The ScanMars Subsurface Radar Sounding Experiment on AMADEE-18

Terrestrial simulations for crewed missions are critically important for testing technologies and improving methods and procedures for future robotic and human planetary exploration. In February 2018, AMADEE-18 simulated a mission to Mars in the Dhofar region of Oman. During the mission, a field crew coordinated by the Österreichisches Weltraum Forum (OeWF) accomplished several experiments in the fields of astrobiology, space physiology and medicine, geology, and geophysics. Within the scientific payload of AMADEE-18, ScanMars provided geophysical radar imaging of the subsurface at the simulated landing site and was operated by analog astronauts wearing spacesuits during extra-vehicular activities. The analog astronauts were trained to operate a ground-penetrating radar instrument that transmits and then collects radio waves carrying information about the geological setting of the first few meters of the subsurface. The data presented in this work show signal returns from structures down to 4 m depth, associated with the geology of the investigated rocks. Integrating radar data and the analog astronauts' observations of the geology at the surface, it was possible to identify the contact between shallow sediments and bedrock, the local occurrence of conductive soils, and the presence of pebbly materials in the shallow subsurface, which together describe the geology of recent loose sediments overlying an older deformed bedrock. The results obtained by ScanMars confirm that subsurface radar sounding at martian landing sites is key for the geological characterization at shallow depths. The geologic model of the subsurface can be used as the basis for reconstructing palaeoenvironments and paleo-habitats, thus assisting scientific investigations looking for traces of present or past life on the Red Planet. The ScanMars radar was operated following procedures and training developed before the mission. Approximately 2000 m of radar data profiles have been acquired during the analog mission. Combining the results for ScanMars, orbital remote sensing data, and first-person observation in the field while wearing spacesuits (analog astronauts), it was possible to generate a geological model at the AMADEE-18 study site.</sec

Urban Geology for the Enhancement of the Hypogean Geosites: the Perugia Underground (Central Italy)

AbstractUrban geology analyses natural risks and promotes geoheritage in urban areas. In the cities, characterized by a high cultural value, the hypogean artificial cavities, often present in the downtown, offer a unique opportunity to show the geological substratum. Moreover, these places could be a point of interest in urban trekking with the abiotic component of the landscape as a topic (geotourism). To investigate these areas, rigorous bibliographic research and a geomorphological assessment are the first steps, but, besides, non-invasive methods are new techniques increasingly in demand. In this paper, we present a multidisciplinary study on the Etruscan Well (third century B.C.), one of the most important Etruscan artefacts in Perugia (Umbria region, Central Italy). The characteristics of the sedimentary deposits outcropping along the perimeter walls have been collected. Moreover, to show the underground geoheritage, we provide a 3D model of the well and the surrounding area integrating a georeferenced laser scanner survey with ground-penetrating radar prospecting. We aim to obtain a tridimensional mapping of accessible internal rooms to depict the geological characteristics of the Etruscan Well, also revealing a surrounding network of buried galleries. The results are not only a meaningful advancement in the archaeological, geological and historical knowledge of the downtown of Perugia but are a hint for the geoheritage promotion and dissemination, providing images and 3D reconstruction of underground areas

The influence of subsurface geology on the distribution of earthquakes during the 2016‐-2017 Central Italy seismic sequence

Abstract In 2016–2017, a destructive sequence of earthquakes affected a wide portion of Central Italy, activating a complex, 80-km long system of SW-dipping normal faults and causing impressive surface faulting and widespread damage. Former studies providing reconstructions of the fault systems activated during this sequence, are mostly based on high-resolution seismological and geodetic data. In this paper, we integrate surface and subsurface geological data with the ones obtained by an irregular network of seismic reflection profiles, aimed at providing a comprehensive reconstruction of the subsurface lithologies and structures in this area. We have constructed a set of five geological cross-sections, passing through the mainshock epicentral areas (Mw > 5.5) of the seismic sequence. The cross-sections are extrapolated down to a depth of ca. 12 km, along which we have plotted relocated seismicity. Combined geological and seismological data support a new 3D seismotectonic model, illustrating the propagation through time and space of the seismic ruptures during the sequence. Our results show that the litho-mechanical stratigraphy exerted a primary control on the distribution of seismicity, as it is mostly hosted in the more competent lithologies (i.e. the Late Triassic-Paleogene succession, consisting of carbonates and evaporites). In addition, we illustrate the crucial role played by the inherited compressional structures in determining the lateral and vertical variations of the rheological properties of the upper crust and, eventually, the overall geometry and segmentation of the seismogenic extensional system. The workflow proposed here can be applied to other seismogenic zones throughout the world, since reliable seismotectonic models require an accurate reconstruction of the subsurface geological setting, based on a close integration of geological, geophysical and seismological data

