Luoghi di culto extraurbani della Sicilia occidentale: presenza indigena, fenicio-punico e greca. Un’analisi storico-religiosa.

Oggetto della ricerca: studiare quale ripercussione sul piano religioso abbia avuto la colonizzazione greca e fenicia in Sicilia attraverso l’analisi della nota questione dei santuari extraurbani. L’obiettivo è proporre uno studio di insieme che guardi alle interazioni tra i popoli che hanno convissuto in quella porzione di isola attraverso i culti da essi praticati, riflettendo sui luoghi di culto extraurbani con il sussidio di studi archeologici ma con finalità legate all’analisi della realtà cultuale in Sicilia. Si è cercato di restituire un’immagine più completa possibile della religione in Sicilia attraverso lo studio di luoghi di culto extraurbani con particolare attenzione alla presenza di diversi ethne negli stessi luoghi di culto per arrivare alla definizione dello spazio sacro extraurbano e delle caratteristiche dei culti nella Sicilia coloniale, sottolineando, quando necessario, l’apporto che l’analisi storico-religiosa può dare alle discipline storiche e archeologiche. Il primo contributo innovativo che offre la ricerca è una raccolta dei dati di insieme ed una panoramica della distribuzione dei culti extraurbani di questa zona della Sicilia frequentata da più ethne. Partendo da questa esigenza quindi i dati sono presentati per aree etniche e per cronologia, dunque prima vengono discussi i singoli siti in ordine etnico-topografico e cioè i culti dell’area fenicia (Mozia e Palermo), dell’area elima (Erice, Segesta ed Entella), delle colonie greche (Imera, Selinunte, Agrigento e Gela), ed infine dell’entroterra sicano. Ciascuna area è stata descritta a partire dalle attestazioni dei culti più arcaici in ordine cronologico fino a quelli di età punica. Dalla raccolta di insieme e relativa discussione dei dati sui siti presi in esame è stata messa a punto una carta teotopica della Sicilia occidentale, ovvero una panoramica sulla posizione dei luoghi di culti extraurbani e sulla diffusione di ogni culto. I luoghi di culto extraurbani che sono stati studiati sono localizzati o in zone naturali di particolare importanza per una popolazione antica (sorgenti, grotte, foci di fiumi, cime di monti), o in aperta campagna, o esattamente di fronte alle porte urbiche. L’ubicazione è legata, da una parte alle esigenze pratiche connesse al culto, come la presenza di acqua è connessa agli usi che se ne fanno per i riti, dall’altra, è legata alla sfera di protezione della divinità venerata, per cui alcuni santuari sul mare sono dedicati a divinità che proteggono i naviganti (Erice, Grotta Regina), mentre in molti santuari localizzati nell’entroterra vengono praticati culti rivolti a divinità preposte alla sfera ctonia (santuari della chora agrigentina e gelese, santuari dell’entroterra indigeno elimo e sicano). Eppure questa distinzione non può dirsi sistematica, perché frequenti sono invece i luoghi di culto sul mare, sia alla foce di fiumi che all’interno di antichi porti, dedicati a culti femminili di carattere ctonio (Monte Poliscia, stipe votiva nel porto antico di Palermo). Frequenti sono poi culti di carattere terapeutico (Grotta Regina, Monte San Calogero, Asklepieion di Agrigento) anch’essi in luoghi naturali connotati dalla presenza di sorgente di acqua o in altura o in siti caratterizzati da fenomeni carsici. Quanto accomuna questi luoghi di culto è il fatto di trovarsi lontano dal contesto cittadino e dunque essere preposti alla tutela di quanto non si riferiva alle attività urbane: la navigazione, la sfera ctonia che si collega alla fertilità femminile e all’oltretomba, e l’impuro o il malato, oggetto di purificazione in luoghi di culto terapeutici

The Mediator Role of Logistic Performance Index : A Comparative Study

Logistics sector is recognized as one of most important element of an advanced economies. Many studies tried to understand the relationship among the logistic sector and the prosperity of a country. We start to understand what is the meaning in the academic literature of logistic so as to better understand the Logistic Performance Index (LPI), published by the World Bank in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014. This research through the use of explanatory linear regression model was aimed to analyze the mediator role of Logistic Performance Index (LPI) on the relation between the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 2007 to 2014 in Europe (EU 28)

Homicide or suicide? A probabilistic approach for the evaluation of the manner of death in sharp force fatalities

The role of forensic science can be defined as providing relevant opinions to assist investigators and courts of law in answering questions. The Likelihood Ratio (LR) provides a quantitative and logical approach to communicating the strength of expert evidence. We reviewed existing forensic literature on sharp force fatalities, focusing on studies reporting the manner of death and the frequency of some characteristics that are traditionally assessed. Four studies were included, resulting in a database of 173 suicides and 354 homicides. The LR of each of the characteristic under both hypotheses (suicide and homicide) was obtained. Subsequently, the LR was computed in six fatalities with known manner of death, three suicides and three homicides, by multiplying the corresponding LR of each individual characteristic. LR ranged from 115 to 140,250 in suicidal cases and from 9 to 2728 in homicidal cases. Compared to other fields of forensic science where LR is used extensively, the values obtained in our cases of sharp force fatalities is low. However, in forensic pathology there is evidence that is outside the expert's opinion, and it is for the trier of fact, such as the judge or jury, to draw conclusions. Nevertheless, the LR serves as a tool for interpreting and weighing evidence while maintaining the distinct roles of the trier of fact and the expert. To comprehensively apply the LR in the field of sharp force deaths, it will be necessary to standardize the methodology of investigation and data collection in descriptive studies

