GEOMATIC CONTRIBUTION FOR THE RESTORATION PROJECT OF THE VALENTINO CASTLE GREEN ROOM. FROM DATA ACQUISITION TO INTEGRATED DOCUMENTATION

In the framework of restoration operations, valuable assistance can be supplied from innovative techniques and methods developed in the field of Geomatics. Over the years, this continuous collaboration has produced synergistic and interdisciplinary results that have been successfully contributing to heritage conservation and valorisation. In the case of the current research, thorough multisensory investigations have been performed in order to provide a deeper knowledge of the Green Room of the Valentino Castle in Turin and to support the planning of the future restoration works that will involve this valuable asset. In the framework of this experience, four LiDAR systems have been employed in order to evaluate the different results obtainable from the sensors. Additionally, a complete photogrammetric close-range survey has been carried out, and some tests were completed using a hyperspectral camera. The workflow followed during the current research is described in this paper, and a comparison between the obtained outputs is proposed, focusing on the characteristics of these metric products, useful and sometimes necessary in the framework of the restoration project. Besides, some considerations on the advantages and the issues connected with the use of these reality-based data as a starting point for HBIM (Heritage Building Information Modeling) model generation are proposed, along with some observations about the potentialities of a photogrammetric co-registration approach using spectrum technologies for deterioration/decay detection and monitoring of heritage

Effect of different water salinity levels on the germination of imazamox-resistant and sensitive weedy rice and cultivated rice

Weeds that have become resistant to herbicides may threaten rice production. Rice cultivation is mainly carried out in coastal and river delta areas that often suffer salinity problems. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of salinity upon germination and the root and shoot seedling growth of Italian weedy rice and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa), and to find a possible correlation between salinity and herbicide resistance. Seed germination tests were conducted in Petri dishes on four imazamox-sensitive and one resistant weedy rice populations and two rice varieties: Baldo (conventional) and CL80 (imidazolinone-resistant Clearfield® variety). Different salt concentrations were tested: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 mM NaCl. Germination percentage, germination speed, seedling root and shoot length were affected by increasing the salt concentration in all tested populations and varieties. The germination percentage was in general more affected in resistant weedy rice and CL80. In resistant weedy rice this was partially compensated by a faster germination up to 100 mM. In terms of seedling root and shoot length, CL80 and Baldo showed the highest tolerance to salt; resistant weedy rice was not able to produce seedling roots and shoots at concentrations > 300 mM

Die Wirksamkeit leistungsstarker Hydraulikbagger als ein Kriterium zur Bestimmung der Maschinengrösse

A method developed only recently for determining the main characteristics of hydraulic excavators which are suitable for fulfilling planned production requirements was confirmed by the “Dipartimento di Georisorse e territorio” of the “Politecnico di Torino” when it was applied in trials carried put at the Balangero opencast mine. The new R994 hydraulic excavator fulfilled the desired production requirements satisfactorily under all working conditions. Further confirmation of the general validity of the correlation (interrelationship) on which the method of selection is based was provided by trials with a smaller R 984 hydraulic excavator

In Vitro Production of Calcified Bone Matrix onto Wool Keratin Scaffolds via Osteogenic Factors and Electromagnetic Stimulus

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has drawn attention as a potential tool to improve the ability of bone biomaterials to integrate into the surrounding tissue. We investigated the effects of PEMF (frequency, 75 Hz; magnetic induction amplitude, 2 mT; pulse duration, 1.3 ms) on human osteoblast-like cells (SAOS-2) seeded onto wool keratin scaffolds in terms of proliferation, differentiation, and production of the calcified bone extracellular matrix. The wool keratin scaffold offered a 3D porous architecture for cell guesting and nutrient diffusion, suggesting its possible use as a filler to repair bone defects. Here, the combined approach of applying a daily PEMF exposure with additional osteogenic factors stimulated the cells to increase both the deposition of bone-related proteins and calcified matrix onto the wool keratin scaffolds. Also, the presence of SAOS-2 cells, or PEMF, or osteogenic factors did not influence the compression behavior or the resilience of keratin scaffolds in wet conditions. Besides, ageing tests revealed that wool keratin scaffolds were very stable and showed a lower degradation rate compared to commercial collagen sponges. It is for these reasons that this tissue engineering strategy, which improves the osteointegration properties of the wool keratin scaffold, may have a promising application for long term support of bone formation in vivo

SVILUPPO E RISULTATI DI UNA METODICA COMPUTER ASSISTITA PER L’ANALISI APPROFONDITA DI EVENTI INFORTUNISTICI LAVORO CORRELATI

In Italia si deve tutt’ora registrare un elevato numero di eventi mortali lavoro correlati, per la stragrande maggioranza in contesti non ascrivibili a scenari di incidente rilevante, e raramente associabili a guasto di impianti ed attrezzature correttamente scelti, usati e mantenuti. Un approccio efficace di prevenzione non può che fare riferimento all’analisi dei dati storici, ad integrazione della quale occorre peraltro disporre di una metodica di analisi della catena di eventi casuali dell’incidente formalizzata e priva di deviazioni valutative soggettive. Il modello originale di cui si riferisce si fonda su casi caratterizzati da informazioni approfondite acquisite in ambito di accertamenti tecnici a fini di giustizia. Esso si propone come valido riferimento nelle valutazioni sino alle cause prime dell’evento, lungo tutta la catena incidentale, e consente la revisione critica della valutazione e gestione proattiva dei rischi

