A multi-scale regional landslide susceptibility assessment approach: the SUFRA_SICILIA (SUscettibilit\ue0 da FRAna in Sicilia) project

The SUFRA project is based on a three level susceptibility mapping. According to the availability of more detailed data, the three scale for susceptibility mapping are increased respect to the ones suggested by the TIER group to 1:100,000, 1:50,000 and 1:25,000/1:10,000. The mapping levels exploit climatic, soil use (CORINE2009) and seismic informative layers, differentiating in the details of the core data (geology and topography), in the quality and resolution of the landslide inventory and in the modelling approach (Tab. 1). SUFRA_100 is based on a heuristic approach which is applied by processing a geologic layer (produced by ARTA integrating pre-CARG 1:100,000 geologic maps); the DEM exploited are IGMI 250m and the mapping units are 1km side square cells. Models are validated with respect to the PAI LIPs (Landslide Identification Points) which are reclassified adopting a simplified scheme. Output cuts of SUFRA100 will be referred to administrative boundaries (provinces). SUFRA50 is based on statistical analysis of new CARG geologic maps and 20m (ITA2000) - 2m (ATA2007) DEM. The mapping units are 500m and 50m cells, hydrographic and hydro-morphometric units. The landslide inventory is the IFFI2012_LIPs (first level) which is the result of the conversion in IFFI format of the PAI archive, which will be supported by remote landslide mapping (exploiting the ATA2007 aerial photos), according to the IFFI first level approach. Validation of the models will be performed exploiting both random spatial partition and temporal partition methods. Output cuts of SUFRA50 will be based on physiographic (basin) and administrative (municipalities) boundaries. SUFRA10/25 is based on statistical analysis of new CARG geologic maps (remotely and field adapted) and 2m (ATA2007) DEM. The mapping units are the slope units (SLUs) which are derived by further partitioning the hydro-morphometric units so to obtain closed morphodynamic units. The landslide inventories is the IFFI2012 which is the results of a field supported (on focus) landslide remote systematic mapping, according to the IFFI full level approach. Examples of SUFRA_100, SUFRA_50 and SUFRA_10 are presented for some representative key sector of Sicily. First results attest for the feasibility and goodness of the proposed protocol. The SUFRA program aims at enabling the regional governmental administration to cope with landslide prevision, which is the required operational concept in land management and planning. PAI has been a great advance with respect to the \u201cpre-SARNO\u201d conditions, but it is very exposed to fail: it is a blind approach for new activations; it is critically dependent on the quality of the landslide inventories; it cannot project the susceptibility outside the landslide area

Stabilizing versus destabilizing the microtubules: A double-edge sword for an effective cancer treatment option?

Microtubules are dynamic and structural cellular components involved in several cell functions, including cell shape, motility, and intracellular trafficking. In proliferating cells, they are essential components in the division process through the formation of the mitotic spindle. As a result of these functions, tubulin and microtubules are targets for anticancer agents. Microtubule-targeting agents can be divided into two groups: microtubule-stabilizing, and microtubule-destabilizing agents. The former bind to the tubulin polymer and stabilize microtubules, while the latter bind to the tubulin dimers and destabilize microtubules. Alteration of tubulin-microtubule equilibrium determines the disruption of the mitotic spindle, halting the cell cycle at the metaphase-anaphase transition and, eventually, resulting in cell death. Clinical application of earlier microtubule inhibitors, however, unfortunately showed several limits, such as neurological and bone marrow toxicity and the emergence of drug-resistant tumor cells. Here we review several natural and synthetic microtubule-targeting agents, which showed antitumor activity and increased efficacy in comparison to traditional drugs in various preclinical and clinical studies. Cryptophycins, combretastatins, ombrabulin, soblidotin, D-24851, epothilones and discodermolide were used in clinical trials. Some of them showed antiangiogenic and antivascular activity and others showed the ability to overcome multidrug resistance, supporting their possible use in chemotherapy

EMBO Workshop: Membrane Contact Sites in Health and Disease

International audienc

Elevated Levels of Procalcitonin and Interleukin-6 are Linked with Postoperative Complications in Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury is a frequent and serious postoperative complication of cardiac surgery and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and length stay. In this study, we hypothesized that persistent elevation in inflammation in the first 48\u2009h might be a powerful predictor of clinical outcome. Our aim was to elucidate the usefulness of interleukin-6 and procalcitonin postoperative levels in predicting mortality and renal complications in cardiac surgery patients

People with Down's syndrome:adolescence and the journey towards adulthood

Introduzione. La sessualit\ue0 nella persona con disabilit\ue0 viene affrontata con difficolt\ue0 e con inadeguatezza se non con franco rifiuto, con il risultato che le giovani persone disabili vengono, spesso, relegate ad un destino di solitudine e abbandono. E ci\uf2 si realizza ancora di pi\uf9 quando la condizione di disabilit\ue0 comporta ritardo mentale. Metodi. Sono stati reclutati 25 ragazzi di et\ue0 compresa tra 13 e 25 anni - 14 maschi (56%) e 11 femmine (44%) \u2013 insieme alle loro madri. Tutti frequentano l\u2019Associazione Famiglie Persone Down di Palermo. Le giovani persone con sindrome di Down sono state invitate a svolgere una attivit\ue0 di disegno libero, quindi, a descrivere ci\uf2 che avevano disegnato. Le madri, invece, hanno risposto ad una intervista semistrutturata i cui contenuti sono stati organizzati intorno a tre aree: - reazioni dei genitori di fronte alla comunicazione da parte dei medici della nascita del figlio Down; i genitori e la sessualit\ue0 dei figli Down; le aspettative dei genitori rispetto al futuro dei propri figli Down. Risultati. I disegni liberi e la loro descrizione hanno dimostrato il chiaro emergere di temi che riguardano la sessualit\ue0 in 6 protocolli su 25. In 9 casi su 25 il riferimento alla sessualit\ue0 si nasconde dietro disegni e descrizioni allusive. 6 protocolli testimoniano, sebbene non direttamente riferibili al tema della sessualit\ue0, l\u2019emergere del conflitto di autonomia, tipico dell\u2019adolescenza, a dimostrazione dell\u2019iniziato processo di transito verso l\u2019et\ue0 adulta. Soltanto in 4 situazioni il riferimento alla sessualit\ue0 non \ue8 interpretabile nelle produzioni dei ragazzi. L\u2019analisi qualitativa delle interviste alle madri, ha evidenziato come il tema della sessualit\ue0 nel figlio con disabilit\ue0 sia vissuto dal genitore in maniera conflittuale. Conclusioni. I risultati ottenuti ci spingono ad affermare che la \u201cquestione sessuale\u201d si pone in termini problematici dal punto di vista del genitore pi\uf9 che dal punto di vista del ragazzo. Ed in questa prospettiva, a vantaggio dei genitori, occorre pianificare gli interventi psicologico-clinici di educazione alla sessualit\ue0

Effects of angiotensin II receptor inhibition on insulin-induced endothelial dysfunction in humans.

Effects of angiotensin II receptor inhibition on insulin-induced endothelial dysfunction in humans