Assessment of the potential role of atmospheric particulate pollution and airborne transmission in intensifying the first wave pandemic impact of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 in Northern Italy

AbstractThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which exploded in Wuhan (Hebei Region, China) in late 2019, has later spread around the world, causing pandemic effects on humans. During the first wave of the pandemic, Italy, and especially its Northern regions around the Po Valley, faced severe consequences in terms of infected individuals and casualties (more than 31,000 deaths and 255,000 infected people by mid-May 2020). While the spread and effective impact of the virus is primarily related to the lifestyles and social habits of the different human communities, environmental and meteorological factors also play a role. Among these, particulate pollution may directly impact the human respiratory system or act as virus carrier, thus behaving as potential amplifying factor in the pandemic spread of SARS-CoV-2. Enhanced levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particles in Northern Italy were observed over the 2-month period preceding the virus pandemic spread. Threshold levels for PM10 (< 50 μg/m3) were exceeded on 20–35 days over the period January–February 2020 in many areas in the Po Valley, where major effects in terms of infections and casualties occurred, with levels in excess of 80 μg/m3 occasionally observed in the 1–3 weeks preceding the contagious activation around February 25, 2020. Threshold values for PM2.5 indicated in WHO air quality guidelines (< 25 μg/m3) were exceeded on more than 40 days over the period January–February 2020 in large portions of the Po Valley, with levels up to 70 μg/m3 observed in the weeks preceding the contagious activation. In this paper, PM10 particle measurements are compared with epidemiologic parameters' data. Specifically, a statistical analysis is carried out to correlate the infection rate, or incidence of the pathology, the mortality rate, and the case fatality rate with PM concentrations. The study considers epidemiologic data for all 110 Italian provinces, as reported by the Italian Statistics Institute, over the period 20 February–31 March 2020. Corresponding PM10 concentrations covering the period 15–26 February 2020 were collected from the network of air quality monitoring stations run by different regional and provincial environment agencies. The case fatality rate is found to be highly correlated to the average PM10 concentration, with a correlation coefficient of 0.89 and a slope of the regression line of (6.7 ± 0.3) × 10−3 m3/μg, which implies a doubling (from 3 to 6%) of the mortality rate of infected patients for an average PM10 concentration increase from 22 to 27 μg/m3. Infection and mortality rates are also found to be correlated with PM10 concentrations, with correlation coefficients being 0.82 and 0.80, respectively, and the slopes of the regression lines indicating a doubling (from 1 to 2‰) of the infection rate and a tripling (from 0.1 to 0.3‰) of the mortality rate for an average PM10 concentration increase from 25 to 29 μg/m3. Considerations on the exhaled particles' sizes, their concentrations and residence times, the transported viral dose and the minimum infective dose, in combination with PM2.5 and PM10 pollution measurements and an analytical microphysical model, allowed assessing the potential role of airborne transmission through virus-laden PM particles, in addition to droplet and the traditional airborne transmission, in conveying SARS-CoV-2 in the human respiratory system. In specific circumstances which can be found in indoor environments, the number of small potentially infectious particles coalescing on PM2.5 and PM10 particles is estimated to exceed the number of infectious particles needed to activate COVID-19 infection in humans

Characterization of convection-related parameters by Raman lidar: Selected case studies from the convective and orographically-induced precipitation study

An approach to determine the convective available potential energy (CAPE) and the convective inhibition (CIN) based on the use of data from a Raman lidar system is illustrated in this work. The use of Raman lidar data allows to provide high temporal resolution measurements (5 min) of CAPE and CIN and follow their evolution over extended time periods covering the full cycle of convective activity. Lidar-based measurements of CAPE and CIN are obtained from Raman lidar measurements of the temperature and water vapor mixing ratio profiles and the surface measurements of temperature, pressure and dew point temperature provided by a surface weather station. The approach is applied to the data collected by the Raman lidar system BASIL in the frame of COPS. Attention was focused on 15 July and 25-26 July 2007. Lidar-based measurements are in good agreement with simultaneous measurements from radiosondes and with estimates from different mesoscale models

Algorithms for Automatic, Real-Time Tsunami Detection in Sea Level Measurements

Automatic, real-time tsunami detection in sea-level measurements is a main component of a tsunami early warning system (TEWS). Although a great effort has been recently undertaken by the scientific and engineering community in developing new technologies (e.g. satellite altimetry, detectors of low-frequency elastic oscillations associated to a tsunami) capable of increasing the awareness of potential tsunamis in the minimum amount of time, at present direct detection in sea level measurements is still the main mean to confirm their actual generation and propagation, i.e. to upgrade or cancel the rapid initial warning usually given on the sole basis of seismic data. The paper describes the best available algorithms and numerical techniques which can be used for automatic real-time tsunami detection by using sea level measurements. The paper takes into consideration all possible device and locations for the sea level detection

Engineering Tools for the Estimation of Dredging-Induced Sediment Resuspension and Coastal Environmental Management

