Space-weighted seismic attenuation mapping of the aseismic source of Campi Flegrei 1983-84 unrest

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Inversion of synthetic geodetic data for the 1997 Colfiorito events: clues on the effects of layering, assessment of model parameter PDFs, and model selection criteria

The 1997 September-October Umbria-Marche sequence has been extensively studied in the past by analyzing coseismic displacement data (GPS, leveling, SAR). Here we focus on synthetic data representative of the main event of the 1997 Umbria-Marche sequence and investigate the effects of a crustal layering proper to the Colfiorito area on surface displacements and inferred source features when inverting coseismic geodetic data without taking into account layering. We compare bootstrapping and NA-Bayes as tools for parameter uncertainty assessment and show how the Akaike Information Criterion can be used to select the model which is most likely to be correct. Since SAR images offer the most complete coverage of the study area, we use synthetic line-ofsight displacement data

Non autosufficienza: analisi e proposte per un nuovo modello di tutela

L\u2019Unione europea ha recentemente ribadito, nell\u2019ambito dell\u2019iniziativa circa il Pilastro Europeo dei Diritti Sociali, l\u2019esigenza di rinnovamento dei sistemi di welfare per realizzare risposte efficaci a nuovi bisogni, a tal fine incoraggiando strategie di innovazione sociale. In Italia ci\uf2 \ue8 particolarmente vero con riferimento al problema della non autosufficienza: siamo uno dei Paesi pi\uf9 longevi al mondo, ma la qualit\ue0 della vita in termini di buona salute e/o limitazioni funzionali non \ue8 altrettanto confortante. La risposta sia pubblica che privata continua ad essere nettamente inadeguata sotto il profilo quali/quantitativo: frammentazione disorganizzata di interventi con conseguente rischio di inappropriatezza delle prestazioni, dispersione delle gi\ue0 scarse risorse e attribuzione alle famiglie dell\u2019onere organizzativo e in gran parte di quello economico dell\u2019assistenza. Lo studio intende definire i contorni di un possibile nuovo modello di copertura della non autosufficienza basato su una logica di welfare life-cycle che superi la rigida struttura a silos che caratterizza il vigente sistema di welfare, fornendo indicazioni circa la sua concreta fattibilit\ue0, in particolare individuando le diverse componenti del modello; possibili attori e relative relazioni; i costi e le relative coperture; i necessari interventi legislativi. L\u2019analisi sar\ue0 condotta nel rispetto dei seguenti principi: a) approccio multidimensionale integrato, che realizzi sinergie fra servizi sanitari e sociali, professionalit\ue0 diverse, diversi attori pubblici e privati, profit e non profit; b) approccio culturale focalizzato non sulla malattia ma sulla persona e il suo progetto di cura e di vita sotto il profilo clinico ma anche con riferimento al contesto familiare, economico, ambientale. Il fine \ue8 la definizione di percorsi diagnostico-terapeutici assistenziali (PDTA) personalizzati che coinvolgano attivamente non solo il paziente, ma anche i caregiver di riferimento. La sua realizzazione deve rispondere a criteri di flessibilit\ue0 e modularit\ue0, con focus sul differenziale fra intervento delineato dal PDTA e intervento pubblico, tenendo conto della diversa declinazione territoriale e delle diverse capacit\ue0 di spesa dei soggetti interessati; c) valorizzazione del momento collettivo e della bilateralit\ue0 quali elementi di contenimento di costi e ampliamento dei tradizionali perimetri di copertura

Slow earthquakes and low frequency tremor along the Apennines, Italy

This paper reviews the main observations on slow earthquakes and low frequency tremor made along the Apennines, the main seismic active zone of Italy. These observations have been made using a geodetic interferometer system operating since 1994 in the underground tunnel of Gran Sasso, central Italy, and an underground seismic array (UNDERSEIS) operating since 2002 in the same environment. The observations made in recent years indicate that both phenomena are quite rare and apparently uncorrelated. Slow earthquakes, mainly recorded in 1997 and occasionally later, have probably been caused by the activity of a shallow fault system located near the interferometers. Until now only one tremor episode characterized by low frequency content and duration of several hours has been detected in January 2004, without any correlations with the occurrence of slow or regular earthquakes. The signal to noise ratio of this event is very low, but the results of our detailed analysis show that its frequency contents and wave field characteristics are compatible with a low frequency non volcanic tremor

Neuropsychological Functioning in Bilateral versus Unilateral Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Although relatively specific anatomo-electro-clinical features of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with bilateral ictal involvement (bitemporal epilepsy-BTLE) have been described, differentiating between BTLE and unilateral TLE (UTLE) remains challenging. Surgery is often the treatment of choice for drug-resistant UTLE, whereas its use is more controversial in BTLE. It is currently unclear whether neuropsychological assessment can contribute to the differential diagnosis. We retrospectively reviewed the neuropsychological evaluation of 46 consecutive patients with refractory TLE. Eighteen patients were diagnosed with BTLE on the basis of ictal electro-clinical data, in particular a video EEG recording of at least one seizure simultaneously involving the two temporal lobes without the possibility of lateralizing its onset or at least two different seizures independently arising from the two temporal lobes. Twenty-eight patients were classified as UTLE. Presurgery evaluation data were used in this study. Compared with UTLE, BTLE was associated with a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) and more severe impairment in long-term memory, the latter remaining significant even after controlling for IQ. No significant differences were found between right and left UTLE. In conclusion, BTLE and UTLE are associated with relatively distinct neuropsychological profiles, further supporting their classification as different disorders within the TLE spectrum

