Parallelisation Technique for Serial 3D Seismic Codes: SMS Approach

We investigate a fast and easy way to parallelise seismological serial codes mainly oriented for simulating the seismic wave propagation through anelastic dissipative media. Having an efficient modelling tool is important in both assessing strong ground motion and mitigation of seismic hazard when the site effects are considered, and in crustal propagation when the crustal geological structures are of interest. Our chosen case study is representative of a set of such seismological 3D problems. The Scalable Modelling System (SMS) tool for parallelization is considered. The IBM SP5 native compiler has been used. Results such as Speed-Up and Efficiency are shown and discussed. SMS can run both in shared and distributed memory environments. The greater advantages of using SMS in such environments become apparent with the utilisation of a higher number of multiprocessor machines arranged in a cluster. We also demonstrate how successful porting from serial to parallel codes is realised by way of minimal instructions (6% of the serial original code only) provided that an ad hoc profiling analysis of the serial code is first performed. <br /

The MASSIMO system for the safeguarding of historic buildings in a seismic area: operationally-oriented platforms

In this paper, the non-invasive system MASSIMO is presented for the monitoring and the seismic vulnerability mitigation of the cultural heritage. It integrates ground-based, airborne and space-borne remote sensing tools with geophysical and in situ surveys to provide the multi-spatial (regional, urban and building scales) and multi-temporal (long-term, short-term, near-real-time and real-time scales) monitoring of test areas and buildings. The measurements are integrated through web-based GIS and 3D visual platforms to support decision-making stakeholders involved in urban planning and structural requalification. An application of this system is presented over the Calabria region for the town of Cosenza and a test historical complex

The Monitoring of Urban Environments and Built-Up Structures in a Seismic Area: Web-Based GIS Mapping and 3D Visualization Tools for the Assessment of the Urban Resources

In this paper, a non-invasive infrastructural system called MASSIMO is presented for the monitoring and the seismic vulnerability mitigation of cultural heritages. It integrates ground-based, airborne and space-borne remote sensing tools with geophysical and in situ surveys to provide a multi-spatial (regional, urban and building scales) and multi-temporal (longterm, short-term and near-real-time scales) monitoring of test areas and buildings. The measurements are integrated through web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) and 3-dimensional visual platforms to support decision-making stakeholders involved in urban and structural requalification planning. An application of this system is presented over the Calabria region for the town of Cosenza and a test historical complex.The present work is supported and funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) under the research project PON01-02710 "MASSIMO" - "Monitoraggio in Area Sismica di SIstemi MOnumentali".Published9-134T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismicaN/A or not JC

Site effect studies following the 2016 Mw 6.0 Amatrice Earthquake (Italy): the Emersito Task Force activities

On August 24, 2016, at 01:36 UTC a MW 6.0 earthquake struck an extensive area of the Central Apennines (Italy) be-tween the towns of Norcia and Amatrice. Due to the mainshock magnitude and the widespread damaging level of build-ings in the epicentral area, the Emersito task force has been mobilized by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). The aim of Emersito is to carry out and coordinate the monitoring of local site effects, caused by geological and geomorphological settings. During the first days of the seismic emergency, Emersito installed a tempo-rary seismic network for site effect studies at 4 municipalities close to the epicentral area (Amandola, Civitella del Tronto, Montereale and Capitignano), using 22 stations equipped with both velocimetric and accelerometric sensors. The selection of the sites where stations have been installed was mainly driven by the proximity to the epicentral area (without interfere with the rescue operations) and by peculiar geologic and geomorphologic settings (topographic irregu-larities, fault zones, alluvial plains). Preliminary analyses performed on ambient noise and aftershocks signals show that directional amplification effects may have occurred at stations installed on the top of topographic irregularities. We also observed the lengthening and amplification of the seismograms and a variability of the peaked frequency across the sedi-mentary basin between Montereale and Capitignano, probably related to a different thickness of the deposits. Further analyses are necessary to assess the correlation with surface geology.Published4T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismica1SR. TERREMOTI - Servizi e ricerca per la Società1IT. Reti di monitoraggioJCR Journa

Defining Kawasaki disease and pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Italy: results from a national, multicenter survey

