Digital image correlation (DIC) analysis of the 3 December 2013 Montescaglioso landslide (Basilicata, Southern Italy). Results from a multi-dataset investigation

Image correlation remote sensing monitoring techniques are becoming key tools for providing effective qualitative and quantitative information suitable for natural hazard assessments, specifically for landslide investigation and monitoring. In recent years, these techniques have been successfully integrated and shown to be complementary and competitive with more standard remote sensing techniques, such as satellite or terrestrial Synthetic Aperture Radar interferometry. The objective of this article is to apply the proposed in-depth calibration and validation analysis, referred to as the Digital Image Correlation technique, to measure landslide displacement. The availability of a multi-dataset for the 3 December 2013 Montescaglioso landslide, characterized by different types of imagery, such as LANDSAT 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager) and TIRS (Thermal Infrared Sensor), high-resolution airborne optical orthophotos, Digital Terrain Models and COSMO-SkyMed Synthetic Aperture Radar, allows for the retrieval of the actual landslide displacement field at values ranging from a few meters (2–3 m in the north-eastern sector of the landslide) to 20–21 m (local peaks on the central body of the landslide). Furthermore, comprehensive sensitivity analyses and statistics-based processing approaches are used to identify the role of the background noise that affects the whole dataset. This noise has a directly proportional relationship to the different geometric and temporal resolutions of the processed imagery. Moreover, the accuracy of the environmental-instrumental background noise evaluation allowed the actual displacement measurements to be correctly calibrated and validated, thereby leading to a better definition of the threshold values of the maximum Digital Image Correlation sub-pixel accuracy and reliability (ranging from 1/10 to 8/10 pixel) for each processed dataset

Explosive type of moderate-resistance training induces functional, cardiovascular, and molecular adaptations in the elderly

Current recommendations aimed at reducing neuromuscular and functional loss in aged muscle have identified muscle power as a key target for intervention trials, although little is known about the biological and cardiovascular systemic response in the elderly. This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of low-frequency, moderate-intensity, explosive-type resistance training (EMRT) on muscle strength and powerin oldcommunity-dwellingpeople(70–75years), monitoring functional performance linked to daily liv- ing activities (ADL) and cardiovascular response, as well as biomarkers of muscle damage, cardiovascular risk, and cellular stress response. The present study provides the first evidence that EMRT was highly effective in achieving a significant enhancement in muscular strength and power as well as in functional performance without causing any detrimental modification in cardiovascular, inflammatory, and damage parameters. Moreover, trained elderly subjects showed an adaptive response at both systemic and cellular levels by modulation of antioxidant and stress-induced markers such as myeloperoxidase (MPO), heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and 27 (Hsp27), and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1)

Protective versus pathogenic anti-CD4 immunity: insights from the study of natural resistance to HIV infection

HIV-1 exposure causes several dramatic unbalances in the immune system homeostasis. Here, we will focus on the paradox whereby CD4 specific autoimmune responses, which are expected to contribute to the catastrophic loss of most part of the T helper lymphocyte subset in infected patients, may display the characteristics of an unconventional protective immunity in individuals naturally resistant to HIV-1 infection. Reference to differences in fine epitope mapping of these two oppositely polarized outcomes will be presented, with particular reference to partially or totally CD4-gp120 complex-specific antibodies. The fine tuning of the anti-self immune response to the HIV-1 receptor may determine whether viral exposure will result in infection or, alternatively, protective immunity

UAV photogrammetric survey of the Poggio Baldi Landslide (Santa Sofia, North Apennine, Italy)

