New-Generation Objective and Reproducible Isoseismals, and Tests of Source Inversion of the USGS Felt Reports

We present two new techniques for treating earthquake intensity data objectively and reproducibly. First, our natural-neighbor, n-n, isoseismals (program: ConVor) are used to draw objective and reproducible isoseismals of the Whittier Narrows ML=5.9, 1987 earthquake from the earthquake damage (“felt reports”) sparsely observed in the region by the U.S.G.S. ConVor uses the n-n coordinates to weight and interpolate the observations; thus, the weights of the experimental sites which are natural neighbors to a new point are proportional to the areas of the intersections of their Voronoi polygons. It is shown that the n-n isoseismals: 1) honour the experimental data completely, and are, thus, frequency-complete representations; 2) are easy-to-grasp and reliable overviews of regional earthquake damage; 3) do not ballast any subsequent quantitative treatment, because they do not introduce new (contouring) parameters. Secondly, we demonstrate that the approximate source geometry and kinematics of this earthquake can be back-predicted by inverting its intensity data automatically. The inversion involves twelve parameters, the most sensitive of which are the epicentral co-ordinates and the fault plane solution; our trial-and-error technique minimizes the sum of the squared residuals (calculated intensity - minus - observed intensity) at the surveyed sites, and the errors of the source parameters are also estimated

Sensor Network-Based Localization for Continuous Tracking Applications: Implementation and Performance Evaluation

The increasing interest in systems able to provide users with immersive services (e.g., domotics, context-aware applications, and immersive distance learning tools) has encouraged the development of cheap and effective platforms aimed at tracking objects and people within a certain space. In this context, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can play a very important role, since specialized sensors can be fruitfully exploited in order to generate/receive signals by means of which the WSN can derive the position of nodes joined to the objects to be tracked. The paper presents an original localization platform that exploits a single-hop WSN, based on a Microchip MCU and a Cypress RF device, to track its moving nodes. Specifically, the nodes of the network are divided into three sets: the first set consists of anchor nodes that, according to the commands from the sink (the central node of the WSN), generate ultrasonic pulses. These pulses are received by the second set of (moving) nodes, which estimate the pulse time trip and communicate it to the sink. Finally, the last set is constituted by general purpose nodes that collect any kind of data from the surrounding field. The sink gathers all the data, computes the position of moving nodes, and transfers information to external users on the Internet. The algorithms adopted to manage the network and to localize moving nodes are discussed. A working prototype based upon the hardware platform, software, and protocol described in this paper has been deployed and tested, and some results are shown. Simulation results of the localization system are presented to show system scalability

Utilities and QALYs in health economic evaluations: glossary and introduction

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an identification and a prioritisation of geographic and temporal data gaps of mediterranean marine databases

Abstract Getting an overall view of primary data available from existing Earth Observation Systems and networks databases for the Mediterranean Sea, the main objective of this paper is to identify temporal and geographic data gaps and to elaborate a new method for providing a prioritisation of missing data useful for end-users that have to pinpoint strategies and models to fill these gaps. Existing data sources have been identified from the analysis of the main projects and information systems available. A new method to perform the data gap analysis has been developed and applied to the whole Mediterranean basin as case study area, identifying and prioritise geographical and temporal data gaps considering and integrating the biological, geological, chemical and physical branches of the total environment. The obtained results highlighted both the main geographical data gaps subdividing the whole Mediterranean Sea into 23 sub-basins and the temporal data gaps considering data gathered since 1990. Particular attention has been directed to the suitability of data in terms of completeness, accessibility and aggregation, since data and information are often aggregated and could not be used for research needs. The elaborated inventory of existing data source includes a database of 477 data rows originated from 122 data platforms analysed, able to specify for each dataset the related data typologies and its accessibility. The obtained results indicate that 76% of the data comes from ongoing platforms, while the remaining 25% are related to platforms with non-operational monitoring systems. Since the large amount of analysed records includes data gathered in inhomogeneous ways, the prioritisation values obtained for each identified data gap simplify the data comparison and analysis. Lastly, the data gaps inventory contains geographic and temporal information for any missing parameter at the whole basin scale, as well as the spatial resolution of each available data

Glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism: low morbidity and mortality in a four-generation italian pedigree.

