The water safety plan approach: Application to small drinking-water systems—case studies in salento (south italy)

none6noBackground: The quality of water for human consumption is an objective of fundamental importance for the defense of public health. Since the management of networks involves many problems of control and efficiency of distribution, the Water Safety Plan (WSP) was introduced to address these growing problems. Methods: WSP was applied to three companies in which the water resource assumes central importance: five water kiosks, a third-range vegetable processing company, and a residence and care institution. In drafting the plan, the terms and procedures designed and tested for the management of urban distribution systems were applied to safeguard the resource over time. Results: The case studies demonstrated the reliability of the application of the model even to small drinking-water systems, even though it involved a greater effort in analyzing the incoming water, the local intended use, and the possibilities for managing the containment of the dangers to which it is exposed. This approach demonstrates concrete effectiveness in identifying and mitigating the dangers of altering the quality of water. Conclusions: Thanks to the WSP applied to small drinking-water systems, we can move from management that is focused mainly on verifying the conformity of the finished product to the creation of a global risk assessment and management system that covers the entire water supply chain.openSerio F.; Martella L.; Imbriani G.; Idolo A.; Bagordo F.; De Donno A.Serio, F.; Martella, L.; Imbriani, G.; Idolo, A.; Bagordo, F.; De Donno, A

Legionella detection in water networks as per iso 11731:2017: Can different filter pore sizes and direct placement on culture media influence laboratory results?

Determination of Legionella concentrations in water networks is useful for predicting legionellosis risks. The standard culture technique using concentration with membranes filters is the most commonly used method for environmental surveillance of Legionella. The aim of this study was to verify whether filtration with different filter pore sizes (0.2 and 0.45 \ub5m) according to (ISO) 11731:2017, followed by directly placing them on culture media, can influence Legionella detection. Three laboratories participated in an experimental study that tested a known suspension of Legionella pneumophila (Lpn) serogroup 1 (ATCC 33152) (approximate final cell density of 15 CFU/mL). E. coli (ATCC 11775) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 25668) were included as control tests. The average (95% CI) percentage of recovery of Lpn was 65% using 0.45-\ub5m filters and 15% using 0.2-\ub5m filters (p < 0.0001). For control tests, the average (95% CI) percentage of recovery was higher with 0.45 vs. 0.2 \ub5m filters: 97% vs. 64% for Escherichia coli (p < 0.00001) and 105% vs. 97% (p = 0.0244) for P. aeruginosa. Our results showed that the 0.45-\ub5m filters provided the greatest detection of Legionella. Because the current national guidelines leave the choice of membrane porosity to the operator, experimental studies are important for directing operators towards a conscious choice to standardize Legionella environmental surveillance methods

Conceptual design of superferric magnets for PS2

We analyze feasibility and cost of a superferric magnet design for the PS2. Specifically, we provide the conceptual design of dipole and quadrupoles, including considerations on cryogenics and powering. The magnets have warm iron yoke, and cryostated superconducting coils embedded in the magnet, which reduces AC loss at cryogenic temperature. The superconductor has large Operating margin to endure beam loss and operating loads over a long period of time. Although conservative, and without any critical dependence on novel technology developments, this superconducting option appears to be attractive as a low-power alternative to the normal-conducting magnets that are the present baseline for the PS2 design. In addition it provides flexibility in the selection of flat-top duration at no additional cost. This study is the conclusion of the conceptual design work started within the scope of the CARE HHH-AMT activities, following inputs from the workshops ECOMAG and LUMI-06, and finally spurred by the recent discussions on the opportunity of an R&D for the PS2 magnets

Fast cycled superconducting magnets for the upgrade of the LHC injector complex

An upgrade of the LHC injection chain, and especially the sequence of PS and SPS, up to an extraction energy of 1 TeV, is one of the steps considered to improve the performance of the whole LHC accelerator complex. The magnets for this upgrade require central magnetic field from 2 T (for a PS upgrade) to 4.5 T (for an SPS upgrade), and field ramp rate ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 T/s. In this paper we discuss under which conditions superconducting magnets are attractive in this range of operating field and field ramp-rate, and we list the outstanding issues to be adddressed by a dedicated R&D

The IASI Water Deficit Index to Monitor Vegetation Stress and Early Drying in Summer Heatwaves: An Application to Southern Italy

