Il Sistema Informativo Territoriale della Rete Integrata Nazionale GPS (RING)

Since 2004, an important technological infrastructure has been created in Italy by INGV in order to investigate active tectonics targets. A Continuous GPS network constituted by about 130 stations has been deployed all over Italy. The development and the realization of a stable GPS monumentation, the integration with other classical seismological instruments and the choice of both satellite and internet data transmission make this network one of the most innovative and reliable CGPS networks in the world. The development of the CGPS network has been accompanied by a technologically advanced development of all the aspects related to the data acquisition and the data information mining: a database and a SIT. Based on the recent techniques of Knowledge Management, the database has been developed to manage the data and the data information of all the sites of the RING network, thus allowing us to centralize information in a single common data bank and to create an unique service of access point to the data from different remote sites by internet connections. The SIT has been developed to be fully integrated with the Knowledge Management technology and it is aimed to synthesize and to display in a geographic interface the information of the RING sites. This work has been integrated with all other spatial data, such as topographic and geo-thematic maps, geological, seismological and seismo-tectonic databases. In this work, the technological aspects of the SIT of the RING network will be detailed and some examples of thematic maps will be shown

Editorial: Antimicrobial Resistance as a Global Public Health Problem: How Can We Address It?

No abstract availabl

Diversity in Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from paediatric cancer patients in Egypt

Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen, commonly causing infections in immunocompromised patients. It is increasingly reported as a multidrug-resistant organism, which is alarming because of its capability to resist all available classes of antibiotics including carbapenems. The aim of this study was to examine the genetic and epidemiological diversity of A. baumannii isolates from paediatric cancer patients in Egypt, by sequencing the intrinsic blaOXA -51-like gene, genotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multi-locus sequence typing in addition to identifying the carbapenem-resistance mechanism. Results showed a large diversity within the isolates, with eight different blaOXA -51-like genes, seven novel sequence types and only 28% similarity by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All three acquired class-D carbapenemases (OXA-23, OXA-40 and OXA-58) were also identified among these strains correlating with resistance to carbapenems. In addition, we report the first identification of ISAba2 upstream of blaOXA -51-like contributing to high-level carbapenem resistance. This indicates the presence of several clones of A. baumannii in the hospitals and illustrates the large genetic and epidemiological diversity found in Egyptian strains

La Rete Integrata Nazionale GPS (RING): stato dell'arte a due anni dalla nascita

Le reti permanenti GPS costituiscono una importante risorsa per una serie di studi tecnologici e scientifici. La carenza di conoscenze in studi di tettonica attiva, che comprendono anche la parte di sismologia come l'accumulo di deformazione sulle faglie, è stata a lungo frenata dalla mancanza di reti permanenti GPS sufficientemente dense distribuite su tutto il territorio nazionale. In particolare, la definizione di una placca Adriatica e la sua terminazione meridionale sono ancora materia di dibattito (Oldow et al., 2002; Battaglia et al. 2004). Inoltre, di recente, alcuni importanti lavori (Hollenstein, et al. 2004; D'Agostino and Selvaggi; Serpelloni et al. 2005) hanno mostrato che valori di deformazione molto più alti di quanto si pensava prima sono stati effettivamente riscontrati nella nostra regione e che solo l'uso di una rete densa di stazioni, quindi di un campionamento ad alta densità nelle aree dove sono maggiori le velocità relative, permette di osservare in modo corretto il rilascio, o accumulo, di deformazione. Infine, il contributo della geodesia alla sismologia sta diventando sempre più importante sia nella definizione del rilascio cosismico durante un terremoto e sia nell'osservazione e modellazione dell'accumulo intersismico di deformazione elastica su faglie attive. Da qualche anno, l'Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) ha impiegato notevoli risorse e sforzi per rispondere a tali temi scientifici. Selvaggi et al. (2006) hanno gettato le basi e mostrato i primi sviluppi di una rete GPS permanente, la Rete Integrata Nazionale GPS (RING), creata con l'obiettivo di dare un forte contributo scientifico ai temi sopra citati La rete RING (Fig. 1a), nella sua completezza, rappresenta ad oggi non solo un punto di riferimento per studi di carattere scientifico ma anche una robusta infrastruttura tecnologica e informatica per l'archiviazione dei dati GPS per diverse altre reti locali e regionali (Regione Puglia, Regione Friuli, Leica Geosystems). Tali reti, contribuiscono quotidianamente all'acquisizione, all'interno di un server, di dati per un totale di oltre 300 stazioni distribuite sul territorio nazionale (Fig. 1b). Se, poi, si considera anche l'aspetto del processamento dei dati GPS, l'utilizzo di dati GPS appartenenti ad altre reti (locali, regionali o anche esterne al territorio italiano) fa sì che ogni analista utilizzi i dati, in media, di circa 650 stazioni GPS permanenti al giorno.PublishedL'Aquila - Italia1.9. TTC - Rete GPS nazionalereserve

