Contaminant source identification in groundwater by means of artificial neural network

In a desired environmental protection system, groundwater may not be excluded. In addition to the problem of over-exploitation, in total disagreement with the concept of sustainable development, another not negligible issue concerns the groundwater contamination. Mainly, this aspect is due to intensive agricultural activities or industrialized areas. In literature, several papers have dealt with transport problem, especially for inverse problems in which the release history or the source location are identified. The innovative aim of the paper is to develop a data-driven model that is able to analyze multiple scenarios, even strongly non-linear, in order to solve forward and inverse transport problems, preserving the reliability of the results and reducing the uncertainty. Furthermore, this tool has the characteristic of providing extremely fast responses, essential to identify remediation strategies immediately. The advantages produced by the model were compared with literature studies. In this regard, a feedforward artificial neural network, which has been trained to handle different cases, represents the data-driven model. Firstly, to identify the concentration of the pollutant at specific observation points in the study area (forward problem); secondly, to deal with inverse problems identifying the release history at known source location; then, in case of one contaminant source, identifying the release history and, at the same time, the location of the source in a specific sub-domain of the investigated area. At last, the observation error is investigated and estimated. The results are satisfactorily achieved, highlighting the capability of the ANN to deal with multiple scenarios by approximating nonlinear functions without the physical point of view that describes the phenomenon, providing reliable results, with very low computational burden and uncertainty.Comment: Published on Journal of Hydrolog

Climate Change over the Mediterranean Region: Local Temperature and Precipitation Variations at Five Pilot Sites

[EN] The Mediterranean region is one of the most responsive areas to climate change and was identified as a major "hot-spot" based on global climate change analyses. This study provides insight into local climate changes in the Mediterranean region under the scope of the InTheMED project, which is part of the PRIMA programme. Precipitation and temperature were analyzed in an historical period and until the end of this century for five pilot sites, located between the two shores of the Mediterranean region. We used an ensemble of 17 Regional Climate Models, developed in the framework of the EURO-CORDEX initiative, under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Over the historical period, the temperature presents upward trends, which are statistically significant for some sites, while precipitation does not show significant tendencies. These trends will be maintained in the future as predicted by the climate models projections: all models indicate a progressive and robust warming in all study areas and moderate change in total annual precipitation, but some seasonal variations are identified. Future changes in droughts events over the Mediterranean region were studied considering the maximum duration of the heat waves, their peak temperature, and the number of consecutive dry days. All pilot sites are expected to increase the maximum duration of heat waves and their peak temperature. Furthermore, the maximum number of consecutive dry days is expected to increase for most of the study areas.This paper is supported by the PRIMA programme under grant agreement No. 1923, project Innovative and Sustainable Groundwater Management in the Mediterranean (InTheMED). The PRIMA programme is supported by the European Union.Todaro, V.; D'oria, M.; Secci, D.; Zanini, A.; Tanda, MG. (2022). Climate Change over the Mediterranean Region: Local Temperature and Precipitation Variations at Five Pilot Sites. Water. 14(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/w14162499141

Multiple myeloma with cutaneous and testicular metastases after autologous bone marrow transplant

A 56-year-old male patient with multiple myeloma (MM) with ptlasmocytomas is reported, with subcutaneous and testicle plasmocytomas. He was treated with chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation and. After four years of remission, he developed bone relapse. He was treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. He evolved without satisfactory response to the early cycles of treatment with progression of bone disease and the emergence of nodules in the back, fist and testicle suspected of relapse of the disease. The resection of the lesions and the anatomopathological and immunohistochemical studies confirmed that it was MM metastasis. Treatment continued until the proposed 12 cycles were completed but there was no improvement in lesions, and, in addition to the emergence of new lesions in the subcutaneous and perianal region, with clinical worsening. The patient died after two months of palliative care.Varón de 56 años con mieloma múltiple (MM) que presentó plasmocitomas en el subcutáneo y en testículo. Fue tratado con quimioterapia y trasplante autólogo de médula ósea. Después de cuatro años de remisión, presentó recidiva ósea. Fue tratado con quimioterapia e inmunoterapia. Evolucionó sin respuesta satisfactoria a los primeros ciclos del tratamiento con progresión de la enfermedad ósea y surgimiento de nódulos en dorso, puño y testículo sospechosos de recidiva de la enfermedad. La resección de las lesiones y el estudio anatomopatológico e inmunohistoquímica confirmó que se trataba de metástasis de MM. Se continuó el tratamiento hasta completar los 12 ciclos propuestos pero no hubo mejoría de las lesiones además del surgimiento de nuevas lesiones en el subcutáneo y región perianal, con empeoramiento clínico. El paciente falleció después de DOS meses de cuidados paliativos

