Contribution for an urban geomorphoheritage assessment method. Proposal from three geomorphosites in Rome (Italy)

Urban geomorphology has important implications in spatial planning of human activities, and it also has a geotouristic potential due to the relationship between cultural and geomorphological heritage. Despite the introduction of the term Anthropocene to describe the deep influence that human activities have had in recent times on Earth evolution, urban geomorphological heritage studies are relatively rare and limited and urban geotourism development is recent. The analysis of the complex urban landscape often need the integration of multidisciplinary data. This study aims to propose the first urban geomorphoheritage assessment method, which originates after long-lasting previous geomorphological and geotouristic studies on Rome city centre, it depict rare examples of the geomorphological mapping of a metropolis and, at the same time, of an inventory of urban geomorphosites. The proposal is applied to geomorphosites in the Esquilino neighbourhood of Rome, whose analysis confirm the need for an ad hoc method for assessing urban geomorphosites, as already highlighted in the most recent literature on the topic. The urban geomorphoheritage assessment method is based on: (i) the urban geomorphological analysis by means of multitemporal and multidisciplinary data; (ii) the geomorphosite inventory; and (iii) the geomorphoheritage assessment and enhancement. One challenge is to assess invisible geomorphosites that are widespread in urban context. To this aim, we reworked the attributes describing the Value of a site for Geotourism in order to build up a specific methodology for the analysis of the urban geomorphological heritage

Optimization of Interplanetary Trajectories Using the Colliding Bodies Optimization Algorithm

In this paper, a recent physics-based metaheuristic algorithm, the Colliding Bodies Optimization (CBO), already employed to solve problems in civil and mechanical engineering, is proposed for the optimization of interplanetary trajectories by using both indirect and direct approaches. The CBO has an extremely simple formulation and does not depend on any initial conditions. To test the performances of the algorithm, missions with remarkably different orbital transfer energies are considered: from the simple planar case, as the Earth-Mars orbital transfer, to more energetic ones, like a rendezvous with the asteroid Pallas

Geomorphological classification of urban landscapes. The case study of Rome (Italy)

The results of a long-lasting geomorphological survey carried out in Rome are summarized. A method aimed at integrating survey data, historical maps, aerial photographs and archaeological and geomorphological literature produced a geomorphological map of the present-day historical centre. The geomorphology of Rome is related to the paleogeographical conditions prior to the founding of the City; they allow us to recognize the stages of landscape evolution of the ancient Caput Mundi (Capital of the World). The study area has been affected by continuous man-made changes to the drainage network and to the topographic surface over the last 3000 years. It has forced the authors to develop innovative solutions to undertake effective analysis of the urban environment and the legend of the geomorphological map in this peculiar context. The resulting map is useful for urban planning and archaeological research

Geomorphology of the historic centre of the Urbs (Rome, Italy)

Based on long-lasting multidisciplinary and multitemporal investigations, in 2016 the first geomorphological map of the central area of Rome was presented. It introduced innovative solutions for cartographic restitution of urban landforms. Under this work, the urban geomorphological analysis delved deeper, because the study focused on the smaller area of the Urbs, the ancient city centre that has been modified by human activities over millennia. The main goal of the new study was to verify if the 1:5000 scale survey could allow to improve the legend symbols, in order to better represent landforms from natural and anthropogenic processes in urban environment. Since the map scale was doubled compared with the previous and consequently the map area available was four times bigger, we were able to provide much more details. Moreover, results better highlighted the applicative significance of urban geomorphological maps as complementary tool for the assessment of natural hazards and risks

Los patios inclusivos: una medida para mejorar la convivencia escolar en un colegio de atención preferente a alumnado con discapacidad motora

El presente Trabajo de Fin de Grado tiene como objetivo comprobar si los patios inclusivos mejoran la convivencia escolar en un centro de atención preferente a alumnado con discapacidad motora. Para averiguarlo se han planteado cuatro cuestionarios, dos para el alumnado y otros dos para el profesorado que tendrán que completarlo antes y después de la propuesta de patios inclusivos que se ha diseñado. Además, se realizará un análisis descriptivo de la situación inicial y final del centro educativo. También se compararán los resultados obtenidos en los cuestionarios desde los puntos de vista de los participantes pudiendo observar si tienen la misma opinión sobre la situación escolar. Estos resultados se relacionarán con otros estudios anteriores para terminar concluyendo, principalmente, que este tipo de patios fomentan la inclusión del alumnado con discapacidad y reducen la conflictividad en los centros educativos.<br /

The thin line that made the difference: a case report on a Bosniak IIF renal cystic mass treated with cyst decortication

Abstract Background Among all benign kidney lesions, renal cysts are the most common type. In the proposed update of 2019, the Bosniak classification of cystic renal masses is used to classify renal masses according to their likelihood of malignancy, both on computed tomography (CT) and on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Case presentation A middle-aged Caucasian male presented to our department with chronic right flank pain. Imaging studies revealed a right renal Bosniak IIF cyst, later complicated by traumatic haemorrhage. The patient consequently underwent cyst decortication for symptom relief. Biopsy results from samples taken during the laparoscopic operation revealed ISUP grade 1 cystic clear cell carcinoma. Conclusion The treatment of Bosniak IIF cysts has long been a matter of debate. As a result of scarcity of data on the probability of malignancy in MRI using the new classification, such cysts should be carefully scrutinised and staged before choosing a treatment option. Retroperitoneal seeding should always be considered in interventions involving an incomplete resection margin or cyst drainage

