Earthquake‐induced landslide scenarios for seismic microzonation. Application to the Accumoli area (Rieti, Italy)

Scenarios of earthquake-induced landslides are necessary for seismic microzonation (SM) studies since they must be integrated with the mapping of instability areas. The PARSIFAL (Probabilistic Approach to pRovide Scenarios of earthquake‐Induced slope FAiLures) approach provides extensive analyses, over tens to thousands of square kilometers, and is designed as a fully comprehensive methodology to output expected scenarios which depend on seismic input and saturation conditions. This allows to attribute a rating, in terms of severity level, to the landslide-prone slope areas in view of future engineering studies and designs. PARSIFAL takes into account first-time rock- and earth-slides as well as re-activations of existing landslides performing slope stability analyses of different failure mechanisms. The results consist of mapping earthquake-induced landslide scenarios in terms of exceedance probability of critical threshold values of co-seismic displacements (P[D≥Dc|a(t),ay]). PARSIFAL was applied in the framework of level 3 SM studies over the municipality area of Accumoli (Rieti, Italy), strongly struck by the 2016 seismic sequence of Central Apennines. The use of the PARSIFAL was tested for the first time to screen the Susceptibility Zones (ZSFR) from the Attention Zones (ZAFR) in the category of the unstable areas, according to the guidelines by Italian Civil Protection. The results obtained were in a GIS-based mapping representing the possibility for a landslide to be induced by an earthquake (with a return period of 475 years) in three different saturation scenarios (i.e. dry, average, full). Only 41% of the landslide-prone areas in the Municipality of Accumoli are existing events, while the remaining 59% is characterized by first-time earth- or rock-slides. In dry conditions, unstable conditions or P[D≥Dc|a(t),ay]>0 were for 54% of existing landslides, 17% of first-time rock-slides and 1% of first-time earth- slides. In full saturation conditions, the findings are much more severe since unstable conditions or P[D≥Dc|a(t),ay]>0 were found for 58% of the existing landslides and for more than 80% of first-time rock- and earth-slides. Moreover, comparison of the total area of the ZAFR versus ZSFR, resulted in PARSIFAL screening reducing of 22% of the mapped ZAFR

A spatiotemporal object-oriented data model for landslides (LOOM)

LOOM (landslide object-oriented model) is here presented as a data structure for landslide inventories based on the object-oriented paradigm. It aims at the effective storage, in a single dataset, of the complex spatial and temporal relations between landslides recorded and mapped in an area and at their manipulation. Spatial relations are handled through a hierarchical classification based on topological rules and two levels of aggregation are defined: (i) landslide complexes, grouping spatially connected landslides of the same type, and (ii) landslide systems, merging landslides of any type sharing a spatial connection. For the aggregation procedure, a minimal functional interaction between landslide objects has been defined as a spatial overlap between objects. Temporal characterization of landslides is achieved by assigning to each object an exact date or a time range for its occurrence, integrating both the time frame and the event-based approaches. The sum of spatial integrity and temporal characterization ensures the storage of vertical relations between landslides, so that the superimposition of events can be easily retrieved querying the temporal dataset. The here proposed methodology for landslides inventorying has been tested on selected case studies in the Cilento UNESCO Global Geopark (Italy). We demonstrate that the proposed LOOM model avoids data fragmentation or redundancy and topological inconsistency between the digital data and the real-world features. This application revealed to be powerful for the reconstruction of the gravity-induced deformation history of hillslopes, thus for the prediction of their evolution

