Traditional and TLS-based forest inventories of beech and pine forests located in Sila National Park. A dataset

Vegetation structure is a key determinant of species distribution and diversity. Compared to traditional methods, the use of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) has allowed massive amounts of point cloud data collected for quantifying threedimensional habitat properties at increasing spatial and temporal scales. We used TLS to characterize the forest plots across a broad range of forest structural diversity, located in the Sila National Park, South Italy. The dataset reports data collected in 24 15-m-radius circular plots, 12 of which were dominated by beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and 12, by black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. laricio). In detail, this work provides dataset of i) plot-level attributes calculated from raw data, such as the number of trees, ii) tree-level data, comprising a total of 1709 trees, with information related to field-based forest inventory such as the diameter at breast height (DBH), and iii) plot-level information related to the time for conducting both traditional field- and TLS-based forest inventories. Compared to traditional methods, the use of TLS allows a very high-resolution quantification of the 3D forest structural properties, also reducing the time for conducting forest inventories

Cover Crop for a Sustainable Viticulture: Effects on Soil Properties and Table Grape Production

Cover crops are increasingly adopted in viticulture to enhance soil quality and balance the vegetative and reproductive growth of vines. Nevertheless, this sustainable practice has been only recently used for table grape viticulture, with results often contrasting. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a fescue (Festucaarundinacea Schreb.) cover crop on soil quality, yield, and grape qualitative parameters in a table grape vineyard (cv "Italia") located in southern Italy, comparing results with the conventional tillage. Soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), microbial biomass C (MBC), β-glucosidase (BGLU) and alkaline phosphomonoesterase (APME) activities were assessed during three growing seasons (2012–2014) and three phenological stages. The trend of soil chemical and microbiological properties was jointly influenced by the soil management system, growing season and phenological stage. Compared to conventional tillage, cover crops increased, on average, soil organic C, total N, MBC, BGLU and APME by 136%, 93%, 112%, 100% and 62%, respectively. Slight or no effects of cover crops were observed on grape quality and yield, except for 2012 (the driest season), when a yield reduction occurred. This study reveals that cover crops strongly enhance soil quality in the short-term, with potential advantages for grape production in the long-term

Correction to: Two years later: Is the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still having an impact on emergency surgery? An international cross-sectional survey among WSES members

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still ongoing and a major challenge for health care services worldwide. In the first WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey, a strong negative impact on emergency surgery (ES) had been described already early in the pandemic situation. However, the knowledge is limited about current effects of the pandemic on patient flow through emergency rooms, daily routine and decision making in ES as well as their changes over time during the last two pandemic years. This second WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey investigates the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ES during the course of the pandemic. Methods: A web survey had been distributed to medical specialists in ES during a four-week period from January 2022, investigating the impact of the pandemic on patients and septic diseases both requiring ES, structural problems due to the pandemic and time-to-intervention in ES routine. Results: 367 collaborators from 59 countries responded to the survey. The majority indicated that the pandemic still significantly impacts on treatment and outcome of surgical emergency patients (83.1% and 78.5%, respectively). As reasons, the collaborators reported decreased case load in ES (44.7%), but patients presenting with more prolonged and severe diseases, especially concerning perforated appendicitis (62.1%) and diverticulitis (57.5%). Otherwise, approximately 50% of the participants still observe a delay in time-to-intervention in ES compared with the situation before the pandemic. Relevant causes leading to enlarged time-to-intervention in ES during the pandemic are persistent problems with in-hospital logistics, lacks in medical staff as well as operating room and intensive care capacities during the pandemic. This leads not only to the need for triage or transferring of ES patients to other hospitals, reported by 64.0% and 48.8% of the collaborators, respectively, but also to paradigm shifts in treatment modalities to non-operative approaches reported by 67.3% of the participants, especially in uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and multiple-recurrent diverticulitis. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still significantly impacts on care and outcome of patients in ES. Well-known problems with in-hospital logistics are not sufficiently resolved by now; however, medical staff shortages and reduced capacities have been dramatically aggravated over last two pandemic years

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Influence of voxel size and point cloud density on crown cover estimation in poplar plantations using terrestrial laser scanning

Accurate estimates of crown cover (CC) are central for a wide range of forestry studies. As direct measurements do not exist to retrieve this variable in the field, CC is conventionally determined from optical measurements as the complement of gap fraction close to the zenith. As an alternative to passive optical measurements, active sensors like Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) allows for characterizing in situ the 3D canopy structure with unprecedented detail.We evaluated the reliability of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to estimate CC using a voxel-based approach. Specifically, we tested how different voxel sizes (5-20 cm) and voxel densities (1-9 points/dm3) influenced the retrieval of CC. Results were compared against benchmark values obtained from DCP.The trial was performed in hybrid poplar plantations in Northern Italy.  Results indicate that TLS can be used for obtaining accurate estimates of CC, but the choice of voxel size and point density is critical for achieving such accuracy. in hybrid poplars, the best performance was obtained using voxel size of 10 cm and point density of 8 points/dm3. The combined ability of measuring and mapping CC also holds great potential to use TLS for calibrating and upscaling results using coarser-scale remotely sensed products combined ability of measuring and mapping crown cover also holds great potential to use TLS data for calibrating and upscaling results using coarser-scale remotely sensed products

Noto Antica: la ricerca archeologica dopo Paolo Orsi

L’area archeologica di Noto Antica costituisce un’area di grande interesse dove i resti della città medievale distrutta dal terribile terremoto del 1693 insistono sulle fasi di vita precedenti creando una stratigrafia molto complessa. Nel XVIII secolo numerosi eruditi e storici locali iniziano a occuparsi di Noto, sia della città antica su Monte Alveria che di quella nuova che stava crescendo a pochi chilometri di distanza. La ricerca archeologica ha il via con Paolo Orsi, arrivato a Siracusa nel 1888 grazie alla nomina ministeriale. Tra il 1984 e il 1986 inizia l’esplorazione del sito che porterà alla luce oltre 500 sepolture lungo i costoni rocciosi, il ginnasio e gli heroa ellenistici. È del 1897 la prima e più ampia relazione dedicata interamente a Noto, in cui l’Orsi raccoglie tutto il lavoro svolto sia nelle ricognizioni nel territorio che nelle brevi campagne di scavo. Su questa relazione si baseranno tutte le analisi e le notizie su Noto nel corso del primo Novecento, ma bisognerà attendere più di 70 anni, per assistere a una vera e propria ripresa della ricerca archeologica. Il gruppo di ricerca dell’Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II inizia lo scavo archeologico a Noto Antica nel 2017 con l’obiettivo di definire le modalità del popolamento antico nel territorio in un arco cronologico che va dalle prime attestazioni sicule fino al periodo romano. I risultati ottenuti sono molto interessanti: la continuità di insediamento nella vallata che giunge fino quasi alla fine del IX sec. d.C., testimonia l’importanza strategica del sito, a controllo della via naturale di comunicazione tra costa e interno