Slope instability and the road - railway system in the Basento river valley (Southern Italy)

Slope instability phenomena are widespread in the geological context of Southern Apennines. The paper reports the slope instability features characterized the medium valley of the Basento River, which is crossed by a major road/railroad stretch linking Potenza to Metaponto and which is not infrequently affected by instability phenomena. The attention is focused on one of the most significant landslides periodically reactivated by rainfalls which badly damaged the important railway line

Rischio da frana indotto dagli eventi di pioggia in Avigliano (Basilicata)

The urban area of Avigliano is widely affected by a conspicuous proneness to landslides which results in heavy damage to buildings and facilities. Some ancient, recent and current mass movements can be recognized which undergo periodica1 total or partial reactivation due mainly to the unstabilizing influence of repeated rainfalls. Landslides are also caused by earthquakes and by unwary human activities. This paper aims at ascertaining the true incidence of rainfall on the landslides occurring in the urban area of Avigliano, by means of rigorous hydrological and statistica1 methods. Five major landslides were selected based on the following criteria: good knowledge of the corresponding geometrical, geomorphological and evolutionary features, availability of an accurate database on landsliding, triggering causes, reactivations occurred in the last decades following heavy rains, availability of hydrological, geognostic, aerial photography and historical data. The role played by rainfalls in the reactivation of the investigated landslides was studied by applying hydrological and statistical empirical models previously used and checked by the authors. The probability grades of the daily cumulative amounts of rain were also determined broadening the concept of rainfall threshold. These grades may also account for hazard thresholds beyond which landslides may be individully reactivated

A model for assessing the systemic vulnerability in landslide prone areas

Abstract. The objectives of spatial planning should include the definition and assessment of possible mitigation strategies regarding the effects of natural hazards on the surrounding territory. Unfortunately, however, there is often a lack of adequate tools to provide necessary support to the local bodies responsible for land management. This paper deals with the conception, the development and the validation of an integrated numerical model for assessing systemic vulnerability in complex and urbanized landslide-prone areas. The proposed model considers this vulnerability not as a characteristic of a particular element at risk, but as a peculiarity of a complex territorial system, in which the elements are reciprocally linked in a functional way. It is an index of the tendency of a given territorial element to suffer damage (usually of a functional kind) due to its interconnections with other elements of the same territorial system. The innovative nature of this work also lies in the formalization of a procedure based on a network of influences for an adequate assessment of such "systemic" vulnerability. This approach can be used to obtain information which is useful, in any given situation of a territory hit by a landslide event, for the identification of the element which has suffered the most functional damage, ie the most "critical" element and the element which has the greatest repercussions on other elements of the system and thus a "decisive" role in the management of the emergency. This model was developed within a GIS system through the following phases: 1. the topological characterization of the territorial system studied and the assessment of the scenarios in terms of spatial landslide hazard. A statistical method, based on neural networks was proposed for the assessment of landslide hazard; 2. the analysis of the direct consequences of a scenario event on the system; 3. the definition of the assessment model of systemic vulnerability in landslide-prone areas. To highlight the potentialities of the proposed approach we have described a specific case study of landslide hazard in the local council area of Potenza

Potenzialità e vulnerabilità delle risorse idriche dei monti Volturino e Calvelluzzo (Alta Valle dell'Agri, Basilicata)

The main aim of study is the evaluation of water resuorces, the vulnerability and the definition of groundwater flow outline of carbonate aquifer of Volturino arid Calvelluzzo Mounts (Basilicata, Southern Italy). The aquifer vulnerability map is presented and discussed. Many parameters, as defined for SINTACS method, were used (lithology, fracture density, effective rainfall, slope, …)

Evoluzione geomorfologica di un'area suburbana di Castronuovo S. Andrea (PZ) ed incidenza delle piogge su alcuni movimenti di massa

This work deals with the results obtained from geomorphological and hydrological investigation conducted in order to point out the complex geomorphological evolution related to a large part of the Castronuovo S. Andrea (Pz) territory, to identify the landslide typology of two different mass movements under investigation, as well as the influence caused by the rainfall. The landslide under study occurred on two opposite slopes of the low valley of torrent Mastro Ciardi, characterized by the same stratigraphic-structural, hydrogeological and geotechnical environment. The first slope e can be ascribed to a displacement of a first detachment, while the other one brat least 700io can be referred to a rimobilization phenomenon; both landslides, to a variable extent, have been influenced by tectonic joints following two different directions: NE - SW and WNW - ESE. As far as the last 40 years are concerned, the morphological evolution of the areas under study has been obtained resorting to analyses, even comparative, of aerial photos at different generation; the relationship between rainfall and landslide has been identified in an empirical way through special models

