Hot-Cold Spots in Italian Macroseismic Data

The site effect is usually associated with local geological conditions, which increase or decrease the level of shaking compared with standard attenuation relations. We made an attempt to see in the macroseismic data of Italy some other effects, namely, hot/cold spots in the terminology of Olsen (2000), which are related to local fault geometry rather than to soil conditions. We give a list of towns and villages liable to amplify (+) or to reduce (-) the level of shaking in comparison with the nearby settlements. Relief and soil conditions cannot always account for the anomalous sites. Further, there are sites where both (+) and (-) effects are observed depending on the earthquake. The opposite effects can be generated by events from the same seismotectonic zone and along the same direction to the site. Anomalous sites may group themselves into clusters of different scales. All isolated anomalous patterns presented in this paper can be used in hazard analysis, in particular, for the modeling and testing of seismic effects

Tsunami excitation by inland/coastal earthquakes: the Green function approach

International audienceIn the framework of the linear theory, the representation theorem is derived for an incompressible liquid layer with a boundary of arbitrary shape and in a homogeneous gravity field. In addition, the asymptotic representation for the Green function, in a layer of constant thickness is obtained. The validity of the approach for the calculation of the tsunami wavefield based on the Green function technique is verified comparing the results with those obtained from the modal theory, for a liquid layer of infinite horizontal dimensions. The Green function approach is preferable for the estimation of the excitation spectra, since in the case of an infinite liquid layer it leads to simple analytical expressions. From this analysis it is easy to describe the peculiarities of tsunami excitation by different sources. The method is extended to the excitation of tsunami in a semiinfinite layer with a sloping boundary. Numerical modelling of the tsunami wavefield, excited by point sources at different distances from the coastline, shows that when the source is located at a distance from the coastline equal or larger than the source depth, the shore presence does not affect the excitation of the tsunami. When the source is moved towards thecoastline, the low frequency content in the excitation spectrum ecreases, while the high frequencies content increases dramatically. The maximum of the excitation spectra from inland sources, located at a distance from the shore like the source depth, becomes less than 10% of that radiated if the same source is located in the open ocean. The effect of the finiteness of the source is also studied and the excitation spectrum is obtained by integration over the fault area. Numerical modelling of the excitation spectra for different source models shows that, for a given seismic moment, the spectral level, as well as the maximum value of the spectra, decreases with increasing fault size. When the sources are located in the vicinity of a shore, the synthetic mareograms calculated at distances greater than the source depth show that the maximum tsunami amplitude decays with decreasing source-to-shore distance. The rate of decay is dependent on the dip, length and depth of the fault. The tsunami intensity, defined as maximum peak-to-peak amplitude, decays with the inland distance of the source from the coast. At an inland distance equal to the source depth, it becomes 4?5 times less than that from a source in the open ocean. If the source is located under the coastline, the intensity of tsunami is approximately the same as for oceanic sources

A web application prototype for the multiscale modelling of seismic input

A web application prototype is described, aimed at the generation of synthetic seismograms for user-defined earthquake models. The web application graphical user interface hides the complexity of the underlying computational engine, which is the outcome of the continuous evolution of sophisticated computer codes, some of which saw the light back in the middle '80s. With the web application, even the non-experts can produce ground shaking scenarios at the local or regional scale in very short times, depending on the complexity of the adopted source and medium models, without the need of a deep knowledge of the physics of the earthquake phenomenon. Actually, it may even allow neophytes to get some basic education in the field of seismology and seismic engineering, due to the simplified intuitive experimental approach to the matter. One of the most powerful features made available to the users is indeed the capability of executing quick parametric tests in near real-time, to explore the relations between each model's parameter and the resulting ground motion scenario. The synthetic seismograms generated through the web application can be used by civil engineers for the design of new seismo-resistant structures, or to analyse the performance of the existing ones under seismic load.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure

