A Step Into the Definition of the Seismic Risk for the City of Benevento (Italy)

This paper gives a contribution in the definition of the seismic hazard for the city of Benevento in Southern Italy, from a geotechnical engineering viewpoint. To pursue this goal, an extensive geotechnical characterization of the city subsoil was achieved collecting data available at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Napoli and Benevento municipal technical office. Attention was paid in defining strain dependent shear stiffness and damping ratio for the geomaterials present in the urban area. A new method to correct the Masing criteria was adopted. Numerical analyses were performed considering the subsoil as a continuous one-phase equivalent linear medium. The 1-D analyses were carried out using Shake-like codes. The seismic hazard in the city was evaluated on the basis of two seismic scenarios, respectively characterized by low and high acceleration levels. The final result of the work is a seismic zonation of the city of Benevento. It was found that zonation maps are largely dependent from the chosen seismic scenario

A Step Into the Definition of the Seismic Risk for the City of Benevento (Italy)

This paper gives a contribution in the definition of the seismic hazard for the city of Benevento in Southern Italy, from a geotechnical engineering viewpoint. To pursue this goal, an extensive geotechnical characterization of the city subsoil was achieved collecting data available at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Napoli and Benevento municipal technical office. Attention was paid in defining strain dependent shear stiffness and damping ratio for the geomaterials present in the urban area. A new method to correct the Masing criteria was adopted. Numerical analyses were performed considering the subsoil as a continuous one-phase equivalent linear medium. The 1-D analyses were carried out using Shake-like codes. The seismic hazard in the city was evaluated on the basis of two seismic scenarios, respectively characterized by low and high acceleration levels. The final result of the work is a seismic zonation of the city of Benevento. It was found that zonation maps are largely dependent from the chosen seismic scenario

SUSTAINABLE COMPENSATION AND PERFORMANCE: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF EUROPEAN BANKS

This study investigates the financial and non-financial impacts of the use of sustainability criteria in banks' executive compensation plans. The sample covers all the globally and systemically important European banks over the period 2013–2017. Panel data-fixed effect estimations are employed to mitigate endogeneity concerns and to control for within-firm dynamics. The implementation of sustainable criteria in the banks' remuneration contracts was found to (i) negatively impact economic performance, (ii) negatively impact the riskiness profile, and (iii) positively impact sustainability performance. These findings have important implications for investors as well as banks. Indeed, these results are encouraging for the use of sustainability targets in executive compensation for restricting excessive risk-taking behaviors and improving sustainability performance

Earth Dams in Near-fault Areas: From the Regional to the Site Model

AbstractThe seismic response of large embankments in near-source conditions may be investigated by a multi-scale and multidisciplinary approach, where the seismological and geological aspects of the problem are firstly studied on a regional scale while the local and geotechnical aspects are studied on a detailed scale, including the structure of interest. A detailed knowledge of the basic seismological aspects of the area on a regional scale is necessary to properly simulate the seismic source and the wave propagation pattern within the rock basement to get the input motion at the bedrock formation for the reference site. The proper characterization of the motion at the bedrock level is crucial for large earth-dams or embankments for which a strong variability of the input motion may be dangerous, since differential settlements and fractures of the embankment may be promoted, with the consequent reduction of structure safety. Worth mentioning is the case-history of Conza Dam (AV) during the 1980 Irpinia earthquake: the embankment was partially jeopardized by the seismic event, being the dam site very close to the Irpinia source (≈10km). To merge the different scales of analysis (macro and micro) the mathematical formulation of the Domain Reduction Method (DRM), initially proposed by [1], has been recently implemented [14] in a FDM commercial code. One of the main advantage of the DRM procedure is the possibility of sub-structuring the real problem, dealing the generation and propagation of the seismic waves (model on a regional scale) separately from the seismic response of the specific site and structure, carried out on a reduced and detailed model (site model). According to the DRM approach, the dam is inserted in the refined internal domain and will receive the seismic motion from the external domain (which contains the source and propagation medium) through an interface boundary. To quantitatively evaluate the variability of the ground motion at the bedrock of the reference site, synthetic parameters were selected and suitable represented

INFLUENZA DEL SOTTOSUOLO SUL COMPORTAMENTO DINAMICO DEL CAMPANILE DEL CARMINE A NAPOLI

La nota descrive l’identificazione dinamica del campanile del Carmine a Napoli, effettuata attraverso analisi dinamiche su un modello tridimensionale del sistema terreno - fondazione - struttura, tarato sui risultati di dettagliate indagini in situ. Sono stati riconosciuti fenomeni di risonanza tra la frequenza fondamentale del terreno e la seconda frequenza di vibrazione della struttura che ne condizionano il comportamento dinamico

ISSR markers show differentiation among Italian populations of Asparagus acutifolius L

