LEARNING FROM THE PAST TO FACE THE FUTURE: LANDSLIDES IN THE PIAVE VALLEY (EASTERN ALPS, ITALY)

Landslides are a critical process in landscape evolution and may pose a serious threat to people and infrastructure. In the last decades, a growing interest in such phenomena has developed in the Alps, where narrow valleys are increasingly in\uachabited, and landslides have caused several casualties. Understanding the driving factors, triggers, evolution, and impact of past and future failures is of the utmost importance when dealing with land use and risk reduction. In this paper, four distinct case stud\uacies are presented, showing how different approaches can interact and produce a comprehensive understanding of a landslide event. All examples lie in the middle sector of the Piave Valley (NE Italy) and deal with failures that occurred in the distant past (i.e., the historic Masiere di Vedana rock avalanche), in the near past (i.e., the 1963 Vajont event), in the present (i.e., the 60-years -lasting Tessina landslide) and in the future (i.e., possible Mt. Peron instabilities). The final goal of the paper is to show how the understanding of past landslides is fundamental to obtain reliable predictions on future failures, and how modelling designed to predict the evolution of potential detachments can be applied to understand the dynamics of ancient events

Mechanical Design Aspects of The LHC Beam screen

Forty-four kilometers of the LHC beam vacuum system [1,2] will be equipped with a perforated co-axial liner, the so-called beam screen. Operating between 5 K and 20 K, the beam screen reduces heat loads to the 1.9 K helium bath of the superconducting magnets and minimises dynamic vacuum effects. Constructed from low magnetic permeability stainless steel with a 50 mm inner layer of high purity copper, the beam screen must provide a maximum aperture for the beam whilst resisting the induced forces due to eddy currents at magnet quench. The mechanical engineering challenges are numerous, and include stringent requirements on geometry, material selection, manufacturing techniques and cleanliness. The industrial fabrication of these 16 metre long UHV components is now in its prototyping phase. A description of the beam screen is given, together with details of the experimental programme aimed at validating the design choices, and results of the first industrial prototypes

Acute kidney injury in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated acute kidney injury (ICPi-AKI) has emerged as an important toxicity among patients with cancer. Methods: We collected data on 429 patients with ICPi-AKI and 429 control patients who received ICPis contemporaneously but who did not develop ICPi-AKI from 30 sites in 10 countries. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of ICPi-AKI and its recovery. A multivariable Cox model was used to estimate the effect of ICPi rechallenge versus no rechallenge on survival following ICPi-AKI. Results: ICPi-AKI occurred at a median of 16 weeks (IQR 8-32) following ICPi initiation. Lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, and extrarenal immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were each associated with a higher risk of ICPi-AKI. Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis was the most common lesion on kidney biopsy (125/151 biopsied patients [82.7%]). Renal recovery occurred in 276 patients (64.3%) at a median of 7 weeks (IQR 3-10) following ICPi-AKI. Treatment with corticosteroids within 14 days following ICPi-AKI diagnosis was associated with higher odds of renal recovery (adjusted OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.58 to 4.41). Among patients treated with corticosteroids, early initiation of corticosteroids (within 3 days of ICPi-AKI) was associated with a higher odds of renal recovery compared with later initiation (more than 3 days following ICPi-AKI) (adjusted OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.16 to 3.79). Of 121 patients rechallenged, 20 (16.5%) developed recurrent ICPi-AKI. There was no difference in survival among patients rechallenged versus those not rechallenged following ICPi-AKI. Conclusions: Patients who developed ICPi-AKI were more likely to have impaired renal function at baseline, use a PPI, and have extrarenal irAEs. Two-thirds of patients had renal recovery following ICPi-AKI. Treatment with corticosteroids was associated with improved renal recovery

Acute kidney injury in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated acute kidney injury (ICPi-AKI) has emerged as an important toxicity among patients with cancer. METHODS: We collected data on 429 patients with ICPi-AKI and 429 control patients who received ICPis contemporaneously but who did not develop ICPi-AKI from 30 sites in 10 countries. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of ICPi-AKI and its recovery. A multivariable Cox model was used to estimate the effect of ICPi rechallenge versus no rechallenge on survival following ICPi-AKI. RESULTS: ICPi-AKI occurred at a median of 16 weeks (IQR 8-32) following ICPi initiation. Lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, and extrarenal immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were each associated with a higher risk of ICPi-AKI. Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis was the most common lesion on kidney biopsy (125/151 biopsied patients [82.7%]). Renal recovery occurred in 276 patients (64.3%) at a median of 7 weeks (IQR 3-10) following ICPi-AKI. Treatment with corticosteroids within 14 days following ICPi-AKI diagnosis was associated with higher odds of renal recovery (adjusted OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.58 to 4.41). Among patients treated with corticosteroids, early initiation of corticosteroids (within 3 days of ICPi-AKI) was associated with a higher odds of renal recovery compared with later initiation (more than 3 days following ICPi-AKI) (adjusted OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.16 to 3.79). Of 121 patients rechallenged, 20 (16.5%) developed recurrent ICPi-AKI. There was no difference in survival among patients rechallenged versus those not rechallenged following ICPi-AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who developed ICPi-AKI were more likely to have impaired renal function at baseline, use a PPI, and have extrarenal irAEs. Two-thirds of patients had renal recovery following ICPi-AKI. Treatment with corticosteroids was associated with improved renal recovery

Buckling of high natural slopes: The case of Lavini di Marco (Trento-Italy),

Layered limestones with marly–clayey interbeds are widespread in mountain regions. Where tectonics has not changed the original structure they frequently form homocline slopes, that since the last deglaciation have evolved through planar block slides along bedding joints. A typical dip slope showing this evolution is represented by the left flank of the Adige River valley south of Rovereto (North-Eastern Italy). Even though layers never daylight at the slope toe, the exceptional persistence and weakness of bedding joints allows buckling of layers, which occasionally collapse causing rock avalanches. Before monitoring started, deformations were believed to be no longer active, this conviction being strengthened by the high safety factors provided by limit equilibrium analyses. SAR satellite interferometry performed between 1990 and 2002 and probe inclinometer measures indicate that the slabs located uphill from the buckle folds are slowly sliding. Since some doubts have been raised about rock mass behaviour, slope geometry and hydraulic conditions assumed in the analyses, buckling was back-analysed using the Distinct Element Method (DEM) and the Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA). These treat the rock mass as a discontinuum and account for deformation and failure of the rock material. To perform numerical analyses, rock mass structure, strength and stiffness were determined through extensive in situ and laboratory investigations. For this purpose field surveys, borehole core logging and geophysical surveys were performed and laboratory geotechnical tests on the rock material, clayey interbeds and bedding joints were conducted. Discontinuous analyses confirmed that buckling deformations are definitely possible if some conditions are present (high water pressure, minor flexures). Modelling also indicate that buckling deformations may evolve into failures and should therefore be taken into account in evaluating long term stability of the slope