Acquisition, storage and distribution of data and metadata of the Italian CGPS network (RING)

In the framework of the development of the “Rete Integrata Nazionale GPS” of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, we worked on the acquisition, storage and distribution of the data recorded by the network. We will show problems and solutions that we have faced, from the transmission stage to the final distribution of data and metadata of the recorded observations. In general, we have worked on software solutions to provide a quality check on the observation files that make use of java platform implemented with a front-end software for a rapid graphical time series restitution of common quality parameters as for multipath on L1 and L2, cycle slips and others, that can run easily on any operative system (namely “Clinic”). The observation files, and metadata of the network, are managed by a Knowledge Management infrastructure finalized to the web sharing management. The direct exposure on internet needs to interface all the modifying/querying processes of information contained in the database, by means of a software based on a framework of MVC type (Model View Controller), carried out on a J2EE platform (java2 Enterprise Edition). This system uses JSP (Java Server Page) and Servlet to allow, through HTTP protocol (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), the management of devices in the field with dynamic HTML pages. A restricted access allows: creation and download of the CGPS log files, creation and download of the site monographic information, operations of files uploading and downloading from/to the central server, site status management and creation of time series plots. A web site, presently under construction but open within 2006, will access to the database and will be complemented with territorial and geographic data elaborated using a Geographical Information System (Ring WebGis). The WebGis is a user-friendly interface for reference territorial and cartographic data and for the development of the CGPS network. The HTML viewer allows the user to interact with geographical data using the common tools of a webgis (interrogation, selection etc.

Robust Model Predictive Control of An Input Delayed Functional Electrical Stimulation

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is an external application of low-level currents to elicit muscle contractions that can potentially restore limb function in persons with spinal cord injury. However, FES often leads to the rapid onset of muscle fatigue, which limits performance of FES-based devices due to reduction in force generation capability. Fatigue is caused by unnatural muscle recruitment and synchronous and repetitive recruitment of muscle fibers. In this situation, overstimulation of the muscle fibers further aggravates the muscle fatigue. Therefore, a motivation exists to use optimal controls that minimize muscle stimulation while providing a desired performance. Model predictive controller (MPC) is one such optimal control method. However, the traditional MPC is dependent on exact model knowledge of the musculoskeletal dynamics and cannot handle modeling uncertainties. Motivated to address modeling uncertainties, robust MPC approach is used to control FES. Moreover, two new robust MPC techniques are studied to address electromechanical delay (EMD) during FES, which often causes performance issues and stability problems. This thesis compares two types of robust MPCs: a Lyapunov-based MPC and a tube- based MPC for controlling knee extension elicited through FES. Lyapunov-based MPC incorporated a contractive constraint that bounds the Lyapunov function of the MPC with a Lyapunov function that was used to derive an EMD compensation control law. The Lyapunov-based MPC was simulated to validate its performance. In the tube-based MPC, the EMD compensation controller was chosen to be the tube that eliminated output of the nominal MPC and the output of the real system. Regulation experiments were performed for the tube-based MPC on a leg extension machine and the controller showed robust performance despite modeling uncertainties

La Rete sismica Mobile in telemetria satellitare (Re.Mo.Tel.)