Glucocorticoid remediable hyperaldosteronism (GRA) is a monogenic form of inherited hypertension caused by a chimeric gene originating from an unequal cross-over between the 11 beta-hydroxylase (CYP11B1) and aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) genes. GRA is characterized by high plasma levels of aldosterone (regulated by ACTH) with suppressed plasma renin activity and the production of two rare steroids, 18hydroxycortisol and 18oxocortisol. Affected patients usually show severe hypertension and an elevated frequency of stroke at a young age. Affected women have a high risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy. Here, we describe a 5-generation pedigree from Sardinia in which the presence of the chimeric gene is demonstrated in 4 generations. This family displays a mild phenotype with average blood pressure levels of 131/86 mm Hg for GRA+ patients. The occurrence of stroke is very low, and preeclampsia was not observed in 29 pregnancies from 8 GRA+ mothers. We investigated whether the cross-over site (between the CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 genes) or biochemical characteristics could explain this phenotype. The cross-over site was located at the end of intron 3, in the same region as described in other families. We found a significant correlation between blood pressure and 18hydroxycortisol, 18oxocortisol, and plasma aldosterone levels, but not with kallikrein. However, none of the biochemical or genetic parameters investigated could explain the mild phenotype of the family

Long-Lasting Protective Effect of Posaconazole Prophylaxis in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Receiving Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) during induction chemotherapy and those who receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at higher risk of invasive fungal infections (IFI). In the present study, we investigated whether the risk of IFI in AML patients receiving HSCT might be affected by the antifungal prophylaxis with posaconazole administered during the induction/salvage chemotherapy treatment. Between August 2001 and April 2015, 130 patients with AML received itraconazole/fluconazole (group A) and 99 received posaconazole (group B) as antifungal prophylaxis after induction/salvage chemotherapy at 7 Italian centers and all patients received fluconazole as antifungal prophylaxis after HSCT. The median duration of antifungal prophylaxis after induction/salvage chemotherapy was significantly longer for patients in group A than for those in group B (24 days versus 20 days, P  = .019). The 1-year cumulative incidence of proven/probable IFI after HSCT was 14% and 4% in group A and group B, respectively ( P  = .012). Fungal-free survival and overall survival at 1 year after HSCT were 66% and 70% in group A, and 75% and 77% in group B ( P  = .139 and P  = .302), respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis identified the use of alternative donors (matched unrelated donor: odds ratio [OR], 3.25; haploidentical/partially matched related donor: OR, 3.19), antifungal prophylaxis with itraconazole/fluconazole (OR, 3.82), and reduced-intensity conditioning (OR, 4.92) as independent risk factors for the development of IFI after HSCT. In summary, the present study suggests that the protective effects of posaconazole during induction/salvage chemotherapy for AML patients may have long-lasting benefits and eventually contribute to reduce the risk of IFI when patients undergo allogeneic HSCT

Comparison of quality control for trauma management between Western and Eastern European trauma center

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Quality control of trauma care is essential to define the effectiveness of trauma center and trauma system. To identify the troublesome issues of the system is the first step for validation of the focused customized solutions. This is a comparative study of two level I trauma centers in Italy and Romania and it has been designed to give an overview of the entire trauma care program adopted in these two countries. This study was aimed to use the results as the basis for recommending and planning changes in the two trauma systems for a better trauma care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed a total of 182 major trauma patients treated in the two hospitals included in the study, between January and June 2002. Every case was analyzed according to the recommended minimal audit filters for trauma quality assurance by The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Satisfactory yields have been reached in both centers for the management of head and abdominal trauma, airway management, Emergency Department length of stay and early diagnosis and treatment. The main significant differences between the two centers were in the patients' transfers, the leadership of trauma team and the patients' outcome. The main concerns have been in the surgical treatment of fractures, the outcome and the lacking of documentation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The analyzed hospitals are classified as Level I trauma center and are within the group of the highest quality level centers in their own countries. Nevertheless, both of them experience major lacks and for few audit filters do not reach the mmum standard requirements of ACS Audit Filters. The differences between the western and the eastern European center were slight. The parameters not reaching the minimum requirements are probably occurring even more often in suburban settings.</p