Background: There is mounting evidence on the existence of a Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS), sharing similarities with Kawasaki Disease (KD). The main outcome of the study were to better characterize the clinical features and the treatment response of PIMS-TS and to explore its relationship with KD determining whether KD and PIMS are two distinct entities. Methods: The Rheumatology Study Group of the Italian Pediatric Society launched a survey to enroll patients diagnosed with KD (Kawasaki Disease Group - KDG) or KD-like (Kawacovid Group - KCG) disease between February 1st 2020, and May 31st 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory data, treatment information, and patients' outcome were collected in an online anonymized database (RedCAP®). Relationship between clinical presentation and SARS-CoV-2 infection was also taken into account. Moreover, clinical characteristics of KDG during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (KDG-CoV2) were compared to Kawasaki Disease patients (KDG-Historical) seen in three different Italian tertiary pediatric hospitals (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste; AOU Meyer, Florence; IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa) from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2019. Chi square test or exact Fisher test and non-parametric Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test were used to study differences between two groups. Results: One-hundred-forty-nine cases were enrolled, (96 KDG and 53 KCG). KCG children were significantly older and presented more frequently from gastrointestinal and respiratory involvement. Cardiac involvement was more common in KCG, with 60,4% of patients with myocarditis. 37,8% of patients among KCG presented hypotension/non-cardiogenic shock. Coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) were more common in the KDG. The risk of ICU admission were higher in KCG. Lymphopenia, higher CRP levels, elevated ferritin and troponin-T characterized KCG. KDG received more frequently immunoglobulins (IVIG) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (81,3% vs 66%; p = 0.04 and 71,9% vs 43,4%; p = 0.001 respectively) as KCG more often received glucocorticoids (56,6% vs 14,6%; p &lt; 0.0001). SARS-CoV-2 assay more often resulted positive in KCG than in KDG (75,5% vs 20%; p &lt; 0.0001). Short-term follow data showed minor complications. Comparing KDG with a KD-Historical Italian cohort (598 patients), no statistical difference was found in terms of clinical manifestations and laboratory data. Conclusion: Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection might determine two distinct inflammatory diseases in children: KD and PIMS-TS. Older age at onset and clinical peculiarities like the occurrence of myocarditis characterize this multi-inflammatory syndrome. Our patients had an optimal response to treatments and a good outcome, with few complications and no deaths

Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults

Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities 1,2 . This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity 3�6 . Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55 of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017�and more than 80 in some low- and middle-income regions�was due to increases in BMI in rural areas. This large contribution stems from the fact that, with the exception of women in sub-Saharan Africa, BMI is increasing at the same rate or faster in rural areas than in cities in low- and middle-income regions. These trends have in turn resulted in a closing�and in some countries reversal�of the gap in BMI between urban and rural areas in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women. In high-income and industrialized countries, we noted a persistently higher rural BMI, especially for women. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to rural nutrition that enhances financial and physical access to healthy foods, to avoid replacing the rural undernutrition disadvantage in poor countries with a more general malnutrition disadvantage that entails excessive consumption of low-quality calories. © 2019, The Author(s)

Seismic Site Effects (Data Analysis and Modelling)

A comprehensive study of the soil shaking under the seismic wave-field ex- citation is presented. It includes theoretical, geological, geotechnical, data analysis and numerical simulations aspects. The aim is to quantify the main parameters allowing the estimate of the soil shaking in urban areas for better mitigating seismic risk due to future earthquakes. The city of Rome has been chosen as a case study because of its high density of popula- tion and large concentration of historical monuments with high earthquake vulnerability. This study improves significantly the knowledge concerning the detailed near-surface geology of the chosen study area of Rome, ful- fills the absence both of knowledge concerning its geotechnical properties and earthquake data recordings in the city. Among others, it allows for a better explanation of the spatial damage pattern observed in the city due to earthquakes in the past. The main innovations include the construction and long-term operation a seismic array in the city, analysis of the natural seismic noise, and instrumental recordings of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake sequence. The 3D array (including a borehole sensor at 70-m depth) is the first one in Italy planned, realized and operated within an urban area, and the first one that recorded a significant earthquake in..

Seismické a lokální účinky (analýza dat a modelování)