Le sorgenti dell'alta valle del F. Agri (Italia meridionale): caratteri idrogeologici e idrochimici

Uno delle principali strutture idrogeologiche dell’Appennino lucano, nella quale hanno sede acque sotterranee abbondanti e di buona qualità, è rappresentata dal gruppo montuoso del Monte Volturino e Serra di Calvelluzzo, ubicato in Alta Val d’Agri (Basilicata, Italia meridionale). Precedenti studi condotti dagli autori hanno permesso di evidenziare i caratteri idrogeologici ed idrodinamici e la potenzialità idrica e di valutare la vulnerabilità intrinseca degli acquiferi costituenti la predetta struttura idrogeologica. Le acque sotterranee ivi presenti vengono a giorno in forma concentrata, in corrispondenza di alcune decine di sorgenti, 20 delle quali di cospicua portata. Queste risultano essere raggruppate in quattro diversi fronti, ognuno dei quali drena una parte della struttura idrogeologica principale. Nel presente contributo, sulla scorta di ulteriori rilievi idrogeologici e sull’analisi ed interpretazione di dati chimico - fisici ed isotopici relativi a 14 sorgenti, si ha in animo di definire i caratteri idrogeologici, chimico-fisici ed isotopici delle principali sorgenti censite e, sulla base di questi, evidenziare gli eventuali legami idrogeologici fra i diversi gruppi sorgentizi e i diversi acquiferi che costituiscono la struttura idrogeologica investigata

Unusual skin toxicity associated with sustained disease response induced by nivolumab in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer

Introduction: Immunotherapy has shown efficacy in the treatment of different malignancies. Nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor directed against programmed death-1, has been approved for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in pretreated patients. Although it is generally well-tolerated, immunotherapy may be complicated by a wide range of immune-mediated adverse events. We describe the case of an uncommon skin toxicity arising as alopecia universalis induced by nivolumab in a patient with NSCLC. Case description: A 58-year-old man received nivolumab for metastatic NSCLC after progression to 3 lines of chemotherapy. The treatment was prescribed in June 2016, and induced a rapid and significant disease response. Nivolumab was well-tolerated until May 2017, when partial alopecia at hair and eyelashes appeared. In the next months, alopecia became complete and extended to the whole body surface. The dermatologic picture was compatible with alopecia areata. A topical steroid therapy was attempted, without benefit. The patient refused systemic treatments and is still undergoing nivolumab without new toxicities and with persistent disease response. Conclusions: This case suggests that alopecia areata may be a rare immune-related adverse event of immune checkpoint agents. Its late onset in our patient is uncommon and unexpected, underlining that the risk of nivolumab-induced toxicity is not limited to the beginning of treatment. Despite its rarity, alopecia areata should be considered in the range of adverse events potentially induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors even in the long term. Potential association between toxicity and efficacy of immunotherapy in NSCLC warrants further investigation

Repair versus shaving of partial-thickness articular-sided tears of the upper subscapularis tendon : a prospective randomized controlled trial

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether treating partial-thickness articular-sided tears of the upper subscapularis (ssC) tendon with a dedicated suture anchor would result in an internal rotation strength improvement compared with simple shaving of the ssC tendon and footprint. Methods: Twenty-six patients with a limited ssC tendon tear (equal or inferior to the most superior centimeter) in association with a posterosuperior cuff lesion were prospectively randomized to two treatments: repair with a dedicated suture anchor versus shaving of the tendon and footprint. the patients also underwent long head of the biceps (LHB) treatment and posterosuperior cuff tear repair. in each patient the following parameters were measured both preoperatively and at a minimum follow-up of 2.5 years: strength in internal rotation in the bear-hug testing position (using a digital tensiometer), DAsH score and Constant scores. MRi assessment of tendon healing was performed at the final follow-up. Results: Twenty of the 26 patients (76%) were reviewed after a mean follow-up time of 42 months: 11 patients had undergone ssC tendon repair and nine simple shaving. At final follow-up no significant differences were found between the repaired and shaving group in strength in internal rotation (9.5 \ub1 3.8 kg versus 10.3\ub15.4 kg; p=0.7). the DAsH score and Constant score also failed to show significant differences between the two groups. Furthermore, no significant difference in ssC tendon healing rate was observed on MRi evaluation. Conclusions: Partial-thickness articular-sided tear of the upper ssC tendon in association with a posterosuperior rotator cuff repair and LHB treatment, when limited to the superior centimeter of the ssC tendon, shows a comparable performance in terms of strength in internal rotation either after simple shaving or a tendon-to-bone repair. Level of evidence: Level II, prospective comparative study