Prediction of extreme events in the OFC model on a small world network

We investigate the predictability of extreme events in a dissipative Olami-Feder-Christensen model on a small world topology. Due to the mechanism of self-organized criticality, it is impossible to predict the magnitude of the next event knowing previous ones, if the system has an infinite size. However, by exploiting the finite size effects, we show that probabilistic predictions of the occurrence of extreme events in the next time step are possible in a finite system. In particular, the finiteness of the system unavoidably leads to repulsive temporal correlations of extreme events. The predictability of those is higher for larger magnitudes and for larger complex network sizes. Finally, we show that our prediction analysis is also robust by remarkably reducing the accessible number of events used to construct the optimal predictor.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Pediatric Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Diagnostic and Management Concerns

background: multiple sclerosis (MS) is increasing in the pediatric population and, as in adults, symptoms vary among patients. in children the first manifestations can sometimes overlap with acute neurological symptoms. urological symptoms have not been much studied in childhood. we shared our experience with MS urological manifestation in children. methods: this article is a retrospective evaluation of all children with MS, according to the Krupp criteria, who also present with urological symptoms. we collected demographic and clinical history, the MR localization of demyelinating lesions, urological symptoms, and exams. results: we report on six MS pediatric cases with urological manifestation. urinary symptoms, characterized by urinary incontinence in five patients and urinary retention in one patient, appeared in a different time frame from MS diagnosis. urodynamic exams showed both overactive and underactive bladder patterns. treatment was defined according to lower urinary tract dysfunction, using clean intermittent catheterization, oxybutynin, and intradetrusor onabotulinum toxin-a injection. a low acceptance rate of invasive evaluation and urological management was observed. conclusions: the MS diagnosis was traumatic for all our patients. we believe it is important to address urological care in young people from the time of diagnosis for prompt management; it could be useful to include a pediatric urologist in multidisciplinary teams

Crack-Like Processes Governing the Onset of Frictional Slip

We perform real-time measurements of the net contact area between two blocks of like material at the onset of frictional slip. We show that the process of interface detachment, which immediately precedes the inception of frictional sliding, is governed by three different types of detachment fronts. These crack-like detachment fronts differ by both their propagation velocities and by the amount of net contact surface reduction caused by their passage. The most rapid fronts propagate at intersonic velocities but generate a negligible reduction in contact area across the interface. Sub-Rayleigh fronts are crack-like modes which propagate at velocities up to the Rayleigh wave speed, VR, and give rise to an approximate 10% reduction in net contact area. The most efficient contact area reduction (~20%) is precipitated by the passage of slow detachment fronts. These fronts propagate at anomalously slow velocities, which are over an order of magnitude lower than VR yet orders of magnitude higher than other characteristic velocity scales such as either slip or loading velocities. Slow fronts are generated, in conjunction with intersonic fronts, by the sudden arrest of sub-Rayleigh fronts. No overall sliding of the interface occurs until either of the slower two fronts traverses the entire interface, and motion at the leading edge of the interface is initiated. Slip at the trailing edge of the interface accompanies the motion of both the slow and sub-Rayleigh fronts. We might expect these modes to be important in both fault nucleation and earthquake dynamics.Comment: 19 page, 5 figures, to appear in International Journal of Fractur

Editorial note for the Geodesy and Geodynamics journal special issue Contemporary Research in Geodynamics and Earth Tides : An account of the 18th Geodynamics and Earth Tides Symposium 2016, Trieste, Italy

This volume aims at conveying the rich and interdisciplinary topics discussed at the 18th Geodynamics and Earth Tides Symposium, Trieste, 2016. For seventeen times the gathering was named the Earth Tides Symposium, when giving tribute to the evolution of the observed signals, the term geodynamics was added to the title.The present volume aims at a full coverage of the Symposium by including the entire list of abstracts that were presented either as oral or poster presentation

Enhancing Egress Drills: Preparation and Assessment of Evacuee Performance

This article explores how egress drills-specifically those related to fire incidents-are currently used, their impact on safety levels, and the insights gained from them. It is suggested that neither the merits of egress drills are well understood, nor the impact on egress performance well characterized. In addition, the manner in which they are conducted varies both between and within regulatory jurisdictions. By investigating their strengths and limitations, this article suggests opportunities for their enhancement possibly through the use of other egress models to support and expand upon the benefits provided. It is by no means suggested that drills are not important to evacuation safety-only that their inconsistent use and the interpretation of the results produced may mean we (as researchers, practitioners, regulators, and stakeholders) are not getting the maximum benefit out of this important tool