Tsunami excitation by inland/coastal earthquakes: the Green function approach

In the framework of the linear theory, the representation theorem is derived for an incompressible liquid layer with a boundary of arbitrary shape and in a homogeneous gravity field. In addition, the asymptotic representation for the Green function, in a layer of constant thickness is obtained. The validity of the approach for the calculation of the tsunami wavefield based on the Green function technique is verified comparing the results with those obtained from the modal theory, for a liquid layer of infinite horizontal dimensions. The Green function approach is preferable for the estimation of the excitation spectra, since in the case of an infinite liquid layer it leads to simple analytical expressions. From this analysis it is easy to describe the peculiarities of tsunami excitation by different sources. The method is extended to the excitation of tsunami in a semiinfinite layer with a sloping boundary. Numerical modelling of the tsunami wavefield, excited by point sources at different distances from the coastline, shows that when the source is located at a distance from the coastline equal or larger than the source depth, the shore presence does not affect the excitation of the tsunami. When the source is moved towards thecoastline, the low frequency content in the excitation spectrum ecreases, while the high frequencies content increases dramatically. The maximum of the excitation spectra from inland sources, located at a distance from the shore like the source depth, becomes less than 10% of that radiated if the same source is located in the open ocean. The effect of the finiteness of the source is also studied and the excitation spectrum is obtained by integration over the fault area. Numerical modelling of the excitation spectra for different source models shows that, for a given seismic moment, the spectral level, as well as the maximum value of the spectra, decreases with increasing fault size. When the sources are located in the vicinity of a shore, the synthetic mareograms calculated at distances greater than the source depth show that the maximum tsunami amplitude decays with decreasing source-to-shore distance. The rate of decay is dependent on the dip, length and depth of the fault. The tsunami intensity, defined as maximum peak-to-peak amplitude, decays with the inland distance of the source from the coast. At an inland distance equal to the source depth, it becomes 4–5 times less than that from a source in the open ocean. If the source is located under the coastline, the intensity of tsunami is approximately the same as for oceanic sources

Variability in Ejection Fraction Measured By Echocardiography, Gated Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography, and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Importance: Clinical decisions are frequently based on measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Limited information exists regarding inconsistencies in LVEF measurements when determined by various imaging modalities and the potential impact of such variability. Objective: To determine the intermodality variability of LVEF measured by echocardiography, gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Design, Setting, and Participants: International multicenter diagnostic study with LVEF imaging performed at 127 clinical sites in 26 countries from July 24, 2002, to May 5, 2007, and measured by core laboratories. Secondary study of clinical diagnostic measurements of LVEF in the Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH), a randomized trial to identify the optimal treatment strategy for patients with LVEF of 35% or less and coronary artery disease. Data analysis was conducted from March 19, 2016, to May 29, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures: At baseline, most patients had an echocardiogram and subsets of patients underwent SPECT and/or CMR. Left ventricular ejection fraction was measured by a core laboratory for each modality independent of the results of other modalities, and measurements were compared among imaging methods using correlation, Bland-Altman plots, and coverage probability methods. Association of LVEF by each method and death was assessed. Results: A total of 2032 patients (mean [SD] age, 60.9 [9.6] years; 1759 [86.6%] male) with baseline LVEF data were included. Correlation of LVEF between modalities was r = 0.601 (for biplane echocardiography and SPECT [n = 385]), r = 0.493 (for biplane echocardiography and CMR [n = 204]), and r = 0.660 (for CMR and SPECT [n = 134]). Bland-Altman plots showed only moderate agreement in LVEF measurements from all 3 core laboratories with no substantial overestimation or underestimation of LVEF by any modality. The percentage of observations that fell within a range of 5% ranged from 43% to 54% between different imaging modalities. Conclusions and Relevance: In this international multicenter study of patients with coronary artery disease and reduced LVEF, there was substantial variation between modalities in LVEF determination by core laboratories. This variability should be considered in clinical management and trial design. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00023595

Use of Shared Faculty in U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools

