Studio preliminare di due sequenze di microterremoti accadute nel 2011 e nel 2012 nell'area dei Monti Iblei Orientali (Sicilia sudorientale - Italia)

Nell’ottobre 2011 e nel giugno 2012 due sequenze sismiche hanno interessato l’area a sud di Canicattini Bagni, sulle propaggini orientali dei Monti Iblei, in Sicilia sudorientale. Le due sequenze, costituite ognuna da più di un centinaio di scosse, sebbene di modesta energia, sono state avvertite con ansia dalla popolazione provocando anche lievi danni nelle località prossime all’area epicentrale. Al fine di monitorare con maggior dettaglio l’evoluzione della sequenza in corso, la rete sismica permanente gestita dall’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - Osservatorio Etneo - Sezione di Catania (INGV-OE) è stata implementata, subito dopo l’inizio della sequenza di ottobre 2011, da due stazioni mobili digitali in registrazione locale. Successivamente, dopo la ripresa dell’attività sismica nel mese di giugno 2012, le due stazioni mobili digitali sono state reinstallate negli stessi siti utilizzati precedentemente per ulteriori circa quaranta giorni. Le due stazioni mobili, durante il loro periodo di funzionamento, hanno permesso di rilevare un elevato numero di microterremoti. In questo lavoro vengono presentati i risultati preliminari relativi alle due sequenze sismiche allo scopo di definire con estremo dettaglio la struttura sismogenetica attivatasi. È attualmente in corso l’integrazione del dataset acquisito dall’INGV-OE nell’ambito delle attività di monitoraggio, con i dati acquisiti dalle due stazioni mobili installate. La peculiarità delle due sequenze consiste nel fatto che esse: i) rappresentano il maggior rilascio energetico, avvenuto nel corso degli ultimi dieci anni, nell’area iblea; ii) testimoniano la presenza di una sorgente sismogenetica superficiale ben distinta dal pattern sismico tipico dell’Altopiano Ibleo

Role of DNA repair machinery and p53 in the testicular germ cell cancer: a review

Notwithstanding the peculiar sensitivity to cisplatin-based treatment, resulting in a very high percentage of cures even in advanced stages of the disease, still we do not know the biological mechanisms that make Testicular Germ Cell Tumor (TGCT) "unique" in the oncology scene. p53 and MDM2 seem to play a pivotal role, according to several in vitro observations, but no correlation has been found between their mutational or expression status in tissue samples and patients clinical outcome. Furthermore, other players seem to be on stage: DNA Damage Repair Machinery (DDR) , especially Homologous Recombination (HR) proteins, above all Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), cooperates with p53 in response to DNA damage, activating apoptotic cascade and contributing to cell "fate". Homologous Recombination deficiency has been assumed to be a Germ Cell Tumor characteristic underlying platinum-sensitivity, whereby Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), an enzyme involved in HR DNA repair, is an intriguing target: PARP inhibitors have already entered in clinical practice of other malignancies and trials are recruiting TGCT patients in order to validate their role in this disease. This paper aims to summarize evidence, trying to outline an overview of DDR implications not only in TGCT curability, but also in resistance to chemotherapy

A randomized phase 3 study on the optimization of the combination of bevacizumab with FOLFOX/OXXEL in the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer-OBELICS (Optimization of BEvacizumab scheduLIng within Chemotherapy Scheme).

BACKGROUND: Despite the improvements in diagnosis and treatment, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second cause of cancer deaths in both sexes. Therefore, research in this field remains of great interest. The approval of bevacizumab, a humanized anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody, in combination with a fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic CRC has changed the oncology practice in this disease. However, the efficacy of bevacizumab-based treatment, has thus far been rather modest. Efforts are ongoing to understand the better way to combine bevacizumab and chemotherapy, and to identify valid predictive biomarkers of benefit to avoid unnecessary and costly therapy to nonresponder patients. The BRANCH study in high-risk locally advanced rectal cancer patients showed that varying bevacizumab schedule may impact on the feasibility and efficacy of chemo-radiotherapy. METHODS/DESIGN: OBELICS is a multicentre, open-label, randomised phase 3 trial comparing in mCRC patients two treatment arms (1:1): standard concomitant administration of bevacizumab with chemotherapy (mFOLFOX/OXXEL regimen) vs experimental sequential bevacizumab given 4 days before chemotherapy, as first or second treatment line. Primary end point is the objective response rate (ORR) measured according to RECIST criteria. A sample size of 230 patients was calculated allowing reliable assessment in all plausible first-second line case-mix conditions, with a 80% statistical power and 2-sided alpha error of 0.05. Secondary endpoints are progression free-survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), toxicity and quality of life. The evaluation of the potential predictive role of several circulating biomarkers (circulating endothelial cells and progenitors, VEGF and VEGF-R SNPs, cytokines, microRNAs, free circulating DNA) as well as the value of the early [(18)F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) response, are the objectives of the traslational project. DISCUSSION: Overall this study could optimize bevacizumab scheduling in combination with chemotherapy in mCRC patients. Moreover, correlative studies could improve the knowledge of the mechanisms by which bevacizumab enhance chemotherapy effect and could identify early predictors of response. EudraCT Number: 2011-004997-27 TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gove number, NCT01718873