Cu-catalyzed Si-NWS grown on “carbon paper” as anodes for Li-ion cells

The very high theoretical capacity of the silicon (4200mAh/g more than 10 times larger than graphite), environmental-friendly, abundant and low-cost, makes it a potential candidate to replace graphite in high energy density Li-ion batteries. As a drawback, silicon suffers from huge volume changes (300%) on alloying and dealloying with Li, leading a structural deformation that induces disruption. The use of nanostructured silicon materials has been shown to be an effective way to avoid this mechanical degradation of the active material. In this paper the synthesis of silicon nanowires, grown on a highly porous 3D-like carbon paper substrate by CVD using Cu as the catalyst, is presented. The use of carbon paper allows to achieve remarkable loadings of active material (2-5 mg/cm2) and, consequently, high capacity densities. The silicon electrode was investigated both morphologically and electrochemically. To improve the electrochemical performance various strategies have been carried out. It was observed that a very slow first cycle (C/40), which helps the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interphase on the silicon surface, improves the performance of the cells; nevertheless, their cycle life has been found not fully satisfactory. Morphological analysis of the Si-NWs electrodes before and after cycling showed the presence of a dense silicon layer below the nanowires which could reduce the electrical contact between the active material and the substrate

The intrinsic topological information of the wild-type and of up-promoter mutations of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcohol dehydrogenase II regulatory region.

A 569-base pair fragment encompassing the upstream regulatory region, the RNA initiation sites, and the initial part of the coding region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcohol dehydrogenase II gene has been analyzed for the presence of sites which undergo conformational modification under torsional stress. Fine mapping of P1 and S1 endonuclease-sensitive sites was obtained on single topoisomers produced by in vitro ligation. It was shown that the upstream activator sequence, the TATA sequence, a region directly upstream to the RNA initiation sites, and several positions in the first segment of the transcribed region change conformation as a function of the applied torsional stress in a precisely coordinate fashion. The superhelical density optima for this coordinate modifications have been determined. Analysis of the conformational changes of the promoter sequence in several naturally occurring (Young, E. T., Williamson, V. M., Taguchi, A., Smith, M., Sledziewski, L., Russel, D., Osterman, J., Denis, C., Cox, D., and Beier, D., (1982) in Genetic Engineering of Microorganisms for Chemicals (Hollander, A., De Moss, R. D., Kaplan, S., Konisky, J., Savage, D., and Wolle, R. S., eds) pp. 335-361, Plenum Publishing Corp., New York) up-promoter constitutive mutants was performed. This analysis has shown that the conformation of functionally relevant sites changes as a function of sequence mutations that have taken place elsewhere; this shows that the conformational behavior of the whole promoter region is linked and suggests transmission in cis of topological effects in RNA polymerase II promoters

The Vaginal Community State Types Microbiome-Immune Network as Key Factor for Bacterial Vaginosis and Aerobic Vaginitis

Regarding bacterial vaginosis (BV), the relevance of the vaginal microbiota to the women's health fulfills a key role, but knowledge gaps regarding aerobic vaginitis (AV) exist. This study aims to characterize vaginal microbiome and its relationship with the local immune mediators, providing an opportunity to define the link between vaginal commensal microorganisms and opportunistic pathogens in the relation of a given vaginal community state type (CST). A total of 90 vaginal samples from Caucasian asymptomatic women of reproductive age (18-40 years) attending the yearly examination and not reporting any vaginal complaints were retrospectively evaluated for microbiome assessment and immune factor dosage. The samples were tested by the Ion Torrent PGM and the Luminex Bio-Plex technologies for the analysis of microbiome and immune factors, respectively. In our study, the CST classification together with the local immune response profiling represented a good predictive indicator of the vaginal health, suggesting that the predominance of a specific Lactobacillus and its relative abundance are pivotal elements to maintain a physiologic status. A vaginal colonization from Bifidobacterium may absolve a protective role similar to that of Lactobacillus, corresponding to a newly identified CST, although studies are needed to better clarify its clinical significance. Moreover, within each CST, a different pattern of inflammation is activated and orchestrated both by the dominant Lactobacillus spp. and by specific non-Lactobacillus bacteria and can give insights into the pathogenic mechanisms. In conclusion, this study contributes to the characterization of vaginal dysbiosis, reshaping this concept by taking into consideration the CST profiling, local immune marker, and immune-microbial network

Decidual endothelial cells express surface-bound C1q as a molecular bridge between endovascular trophoblast and decidual endothelium