A comprehensive study of the soil shaking under the seismic wave-field ex- citation is presented. It includes theoretical, geological, geotechnical, data analysis and numerical simulations aspects. The aim is to quantify the main parameters allowing the estimate of the soil shaking in urban areas for better mitigating seismic risk due to future earthquakes. The city of Rome has been chosen as a case study because of its high density of popula- tion and large concentration of historical monuments with high earthquake vulnerability. This study improves significantly the knowledge concerning the detailed near-surface geology of the chosen study area of Rome, ful- fills the absence both of knowledge concerning its geotechnical properties and earthquake data recordings in the city. Among others, it allows for a better explanation of the spatial damage pattern observed in the city due to earthquakes in the past. The main innovations include the construction and long-term operation a seismic array in the city, analysis of the natural seismic noise, and instrumental recordings of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake sequence. The 3D array (including a borehole sensor at 70-m depth) is the first one in Italy planned, realized and operated within an urban area, and the first one that recorded a significant earthquake in...Práce podává komplexní rozbor pohybu půdy buzeného seismickým vlnovým polem, zahrnující aspekty teoretické, geologické a geotechnické, jakož i analý- zu dat a numerické simulace. Cílem je kvantifikovat hlavní parametry, umožňující odhadkmitavých pohybů v městských oblastech a případné sni- žování následků budoucích zemětřesení . Studie je zaměřena na Řím vzh- ledem k vysoké hustotěobyvatelstva a koncentraci historických památek s vysokou seismickou zranitelností. Práce zlepšuje údaje o podrobné povr- chové geolo gii studované části Říma, vyplňuje mezeru ve znalostech geotech- nických parametrů a poskytuje dosud chybějící záznamy zemětřesení na území města. Mimo jiné též umožňuje lépe pochopit prostorové rozložení škod, pozorované v Římě při dřívějších zemětřeseních. Hlavními inovacemi jsou: zřízení a dlouhodobý provoz seismické ereje, analýza seismického šumu a záznamy zemětřesné sekvence L'Aquila 2009. Trojrozměrná erej (zahrnující senzor v 70-m hlubokém vrtu) je první svého druhu v Itálii, která zazna- menala významné zemětřesení v městské oblasti. Pořízená instrumentální data jsou také porovnána s hybridní simulací pohybů půdy v údolí Tibery; jsou použity nové...Katedra geofyzikyDepartment of GeophysicsFaculty of Mathematics and PhysicsMatematicko-fyzikální fakult

Seismic response across the Tronto Valley (at Acquasanta Terme, AP, Marche) based on the geophysical monitoring of the 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence

Since August 2016, Central Italy has been struck by three strong earthquakes (Mw 6.0 Amatrice, Mw 5.9 Visso and Mw 6.5 Norcia). This seismic sequence resulted in ground failure, infrastructural damages and destruction of several villages. This work aims to analyze the site effects on the ground shaking along the valley of the Tronto River across the Acquasanta Terme municipality, where some historical sites were located. These suffered heavy and differentiated damage during the seismic sequence. Following the Amatrice earthquake of August 24, authors managed the deployment and acquisition of seismic stations located in an array along the valley of the Tronto River approximately 25 km from the epicenter. By recording the two stronger earthquakes (i.e., Mw 5.9 Visso and Mw 6.5 Norcia) and 30 aftershocks with varying magnitudes and also ambient vibration, the site effects were preliminarily studied using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR). Furthermore, the amplification effects on the ground motion were also evaluated with reference to the earthquakes in terms of the standard spectral ratio (SSR) and the normalized energy content, in both cases using the bottom of the valley where the seismic bedrock outcrops as a reference. The comparison between the spectral accelerations due to the two strong earthquakes and those provided by ground motion prediction equations displayed values that were usually inadequately precautionary for periods lower than 0.35 s. High spectral accelerations were detected in period ranges corresponding to those predominant for masonry structures that are available in the literature. According to the current knowledge about surface geology, the local site effects seem to have significantly influenced ground shaking along the slopes of the valley, thus producing a larger seismic effect on ancient structures with more than two floors. The results can provide useful information for undertaking a possible future microzonation study that would be able to support urban planning and seismic designs in the rebuilding phase.Published5599–56165T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journa

Parallelisation technique for serial 3D seismic codes: SMS approach

We investigate a fast and easy way to parallelise seismological serial codes mainly oriented for simulating the seismic wave propagation through anelastic dissipative media. Having an efficient modelling tool is important in both assessing strong ground motion and mitigation of seismic hazard when the site effects are considered, and in crustal propagation when the crustal geological structures are of interest. Our chosen case study is representative of a set of such seismological 3D problems. The Scalable Modelling System (SMS) tool for parallelization is considered. The IBM SP5 native compiler has been used. Results such as Speed-Up and Efficiency are shown and discussed. SMS can run both in shared and distributed memory environments. The greater advantages of using SMS in such environments become apparent with the utilisation of a higher number of multiprocessor machines arranged in a cluster. We also demonstrate how successful porting from serial to parallel codes is realised by way of minimal instructions (6% of the serial original code only) provided that an ad hoc profiling analysis of the serial code is first performed