The boreal hemisphere has been experiencing increasing extreme hot and dry conditions over the past few decades, consistent with anthropogenic climate change. The continental extension of this phenomenon calls for tools and techniques capable of monitoring the global to regional scales. In this context, satellite data can satisfy the need for global coverage. The main objective we have addressed in the present paper is the capability of infrared satellite observations to monitor the vegetation stress due to increasing drought and heatwaves in summer. We have designed and implemented a new water deficit index (wdi) that exploits satellite observations in the infrared to retrieve humidity, air temperature, and surface temperature simultaneously. These three parameters are combined to provide the water deficit index. The index has been developed based on the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer or IASI, which covers the infrared spectral range 645 to 2760 cm−1 with a sampling of 0.25 cm−1. The index has been used to study the 2017 heatwave, which hit continental Europe from May to October. In particular, we have examined southern Italy, where Mediterranean forests suffer from climate change. We have computed the index’s time series and show that it can be used to indicate the atmospheric background conditions associated with meteorological drought. We have also found a good agreement with soil moisture, which suggests that the persistence of an anomalously high water deficit index was an essential driver of the rapid development and evolution of the exceptionally severe 2017 droughts

Search for spontaneous muon emission from lead nuclei

We describe a possible search for muonic radioactivity from lead nuclei using the base elements ("bricks" composed by lead and nuclear emulsion sheets) of the long-baseline OPERA neutrino experiment. We present the results of a Monte Carlo simulation concerning the expected event topologies and estimates of the background events. Using few bricks, we could reach a good sensitivity level.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Conceptual Design of Superferric Magnets for PS2

We analyze feasibility and cost of a superferric magnet design for the PS2, the 50 GeV ring that should replace the PS in the CERN injector chain. Specifically, we provide the conceptual design of dipole and quadrupoles, including considerations on cryogenics and powering. The magnets have warm iron yoke, and cryostated superconducting coils embedded in the magnet, which reduces AC loss at cryogenic temperature. The superconductor has large operating margin to endure beam loss and operating loads over a long period of time. Although conservative, and without any critical dependence on novel technology developments, this superconducting option appears to be attractive as a low-power alternative to the normal-conducting magnets that are the present baseline for the PS2 design. In addition it provides flexibility in the selection of flat-top duration at no additional cost

Genomic changes of chromosomes 8p23.1 and 1q21: Novel mutations in malignant mesothelioma

Introduction: Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive malignancy of the thoracic cavity caused by prior asbestos exposure. In the peritoneum the mesothelioma is an extremely rare condition. In the present preliminary study, high-resolution array-comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) was performed to identify genetic imbalances in a series of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma cases. Materials and methods: Between 1990 and 2008, among the cases recorded in the Apulia Mesothelioma Register, we found 22 peritoneal mesothelioma cases. CGH-array was performed on samples from all patients. Results: The CGH-array analysis revealed multiple chromosomal imbalances. Interestingly, deletion at 8p23.1 was observed in 12 cases. Furthermore, another novel deletion at 1q21 was present in 11. Often, 1q21 and 8p23.1 losses were present in the same patient (7 cases). Losses of BAP1 and CDKN2A loci were not detected. Discussion: The region at 8p23.1 contains the beta-defensin gene cluster (DEF) and 1q21 contains ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 (UBE2Q1). We hypotesized that the loss of function of ubiquitination, as well as of the defensins, could play an important role in the initial development and subsequent progression of mesothelioma

GPS Monitoring at Vesuvio, Campi Flegrei Caldera and Ischia Island (Southern Italy)

The Neapolitan volcanic area is located in the southern part of the Campanian plain and includes three active volcanoes (Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei Caldera and Ischia Island). This area shows different dynamical behaviours. Campi Flegrei caldera represents one well known and peculiar example of ground deformations (bradyseism), with periods of intense uplift during the 1969-72 and 1982-84, followed by subsidence phase with some episodic mini-uplifts superimposed. Contrary, Vesuvius is a substantially stable volcano, with small and localized subsidence mainly in the crater zone. Ischia Island has been characterized by subsidence in the S and NW sectors of the island. The presence of these three volcanoes in a dense populated area, makes ground deformation detection a crucial point in the risk mitigation. Ground deformation is an important volcanic precursor, because linked to magma overpressure and migration, thus, continuous monitoring and modelling is one of the main instruments to attempt for a short time forecast of eruptive activity. Since several years, the INGV – Osservatorio Vesuviano installed a permanent GPS network (NeVoCGPS), constituted of 27 stations, in the Neapolitan volcanic area with a configuration that guarantees a continuous and fast 3D information about the dynamics of the area. All the GPS stations are managed by remote control, the data are daily downloaded automatically. After an automatic quality control procedure, the data processing is performed by the Bernese Processing Engine (BPE) of the Bernese GPS software v. 5.0. In this work, the entire chain of data acquisition and processing is described and some results obtained in last years are presented

Spectrally resolved observations of atmospheric emitted radiance in the H2O rotation band

This paper presents the project Earth Cooling by Water Vapor Radiation, an observational programme, which aims at developing a database of spectrally resolved far infrared observations, in atmospheric dry conditions, in order to validate radiative transfer models and test the quality of water vapor continuum and line parameters. The project provides the very first set of far-infrared spectral downwelling radiance measurements, in dry atmospheric conditions, which are complemented with Raman Lidar-derived temperature and water vapor profiles