BACKGROUND: Asparagus acutifolius L. is a dioecious and native plant species, widely distributed in the Mediterranean Basin. It is known for its fine flavour and could represent an important resource for cultivation programs in desert areas. Few molecular studies have been performed on this species. In the present paper, the ISSR technique was employed to study genetic diversity in Italian A. acutifolius. RESULTS: Twenty-three primers produced a total of 228 polymorphic fragments used to evaluate genetic variation. F(ST )(0.4561) and Theta B (0.4776) values indicate a wide genetic variation among the samples examined. The distance UPGMA tree grouped together the genotypes strictly according to their geographical origin, showing that each sample is genetically structured and can be considered a distinct population. AMOVA analysis further confirmed genetic structuring of the populations. Population-specific fragments were also detected. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that ISSR markers are useful in distinguishing the populations of A. acutifolius according to geographical origin, and confirm the importance of genetic studies for designing germplasm conservation strategies

La implementación de la psicoterapia en línea en un programa de residencia médica en psiquiatría durante la pandemia de COVID-19

O impacto da pandemia de SARS-CoV2 e as recomendações de reduzir a circulação de pessoas produziu uma série de mudanças no nosso cotidiano. Tratamentos tradicionalmente realizados face-a-face de forma presencial as psicoterapias sofreram forte impacto com riscos de abandono e interrupção. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar um relato de experiência sobre o processo de implementação de psicoterapia on-line no ambulatório de psicoterapias do Serviço de Psiquiatria de um hospital escola durante a pandemia de SARS-CoV2, exibindo as principais adaptações realizadas nos procedimentos de comunicação, protocolos de atendimento e registros das sessões de psicoterapia. Tendo como foco a garantia da manutenção dos atendimentos durante períodos de distanciamento social foram criadas diretrizes para a realização de psicoterapia on-line com a elaboração de um manual norteador (Material suplementar) de procedimentos para continuidade dos atendimentos dentro dos parâmetros éticos e técnicos estabelecidos pelo serviço. O manual foi elaborado a partir da discussão entre supervisores e residentes, de forma que refletisse a realidade e as demandas comumente atendidas. As adaptações realizadas no ambulatório foram norteadas por quatro grandes objetivos: 1) manutenção e continuidade dos atendimentos; 2) diminuição de barreiras de comunicação entre psicoterapeuta-paciente; 3) manutenção de reuniões on-line e web conferência entre todos os membros da equipe e manutenção dos estudos e; 4) normatização de procedimentos durante as sessões de psicoterapia.The impact of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic and the recommendations to reduce the movement of people and agglomerations produced a series of changes in our daily lives, changing the way various health services were provided. Treatments traditionally performed face-to-face such as psychotherapies suffered a strong impact with risks of abandonment and interruption. This paper is an experience report about the process online psychotherapy implementation in a Psychiatry School Hospital Service during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, showing the adaptations in communication procedures, care protocols and records of psychotherapy sessions. With a focus on ensuring the maintenance of care during periods of social distancing, guidelines were created for online psychotherapy based on the preparation of a guiding manual (Supplementary material) of procedures so that care was performed within the parameters ethical and technical established by the service. The manual was created from the discussion between supervisors and residents, so that it reflected the reality and demands commonly met. The adaptations were guided by four major objectives: 1) maintenance and continuity of care, 2) reduction of communication barriers between psychotherapist-patient, 3) maintenance of online meetings and web conferences between all team members and maintenance of studies and 4) standardization of procedures during psychotherapy sessions.El impacto de la pandemia de SARS-CoV2 y las recomendaciones para reducir el movimiento de personas ha producido una serie de cambios en nuestra vida cotidiana. Los tratamientos tradicionalmente realizados en psicoterapias presenciales sufrieron un fuerte impacto con riesgos de abandono e interrupción. El propósito de este artículo es presentar un informe de experiencia sobre el proceso de implementación de la psicoterapia online en el ambulatorio de psicoterapia del Servicio de Psiquiatría de un hospital escuela durante la pandemia de SARSCoV2, mostrando las principales adaptaciones realizadas en los procedimientos de comunicación, protocolos asistenciales y registros de sesiones de psicoterapia. Con el foco en asegurar el mantenimiento de la atención durante los períodos de distanciamiento social, se crearon pautas para la realización de la psicoterapia en línea a partir de la elaboración de un manual guía (Material Complementario) de procedimientos para que las exploraciones asistenciales se realizaran dentro de los parámetros éticos y técnicos establecidos por el servicio. Las adaptaciones realizadas en el ambulatorio se basaron en cuatro objetivos principales: 1) mantenimiento y continuidad de la atención; 2) reducción de las barreras de comunicación entre psicoterapeuta-paciente; 3) mantenimiento de reuniones en línea y conferencias web entre todos los miembros del equipo y mantenimiento de estudios y; 4) estandarización de los procedimientos durante las sesiones de psicoterapia

Peripheral Blood Hemopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization Regimens in POEMS Syndrome: A Retrospective Study at 2 Hematologic Italian Centers.

ABSTRACT Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation should be considered first-line therapy in young patients with POEMS. The best protocol to collect peripheral blood stem cells remains to be defined, because of the disease rarity and the heterogeneity of published case series. We collected clinical and laboratory data from 25 patients undergoing mobilization, of whom 11 were mobilized using cyclophosphamide (CY) followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and 14 patients using G-CSF. The incidence of poor mobilization was low and not statistically different between the 2 groups. Both schemes (CY plus G-CSF versus G-CSF alone) were able to harvest a sufficient CD34+ cell dose