Seismological constraints for the dyke emplacement of the July-August 2001 lateral eruption at Mt. Etna volcano, Italy

In this paper we report seismological evidence regarding the emplacement of the dike that fed the July 18 - August 9, 2001 lateral eruption at Mt. Etna volcano. The shallow intrusion and the opening of the eruptive fracture system, which mostly occurred during July 12, and July 18, were accompanied by one of the most intense seismic swarms of the last 20 years. A total of 2694 earthquakes (1 £ Md £ 3.9) were recorded from the beginning of the swarm (July 12) to the end of the eruption (August 9). Seismicity shows the upward migration of the dike from the basement to the relatively thin volcanic pile. A clear hypocentral migration was observed, well constraining the upwards propagation of a near-vertical dike, oriented roughly N-S, and located a few kilometers south of the summit region. Earthquake distribution and orientation of the P-axes from focal mechanisms indicate that the swarm was caused by the local stress source related to the dike intrusion

Seismic vs. geodetic moments at Mt. Etna volcano: A tool for a rapid understanding the eruptive behaviour?

The seismic to geodetic moment ratio (Mo/MG) related to seven magma intrusion episodes, occurring at Mt. Etna volcano between 1981 and 2008, are considered. The lateral eruptions show a moment ratio of 0.04–0.06; meaning that only about 5% of the stress energy accumulated with ground deformation was released by earthquakes. Significantly higher values instead characterized vertical (0.25–0.50) and non-eruptive (0.17) dike intrusions. This paper proposes a simple relationship, in order to estimate, during the early phases of an eruption, the intruding magma volumes by the cumulative seismic moment (of the ongoing seismicity) and elapsed time.Published1-65V. Processi eruttivi e post-eruttiviJCR Journa

Buried active faults in the Zafferana Etnea territory (south-eastern flank of Mt. Etna): geometry and kinematics by earthquake relocation and focal mechanisms

We relocated seismicity that occurred from 2000 to 2005 inside a sector of Mt. Etna, comprising the town of Zafferana Etnea, using the double-difference technique. This approach revealed some spatial clusters of events at depths of 3.0 km to 5.5 km b.s.l., which suggested NE-SW-oriented and NNW-SSE-oriented active structures located west and north-west with respect to Zafferana Etnea. We also calculated 64 fault plane solutions, and azimuth and dip distributions of maximum compression P axes. The data include eight events with magnitudes between 3.1 and 3.7 that caused damage to Zafferana Etnea. This approach has allowed the definition of the geometry of structures that show no surface evidence, but are potentially hazardous for this territory. These faults might be linked to the regional tectonics, although they were activated by stress changes related to a general pressurizing of the Mt. Etna magma system between 2000 and 2005

Studio preliminare di due sequenze di microterremoti accadute nel 2011 e nel 2012 nell'area dei Monti Iblei Orientali (Sicilia sudorientale - Italia)