On 19th March 2010, a re-activation of an ancient landslide occurred in Poggio Baldi, a small village located near Corniolo, in the municipality of Santa Sofia (FC, Italy). Its previous catastrophic activation is dated back to March 1914. The 4 million m3 landslide is considered a real hazard, because during its last re-activation produced several serious damages on some private constructions and on the 310 Statal Road, but caused also a natural dam on the Bidente River. With a height-range between 810 – 480 m asl, the Poggio Baldi landslide involved the “Marnoso – Arenacea Romagnola” Formation, arenite-pelite alternation [Burdigaliansup – Langhian]. Started as a structurally controlled rockslide, it then evolved as a partially confined flow-like landslide affecting the material originally mobilized by the 1914 landslide. The landslide area is now made of a high vertical rock cliff up to 100 m high and about 250 m large, a rock debris on the order of 1.5*105 m2 at the toe of the cliff and an extensive mixed rock-earth debris mobilized by the 2010 landslide. Thanks to the joint effort of NHAZCA S.r.l., spin-off of the University of Rome “Sapienza”, the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Rome “Sapienza” and Visiva4D, the experimental site of the Poggio Baldi landslide was surveyed on 12th April 2016 by a UAV flight. The employed UAV was a DJI Phantom 4 equipped with GPS and IMU apparatus. 12 MPx camera, with a 1/2,3’’ sensor size, equipped with a 20 mm lens, was used. Four flights were performed in order to generate accurate DSM of the entire site, by acquiring about 950 images. Due to the wide coverage, caused by the mountainous area, no satellite signals were available. For this reason all the flights were executed in manual mode. The orientation of the UAV flights were carried out by means of 12 ground control points, measured with a GeoMax Zenith 25 Pro GPS/GNSS Base and RTK Rover. The collected images was processed by suitable Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms in order to achieve an accurate digital elevation model (DEM) of the whole landslide. The comparison of the acquired DEM with previous available DEM, achieved by Aerial and Terrestrial LiDAR surveys, allowed to evaluate the quality of the overall UAV DEM and, then, to compute the morphological changes occurred in the landslide area

MONITORING NATURAL SLOPES BY TERRESTRIAL DIGITAL IMAGE CORRELATION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

The efficacy of Terrestrial Digital Image Correlation technique for the monitoring of landslide movement has been investigated by laboratory and field experiments. Three laboratory experiments and three field tests (namely La Pineda, Frosinone and Sfalassà landslides) have been performed. Preliminary achieved results demonstrated the capability of DIC to detect and to measure surface displacement affecting natural slopes. As expected, the increasing monitoring distance strongly influence the accuracy of the system, but other factors proved to be relevant such as the camera repositioning and the lighting conditions during the images collection. Results achieved by DIC results was confirmed in some cases by other monitoring techniques (e.g. TInSAR), but showing lower accuracy (on the other of cm to dm)

Earthquake-induced Landslides Mapping By Combined Analyses Of Satellite DInSAR And Optical Data: The 24th August, 2016 Amatrice Earthquake (Italy).

On the 24th August, 2016 Central Italy was struck by a Mw 6.0 earthquake with an epicentral area near the city of Amatrice. Several landslides were triggered by the shaking in an area circa 30km in radius from the epicentral area (http://www.ceri.uniroma1.it/index.php/web-gis/cedit/). Aiming at support the detection and mapping of earthqhake-induced landslides, Satellite DInSAR technique (Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry) combined with satellite and aerial high resolution optical imagery was used. Specifically, Sentinel-1, COSMO-SkyMed and ALOS-2 (both ascending and descending) co-seismic differential interferograms were used in combination with optical datasets available through the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Interferograms have been analysed firstly with un-supervised analyses, based on the detection of the fringes anomalies, i.e. particular patterns of the interferometric phase such as: i) irregular shaped fringes, ii) abrupt interruptions of the of regional co-seismic fringes, iii) localized changes in the fringes gradient. Then, fringes anomalies have been analysed in order to detect landslide-candidates according to the following criteria: i) fringes anomalies must be located in slope areas; ii) the mean coherence values of the fringes anomalies must behigher than a predefined threshold; iii) fringes anomalies are present in more than one interferogram. Finally, the landslide-candidates have been validated by a combined expert analysis with satellite and aerial optical images and field evidences included in the catalogue of Earthquake-induced ground failures in Italy (CEDIT). By combining Optical and SAR images, more than 60 landslides were detected, 8 of which recognized only thanks to fringes anomalies. As a matter of fact, slopes affected by small plastic deformations (from mm to cm order) cannot be recognized by the interpretation of optical images that, on the other hand, are the only ones able to detect small scale slope failures such as rockfalls. Further steps in this study will be the intergration of remotely sensed landslides in the catalogue of Earthquake-induced ground failures in Italy (CEDIT) and the analyses of the data available from the earthquakes occurred in Central Italy in October 2016