Uncorrected land-use planning highlighted by flooding: the Alba case study (Piedmont, Italy)

Alba is a town of over 30 000 inhabitants located along the Tanaro River (Piedmont, northwestern Italy) and is famous for its wine and white truffles. Many important industries and companies are based in Alba, including the famous confectionery group Ferrero. <br><br> The town suffered considerably from a flood that occurred on 5–6 November 1994. Forty-eight percent of the urban area was inundated, causing severe damage and killing nine people. After the flood, the Alba area was analysed in detail to determine the reasons for its vulnerability. <br><br> Information on serious floods in this area since 1800 was gathered from official records, state technical office reports, unpublished documents in the municipal archives, and articles published in local and national newspapers. Maps, plans and aerial photographs (since 1954) were examined to reconstruct Alba's urban development over the last two centuries and the planform changes of the Tanaro River. <br><br> The results were compared with the effects of the November 1994 flood, which was mapped from aerial photographs taken immediately after the flood, field surveys and eyewitness reports. <br><br> The territory of Alba was subdivided into six categories: residential; public service; industrial, commercial and hotels; sports areas, utilities and standards (public gardens, parks, athletics grounds, private and public sport clubs); aggregate plants and dumps; and agriculture and riverine strip. The six categories were then grouped into three classes with different flooding-vulnerability levels according to various parameters. Using GIS, the three river corridors along the Tanaro identified by the Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Po were overlaid on the three classes to produce a final map of the risk areas. <br><br> This study shows that the historic floods and their dynamics have not been duly considered in the land-use planning of Alba. The zones that were most heavily damaged in the 1994 flood were those that were frequently affected in the past and sites of more recent urbanisation. Despite recurrent severe flooding of the Tanaro River and its tributaries, areas along the riverbed and its paleochannels have been increasingly used for infrastructure and building (e.g., roads, a municipal dump, a prison, natural aggregate plants, a nomad camp), which has often interfered with the natural spread of the floodwaters. Since the 1994 flood, many remedial projects have been completed along the Tanaro and its tributaries, including levees, bank protection, concrete walls and floodway channels. In spite of these costly projects, some areas remain at high risk for flooding. <br><br> The method used, which considered historical data, river corridors identified by hydraulic calculations, geomorphological aspects and land-use planning, can indicate with good accuracy flood-prone areas and in consequence to be an useful tool for the coherent planning of urban expansion and the mitigation of flood risk

A gis spatial analysis model for landslide hazard mapping application in alpine area

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Salisapiliaceae – a new family of oomycetes from marsh grass litter of southeastern North America

Several filamentous oomycete species of the genus Halophytophthora have recently been described from marine environments, mostly from subtropical and tropical ecosystems. During a survey of oomycetes from leaf litter of Spartina alterniflora in salt marshes of southeastern Georgia, isolates of four taxa were recovered that bore similarity to some members of Halophytophthora but were highly divergent from isolates of Halophytophthora s.str. based on a combined sequence analysis of two nuclear loci. In phylogenetic analyses, these isolates were placed basal to a monophyletic group comprised of Pythium of the Pythiaceae and the Peronosporaceae. Sequence and morphology of these taxa diverged from the type species Halophytophthora vesicula, which was placed within the Peronosporaceae with maximum support. As a consequence a new family, the Salisapiliaceae, and a new genus, Salisapilia, are described to accommodate the newly discovered species, along with one species previously classified within Halophytophthora. Morphological features that separate these taxa from Halophytophthora are a smaller hyphal diameter, oospore production, lack of vesicle formation during sporulation, and a plug of hyaline material at the sporangial apex that is displaced during zoospore release. Our findings offer a first glance at the presumably much higher diversity of oomycetes in estuarine environments, of which ecological significance requires further exploration

Study of a constrained finite element elbow prosthesis: the influence of the implant placement

