Paleoseismic History of the Dead Sea Fault Zone

International audienceThe aim of this entry is to describe the DSF as a transform plate boundary pointing out the rate of activedeformation, fault segmentation, and geometrical complexities as a control of earthquake ruptures. Thedistribution of large historical earthquakes from a revisited seismicity catalogue using detailedmacroseismic maps allows the correlation between the location of past earthquakes and fault segments.The recent results of paleoearthquake investigations (paleoseismic and archeoseismic) with a recurrenceinterval of large events and long-term slip rate are presented and discussed along with the identification ofseismic gaps along the fault. Finally, the implications for the seismic hazard assessment are also discussed

N-Acetyl Cysteine May Support Dopamine Neurons in Parkinson\u27s Disease: Preliminary Clinical and Cell Line Data.

BACKGOUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the biological and clinical effects of n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in Parkinson\u27s disease (PD). METHODS: The overarching goal of this pilot study was to generate additional data about potentially protective properties of NAC in PD, using an in vitro and in vivo approach. In preparation for the clinical study we performed a cell tissue culture study with human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons that were treated with rotenone as a model for PD. The primary outcome in the cell tissue cultures was the number of cells that survived the insult with the neurotoxin rotenone. In the clinical study, patients continued their standard of care and were randomized to receive either daily NAC or were a waitlist control. Patients were evaluated before and after 3 months of receiving the NAC with DaTscan to measure dopamine transporter (DAT) binding and the Unified Parkinson\u27s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) to measure clinical symptoms. RESULTS: The cell line study showed that NAC exposure resulted in significantly more mDA neurons surviving after exposure to rotenone compared to no NAC, consistent with the protective effects of NAC previously observed. The clinical study showed significantly increased DAT binding in the caudate and putamen (mean increase ranging from 4.4% to 7.8%; p CONCLUSIONS: The results of this preliminary study demonstrate for the first time a potential direct effect of NAC on the dopamine system in PD patients, and this observation may be associated with positive clinical effects. A large-scale clinical trial to test the therapeutic efficacy of NAC in this population and to better elucidate the mechanism of action is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02445651

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and their applications [forthcoming]

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and Their Application

A decade of passive seismic monitoring experiments with local networks in four Italian regions

We report on four seismic monitoring experiments that in the past ten years we carried out with dense local networks in seismically active Italian areas where for at least a year, tens of three component seismic stations were set up to record microseismicity. The areas observed are Alpago–Cansiglio, located in the Venetian Alps, Città di Castello in the Northern Apennines, Marsica in the Central Apennines and Val d'Agri located in the Southern Apennines. We produced homogeneous catalogues regarding earthquake locations and local magnitudes to investigate seismicity patterns during an inter-seismic period. The four regions are characterised by different kinematics, strain rates and historical/recent seismicity. We investigate earthquake distribution in space, time and size obtaining reference seismic rates and parameters of the Gutenberg and Richter law. We declustered the catalogues to look for coherent signs in the background seismic activity. Despite a difference in the catalogues magnitudes of completeness due both to the diverse detection threshold of the local networks and different seismic release, we detect and observe two common main behaviours: a) The Alpago–Cansiglio and Marsica regions are characterised by a relatively lower rate of seismic release associated to the episodic occurrence of seismic sequences with the largest event being 3bMLb4. In these areas the seismicity is not localised around the main faults. b) The Città di Castello and Val d'Agri regions have a relatively high rate of seismicity release almost continuously with time, and the increase in earthquake production is not clearly related to seismic sequences. In these areas the seismicity nucleates around defined fault systems and is usually lower than MLb3. We suggest that the presence of overpressured fluids in the Città di Castello and Val d'Agri uppermost crustal volume may favour and mould the higher rate of microseismic release.L. V. has been supported by a fellowship funded by the MIUR-FIRB project Airplane (RBPR05B2ZJ). The Cittá di Castello material is based upon work supported by the S5 project funded by the National Department of Civil Protection (DPC).Published85-981.1. TTC - Monitoraggio sismico del territorio nazionaleJCR Journalreserve

A decade of passive seismic monitoring experiments with local networks in four Italian regions

We report on four seismic monitoring experiments that in the past ten years we carried out with dense local networks in seismically active Italian areas where for at least a year, tens of three component seismic stations were set up to record microseismicity. The areas observed are Alpago–Cansiglio, located in the Venetian Alps, Città di Castello in the Northern Apennines, Marsica in the Central Apennines and Val d'Agri located in the Southern Apennines. We produced homogeneous catalogues regarding earthquake locations and local magnitudes to investigate seismicity patterns during an inter-seismic period. The four regions are characterised by different kinematics, strain rates and historical/recent seismicity. We investigate earthquake distribution in space, time and size obtaining reference seismic rates and parameters of the Gutenberg and Richter law. We declustered the catalogues to look for coherent signs in the background seismic activity. Despite a difference in the catalogues magnitudes of completeness due both to the diverse detection threshold of the local networks and different seismic release, we detect and observe two common main behaviours: a) The Alpago–Cansiglio and Marsica regions are characterised by a relatively lower rate of seismic release associated to the episodic occurrence of seismic sequences with the largest event being 3bMLb4. In these areas the seismicity is not localised around the main faults. b) The Città di Castello and Val d'Agri regions have a relatively high rate of seismicity release almost continuously with time, and the increase in earthquake production is not clearly related to seismic sequences. In these areas the seismicity nucleates around defined fault systems and is usually lower than MLb3. We suggest that the presence of overpressured fluids in the Città di Castello and Val d'Agri uppermost crustal volume may favour and mould the higher rate of microseismic release