Multitemporal 3D modelling for cultural heritage emergency during seismic events: Damage assesment of S. Agostino church in Amatrice (RI)

One of the challenging purposes that must be undertaken by applied geomatics, is the need of monitoring by documenting continuously over time the evolution of urban spaces. Nowadays, this is a subject of great interest and study, mainly in case of sudden emergency events that implicate urban areas and specific historical buildings of our heritage. The newest Geomatics technique solutions must enable the demands of damage documentation, risk assessment, management and data sharing as efficiently as possible, in relation to the danger condition, to the accessibility constraints of areas and to the tight deadlines needs.<br><br> In August 24^th 2016, the first earthquake hit the area of central Italy with a magnitude of 6.0; since then, the earth never stop shaking in a wide area in the middle of Italy. On 26^th and 30^th of October, two other big seismic events were recorded (magnitude 5.9 and 6.5) and the already damaged built heritage were struck again. Since the beginning of the emergency all the available resources (human and material) were deployed and the world of researchers is trying to furnish an effective contribute as well. Politecnico di Torino, in coordination with the national institutions, is deploying people, expertise and resources. The geomatics research group and the connected Disaster Recovery team (DIRECT - <a href="http://areeweb.polito.it/direct/"target="_blank">http://areeweb.polito.it/direct/</a>) is part of this process and is working in deep contact and collaboration with the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) group of the Italian Firefighter. Starting from the first earthquake the late medieval religious complex of S. Agostino has been carefully monitored and detected, using a multi-perspective oblique imagery strategy with the aim to achieve 3D aerial and terrestrial models, in a multi-temporal perspective concerning three different time situation

Computer-assisted technique for airborne dust sampling data representativeness and worker's exposure assessment - CAT-ReADS

Nowadays, occupational exposure to airborne dust is still one of the most concerning problems our society should face, since both airborne dust is a common pollutant in almost all the NACE sectors activities, and the occupational exposure quantification is critical. One of the possible causes can be identified in determining the real conditions of dust pollution in the workplaces, attributable to the delicacy of the various phases of acquisition of the measures, and on the variability of operations carried out by workers, affecting the pollutant emission rates. A research project in progress discusses the causes of uncertainty attributable to laboratory and sampling activities, and to the identification of the most appropriate techniques of the results’ representativeness assessment. A recent result is the development of an original Computer-Assisted Technique for Airborne Dust Sampling data representativeness and worker's exposure assessment - CAT-ReADS, MS-Excel Vbasic developed - it supports the companies and external audit technicians, from the setting of the surveys and the laboratory activities to the verification, in a rigorous statistical approach, of compliance/noncompliance of the field measurement results vs the limit values. The resulting workplaces pollution and workers’ exposure assessment are free from subjective simplifications: CAT-ReADS includes various sections of guided selection and data analysis, covering Instruments and their calibration, Recording of environmental parameters and activities carried out by the workers during the samplings, Calculation of concentrations, Calculation of expanded uncertainty, Statistical tests for estimating the probability of exceeding the limit value, both referring – as is common practice- to the mean value, and, in a more cautionary way, to the upper uncertainty values (assuming a confidence level of 95%). The paper provides some examples of the implementation of CAT-ReADS in different production scenarios, and an in-depth discussion of the results

Lower limb deep vein thrombosis in COVID-19 patients admitted to intermediate care respiratory units

COVID-19 has been associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events; however, the reported incidence of deep vein thrombosis varies depending, at least in part, on the severity of the disease. Aim of this prospective, multicenter, observational study was to investigate the incidence of lower limb deep vein thrombosis as assessed by compression ultrasound in consecutive patients admitted to three pulmonary medicine wards designated to care for patients with COVID-19 related pneumonia, with or without respiratory failure but not requiring admission to an intensive care unit. Consecutive patients admitted between March 27 and May 6, 2020 were enrolled. Patients were excluded if they were less than 18-year-old or if compression ultrasound could not be performed for any reason. Patients were assessed at admission (t0) and after 7 days (t1). Major and non-major clinically relevant bleedings were recorded. Sixty-eight patients were enrolled. Two were excluded due to anatomical abnormalities that prevented compression ultrasound; sixty patients were retested at (t1). All patients were started on antithrombotic prophylaxis, unless therapeutic anticoagulation was required. Deep vein thrombosis as assessed by compression ultrasound was observed in 2 patients (3%); one of them was later deemed to represent a previous episode. No new episodes were detected at t1. One major and 2 non-major clinically relevant bleedings were observed. In the setting of patients with COVID-related pneumonia not requiring admission to an intensive care unit, the incidence of deep vein thrombosis is low and our data support not screening asymptomatic patients