Hugger’s thesis submitted at the University of Edinburgh and named “De Catarrho epidemio, vel Influenza, prout in India occidentali sese ostendit” that the Englishspoken world directly associated “influenza” with the disease and its symptoms. After that the name influenza and its shorthand “flu” came into more general use.1 The influenza virus was first isolated from pigs in 1930 by Shope and Lewis.2 This seminal discovery was followed by the isolation in ferrets of influenza A virus by Smith, Andrewes, and Laidlaw.3 In 1936, Burnet demonstrated that influenza virus could be grown in chicken embryonated eggs,4 opening the path for the study of the characteristics of the virus. It is estimated that influenza virus infects every year 5–10% of the adult population worldwide and 20–30% of the children. Even though most patients recover from flu symptoms within a short periodand without serious sequelae, the estimates indicate from 3–5 million cases of serious illness and over 250,000 deaths per year. Therefore, due to its medical importance, influenza viruses have been the focus of extensive research to decipher the molecular mechanisms that dominate cell invasion and pathogenesis

Le frane in casa: il contributo dei geologi italiani nelle attività post-evento

A causa della sua conformazione geologica e geomorfologica l'Italia vanta una non invidiabile storia di catastrofi legate soprattutto a frane, alluvioni e terremoti. Il prezzo che il Paesa paga per gli effetti di tali disastri tende a crescere in misura esponenziale anche per effetto dell'intensa urbanizzazione di aree vulnerabili. In questa occasione si intendono illustrare alcuni aspetti significativi, connessi alle tematiche di cui sopra delinenado altresì gli indirizzi programmatici che il CNG intende seguire in materia di previsione, prevenzione e gestione dei rischi geologici

I primi 50 anni dell'Ordine Professionale dei geologi Italiani. Almanacco tra storia, curiosità e cronaca. I parte.

Quello illustrato in queto volume, senza trattare la pretesa di trattare con rigore scientifico la storia della geologia italiana, è il racconto di mezzo secolo di attività legate ai geologi ed al loro ordine, a partire da quel lontano 3 febbraio 1963 in cui lo Stato definì, attraverso la Legge n. 112, i criteri per esercitare la professione di geologo, inserandola nel nobile proscenio di quelle regolamentate. A distanza di 50 anni abbiamo consolidato la consapevolezza di questo ruolo e ne sentiamo sempre più la responsabilità. E' il segno della nostra identità di geologi, un valore condiviso di cui andare fieri e su cui costruire il nostro futuro, come persone e come classe professionale

I primi 50 anni dell’ordine Professionale dei geologi Italiani. Almanacco tra storia, curiosità e cronaca.

Quello illustrato in queto volume, senza trattare la pretesa di trattare con rigore scientifico la storia della geologia italiana, è il racconto di mezzo secolo di attività legate ai geologi ed al loro ordine, a partire da quel lontano 3 febbraio 1963 in cui lo Stato definì, attraverso la Legge n. 112, i criteri per esercitare la professione di geologo, inserandola nel nobile proscenio di quelle regolamentate. A distanza di 50 anni abbiamo consolidato la consapevolezza di questo ruolo e ne sentiamo sempre più la responsabilità. E' il segno della nostra identità di geologi, un valore condiviso di cui andare fieri e su cui costruire il nostro futuro, come persone e come classe professionale