Local climate change assessment at five pilot sites in the Mediterranean region

The objective of this study is to provide an overview of local climate change over the Mediterranean (MED) area under the scope of the InTheMED project, EU funded in the framework of the PRIMA programme. Future precipitation and temperature projections are assessed until the end of this century for five different pilot sites, located in the MED region. To this end, the outputs of 17 Regional Climate Models under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios are used. For each pilot site, the raw climate model data were downscaled at each monitoring station location and bias-corrected on the basis of observations recorded in a 30-year historical period. The changes in the annual precipitation are heterogeneous across the five pilot sites: a negligible variation is expected for some areas and a decrease of up to 30% for others. On the contrary, a significant increase in temperature is expected for all sites, confirming the ongoing warming in the MED region

Starlight. La nascita dell'astrofisica in Italia / The origins of astrophysics in Italy

Starlight è una mostra a rete, con cinque sezioni dislocate in cinque osservatori diversi, raccordati virtualmente tramite l'omonima mostra virtuale bilingue. E' stata il prodotto finale del progetto "Analyzing starlight", finanziato da INAF con PDIN 2014, che include anche il catalogo cartaceo e la versione online della mostra. Le cinque sezioni sono così costituite: 1. Le origini dell'astrofisica a Firenze (sede: INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Firenze); 2. Roma, capitale dell'astrofisica (sede: INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Monte Porzio Catone); 3. L'eclisse totale di sole del 1870 (sede: INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Napoli); 4. Lo sviluppo della fisica solare (sede: Chiesa di S. Maria delle Grazie, Palazzo dei Normanni, Palermo); 5. Una società scientifica italiana per l'astrofisica (sede: INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova

Biochemical detection of E-ADA on Neospora caninum tachyzoites and the effects of a specific enzymatic inhibitor

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the presence and activity of the ecto adenosine deaminase (E-ADA) enzyme in tachyzoites of Neospora caninum (Nc-1 strain), as well as to assess the activity of a well-known E-ADA inhibitor, the deoxycoformycin. Materials and methods. The parasites were grown in cell culture, being subsequently separated in a pellet of tachyzoites, on which the E-ADA activity was tested using the concentrations 0 (control), 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 mg mL-1. Results. The E-ADA showed high activity, progressively increasing its activity according to the enhancement of the protein concentration. The test was carried out with different concentrations of deoxycoformycin, showing that it was able to inhibit the E-ADA present on the free form of the parasite. Conclusions. Based on these results we conclude that the E-ADA is present on tachyzoites of N. caninum, and deoxycoformycin is able to inhibit this enzyme. In this sense, knowing the negative impact of N. caninum on reproductive issue in cattle (mainly abortion), might it is an alternative in order to deal with this parasitic infection. Key words: adenosine deaminase, deoxycoformycin, neosporosis (Source: CAB, MeSH)

Psychological treatments and psychotherapies in the neurorehabilitation of pain. Evidences and recommendations from the italian consensus conference on pain in neurorehabilitation