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to environmental impacts that may result from resuspension, sedimentation and increase in concentration of chemicals during dredging activities. Dredging dislodges and resuspends bottom sediments that are not captured by dredge-head movements. Resuspended sediments are advected far from the dredging site as a dredging plume and the increase in the suspended solid concentration (SSC) can strongly differ, in time and space, depending on site and operational conditions. Well-established international guidelines often include numerical modelling applications to support environmental studies related to dredging activities. Despite the attention that has been focused on this issue, there is a lack of verified predictive techniques of plume dynamics at progressive distances from the different dredging sources, as a function of the employed dredging techniques and work programs, i.e., spatial and temporal variation of resuspension source. This chapter illustrates predictive techniques to estimate the SSC arising from dredges with different mechanisms of sediment release and to assess the spatial and temporal variability of the resulting plume in estuarine and coastal areas. Predictive tools are aimed to support technical choices during planning and operational phases and to better plan the location and frequency of environmental monitoring activities during dredging execution

a comparison of semg temporal and spatial information in the analysis of continuous movements

Abstract Much effort has recently been devoted to the analysis of continuous movements with the aim of promoting EMG signal acceptance in several fields of application. Moreover, several studies have been performed to optimize the temporal and spatial parameters in order to obtain a robust interpretation of EMG signals. Resulting from these perspectives, the investigation of the contribution of EMG temporal and spatial information has become a relevant aspect for signal interpretation. This paper aims to evaluate the effects of the two types of information on continuous motions analysis. In order to achieve this goal, the spatial and temporal information of EMG signals were separated and applied as input for an offline Template Making and Matching algorithm. Movement recognition was performed testing three different methods. In the first case (the Temporal approach) the RMS time series generated during movements was the only information employed. In the second case (the Spatial approach) the mean RMS amplitude measured on each channel was considered. Finally, in the third case (the Spatio-Temporal approach) a combination of the information from both the previous approaches was applied. The experimental protocol included 14 movements, which were different from each other in the muscular activation and the execution timing. Results show that the recognition of continuous movements cannot disregard the temporal information. Moreover, the temporal patterns seem to be relevant also for distinguishing movements which differ only in the muscular areas they activate

Characterization of atmospheric aerosol optical properties based on the combined use of a ground-based Raman lidar and an airborne optical particle counter in the framework of the Hydrological Cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment – Special Observation Period 1

Abstract. Vertical profiles of the particle backscattering coefficient at 355, 532 and 1064 nm measured by the University of Basilicata Raman lidar system (BASIL) have been compared with simulated particle backscatter profiles obtained through a Mie scattering code based on the use of simultaneous and almost co-located profiles provided by an airborne optical particle counter. Measurements were carried out during dedicated flights of the French research aircraft ATR42 in the framework of the European Facility for Airborne Research (EUFAR) project "WaLiTemp", as part of the Hydrological Cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment – Special Observation Period 1 (HyMeX-SOP1). Results from two selected case studies are reported and discussed in the paper, and a dedicated analysis approach is illustrated and applied to the dataset. Results reveal a good agreement between measured and simulated multi-wavelength particle backscattering profiles. Specifically, simulated and measured particle backscattering profiles at 355 and 532 nm for the second case study are found to deviate less than 15 % (mean value =5.9 %) and 50 % (mean value =25.9 %), respectively, when considering the presence of a continental–urban aerosol component, while slightly larger deviation values are found for the first study. The reported good agreement between measured and simulated multi-wavelength particle backscatter profiles testifies to the ability of multi-wavelength Raman lidar systems to infer aerosol types at different altitudes

Clear-air lidar dark band

This paper illustrates measurements carried out by the Raman lidar BASIL in the frame of HOPE, revealing the presence of a clear-air dark band phenomenon (i.e. the appearance of a minimum in lidar backscatter echoes) in the upper portion of the convective boundary layer. The phenomenon is clearly distinguishable in the lidar backscatter echoes at 1064 nm. This phenomenon is attributed to the presence of lignite aerosol particles advected from the surrounding open pit mines in the vicinity of the measuring site

Rain evaporation rate estimates from dual-wavelength lidar measurements and intercomparison against a model analytical solution

Rain evaporation, while significantly contributing to moisture and heat cloud budgets, is a still poorly understood process with few measurements presently available. Multiwavelength lidars, widely employed in aerosols and clouds studies, can also provide useful information on the microphysical characteristics of light precipitation, for example, drizzle and virga. In this paper, lidar measurements of the median volume raindrop diameter and rain evaporation rate profiles are compared with a model analytical solution. The intercomparison reveals good agreement between the model and observations, with a correlation between the profiles up to 65% and a root-mean-square error up to 22% with a 5% bias. Larger discrepancies are due to radiosonde soundings different air masses and model assumptions no more valid along the profile as nonsteady atmosphere and/or appearance of collision–coalescence processes. Nevertheless, this study shares valuable information to better characterize the rain evaporation processes

Improvement of neuropsychological performances and reduction of immune-activation markers after probiotic supplementation and change of life-style in an HIV positive male: targeting the microbiota to act on gut-brain axis

The gut-brain axis is widely in uenced by the intestinal microbiota and dysbiosis is consequently associated with a large dysregulation of its functions. Probiotic supplementation, reducing the harmful effects of dysbiosis, has shown positive effects not only on gut and brain functions, but also on the control of the dangerous effects of immune activation. Mounting evidence has shown that neurocognitive impairment can be a secondary to the impairment of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in HIV positive patients. In this case report we analyzed the im- provement of neurocognitive performances associated with a reduction of levels of peripheral immune-activa- tion, after 6 months of probiotic supplementation. In this case, the achieved result may have been in uenced by a more comprehensive modi cation of the patient’s lifestyle with the introduction of a controlled diet and regular physical activity. Our observations suggest that integrate antiretroviral therapy and non-pharmacological tools into an overall approach, can be a useful strategy to control some non-AIDS related diseases