Manual sampling and tank size effects on the calibration curve of plot sediment storage tanks

In many experimental soil erosion plots, runoff is collected and carried by a conveyance system to a sequence of storage tanks. If the soil loss is measured by collecting, after mixing, samples of the stored suspension, then a calibration curve between the actual mean concentration (C) and the measured concentration (Cm) in the storage tank occurs. The aim of this article was to evaluate experimentally the factors affecting the relationship between C and Cm. For a sandy loam soil, the replicated measurements of Cm (20 samples) for two values of the actual concentration (C = 5 and 25 g/L) showed that the variability of the measurements of Cm is low and confirmed the reliability of a calibration curve obtained by a single series of runs. Results from experiments carried out with a clay soil to compare the calibration curves obtained by four field workers suggested that the maximum uncertainty in the soil loss measurement due to the choice of the calibration curve should not exceed 100% of the true value. Moreover, the slope of the calibration curve was independent of both the water level in the tank and the field worker. Finally, a comparison among the calibration curves of a prototype tank and some model tanks was carried out for both a sandy loam and a clay soil in order to establish a scaled−up relationship among tanks of different size. Soil−specific and theoretically based scaled−up relationships were deduced

Hiccups and Inappropriate ADH Secretion Syndrome as Presentations of Tick-Borne Disease

Tick-borne diseases (Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis) are becoming a major public health concern. Rapid and correct diagnosis is crucial for complicated cases but is often delayed because of low suspicion or unusual clinical presentation. In this paper the authors describe two atypical presentations of Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis in order to help clinicians resolve diagnostic challenges

Defining Kawasaki disease and pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Italy: results from a national, multicenter survey

Background: There is mounting evidence on the existence of a Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS), sharing similarities with Kawasaki Disease (KD). The main outcome of the study were to better characterize the clinical features and the treatment response of PIMS-TS and to explore its relationship with KD determining whether KD and PIMS are two distinct entities. Methods: The Rheumatology Study Group of the Italian Pediatric Society launched a survey to enroll patients diagnosed with KD (Kawasaki Disease Group - KDG) or KD-like (Kawacovid Group - KCG) disease between February 1st 2020, and May 31st 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory data, treatment information, and patients' outcome were collected in an online anonymized database (RedCAP®). Relationship between clinical presentation and SARS-CoV-2 infection was also taken into account. Moreover, clinical characteristics of KDG during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (KDG-CoV2) were compared to Kawasaki Disease patients (KDG-Historical) seen in three different Italian tertiary pediatric hospitals (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste; AOU Meyer, Florence; IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa) from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2019. Chi square test or exact Fisher test and non-parametric Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test were used to study differences between two groups. Results: One-hundred-forty-nine cases were enrolled, (96 KDG and 53 KCG). KCG children were significantly older and presented more frequently from gastrointestinal and respiratory involvement. Cardiac involvement was more common in KCG, with 60,4% of patients with myocarditis. 37,8% of patients among KCG presented hypotension/non-cardiogenic shock. Coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) were more common in the KDG. The risk of ICU admission were higher in KCG. Lymphopenia, higher CRP levels, elevated ferritin and troponin-T characterized KCG. KDG received more frequently immunoglobulins (IVIG) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (81,3% vs 66%; p = 0.04 and 71,9% vs 43,4%; p = 0.001 respectively) as KCG more often received glucocorticoids (56,6% vs 14,6%; p < 0.0001). SARS-CoV-2 assay more often resulted positive in KCG than in KDG (75,5% vs 20%; p < 0.0001). Short-term follow data showed minor complications. Comparing KDG with a KD-Historical Italian cohort (598 patients), no statistical difference was found in terms of clinical manifestations and laboratory data. Conclusion: Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection might determine two distinct inflammatory diseases in children: KD and PIMS-TS. Older age at onset and clinical peculiarities like the occurrence of myocarditis characterize this multi-inflammatory syndrome. Our patients had an optimal response to treatments and a good outcome, with few complications and no deaths

Field testing of the SMBF flume

At first, in this paper the stage-discharge relationship of a new flume, originally proposed by Samani and Magallanez, for measuring flow discharge in open channels is reviewed. The flume is obtained inserting two semicylinders in a rectangular cross-section. Then, the results of some experimental runs carried out using horizontal flumes characterized by different values of the contraction ratio (ranging from 0.17 to 0.81) are used for determining the two coefficients of the power stage-discharge equation. Finally, the stage-discharge equation is tested using flow measurements carried out, in the period December 2004 – March 2006 in the Sicilian experimental SPA1 and SPA2 basins. Field testing of the SMBF flume is developed using discharge measurements carried out by a Khafagi-Venturi flume placed in the field measurement channel of each experimental basin

Modelling the effects of a bushfire on erosion in a Mediterranean basin

A bushfire occurred in the Asinaro River basin in July 1998. The basin area is 55 km2 and about 74% of the whole area was set on fire. The aim of this paper is to test the influence of fire on both soil erosion and the spatial distribution of the areas characterized by the greatest sediment yield values. The RUSLE model and a spatial disaggregation criterion for sediment delivery processes (SEDD model) were used to test the effects of the bushfire. The basin was divided into 854 morphological units for calculating the topographic factor. The RUSLE climatic factor R was calculated using daily rainfall data. The soil erodibility factor was determined by sampling at sites distributed over the basin. The model was applied using different climatic hypotheses (mean year, rainfall events subsequent to the fire or occurring after 6, 12, 24 months) and was used to simulate different post-fire conditions of erodibility and vegetation cover. The analysis showed that immediately after fire, sediment yield rapidly increases in comparison to the undisturbed value (pre-fire). According to the hypothesis made on the cover and management factor, after 24 months the undisturbed condition is gradually reached