BACKGROUND: It is increasingly recognized that treating pain is crucial for effective care within neurological rehabilitation in the setting of the neurological rehabilitation. The Italian Consensus Conference on Pain in Neurorehabilitation was constituted with the purpose identifying best practices for us in this context. Along with drug therapies and physical interventions, psychological treatments have been proven to be some of the most valuable tools that can be used within a multidisciplinary approach for fostering a reduction in pain intensity. However, there is a need to elucidate what forms of psychotherapy could be effectively matched with the specific pathologies that are typically addressed by neurorehabilitation teams. OBJECTIVES: To extensively assess the available evidence which supports the use of psychological therapies for pain reduction in neurological diseases. METHODS: A systematic review of the studies evaluating the effect of psychotherapies on pain intensity in neurological disorders was performed through an electronic search using PUBMED, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Based on the level of evidence of the included studies, recommendations were outlined separately for the different conditions. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 2352 results and the final database included 400 articles. The overall strength of the recommendations was medium/low. The different forms of psychological interventions, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, cognitive or behavioral techniques, Mindfulness, hypnosis, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Brief Interpersonal Therapy, virtual reality interventions, various forms of biofeedback and mirror therapy were found to be effective for pain reduction in pathologies such as musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Central Post-Stroke pain, Phantom Limb Pain, pain secondary to Spinal Cord Injury, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating syndromes, diabetic neuropathy, Medically Unexplained Symptoms, migraine and headache. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological interventions and psychotherapies are safe and effective treatments that can be used within an integrated approach for patients undergoing neurological rehabilitation for pain. The different interventions can be specifically selected depending on the disease being treated. A table of evidence and recommendations from the Italian Consensus Conference on Pain in Neurorehabilitation is also provided in the final part of the pape

First Results of the “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)” Experiment: Beyond Current Standards for PM10

In February 2017 the “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)” experiment was carried out in downtown Rome to address the following specific questions: what is the color, size, composition, and toxicity of the carbonaceous aerosol in the Mediterranean urban background area of Rome? The motivation of this experiment is the lack of understanding of what aerosol types are responsible for the severe risks to human health posed by particulate matter (PM) pollution, and how carbonaceous aerosols influence radiative balance. Physicochemical properties of the carbonaceous aerosol were characterised, and relevant toxicological variables assessed. The aerosol characterisation includes: (i) measurements with high time resolution (min to 1–2 h) at a fixed location of black carbon (eBC), elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), particle number size distribution (0.008–10 μ m), major non refractory PM1 components, elemental composition, wavelength-dependent optical properties, and atmospheric turbulence; (ii) 24-h measurements of PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentration, water soluble OC and brown carbon (BrC), and levoglucosan; (iii) mobile measurements of eBC and size distribution around the study area, with computational fluid dynamics modeling; (iv) characterisation of road dust emissions and their EC and OC content. The toxicological assessment includes: (i) preliminary evaluation of the potential impact of ultrafine particles on lung epithelia cells (cultured at the air liquid interface and directly exposed to particles); (ii) assessment of the oxidative stress induced by carbonaceous aerosols; (iii) assessment of particle size dependent number doses deposited in different regions of the human body; (iv) PAHs biomonitoring (from the participants into the mobile measurements). The first experimental results of the CARE experiment are presented in this paper. The objective here is to provide baseline levels of carbonaceous aerosols for Rome, and to address future research directions. First, we found that BC and EC mass concentration in Rome are larger than those measured in similar urban areas across Europe (the urban background mass concentration of eBC in Rome in winter being on average 2.6 ± 2.5 μ g · m − 3 , mean eBC at the peak level hour being 5.2 (95% CI = 5.0–5.5) μ g · m − 3 ). Then, we discussed significant variations of carbonaceous aerosol properties occurring with time scales of minutes, and questioned on the data averaging period used in current air quality standard for PM 10 (24-h). Third, we showed that the oxidative potential induced by aerosol depends on particle size and composition, the effects of toxicity being higher with lower mass concentrations and smaller particle size. Albeit this is a preliminary analysis, findings reinforce the need for an urgent update of existing air quality standards for PM 10 and PM 2.5 with regard to particle composition and size distribution, and data averaging period. Our results reinforce existing concerns about the toxicity of carbonaceous aerosols, support the existing evidence indicating that particle size distribution and composition may play a role in the generation of this toxicity, and remark the need to consider a shorter averaging period (<1 h) in these new standards

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London