Chapter Mapping of the risk of coastal erosion for two case studies: Pianosa island (Tuscany) and Piscinas (Sardinia)

This study focuses on the use of remote sensing to generate coastal erosion risk maps for Pianosa Island (Tuscany) and Piscinas dune system (Sardinia). The method made use of both ancillary and satellite data (Sentinel-2), in addition to SAR images (COSMO SkyMed and Sentinel-1B). TOA radiance products were atmospherically corrected and processed using Sen2Coral and BOMBER in order to map different marine substrates and bathymetry. The coastal erosion risk maps have been generated based on these output and the results confirm that the coasts of these sites don’t have coastal erosion problems

Stopping Smoking Reduces Mortality in Low-Dose Computed Tomography Screening Participants

Abstract Introduction The National Lung Screening Trial has achieved a 7% reduction in total mortality with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening as compared with in the chest radiography arm. Other randomized trials are under way, comparing LDCT screening with no intervention. None of these studies was designed to investigate the impact of smoking habits on screening outcome. In the present study, we tested the effect of stopping smoking on the overall mortality of participants undergoing repeated LDCT screening for many years. Methods Between 2000 and 2010, 3381 smokers aged 50 years or older were enrolled in two LDCT screening programs. On the basis of the last follow-up information, subjects were divided into two groups: current smokers throughout the screening period and former smokers. Results With a median follow-up time of 9.7 years and a total of 32,857 person-years (PYs) of follow-up, a total of 151 deaths were observed in the group of 1797 current smokers (17,846 PYs) versus 109 among 1584 former smokers (15,011 PYs), corresponding to mortality rates of 8.46 and 7.26 for every 1000 PYs, respectively. Compared with current smokers, former smokers had an adjusted mortality hazard ratio of 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.44–0.83), with a 39% reduction in mortality. A similar reduction in mortality was observed in the subset of 712 late quitters, with a hazard ratio of 0.65 (95% confidence interval: 0.44–0.96). Conclusions Stopping smoking significantly reduces the overall mortality of smokers enrolled in LDCT screening programs. The beneficial effect of stopping smoking on total mortality appears to be threefold to fivefold greater than the one achieved by earlier detection in the National Lung Screening Trial

We contain multitudes: heteronims, doubles and replicated men in José Saramago's novels

openLa presente tesi affronta il tema del Doppio nella Letteratura e in particolare in due romanzi dello scrittore portoghese José Saramago, “O ano da morte de Ricardo Reis” e “O homem duplicado”. La tesi esamina alcune opere precedenti in materia, quali quelle di Edgar Allan Poe e Fedor Dostoevskij, per poi concentrarsi sull’opera di Fernando Pessoa, i cui celebri eteronimi costituiscono una sorta di doppio del poeta portoghese stesso. La tesi esamina quali sono i tratti che rendono i romanzi di Saramago diversi da quelli degli autori precedenti, e quali sono le caratteristiche di stile proprie dello scrittore portoghese. Sotto un profilo più generale, la presente tesi cerca di comprendere quale sia il significato del sosia nella Letteratura, e cosa una tale figura rappresenti anche a livello di inconscio

Il mobbing come problema giuridico

Tese de doutoramento em Direito, na especialidade de Ciências Jurídico-Empresariais, apresentada à Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbr

Alla ricerca della fattispecie "mobbing"

Abstract: The phenomenon generally defined on a social level and in the media by the term mobbing (or “bullying at work” in English) refers, to a first approximation, to a series of oppressive, humiliating and aggressive conduct and behaviour towards one or more subjects in the workplace. Mobbing has emerged, as an important social phenomenon in the media, only recently, starting from the early 1990’s, and its relevance on a juridical level is proven by the European Parliament Resolution nr. A5-0283 of 20 September 2001. The following article, mainly focusing on Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French and British legal systems, tries to identify the “core elements” of mobbing (both subjective and objective) and the difference from other similar, but not overlapping, juridical figures, such as sexual harassment or discrimination.   Key-words: Mobbing - Bullying at work - Definition - Compensation for damag

Evaluation of Macrophyte Community Dynamics (2015–2020) in Southern Lake Garda (Italy) from Sentinel-2 Data