Background: The functional results of total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) are controversial and the medium- to long-term revision rates are relatively high. The aim of the present study was to analyze the stresses of TEA in its classic configuration, identify the areas of greatest stress in the prosthesis–bone–cement interface, and evaluate the most wearing working conditions. Materials and methods: By means of a reverse engineering process and using a 3D laser scanner, CAD (computer-aided drafting) models of a constrained elbow prosthesis were acquired. These CAD models were developed and their elastic properties, resistance, and stresses were studied through finite element analysis (finite element method—FEM). The obtained 3D elbow-prosthesis model was then evaluated in cyclic flexion–extension movements (> 10 million cycles). We highlighted the configuration of the angle at which the highest stresses and the areas most at risk of implant mobilization develop. Finally, we performed a quantitative study of the stress state after varying the positioning of the stem of the ulnar component in the sagittal plane by ± 3°. Results: The greatest von Mises stress state in the bone component for the 90° working configuration was 3.1635 MPa, which occurred in the most proximal portion of the humeral blade and in the proximal middle third of the shaft. At the ulnar level, peaks of 4.1763 MPa were recorded at the proximal coronoid/metaepiphysis level. The minimum elastic resistance and therefore the greatest stress states were recorded in the bone region at the apex of the ulnar stem (0.001967 MPa). The results of the analysis for the working configurations at 0° and 145° showed significant reductions in the stress states for both prosthetic components; similarly, varying the positioning of the ulnar component at 90° (− 3° in the sagittal plane, 0° in the frontal plane) resulted in better working conditions with a greater resulting developed force and a lower stress peak in the ulnar cement. Conclusion: The areas of greatest stress occur in specific regions of the ulnar and humeral components at the bone–cement–prosthesis interface. The heaviest configuration in terms of stresses was when the elbow was flexed at 90°. Variations in the positioning in the sagittal plane can mechanically affect the movement, possibly resulting in longer survival of the implant. Level of evidence:

Effect of snow-covered ground albedo on the accuracy of air temperature measurements

open8Solar radiation is one of the main factors which introduce significant deviations between thermometers reading and true air temperature value. Techniques to protect the sensors from direct radiative influence have been adopted almost since the beginning of meteorological observations. Reflected radiation from a snow-covered surface can also cause extra warming to thermometers hosted in solar shields, which are not always optimised to protect the sensors from this further radiative heat transfer. This phenomenon can cause errors in near-surface temperature measurements results, with a relevant impact on the quality of data records and series. This study experimentally evaluates the effect of reflected radiation from a snow-covered surface on the accuracy of air temperature measurements. The investigation is based on the evaluation of temperature differences between pairs of identical instruments, positioned above ground covered by natural vegetation, with one instrument in snow-free conditions and the other above a snow-covered surface, at the same time and at the same site. The work involved a representative number of sensors and shields, in terms of different typologies, technologies and engineering solutions, from different manufacturers. A mountain site with acceptable field conditions, offering long-lasting snow presence to maximise data availability, was selected to perform the experiment. Quantities of influence, such as relative humidity, wind speed and direction and solar radiation (global and reflected), were constantly measured. The main findings of this work show that none of the involved instruments were immune to the extra heating due to the snow-reflected radiation. Excluding nighttimes and days of high wind or low incident radiation, the differences among sensors positioned above natural soil and identical ones exposed to snow albedo ranged up to more than 3 ∘C. Solar screens with forced ventilation showed a partially reduced effect compared to most of the naturally ventilated ones. A full data analysis is reported here, together with complete results and uncertainties.openhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5126973Musacchio, Chiara; Coppa, Graziano; Begeš, Gaber; Hofstätter-Mohler, Christina; Massano, Laura; Nigrelli, Guido; Sanna, Francesca; Merlone, AndreaMusacchio, Chiara; Coppa, Graziano; Begeš, Gaber; Hofstätter-Mohler, Christina; Massano, Laura; Nigrelli, Guido; Sanna, Francesca; Merlone, Andre

Biomechanical analysis of two types of osseointegrated transfemoral prosthesis

In the last two decades, osseointegrated prostheses have been shown to be a good alternative for lower limb amputees experiencing complications in using a traditional socket-type prosthesis; however, restraining biomechanical issues, such as peri-prosthetic bone fractures or loosening, are present. To better understand and overcome these limiting issues, and thus reduce the number of implant failures, many studies have investigated the stress distribution on bone and implant during normal daily activities. The aim of this study was a biomechanical analysis of two different osseointegrated implants, a screw-type (OPRA) and a press fit system (OPL, Osseointegrated Prosthetic Limb), to evaluate the stresses generated in bone and prosthesis during a fall. In particular, four scenarios have been experimentally reproduced to determine the loads on the limb during different kinds of fall. For this purpose, a motion capture system and a force plate have been used. Numerical FEM (Finite Element Method) simulations have been performed to compare the behaviour of the OPRA and OPL systems in different fall scenarios. The obtained results showed that a fall backwards due to balance loss is the most stressful scenario among the ones analysed. As regards the comparison between OPRA and OPL devices, it emerged they have similar behaviours in terms of peak values of the stress, but the OPL implant generates larger high-stress areas in the distal femur as compared with the OPRA system