Competitiveness and the Logistics Performance Index: The ANOVA method application for Africa, Asia, and the EU regions

Abstract This paper analyses the impact of strategic sub-components of the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) on the Logistics Performance Index (LPI). As a hypothesis, it is assumed that there is a relationship between the LPI and selected factors in GCI, which were grouped into three clusters: infrastructure, human factor, and institutions. The purpose is to investigate which of those groups has the most significant impact on the LPI - an interactive comparative analysis tool created by the World Bank that addresses logistics issues in a broad context against world regions' development or countries' economies. For this purpose, the LPI was used as the dependent variable, while a linear regression model measured some GCI components' influence. The study was conducted for Africa, Asia, and the EU, employing the ANOVA method. The paper finds the three clusters are related to higher efficiency. While the new method shows these clusters are essential for improving the logistics performance index, an extensive range of factors might affect logistics sector performance in both geography and stage of development. In Europe, human factor is far more critical for progressively improving the LPI, while necessary infrastructure remains crucial in Asia. All three factors are central to Africa's logistics development

Postmortem microbiology as a routine tool for legal-medicine in Italy: is it time?

Postmortem microbiology may be important to determine the cause of the death. We report a case study of Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis where the lack of sampling standardization and poor knowledge of this tool could affect medical-legal investigation

Ultraviolet camera measurements of passive and explosive (Strombolian) sulphur dioxide emissions at Yasur Volcano, Vanuatu

Here, we present the first ultraviolet (UV) camera measurements of sulphur dioxide (SO2) flux from Yasur volcano, Vanuatu, for the period 6–9 July 2018. These data yield the first direct gas-measurement-derived calculations of explosion gas masses at Yasur. Yasur typically exhibits persistent passive gas release interspersed with frequent Strombolian explosions. We used compact forms of the “PiCam” Raspberry Pi UV camera system powered through solar panels to collect images. Our daily median SO2 fluxes ranged from 4 to 5.1 kg s−1, with a measurement uncertainty of −12.2% to +14.7%, including errors from the gas cell calibration drift, uncertainties in plume direction and distance, and errors from the plume velocity. This work highlights the use of particle image velocimetry (PIV) for plume velocity determination, which was preferred over the typically used cross-correlation and optical flow methods because of the ability to function over a variety of plume conditions. We calculated SO2 masses for Strombolian explosions ranging 8–81 kg (mean of 32 kg), which to our knowledge is the first budget of explosive gas masses from this target. Through the use of a simple statistical measure using the moving minimum, we estimated that passive degassing is the dominant mode of gas emission at Yasur, supplying an average of ~69% of the total gas released. Our work further highlights the utility of UV camera measurements in volcanology, and particularly the benefit of the multiple camera approach in error characterisation. This work also adds to our inventory of gas-based data, which can be used to characterise the spectrum of Strombolian activity across the globe.</jats:p

Challenges in UV camera-based real-time SO2 flux monitoring: insights from 5 years of continuous observations at Etna ad Stromboli

The advent of UV cameras has recently paved the way to volcanic SO2 flux observations of much improved temporal and spatial resolution, and has thus contributed to expanding use and utility of SO2 fluxes in volcano monitoring. Recently, the first examples of permanent UV camera systems have appeared that are now opening the way to routine fully automated monitoring of the volcanic SO2 flux at high-rate, and continuously (daily hours only). In 2014, using funding from the FP7-ERC project “Bridge” (http://www.bridge.unipa.it/), we deployed a network of 4 permanent UV cameras at Etna and Stromboli volcanoes (Sicily) that has been operating regularly since then. Using a suite of custom-built codes, data streamed by the UV camera are automatically processed and telemetered, allowing nearly real-time visualization and analysis of SO2 fluxes. Here, we summarise the key results obtained during the last 5 years of continuous observations (2014-2018) to demonstrate potentials and challenges in real-time continuous SO2 flux monitoring with UV cameras. We show that the spatially resolved SO2 flux time-series delivered by the UV camera allow effectively tracking migration in volcanic activity from the Central to New South-East Crater (Etna), and shifts in degassing activity along the crater terrace (Stromboli). At both volcanoes, the high temporal of UV cameras allows capturing the escalation in active (strombolian) SO2 degassing that typically precedes onset of paroxysmal (Etna in 2014-2016) or effusive (Stromboli in 2014) activity, and to quantify for the first time the syn- explosive SO2 budget for larger-scale explosions, including 2 paroxysmal lava fountains (Etna) and 1 major explosion (Stromboli). We finally demonstrate the ability of our automatic camera systems to capture temporal changes in SO2 flux regime, and thus to “live” monitoring degassing and eruptive behaviors at active volcanoes.PublishedNapoli6V. Pericolosità vulcanica e contributi alla stima del rischi

Guidance to post-mortem collection and storage of biological specimens for the diagnosis of Covid-19 infection

The following document is based on the current knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 and the related disease (COVID-19). The Italian Institute of Health (ISS) is monitoring the virus spread throughout the country through daily reports sent by individual regions and regional reference laboratories. The diagnosis of infection is based on the use of standardized and validated molecular tests for the search for viral RNA in different sets of biological samples, from patients suspected of having contracted the infection. This document provides a specific guidance for the collection and storage of biological samples from deceased persons. It also provides recommendations on safety practices to be adopted during both collection and handling of specimens, and during autopsy procedures. With regard autopsy, it is recommended to follow the procedures for the execution of diagnostic findings in patients died with SARS-CoV-2 infection issued by ISS Working Group on Causes of Death from COVID-19, published on March 27, 2020