Dental schools are facing substantial financial challenges and a shortage of faculty members. One solution to address these issues has been to hire “shared” faculty members, i.e., faculty members whose primary appointment is at one institution who are hired by another institution to teach a course or part of a course. This is a controversial concept. A survey of academic deans at U.S. and Canadian dental schools was conducted for this study; thirty-nine (54 percent) of the seventy-two academic deans completed the online survey. This survey found that the use of shared faculty members is not rare amongst U.S. and Canadian dental schools and that the opinions of the academic deans about the use of shared faculty members ranged widely—from strong support to strong disapproval. Using shared faculty members has advantages and disadvantages for students, the shared faculty members, and both institutions. Many of the disadvantages could be potentially minimized by stakeholders’ working together to develop collaborative arrangements. Networks could be developed in which institutions coordinate hiring of shared faculty members based on what expertise is needed. Financial challenges and shortages of faculty members are unlikely to be resolved in the near future, but use of shared faculty members is one promising approach to begin to meet these challenges

Erratum to: Seismic waves in 3-D: from mantle asymmetries to reliable seismic hazard assessment

Acknowledgments This paper is strongly relying upon the work of many colleagues and collaborators to whom we are greatly thankful, in particular: Carlo Doglioni, Gillian Foulger, Vahid Gholami, Hossein Hamzehloo, Volodya Kossobokov, Cristina La Mura, Anatoly Levshin, Andrea Magrin, Antonella Peresan, Federica Riguzzi, Franco Vaccari, Peter Varga, Tatiana Yanovskaya. Financial support from PRIN 2010-2011 and RITMARE projects, funded by Italian Ministry of University and Research, is gratefully acknowledged. In addition, Fig. 3 should be updated by new one as below

Immersion and togetherness: How live visualization of audience engagement can enhance music events

This paper evaluates the influence of an additional visual aesthetic layer on the experience of concert goers during a live event. The additional visual layer incorporates musical features as well as bio-sensing data collected during the concert, which is coordinated by our audience engagement monitoring technology. This technology was used during a real Jazz concert. The collected measurements were used in an experiment with 32 participants, where two different forms of visualization were compared: one factoring in music amplitude, audience engagement collected by the sensors and the dynamic atmosphere of the event, the other one purely relying on the beat of the music. The findings indicate that the visual layer could add value to the experience if used during a live concert, providing a higher level of immersion and feeling of togetherness among the audience

Resectable IIIA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): In search for the proper treatment

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer accounts for one third of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the time of initial diagnosis and presents with a wide range of clinical and pathological heterogeneity. To date, the combined multimodality approach involving both local and systemic control is the gold standard for these patients, since occult distant micrometastatic disease should always be suspected. With the rapid increase in treatment options, the need for an interdisciplinary discussion involving oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and radiologists has become essential. Surgery should be recommended to patients with non-bulky, discrete, or single-level N2 involvement and be included in the multimodality treatment. Resectable stage IIIA patients have been the subject of a number of clinical trials and retrospective analysis, discussing the efficiency and survival benefits on patients treated with the available therapeutic approaches. However, most of them have some limitations due to their retrospective nature, lack of exact pretreatment staging, and the involvement of heterogeneous populations leading to the awareness that each patient should undergo a tailored therapy in light of the nature of his tumor, its extension and his performance status

Propagating Torsion in 3D-Gravity and Dynamical Mass Generation

In this paper, fermions are minimally coupled to 3D-gravity where a dynamical torsion is introduced. A Kalb-Ramond field is non-minimally coupled to these fermions in a gauge-invariant way. We show that a 1-loop mass generation mechanism takes place for both the 2-form gauge field and the torsion. As for the fermions, no mass is dynamically generated: at 1-loop, there is only a mass shift proportional to the Yukawa coupling whenever the fermions have a non-vanishing tree-level mass.Comment: 13 pages, latex file, no figures, some corrections adde