Morphology, phylogeny, and taxonomy of Microthlaspi (Brassicaceae: Coluteocarpeae) and related genera

The genus Thlaspi has been variously subdivided since its description by Linnaeus in 1753, but due to similarities in fruit shape several segregates have still not gained broad recognition, despite the fact that they are not directly related to Thlaspi. This applies especially to segregates now considered to belong to the tribe Coluteocarpeae, which includes several well-studied taxa, e.g., Noccaea caerulescens (syn. Thlaspi caerulescens), and the widespread Microthlaspi perfoliatum (syn. Thlaspi perfoliatum). The taxonomy of this tribe is still debated, as a series of detailed monographs on Coluteocarpeae was not published in English and a lack of phylogenetic resolution within this tribe was found in previous studies. The current study presents detailed phylogenetic investigations and a critical review of morphological features, with focus on taxa previously placed in Microthlaspi. Based on one nuclear (ITS) and two chloroplast (matK, trnL-F) loci, four strongly supported major groups were recovered among the Coluteocarpeae genera included, corresponding to Ihsanalshehbazia gen. nov., Friedrichkarlmeyeria gen. nov., Microthlaspi s.str., and Noccaea s.l. In addition, two new species of Microthlaspi, M. sylvarum-cedri sp. nov. and M. mediterraneo-orientale sp. nov., were discovered, which are well supported by both morphological and molecular data. Furthermore, M. erraticum comb. nov. (diploid) and M. perfoliatum s.str. (polyploid) were shown to be distinct species, phylogenetically widely separate, but with some overlap in several morphological characters. Detailed descriptions, notes on taxonomy, geographical distribution, and line drawings for the new species and each species previously included in Microthlaspi are provided. In addition, the current taxonomic state of the tribe Coluteocarpeae is briefly discussed and it is concluded that while several annual taxa are clearly distinct from Noccaea, many perennial taxa, after thorough phylogenetic and morphological investigations, may have to be merged with this genus. © International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) 2016

Immunohistochemical detection of aetiological agents of proliferative and necrotizing pneumonia in Italian pigs

Proliferative and necrotizing pneumonia (PNP) is a form of interstitial pneumonia that occurs in weaning and post-weaning pigs. PNP is characterized by hypertrophy and hyperplasia of type II pneumocytes and coagulative necrosis and granular debris within alveolar spaces. Canadian and European studies suggest that the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) are the main causes of the disease, but Aujezsky's disease virus (ADV) and swine influenza virus (SIV) have also been considered as potential aetiological agents. An immunohistochemical study was carried out on the lungs of 28 Italian pigs with PNP in order to evaluate the role of PRRSV, PCV2 and ADV in PNP lesions. PRRSV infection was identified in the lungs of 11 pigs, PCV2 in the lungs of four pigs and coinfection with both viruses in the lungs of eight pigs. Neither virus was detected in the lungs of the remaining five pigs. ADV antigen was not detected in any sample. The principle aetiological agent of PNP in Italy therefore appears to be PRRSV. Coinfection with PRRSV and PCV2 is characterized by more severe microscopical changes in affected lungs

New insights in the relation between climate and slope failures at high-elevation sites

Climate change is now unequivocal; however, the type and extent of terrestrial impacts are still widely debated. Among these, the effects on slope stability are receiving a growing attention in recent years, both as terrestrial indicators of climate change and implications for hazard assessment. High-elevation areas are particularly suitable for these studies, because of the presence of the cryosphere, which is particularly sensitive to climate. In this paper, we analyze 358 slope failures which occurred in the Italian Alps in the period 2000–2016, at an elevation above 1500 m a.s.l. We use a statistical-based method to detect climate anomalies associated with the occurrence of slope failures, with the aim to catch an eventual climate signal in the preparation and/or triggering of the considered case studies. We first analyze the probability values assumed by 25 climate variables on the occasion of a slope-failure occurrence. We then perform a dimensionality reduction procedure and come out with a set of four most significant and representative climate variables, in particular heavy precipitation and short-term high temperature. Our study highlights that slope failures occur in association with one or more climate anomalies in almost 92% of our case studies. One or more temperature anomalies are detected in association with most case studies, in combination or not with precipitation (47% and 38%, respectively). Summer events prevail, and an increasing role of positive temperature anomalies from spring to winter, and with elevation and failure size, emerges. While not providing a final evidence of the role of climate warming on slope instability increase at high elevation in recent years, the results of our study strengthen this hypothesis, calling for more extensive and in-depth studies on the subject