Oggi la nuova Rete Sismica Mobile in telemetria satellitare” (Re.Mo.Tel.) è composta da nove stazioni la cui trasmissione, tramite ponte UHF (Ultra High Frequency), è equamente ripartita verso tre centri di acquisizione intermedi, detti “sottonodi”). Tali sottonodi, a loro volta tramite connessione Wi-Fi, ridirezionano il flusso dati verso un “centro stella” (detto “nodo”) dal quale, con il sistema di trasmissione satellitare Libra VSAT Nanometrics, i dati sono inviati al centro acquisizione dati della Sala Sorveglianza Sismica della sede INGV di Roma e ridondati al centro “disaster recovery” approntato presso l’Osservatorio di Grottaminarda (Sede Irpinia in provincia di Avellino). La struttura della Re.Mo.Tel. è stata ideata ed ingegnerizzata in modo da ridurre al minimo i tempi d’installazione. Il sistema è stato infatti realizzato interamente “plug and play” e di conseguenza nessuna attività di configurazione è richiesta all’operatore all’atto dell’istallazione. La Re.Mo.Tel. si basa su di un articolato sistema di trasmissione (UHF, Wi-Fi e satellitare), mediante l’impiego di diversi apparati

Imaging the warped dusty disk wind environment of SU Aurigae with MIRC-X

SU Aurigae is a widely studied T Tauri star and here we present original state-of-the-art interferometric observations with better uv and baseline coverage than previous studies. We aim to investigate the characteristics of the circumstellar material around SU Aur, constrain the disk geometry, composition and inner dust rim structure. The MIRC-X instrument at CHARA is a 6 telescope optical beam combiner offering baselines up to 331 m. We undertook image reconstruction for model-independent analysis, and fitted geometric models such as Gaussian and ring distributions. Additionally, the fitting of radiative transfer models constrains the physical parameters of the disk. Image reconstruction reveals a highly inclined disk with a slight asymmetry consistent with inclination effects obscuring the inner disk rim through absorption of incident star light on the near-side and thermal re-emission/scattering of the far-side. Geometric models find that the underlying brightness distribution is best modelled as a Gaussian with a FWHM of $1.53\pm0.01 \mathrm{mas}$ at an inclination of $56.9\pm0.4^\circ$ and minor axis position angle of $55.9\pm0.5^\circ$. Radiative transfer modelling shows a flared disk with an inner radius at 0.16 au which implies a grain size of $0.14 \mathrm{\mu m}$ assuming astronomical silicates and a scale height of 9.0 au at 100 au. In agreement with literature, only the dusty disk wind successfully accounts for the NIR excess by introducing dust above the mid-plane. Our results confirm and provide better constraints than previous inner disk studies of SU Aurigae. We confirm the presence of a dusty disk wind in the cicumstellar environment, the strength of which is enhanced by a late infall event which also causes very strong misalignments between the inner and outer disks.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2111.06205, arXiv:1905.1190

Characterising the orbit and circumstellar environment of the high-mass binary MWC 166 A

Context: Stellar evolution models are highly dependent on accurate mass estimates, especially for high-mass stars in the early stages of evolution. The most direct method for obtaining model-independent masses is derivation from the orbit of close binaries. Aims: To derive the first astrometric+RV orbit solution for the single-lined spectroscopic binary MWC 166 A, based on CHARA and VLTI near-infrared interferometry over multiple epochs and ~100 archival radial velocity measurements, and to derive fundamental stellar parameters from this orbit. We also sought to model circumstellar activity in the system from K-band spectral lines. Methods: We geometrically modelled the dust continuum to derive astrometry at 13 epochs and constrain individual stellar parameters. We used the continuum models as a base to examine differential phases, visibilities and closure phases over the Br-$\gamma$ and He-I emission lines. Results: Our orbit solution suggests a period of $367.7\pm0.1$ d, twice as long as found with previous RV orbit fits, subsequently constraining the component masses to $M_1=12.2\pm2.2 M_\odot$ and $M_2=4.9\pm0.5 M_\odot$. The line-emitting gas was found to be localised around the primary and is spatially resolved on scales of ~11 stellar radii, with the spatial displacement between the line wings consistent with a rotating disc. Conclusions: The large radius and stable orientation of the line emission are inconsistent with magnetospheric or boundary-layer accretion, but indicate an ionised inner gas disk around MWC 166 Aa. We observe line variability that could be explained either with generic line variability in a Herbig star disc or V/R variations in a decretion disc. We also constrained the age of the system to ~$(7\pm2)\times10^5$ yr, consistent with the system being comprised of a main-sequence primary and a secondary still contracting towards the main sequence.Comment: 24 pages, 19 figures, 7 tables, 1 appendix. Accepted in A&