Reporting rotator cuff tears on magnetic resonance arthrography using the Snyder's arthroscopic classification

AIM: To determine diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) in evaluating rotator cuff tears (RCTs) using Snyder's classification for reporting. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-six patients (64 males, 62 females; median age 55 years) underwent shoulder MRA and arthroscopy, which represented our reference standard. Surgical arthroscopic reports were reviewed and the reported Snyder's classification was recorded. MRA examinations were evaluated by two independent radiologists (14 and 5 years' experience) using Snyder's classification system, blinded to arthroscopy. Agreement between arthroscopy and MRA on partial- and full-thickness tears was calculated, first regardless of their extent. Then, analysis took into account also the extent of the tear. Interobserver agreement was also calculated the quadratically-weighted Cohen kappa statistics. RESULTS: On arthroscopy, 71/126 patients (56%) had a full-thickness RCT. The remaining 55/126 patients (44%) had a partial-thickness RCT. Regardless of tear extent, out of 71 patients with arthroscopically-confirmed full-thickness RCTs, 66 (93%) were correctly scored by both readers. All 55 patients with arthroscopic diagnosis of partial-thickness RCT were correctly assigned as having a partial-thickness RCT at MRA by both readers. Interobserver reproducibility analysis showed total agreement between the two readers in distinguishing partial-thickness from full-thickness RCTs, regardless of tear extent (k = 1.000). With regard to tear extent, in patients in whom a complete tear was correctly diagnosed, correct tear extent was detected in 61/66 cases (92%); in the remaining 5/66 cases (8%), tear extent was underestimated. Agreement was k = 0.955. Interobserver agreement was total (k = 1.000). CONCLUSION: MRA shows high diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility in evaluating RCTs using the Snyder's classification for reporting. Snyder's classification may be adopted for routine reporting of MRA

Assessing urban system vulnerabilities to flooding to improve resilience and adaptation in spatial planning

Fluvial, pluvial and coastal flooding are the most frequent and costly natural hazard. Cities are social hubs and life in cities is reliant on a number of services and functions such as housing, healthcare, education and other key daily facilities. Urban flooding can cause significant disruption to these services and wider impacts on the population. These impacts may be short or long with a variably spatial scale: urban systems are spatially distributed and the nature of this can have significant effects on flood impacts. From an urban-planning perspective, measuring this disruption and its consequences is fundamental in order to develop more resilient cities. Whereas the assessment of physical vulnerabilities and direct damages is commonly addressed, new methodologies for assessing the systemic vulnerability and indirect damages at the urban scale are required. The proposed systemic approach recognizes the city as a collection of sub-systems or functional units (such as neighborhoods and suburbs), interconnected through the road network, providing key daily services to inhabitants (e.g., healthcare facilities, schools, food shops, leisure and cultural services). Each city is part of broader systems—which may or may not match administrative boundaries—and, as such, needs to be connected to its wider surroundings in a multi-scalar perspective. The systemic analysis, herein limited to residential households, is based on network-accessibility measures and evaluates the presence, the distribution among urban units and the redundancy of key daily services. Trying to spatially sketch the existence of systemic interdependences between neighborhoods, suburbs and municipalities, the proposed method highlights how urban systemic vulnerability spreads beyond the flooded areas. The aim is to understand which planning patterns and existing mixed-use developments are more flood resilient, thereby informing future urban development and regeneration projects. The methodology has been developed based on GIS and applied to an Italian municipality (Noale) in the metropolitan area of Venice, NE Italy