A Multi-Sensor Exportable Approach for Automatic Flooded Areas Detection and Monitoring by a Composite Satellite Constellation

Timely and frequently updated information about flood-affected areas and their space-time evolution are often crucial in order to correctly manage the emergency phases. In such a context, optical data provided by meteorological satellites, offering the highest available temporal resolution (from hours to minutes), could have a great potential. As cloud cover often occurs reducing the number of usable optical satellite images, an appropriate integration of observations coming from different satellite systems will surely improve the probability to find cloud-free images over the investigated region. To make this integration effective, appropriate satellite data analysis methodologies, suitable for providing congruent results, regardless of the used sensor, are envisaged. In this paper, a sensor-independent approach (RST, Robust Satellites Techniques-FLOOD) is presented and applied to data acquired by two different satellite systems (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) onboard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration platforms and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Earth Observing System satellites) at different spatial resolutions (from 1 km to 250 m) in the case of Elbe flood event occurred in Germany on August 2002. Results achieved demonstrated as the full integration of AVHRR and MODIS RST-FLOOD products allowed us to double the number of satellite passes daily available, improving continuity of monitoring over flood-affected regions. In addition, the application of RST-FLOOD to higher spatial resolution MODIS (250 m) data revealed to be crucial not only for mapping purposes but also for improving RST-FLOOD capability in identifying flooded areas not previously detected at lower spatial resolution

Integration of optical and passive microwave satellite data for flooded area detection and monitoring

Flooding represents a serious threat to millions of people around the world and its hazard is rising as a result of climate changes. From this perspective, flood risk management is a key focus of many governments, whose priority is to have frequently updated and accurate information about the flood state and evolution to promptly react to the disaster and to put in place effective countermeasures devoted to limit damages and human lives losses. Remote sensing technology allows for flood monitoring at different spatial and temporal resolutions with an adequate level of accuracy. In particular, for emergency response purposes, an integrated use of satellite data, acquired by both optical and passive or active microwave instruments, has to be preferred to have more complete and frequently updated information on soil conditions and to better support decision makers. In this framework, multi-year time series of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System) data were processed and analyzed. In detail, the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST), a multi-sensor approach for satellite data analysis, has been implemented for studying the August 2002 Elbe river flood occurred in Germany, trying to assess the potential of such an integrated system for the determination of soil status and conditions (i.e. moisture variation, water presence) as well as for a timely detection and a near real time monitoring of critical soil conditions

Guar gum/borax hydrogel: Rheological, low field NMR and release characterizations

Guar gum (GG) and Guar gum/borax (GGb) hydrogels are studied by means of rheology, Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF NMR) and model drug release tests. These three approaches are used to estimate the mesh size (ζ) of the polymeric network. A comparison with similar Scleroglucan systems is carried out. In the case of GGb, the rheological and Low Field NMR estimations of ζ lead to comparable results, while the drug release approach seems to underestimate ζ. Such discrepancy is attributed to the viscous effect of some polymeric chains that, although bound to the network to one end, can freely fluctuate among meshes. The viscous drag exerted by these chains slows down drug diffusion through the polymeric network. A proof for this hypothesis is given by the case of Scleroglucan gel, where the viscous contribution is not so significant and a good agreement between the rheological and release test approaches was found

Using RST approach and EOS-MODIS radiances for monitoring seismically active regions: a study on the 6 April 2009 Abruzzo earthquake

In the last few years, Robust Satellite data analysis Techniques (RST) have been proposed and successfully applied for monitoring major natural and environmental risks. Among the various fields of application, RST analysis has been used as a suitable tool for satellite TIR surveys in seismically active regions, devoted to detect and monitor thermal anomalies possibly related to earthquake occurrence. In this work, RST has been applied, for the first time, to thermal infrared observations collected by MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) - the sensor onboard EOS (Earth Observing System) satellites - in the case of Abruzzo (Italy) earthquake occurred on 6 April 2009 (M(L)similar to 5.8). First achievements, shown in this work, seem to confirm the sensitivity of the proposed approach in detecting perturbations of the Earths emission thermal field few days before the event. The reliability of such results, based on the analysis of 10 years of MODIS observations, seems to be supported by the results achieved analyzing the same area in similar observation conditions but in seismically unperturbed periods (no earthquakes with M(L)>= 5) that will be also presente

Validation of an analytical method for nitrite and nitrate determination in meat foods for infants by ion chromatography with conductivity detection

Nitrate and nitrite as sodium or potassium salts are usually added to meat products to develop the characteristic flavor, to inhibit the growth of microorganisms (particularly Clostridium botulinum), and effectively control rancidity by inhibiting lipid oxidation. However, both nitrate and nitrite ions need to be monitored for ensuring the quality and safety of cured meats. In this work, for the first time the content of nitrite and nitrate ions in homogenized meat samples of baby foods was determined by a validated method based on ion chromatography (IC) coupled with conductivity detection. Recoveries of nitrate and nitrite ions in meat samples were not lower than 84 ± 6%. The detection limits of nitrate and nitrite were 0.08 mg L−1 and 0.13 mg L−1, respectively. Five commercial samples of homogenized meat, namely lamb, rabbit, chicken, veal, and beef, for infant feeding were investigated; while nitrite content was below the detection limit, nitrate ranged from 10.7 to 21.0 mg kg−1. The results indicated that nitrate contents were below the European (EU) fixed value of 200 mg kg−1, and an acceptable daily intake of 3.7 mg kg−1 was estimated

1,2-Benzisothiazole Derivatives Bearing 4-, 5-, or 6-Alkyl/arylcarboxamide Moieties Inhibit Carbonic Anhydrase Isoform IX (CAIX) and Cell Proliferation under Hypoxic Conditions

Three novel series of 1,2-benzisothiazole derivatives have been developed as inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase isoform IX. Compounds 5c and 5j, tested in vitro on the human colon cell line HT-29, blocked the growth of cells cultured under chemically induced hypoxic conditions, displaying a specific activity against cancer cells characterized by CAIX up-regulation. Moreover, a synergistic activity of 5c with SN-38 (the active metabolite of irinotecan) and 5-fluorouracil on cell proliferation under hypoxic conditions was demonstrated