Application of Resistivity and Seismic Refraction Tomography for Landslide Stability Assessment in Vallcebre, Spanish Pyrenees

Geophysical surveys are a noninvasive reliable tool to improve geological models without requiring extensive in situ borehole campaigns. The usage of seismic refraction tomography (SRT), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and borehole data for calibrating is very appropriate to define landslide body geometries; however, it is still only used occasionally. We present here the case of a Spanish Pyrenees slow-moving landslide, where ERT, SRT and lithological log data were integrated to obtain a geological three-dimensional model. The high contrasts of P-wave velocity and electrical resistivity values of the upper materials (colluvial debris and clayey siltstone) provided accurate information on the geometry of the materials involved in the landslide body, as well as the sliding surface. Geophysical prospecting allowed us to identify the critical sliding surface over a large area and at a reduced cost and, therefore, gives the geophysical method an advantage over borehole data. The three-dimensional model was used to carry out stability analyses of a landslide in 2D and 3D, which, coherently with previous studies, reveal that the lower part is more unstable than the upper units

Laboratory analysis of returned samples from the AMADEE-18 Mars analog mission

Between 01-28. February 2018, the Austrian Space Forum, in cooperation with the Oman Astronomical Society and research teams from 25 nations conducted the AMADEE-18 mission, a human-robotic Mars expedition simulation in the Dhofar region in the Sultanate of Oman As a part of the AMADEE-18 simulated Mars human exploration mission, the Remote Science Support team performed analysis of the Dhofar area, (Oman) in order to characterize it as a potential Mars analog site. The main motivation of this research was to study and register selected samples collected by the analog astronauts during the AMADEE-18 mission with laboratory analytical methods and techniques comparable to the techniques that will be used on Mars in the future. The 25 samples representing unconsolidated sediments obtained during the simulated mission were studied by using optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and laser-induced fluorescence. The principal results showed the existence of minerals and the detection of alteration processes related to volcanism, hydrothermalism, and weathering. The analogy between the Dhofar region and the Eridana Basin region of Mars is clearly noticeable, particularly as an analog for secondary minerals formed in a hydrothermal seafloor volcanic-sedimentary environment. The synergy between the techniques used in the present work provides a solid basis for the geochemical analyses and organic detection in the context of future human-robotic Mars expeditions. AMADEE-18 has been a prime test bed for geoscientific workflows with astrobiological relevance and has provided valuable insights for future space missions

Data-driven clustering of combined Functional Motor Disorders based on the Italian registry

Functional Motor Disorders (FMDs) represent nosological entities with no clear phenotypic characterization, especially in patients with multiple (combined FMDs) motor manifestations. A data-driven approach using cluster analysis of clinical data has been proposed as an analytic method to obtain non-hierarchical unbiased classifications. The study aimed to identify clinical subtypes of combined FMDs using a data-driven approach to overcome possible limits related to "a priori" classifications and clinical overlapping

Characteristics and patterns of care of endometrial cancer before and during COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has correlated with the disruption of screening activities and diagnostic assessments. Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecological malignancies and it is often detected at an early stage, because it frequently produces symptoms. Here, we aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on patterns of presentation and treatment of EC patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 54 centers in Italy. We evaluated patterns of presentation and treatment of EC patients before (period 1: March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020) and during (period 2: April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021) the COVID-19 outbreak. Results: Medical records of 5,164 EC patients have been retrieved: 2,718 and 2,446 women treated in period 1 and period 2, respectively. Surgery was the mainstay of treatment in both periods (p=0.356). Nodal assessment was omitted in 689 (27.3%) and 484 (21.2%) patients treated in period 1 and 2, respectively (p&lt;0.001). While, the prevalence of patients undergoing sentinel node mapping (with or without backup lymphadenectomy) has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (46.7% in period 1 vs. 52.8% in period 2; p&lt;0.001). Overall, 1,280 (50.4%) and 1,021 (44.7%) patients had no adjuvant therapy in period 1 and 2, respectively (p&lt;0.001). Adjuvant therapy use has increased during COVID-19 pandemic (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Our data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the characteristics and patterns of care of EC patients. These findings highlight the need to implement healthcare services during the pandemic

Risk factors associated with adverse fetal outcomes in pregnancies affected by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a secondary analysis of the WAPM study on COVID-19.