This study was prompted by the observation that decidual endothelial cells (DECs), unlike endothelial cells (ECs) of blood vessels in normal skin, kidney glomeruli and brain, express surface-bound C1q in physiologic pregnancy. This finding was unexpected, because deposits of C1q are usually observed in pathologic conditions and are associated with complement activation. In the case of DECs, we failed to detect immunoglobulins and C4 co-localized with C1q on the cell surface. Surprisingly, DECs expressed mRNA for the three chains of C1q and secreted detectable level of this component in serum-free medium. The ability to synthesize C1q is acquired by DECs during pregnancy and is not shared by ECs obtained from endometrium and from other sources. Cell-associated C1q has a molecular weight similar to that of secreted C1q and is released from DECs following treatment with heparinase or incubation at low pH. This suggests that C1q binds to DECs and it is not constitutively expressed on the cell surface. C1q is localized at contact sites between endovascular trophoblast and DECs and acts as an intercellular molecular bridge because adhesion of endovascular trophoblast to DECs was inhibited by antibodies to C1q and to a receptor recognizing its globular portion expressed on trophoblast. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Distinctive physiological muscle synergy patterns define the Box and Block Task execution as revealed by electromyographic features

Stroke survivors experience muscular pattern alterations of the upper limb that decrease their ability to perform daily-living activities. The Box and Block test (BBT) is widely used to assess the unilateral manual dexterity. Although BBT provides insights into functional performance, it returns limited information about the mechanisms contributing to the impaired movement. This study aims at exploring the BBT by means of muscle synergies analysis during the execution of BBT in a sample of 12 healthy participants with their dominant and non-dominant upper limb. Results revealed that: (i) the BBT can be described by 1 or 2 synergies; the number of synergies (ii) does not differ between dominant and non-dominant sides and (iii) varies considering each phase of the task; (iv) the transfer phase requires more synergies. Clinical Relevance— This preliminary study characterizes muscular synergies during the BBT task in order to establish normative patterns that could assist in understanding the neuromuscular demands and support future evaluations of stroke deficit

Anatomical and functional results of ossiculoplasty using titanium prosthesis

Titanium ossicular chain replacement prosthesis is often used for rehabilitation of the columellar effect in otologic surgeries. This retrospective study aims to analyse the anatomical and functional results of surgeries in which a titanium prosthesis was used. Two hundred and eighty procedures in 256 patients operated on in a tertiary referral center were analysed. Aetiologies, preoperative audiograms, peropera-tive data and postoperative outcomes at 2 and 12 months postoperatively were reviewed. Chronic suppurative otitis media with or without cholesteatoma was the main aetiology (89%). There was no difference in anatomical results between partial and total ossicular replacement prosthesis, with an overall dislocation rate of 6%, and an overall extrusion rate of 3%. Regarding functional results, a postoperative air-bone gap ≤ 20 dB was achieved in 65% of cases, with a better result for partial compared to total ossiculoplasty (p = 0.02). A significant difference in air bone gap closure was found when comparing aetiologies, with a higher air-bone gap closure in malformation cases compared to chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma or retraction cases (p = 0.03). Ossiculoplasty using titanium prosthesis is a safe and effective procedure for rehabilitation of hearing loss, which allows reaching an air-bone gap ≤ 20 dB in the majority of patients

Fractional CO2 laser for genitourinary syndrome of menopause in breast cancer survivors: clinical, immunological, and microbiological aspects

The composition of vaginal microbiome in menopause and cancer survivor women changes dramatically leading to genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in up to 70% of patients. Recent reports suggest that laser therapy may be valuable as a not hormonal therapeutic modality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of fractional CO2 laser treatment on the vaginal secretory pathway of a large panel of immune mediators, usually implicated in tissue remodeling and inflammation, and on microbiome composition in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. The Ion Torrent PGM platform and the Luminex Bio-Plex platform were used for microbiome and immune factor analysis. The significant reduction of clinical symptoms and the non-significant changes in vaginal microbiome support the efficacy and safety of laser treatment. Moreover, the high remodeling status in vaginal epithelium is demonstrated by the significant changes in inflammatory and modulatory cytokine patterns. Laser therapy can be used for the treatment of GSM symptoms and does not show any adverse effects. However, further studies will be needed to clarify its long-term efficacy and other effects