The Land Cadastre in Italy and some fiscal implications: a case study

The Land Cadastre, as an inventory of all relevant real estate in a territory, and most importantly, as a national tax system is, or at least should be, the protago-nist of fiscal, social and civil implications affecting the Italian context. According to unitary farmland incomes, the last revision dates back to 1978-1979, a period that no longer reflects the country’s current socioeconomic situation and does not consider the changes the land market has undergone over the years. Through the analysis of 183 purchases and sales of agricultural land in two districts in western Sicily, this research aims at verifying the adequacy or inadequacy of the current cadastral tariffs. Based on the prices surveyed and the cadastral farmland incomes, some indicators were constructed showing, on the one hand the absence of a strict correspondence between these two values and on the other hand the actual presence of fiscal ine-quality for all the crop qualities examined; and, consequently, the need for revising cadastral tariffs or for reforming tax system of Italian Cadastre by replacing tariffs with market values

Faulting of a turbidite sandstone-siltstone successions: the case study of the Macigno Formation, Tuscany, Italy

Faults in siliciclastic rocks are characterized by a great variability of fault zone architecture and relative permeability properties. This is because siliciclastic rocks (i.e turbidites) are often represented by alternating beds of various thickness and grain size forming a succession of strata with contrasting mechanical properties. For example, the presence of sandstone and clay-rich layers is responsible for the simultaneous occurrence of brittle and ductile deformation, known as “clay smear structures”. Moreover, numerous studies have identified grain size as one of the main influencing factors for fault nucleation processes and fracture intensity in the damage zone. In this work, we present the results of field and laboratory analyses performed on the Macigno Formation cropping out along the coast of western Tuscany. Here, the Macigno Formation is represented by Late Oligocene foredeep siliciclastic succession dominated by turbiditic sandstones with minor siltstones, mudstones, marls and shales. Thin section and 3D analyses, performed by X-ray Synchrotron tomography, allowed us to characterize the grain size and grain and cement composition of studied rocks. Grain size varies from channelized fine-grained sandstones to granule-conglomerates beds (0.006 mm to 4 mm) alternating with heterolithic levee strata of siltstones to fine-grained sandstones (0.0035-0.008 mm). The lithic components consist of metamorphic rocks by 70-80%, magmatic rocks by 15-20% and sedimentary rocks by 5-15%. The turbidite beds are normally well-cemented (by quartz and calcite) and heavily faulted and fractured. Investigated faults show dip-, oblique- and and strike-slip motion and their displacement range from 10s of centimetres to 10s of metres. We documented how both the grain size and the mechanical properties of the alternating beds strongly control the fault zone architecture, in particular in terms of damage zone thickness and fracture frequency. The fault rock types (i.e. breccia vs. gauge) are strictly related to the amount of displacement as well as to the grain size and the cementation of the sandstone. Furthermore, the development of clay smear structures are enhanced by the presence of interbedded thin clay-rich layers

The impact of puberty on the onset, frequency, location, and severity of attacks in hereditary angioedema due to C1-inhibitor deficiency: A survey from the Italian Network for Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema (ITACA)

Introduction. Hereditary angioedema due to C1-inhibitor deficiency is influenced by hormonal factors, with a more severe course of disease in women. Our study aims to deepen the impact of puberty on onset, frequency, location and severity of attacks.MethodsRetrospective data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and shared by 10 Italian reference centers of the Italian Network for Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema (ITACA).ResultsThe proportion of symptomatic patients increased significantly after puberty (98.2% vs 83.9%, p=0.002 in males; 96.3% vs 68,4%, p<0.001 in females); the monthly mean of acute attacks was significantly higher after puberty, and this occurred both in females (median (IQR) = 0.41(2) in the three years before puberty vs 2(2.17) in the three years after, p<0.001) and in males (1(1.92) vs 1.25(1.56) respectively, p<0.001). The increase was greater in females. No significant differences were detected in attack location before and after puberty.DiscussionOverall, our study confirms previous reports on a more severe phenotype in the female gender. Puberty predisposes to increased numbers of angioedema attacks, in particular in female patients

The impact of COVID-19 quarantine on patients with dementia and family caregivers: a nation-wide survey.

