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

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

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

Lidar-based estimates of aboveground biomass through ground, aerial, and satellite observation: a case study in a Mediterranean forest

Light detection and ranging (Lidar) is considered the most advanced technology to assess forest aboveground biomass (AGB). Currently, this technology is shared by different sensors ranging from ground [terrestrial laser scanning (TLS)], airborne [aerial laser scanning (ALS)] up to spaceborne ones, which entail different spatial scales. However, few studies tested the simultaneous and combined use of Lidar to estimate AGB, linking ground measurements up to satellite observations. To fill this gap, we performed a study in two Mediterranean forest types [i.e., mountainous beech (Fagus sylvatica) and black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. laricio)] with contrasting structures (i.e., broadleaf versus needleleaf forests), where field inventory, TLS, ALS, and the recent spaceborne Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) data were simultaneously acquired. A three-step procedure was followed, which involved (i) the validation of AGB estimates obtained from TLS against reference values obtained from conventional field inventory; (ii) the calibration and validation of AGB estimates derived from ALS against TLS measurements, and (iii) the calibration and validation of AGB estimates derived from GEDI against mapped AGB values obtained from ALS. Our main results indicated that TLS provides consistent measurements of AGB as compared with field measurements (R2 ranged between 0.6 and 0.9 and root-mean-square error ranged between 29% and 49%), indicating its potential as ground reference for airborne Lidar observations. The combined availability of ground, airborne, and spaceborne observations is suitable to link ground measurements up to satellite observations. Differences in Lidar performance between needleleaf and broadleaf forests are also considered and discussed

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

Heraion del Sele: nuove realtà e nuove prospettive

Dal 1987 l'Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II conduce scavi sistematici presso l'Heraion presso il fiume Sele, il grande santuario extraurbano situato ai margini della chora settentrionale di Poseidonia/Paestum, scoperto da Paola Zancani Montuoro e Umberto Zanotti Bianco nel 1933. Negli ultimi anni la ricerca del gruppo federiciano si è concentrata sulla Zona C, un'area esterna allo spazio sacro e situata a 530 m a sud/est di quest'ultimo, dove si conservano due edifici monumentali, caratterizzati da orientamento e planimetria diversi. La campagna di scavo del 2021 ha indagato i settori settentrionale e orientale di queste strutture, allo scopo di chiarirne la sequenza stratigrafica e definirne le cronologie

Population Health Strategies to Support Hospital and Intensive Care Unit Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Italian Experience

Italy was one of the countries most affected by the number of people infected and dead during the first COVID-19 wave. The authors describe the rapid rollout of a population health clinical and organizational response in preparedness and capabilities to support the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Italian province of Modena. The authors review the processes, the challenges faced, and describe how excess demand for hospital services was successfully mitigated and thus overwhelming the healthcare services avoided the collapse of the local health care system. An analysis of bed occupancy in the region predicted during the first weeks of the epidemic. The SEIR model estimated the number of infected people under different containment measures. Community resources were mobilized to reduce provincial hospitals' burden of care. A population health approach, based on a radical reorganization of the workflow and emergency patient management, was implemented. The bed saturation of the Modena Healthcare Agency was measured by an ad hoc, newly implemented intensive care unit (ICU) bed occupancy and COVID-19 centralized governance dashboard. ICU bed occupancy increased by 114%, avoiding saturation of the Modena Healthcare Agency system. The Emilia-Romagna region achieved a higher rate of ICU bed availability at 2.15 ICU beds per 10,000 inhabitants as compared with community 1 ICU bed availability prior to the pandemic. Rapid and radical local reorganization of regional efforts helped inform the successful development and implementation of strategic choices within the hospital and the community to prevent the saturation of key facilities