Macrophytes are of fundamental importance to the functioning of lake ecosystems. They provide structure, habitat, and a food source and are a required component in monitoring programs of lake ecological quality. The key aim of this study is to document the variation in spatial extent and density of macrophytes seasonally between 2015 and 2020 of the Sirmione Peninsula (Lake Garda, Italy), using Sentinel-2 imagery. In addition to this, our results were compared to previous data from imaging spectrometry; individual parameters affecting macrophyte communities were tested, and the possible effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on macrophyte colonization was evaluated. Satellite images allowed the mapping of the spatiotemporal dynamics of submerged rooted macrophytes in order to support monitoring of the shallow water ecosystem under study. Substantial changes were found in both spatial extent and density over the period from 2015 to 2020, particularly in 2019 when there was almost a complete absence of dense macrophytes. Variables found to influence the amount of macrophytes included transparency, chlorophyll–a, water level, winter wave height, and grazing by herbivores. A separate analysis focusing on areas associated with boat transit found a recovery in macrophyte coverage during the period of COVID-19 lockdown. The outcome of the study highlights a decline in the density of the macrophytes and a shift towards deeper areas compared to the situation in 1997. The area examined is part of an internationally important site containing the highest abundance and diversity of overwintering water birds in Italy. Exploiting satellite data at high frequency provided an insight to understand the dynamic changes and interactions with herbivorous birds, environmental factors, and anthropogenic pressures, revealing a delicately balanced and threatened ecosystem

Exploiting high frequency monitoring and satellite imagery for assessing chlorophyll-a dynamics in a shallow eutrophic lake

Freshwater ecosystems are challenged by cultural eutrophication across the globe, and it is a priority for water managers to implement water quality monitoring at different spatio-temporal scales to control and mitigate the eutrophication process. Phytoplankton abundance is a key indicator of the trophic and water quality status of lakes. Phytoplankton dynamics are characterized by high spatio-temporal variation, driven by physical, chemical and biological factors, that challenge the capacity of routine monitoring with conventional sampling techniques (i.e., boat-based sampling) to characterise these complex relationships. In this study, high frequency in situ measurements and multispectral satellite data were used in a synergistic way to explore temporal (diurnal and seasonal) dynamics and spatial distribution of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration, a proxy of phytoplankton abundance, together with physico-chemical water parameters in a shallow fluvial-lake system (Mantua Lakes). A good agreement was found between Chl-a retrieved by remote sensing data and Chl-a fluorescence data recorded by multi-parameters probes (R2 = 0.94). The Chl-a maps allowed a seasonal classification of the Mantua lakes system as eutrophic or hypertrophic. Along the Mantua lakes system an increasing gradient in Chl-a concentration was recorded following the transition from a fluvial to lacustrine system. There was significant seasonal heterogeneity among the sub-basins, probably due to different hydrodynamics, influenced also by macrophyte stands. High-frequency data revealed the importance of rainfall events in the timing and growth dynamics of phytoplankton, particularly for spring and late summer blooms. Combining temporal and spatial data at high resolution improves the understanding of complex fluvial-lake systems. This technique can allow managers to target blooms in near-real time as they move through a system and guide them to localized hot spots enabling timely management action in ecosystems of high conservation and recreational value. cial use only

Evaluation of Macrophyte Community Dynamics (2015–2020) in Southern Lake Garda (Italy) from Sentinel-2 Data

Macrophytes are of fundamental importance to the functioning of lake ecosystems. They provide structure, habitat, and a food source and are a required component in monitoring programs of lake ecological quality. The key aim of this study is to document the variation in spatial extent and density of macrophytes seasonally between 2015 and 2020 of the Sirmione Peninsula (Lake Garda, Italy), using Sentinel-2 imagery. In addition to this, our results were compared to previous data from imaging spectrometry; individual parameters affecting macrophyte communities were tested, and the possible effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on macrophyte colonization was evaluated. Satellite images allowed the mapping of the spatiotemporal dynamics of submerged rooted macrophytes in order to support monitoring of the shallow water ecosystem under study. Substantial changes were found in both spatial extent and density over the period from 2015 to 2020, particularly in 2019 when there was almost a complete absence of dense macrophytes. Variables found to influence the amount of macrophytes included transparency, chlorophyll–a, water level, winter wave height, and grazing by herbivores. A separate analysis focusing on areas associated with boat transit found a recovery in macrophyte coverage during the period of COVID-19 lockdown. The outcome of the study highlights a decline in the density of the macrophytes and a shift towards deeper areas compared to the situation in 1997. The area examined is part of an internationally important site containing the highest abundance and diversity of overwintering water birds in Italy. Exploiting satellite data at high frequency provided an insight to understand the dynamic changes and interactions with herbivorous birds, environmental factors, and anthropogenic pressures, revealing a delicately balanced and threatened ecosystem