Nell’ottobre 2011 e nel giugno 2012 due sequenze sismiche hanno interessato l’area a sud di Canicattini Bagni, sulle propaggini orientali dei Monti Iblei, in Sicilia sudorientale. Le due sequenze, costituite ognuna da più di un centinaio di scosse, sebbene di modesta energia, sono state avvertite con ansia dalla popolazione provocando anche lievi danni nelle località prossime all’area epicentrale. Al fine di monitorare con maggior dettaglio l’evoluzione della sequenza in corso, la rete sismica permanente gestita dall’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - Osservatorio Etneo - Sezione di Catania (INGV-OE) è stata implementata, subito dopo l’inizio della sequenza di ottobre 2011, da due stazioni mobili digitali in registrazione locale. Successivamente, dopo la ripresa dell’attività sismica nel mese di giugno 2012, le due stazioni mobili digitali sono state reinstallate negli stessi siti utilizzati precedentemente per ulteriori circa quaranta giorni. Le due stazioni mobili, durante il loro periodo di funzionamento, hanno permesso di rilevare un elevato numero di microterremoti. In questo lavoro vengono presentati i risultati preliminari relativi alle due sequenze sismiche allo scopo di definire con estremo dettaglio la struttura sismogenetica attivatasi. È attualmente in corso l’integrazione del dataset acquisito dall’INGV-OE nell’ambito delle attività di monitoraggio, con i dati acquisiti dalle due stazioni mobili installate. La peculiarità delle due sequenze consiste nel fatto che esse: i) rappresentano il maggior rilascio energetico, avvenuto nel corso degli ultimi dieci anni, nell’area iblea; ii) testimoniano la presenza di una sorgente sismogenetica superficiale ben distinta dal pattern sismico tipico dell’Altopiano Ibleo.PublishedBologna, Italy2T. Tettonica attivaope

Displacement across the Trecastagni Fault (Mt. Etna) and induced seismicity: the October 2009 to January 2010 episode

The Trecastagni Fault (TF) is a NNW-SSE tectonic structure inside Mt. Etna that is characterized by evident morphological scarps and normal and right-lateral type movements that directly affect roads and buildings. The TF has an important role in the instability that affects the south-eastern flank of Mt. Etna, and it represents part of the southern boundary of the unstable sector. Starting from 2005, the TF has been monitored using continuous wire extensometers and by carrying out periodic direct measurements across the northern and central sectors. From 2005 to September 2009, the measurements show that the TF has undergone continuous extension of about 2-3 mm/yr. During the October 2009 to January 2010 period, the creep rate of the TF reached up to 5.5 to 7.0 mm/yr, and this was accompanied by several shallow, low magnitude earthquakes that were felt by local people. This episode appears to be linked to the increase in the sliding velocity of the eastern flank that occurred during 2009.<br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>14</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <mce:style><! st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } --> <!--[endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabella normale"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --> <!--[endif]--&gt

Instrumental seismic catalogue of Mt. Etna earthquakes (Sicily, Italy): ten years (2000-2010) of instrumental recordings

Instrumental seismic catalogues are an essential tool for the zonation of the territory and the production of seismic hazard maps. They are also a valuable instrument for detailed seismological studies regarding active volcanoes and, above all, for interpreting the magma dynamics and the evolution of eruptive phenomena. In this paper, we show the first instrumental earthquake catalogue of Mt. Etna, for the period 2000-2010, with the purpose of producing a homogeneous dataset of 10 years of seismological observations. During this period, 16,845 earthquakes have been recorded by the seismic network run by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica and Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Etneo, in Catania. A total of 6,330 events, corresponding to approximately 40% of all earthquakes recorded, were located by using a one-dimensional VP velocity model. The magnitude completeness of the catalogue is equal to about 1.5 for the whole period, except for some short periods in 2001 and 2002-2003 and at the end of 2009. The reliability of the data collected is supported by the good values of the main hypocentral parameters through the time. The spatial distribution of seismicity allowed the highlighting of several seismogenetic areas characterized by different seismic rates and focal depths. This seismic catalogue represents a fundamental tool for several research aiming to a better understanding of the behavior of an active volcano such as Mt. Etna.

Electrochemotherapy of Primary Colon Rectum Cancer and Local Recurrence: Case Report and Prospective Analysis

Purpose: Surgery, radiotherapy, and oncological treatment (chemotherapy and antineoplastic antibodies) are standard treatments of rectal cancer. ECT has shown its effectiveness and suitability in deep solid tumors conducted in both preclinical and clinical studies. We show here an update and preliminary results with locally advanced rectum cancer (LARC) treated with ECT. Methods: Two patients with major clinical response to restaging after neoadjuvant treatment for LARC were subjected to ECT 12 weeks after completing chemo-radiation therapy. One patient was subjected to ECT on a colorectal local recurrence formed after neoadjuvant treatment for LARC and surgery. Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging were used to assess ECT response. Results: The results showed stable disease in two of the three patients treated, while one patient achieved a complete response. The local control of disease is maintained in the patient follow-up. For each patient, a reduction in pain was observed and for the patient with local recurrence, a reduction in bleeding present before ECT was also achieved. Conclusion: Preliminary results showed that ECT is a safe and effective treatment in patients with a major clinical response or local recurrence after neoadjuvant therapy for LARC and allows a reduction in pain and bleeding with a consequent improvement to quality of life