A setup for soft proton irradiation of X-ray detectors for future astronomical space missions

Protons that are trapped in the Earth's magnetic field are one of the main threats to astronomical X-ray observatories. Soft protons, in the range from tens of keV up to a few MeV, impinging on silicon X-ray detectors can lead to a significant degradation of the detector performance. Especially in low earth orbits an enhancement of the soft proton flux has been found. A setup to irradiate detectors with soft protons has been constructed at the Van-de-Graaff accelerator of the Physikalisches Institut of the University of T\"ubingen. Key advantages are a high flux uniformity over a large area, to enable irradiations of large detectors, and a monitoring system for the applied fluence, the beam uniformity, and the spectrum, that allows testing of detector prototypes in early development phases, when readout electronics are not yet available. Two irradiation campaigns have been performed so far with this setup. The irradiated detectors are silicon drift detectors, designated for the use on-board the LOFT space mission. This paper gives a description of the experimental setup and the associated monitoring system.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, 4 table

Did we turn a blind eye? The answer is simply there. Peripheral pulmonary vascular thrombosis in COVID-19 patients explains sudden worsening of clinical conditions

COVID-19 patients suffering sudden worsening of clinical conditions have an atypical peripheral pulmonary arterial obstruction at computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA), poorly associated to deep venous thrombosis (DVT), suspicious for thrombotic in situ nature rather than embolic

The future direction of imaging in prostate cancer: MRI with or without contrast injection

Background: Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is the "state of the art" management tool for patients with prostate cancer (PCa) suspicion. The role of non-contrast MRI is investigated to move toward a more personalized, less invasive, and highly cost-effective PCa diagnostic workup. Objective: To perform a non-systematic review of the existing literature to highlight strength and flaws of performing non-contrast MRI, and to provide a critical overview of the international scientific production on the topic. Materials and methods: Online databases (Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science) were searched for original articles, systematic review and meta-analysis, and expert opinion papers. Results: Several investigations have shown comparable diagnostic accuracy of biparametric (bpMRI) and mpMRI for the detection of PCa. The advantage of abandoning contrast-enhanced sequences improves operational logistics, lowering costs, acquisition time, and side effects. The main limitations of bpMRI are that most studies which compared the non-contrast and contrast MRI come from centers with high expertise that might not be reproducible in the general community setting; besides, reduced protocols might be insufficient for estimation of the intra- and extra-prostatic extension and regional disease. The mentioned observations suggest that low quality mpMRI for the general population, might represent the main shortage to overcome. Discussion: Non-contrast MRI future trends are likely represented by PCa screening and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. PCa screening is still a controversial topic and bpMRI, and has become one of the most promising diagnostic applications, as it is a more sensitive test for PCa early detection, compared to serum PSA level test. Also, AI applications and radiomic have been the object of several studies investigating PCa detection using bpMRI, showing encouraging results. Conclusion: Today, the accessibility to MRI for early detection of PCa is a priority. Results from prospective, multicenter, multireader and paired validation studies are needed to provided evidence supporting its role in the clinical practice

Segregation of a M404V mutation of the p62/sequestosome 1 (p62/SQSTM1) gene with polyostotic Paget's disease of bone in an Italian family

Mutations of the p62/Sequestosome 1 gene (p62/SQSTM1) account for both sporadic and familial forms of Paget's disease of bone (PDB). We originally described a methionine→valine substitution at codon 404 (M404V) of exon 8, in the ubiquitin protein-binding domain of p62/SQSTM1 gene in an Italian PDB patient. The collection of data from the patient's pedigree provided evidence for a familial form of PDB. Extension of the genetic analysis to other relatives in this family demonstrated segregation of the M404V mutation with the polyostotic PDB phenotype and provided the identification of six asymptomatic gene carriers. DNA for mutational analysis of the exon 8 coding sequence was obtained from 22 subjects, 4 PDB patients and 18 clinically unaffected members. Of the five clinically ascertained affected members of the family, four possessed the M404V mutation and exhibited the polyostotic form of PDB, except one patient with a single X-ray-assessed skeletal localization and one with a polyostotic disease who had died several years before the DNA analysis. By both reconstitution and mutational analysis of the pedigree, six unaffected subjects were shown to bear the M404V mutation, representing potential asymptomatic gene carriers whose circulating levels of alkaline phosphatase were recently assessed as still within the normal range. Taken together, these results support a genotype–phenotype correlation between the M404V mutation in the p62/SQSTM1 gene and a polyostotic form of PDB in this family. The high penetrance of the PDB trait in this family together with the study of the asymptomatic gene carriers will allow us to confirm the proposed genotype–phenotype correlation and to evaluate the potential use of mutational analysis of the p62/SQSTM1 gene in the early detection of relatives at risk for PDB