Objectives To evaluate the strength of association between maternal and pregnancy characteristics and the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnancies with laboratory confirmed COVID-19. Methods Secondary analysis of a multinational, cohort study on all consecutive pregnant women with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from February 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020 from 73 centers from 22 different countries. A confirmed case of COVID-19 was defined as a positive result on real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay of nasal and pharyngeal swab specimens. The primary outcome was a composite adverse fetal outcome, defined as the presence of either abortion (pregnancy loss before 22 weeks of gestations), stillbirth (intrauterine fetal death after 22 weeks of gestation), neonatal death (death of a live-born infant within the first 28 days of life), and perinatal death (either stillbirth or neonatal death). Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate parameters independently associated with the primary outcome. Logistic regression was reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Mean gestational age at diagnosis was 30.6+/-9.5 weeks, with 8.0% of women being diagnosed in the first, 22.2% in the second and 69.8% in the third trimester of pregnancy. There were six miscarriage (2.3%), six intrauterine device (IUD) (2.3) and 5 (2.0%) neonatal deaths, with an overall rate of perinatal death of 4.2% (11/265), thus resulting into 17 cases experiencing and 226 not experiencing composite adverse fetal outcome. Neither stillbirths nor neonatal deaths had congenital anomalies found at antenatal or postnatal evaluation. Furthermore, none of the cases experiencing IUD had signs of impending demise at arterial or venous Doppler. Neonatal deaths were all considered as prematurity-related adverse events. Of the 250 live-born neonates, one (0.4%) was found positive at RT-PCR pharyngeal swabs performed after delivery. The mother was tested positive during the third trimester of pregnancy. The newborn was asymptomatic and had negative RT-PCR test after 14 days of life. At logistic regression analysis, gestational age at diagnosis (OR: 0.85, 95% CI 0.8-0.9 per week increase; pPeer reviewe

Maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Objectives To evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods This was a multinational retrospective cohort study including women with a singleton pregnancy and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, conducted in 72 centers in 22 different countries in Europe, the USA, South America, Asia and Australia, between 1 February 2020 and 30 April 2020. Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was defined as a positive result on real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay of nasopharyngeal swab specimens. The primary outcome was a composite measure of maternal mortality and morbidity, including admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), use of mechanical ventilation and death. Results In total, 388 women with a singleton pregnancy tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on RT-PCR of a nasopharyngeal swab and were included in the study. Composite adverse maternal outcome was observed in 47/388 (12.1%) women; 43 (11.1%) women were admitted to the ICU, 36 (9.3%) required mechanical ventilation and three (0.8%) died. Of the 388 women included in the study, 122 (31.4%) were still pregnant at the time of data analysis. Among the other 266 women, six (19.4% of the 31 women with first-trimester infection) had miscarriage, three (1.1%) had termination of pregnancy, six (2.3%) had stillbirth and 251 (94.4%) delivered a liveborn infant. The rate of preterm birth before 37 weeks' gestation was 26.3% (70/266). Of the 251 liveborn infants, 69/251(27.5%) were admitted to the neonatal ICU, and there were five (2.0%) neonatal deaths. The overall rate of perinatal death was 4.1% (11/266). Only one (1/251, 0.4%) infant, born to a mother who tested positive during the third trimester, was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 on RT-PCR. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women is associated with a 0.8% rate of maternal mortality, but an 11.1% rate of admission to the ICU. The risk of vertical transmission seems to be negligible. (C) 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.Peer reviewe

Demographic and clinical determinants of neck pain in idiopathic cervical dystonia.

Cervical dystonia is associated with neck pain in a significant proportion of cases, but the mechanisms underlying pain are largely unknown. In this exploratory study, we compared demographic and clinical variables in cervical dystonia patients with and without neck pain from the Italian Dystonia Registry. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated a higher frequency of sensory trick and a lower educational level among patients with pain