Quarantine for COVID-19 is associated with an acute worsening of clinical symptoms in patients with dementia as well as increase of caregivers’ burden. These findings emphasize the importance to implement new strategies to mitigate the effects of quarantine in patients with dementia

The validation service of the hydrological SAF geostationary and polar satellite precipitation products

Abstract. The development phase (DP) of the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility for Support to Operational Hydrology and Water Management (H-SAF) led to the design and implementation of several precipitation products, after 5 yr (2005–2010) of activity. Presently, five precipitation estimation algorithms based on data from passive microwave and infrared sensors, on board geostationary and sun-synchronous platforms, function in operational mode at the H-SAF hosting institute to provide near real-time precipitation products at different spatial and temporal resolutions. In order to evaluate the precipitation product accuracy, a validation activity has been established since the beginning of the project. A Precipitation Product Validation Group (PPVG) works in parallel with the development of the estimation algorithms with two aims: to provide the algorithm developers with indications to refine algorithms and products, and to evaluate the error structure to be associated with the operational products. In this paper, the framework of the PPVG is presented: (a) the characteristics of the ground reference data available to H-SAF (i.e. radar and rain gauge networks), (b) the agreed upon validation strategy settled among the eight European countries participating in the PPVG, and (c) the steps of the validation procedures. The quality of the reference data is discussed, and the efforts for its improvement are outlined, with special emphasis on the definition of a ground radar quality map and on the implementation of a suitable rain gauge interpolation algorithm. The work done during the H-SAF development phase has led the PPVG to converge into a common validation procedure among the members, taking advantage of the experience acquired by each one of them in the validation of H-SAF products. The methodology is presented here, indicating the main steps of the validation procedure (ground data quality control, spatial interpolation, up-scaling of radar data vs. satellite grid, statistical score evaluation, case study analysis). Finally, an overview of the results is presented, focusing on the monthly statistical indicators, referred to the satellite product performances over different seasons and areas

Quality of residential facilities in Italy: satisfaction and quality of life of residents with schizophrenia spectrum~disorders

Background Recovery and human rights promotion for people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSDs) is fundamental to provide good care in Residential Facilities (RFs). However, there is a concern about rehabilitation ethos in RFs. This study aimed to investigate the care quality of Italian RFs, the quality of life (QoL) and care experience of residents with SSD. Methods Fourty-eight RFs were assessed using a quality assessment tool (QuIRC-SA) and 161 residents with SSD were enrolled. Seventeen RFs provided high intensity rehabilitation (SRP1), 15 medium intensity (SRP2), and 16 medium-low level support (SRP3). Staff-rated tools measured psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning; user-rated tools assessed QoL and satisfaction with services. RFs comparisons were made using ANOVA and Chi-squared. Results Over two-thirds patients (41.5 y.o., SD 9.7) were male. Seventy-six were recruited from SRP1 services, 48 from SRP2, and 27 from SRP3. The lowest QuIRC-SA scoring was Recovery Based Practice (45.8%), and the highest was promotion of Human Rights (58.4%). SRP2 had the lowest QuIRC-SA ratings and SRP3 the highest. Residents had similar psychopathology (p = 0.140) and functioning (p = 0.537). SRP3 residents were more employed (18.9%) than SRP1 (7.9%) or SRP2 (2.2%) ones, and had less severe negative symptoms (p = 0.016) and better QoL (p = 0.020) than SRP2 residents. There were no differences in the RF therapeutic milieu and their satisfaction with care. Conclusions Residents of the lowest supported RFs in Italy had less severe negative symptoms, better QoL and more employment than others. The lowest ratings for Recovery Based Practice across all RFs suggest more work is needed to improve recovery

Behavioral and psychological effects of coronavirus disease-19 quarantine in patients with dementia

Background: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic due to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and several governments planned a national quarantine in order to control the virus spread. Acute psychological effects of quarantine in frail elderly subjects with special needs, such as patients with dementia, have been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess modifications of neuropsychiatric symptoms during quarantine in patients with dementia and their caregivers. Methods: This is a sub-study of a multicenter nation-wide survey. A structured telephone interview was delivered to family caregivers of patients with diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and vascular dementia (VD), followed regularly at 87 Italian memory clinics. Variations in behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) were collected after 1 month since quarantine declaration and associations with disease type, severity, gender, and caregiver\u2019s stress burden were analyzed. Results: A total of 4,913 caregivers participated in the survey. Increased BPSD was reported in 59.6% of patients as worsening of preexisting symptoms (51.9%) or as new onset (26%), and requested drug modifications in 27.6% of these cases. Irritability, apathy, agitation, and anxiety were the most frequently reported worsening symptoms and sleep disorder and irritability the most frequent new symptoms. Profile of BPSD varied according to dementia type, disease severity, and patients\u2019 gender. Anxiety and depression were associated with a diagnosis of AD (OR 1.35, CI: 1.12\u20131.62), mild to moderate disease severity and female gender. DLB was significantly associated with a higher risk of worsening hallucinations (OR 5.29, CI 3.66\u20137.64) and sleep disorder (OR 1.69, CI 1.25\u20132.29), FTD with wandering (OR 1.62, CI 1.12\u20132.35), and change of appetite (OR 1.52, CI 1.03\u20132.25). Stress-related symptoms were experienced by two-thirds of caregivers and were associated with increased patients\u2019 neuropsychiatric burden (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Quarantine induces a rapid increase of BPSD in approximately 60% of patients and stress-related symptoms in two-thirds of caregivers. Health services need to plan a post-pandemic strategy in order to address these emerging needs