102,093 research outputs found
I corsi d'acqua della città di Cremona: caratteristiche chimiche, biologiche e prospettive urbanistiche
No full textProspective randomized multicentre trial comparing stapled with open haemorrhoidectomy
No full textBackground: The aim of this study was to compare the results of conventional open haemorrhoidectomy as currently practised in Italy (group 1) with stapled haemorrhoidectomy using a 33-mm circular stapling device (group 2). Methods: One hundred patients with symptomatic third- and fourth-degree haemorrhoids were enrolled by five hospitals. Patients were allocated to the two groups according to a centralized randomization scheme featuring five permutated blocks of 20. Preoperative clinical examination and anorectal manometry demonstrated no features of anal incontinence. Patients had a clinical and manometric re-evaluation after operation and were asked to complete a clinical diary. After a median of 16 (range 8-19) months patients were administered a standardized questionnaire by telephone. Results: Postoperative bleeding requiring haemostatic procedures occurred in three patients in each group. Patients in group 1 complained of moderate pain for a median of 5.3 (range 0-19) days compared with 3.1 (range 0-10) days in group 2 (P = 0.01), while severe pain was present for 2.3 (range 0-24) days in group 1 but only for 1 (range 0-14) day in group 2 (P = 0.03). The median hospital stay was 2 days in group 1 compared with 1 day in group 2 (P = 0.01). In the early days after operation, patients in group 2 had greater difficulty in maintaining normal continence to liquid stools (P = 0.01), but after 30 days the continence score was better in group 2 (P = 0.04). Conclusion: Stapled haemorrhoidectomy is as effective as conventional haemorrhoidectomy. Reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay and a trend toward earlier return to work suggest short-term advantages for the stapled technique
APPLICATION OF THE EMPIRICAL PREDICTIVE DAMAGE MODEL OF HISTORICAL CHURCHES
No full textStrong seismic events are the main cause of serious damage to cultural heritage, especially to historical churches characterized by a lack of efficient resisting mechanisms and by high vulnerability due to their structural systems peculiarities. Their poor seismic performance is demonstrated by the recurrence of specific seismic damage mechanisms. In this paper, an empirical probabilistic damage predictive model recently presented in the literature is used to provide a scenario dependent risk assessment in a seismic prone area in Italy. In this response model, the damage is expressed by a continuous index and the seismic action is described by a scalar intensity measure. For the illustrative case study, a sample of churches falling into a limited area of Marche Region, hit by the Central Italy 2016 seismic sequence, has been chosen.
The sample includes all the historical churches belonging to the Archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino. The damage scenario following a seismic event of magnitude 5.8, generated by the Camerino fault, has been evaluated to illustrate the capability of this model in the prediction
of post-earthquake situation. Risk maps obtained by means of the method presented in the paper, can provide a notable support to the organization of post-event emergency actions and to the planning of preventive actions for the risk mitigation
Antiradical activity of phenolic metabolites extracted from grapes of white and red Vitis vinifera L. cultivars
No full textA diet rich in plant foods is strongly recommended for its beneficial effect on human health. In fact, plant secondary metabolites may exert various biological activities on mammalian cells. Among them, phenolics are excellent natural antioxidants able to rescue cell redox unbalance responsible for the onset of different pathologies. For these reasons, the present work was focused on the study of grape extracts obtained from eight different Italian Vitis vinifera cultivars, quite rare in Italian viticulture and not yet completely chemically characterized. For each preparation, total simple phenolic, flavonoidic and anthocyaninic content was measured through spectrophotometrical assays, while detailed biochemical profile was revealed by LC-MS analyses. In order to valorize the products of these varieties and increase our knowledge about their potential healthy role, the antioxidant power of the samples was evaluated by two different in vitro antiradical tests: DPPH and FRAP. Moreover, free radical scavenging properties of eleven grape pure compounds were investigated, with the aim to: a) compare their real antiradical property with the theoretical one; b) identify which one of them possessed the best bioactivity; c) understand how they might singularly contribute to the nutraceutical effect of the whole grapevine phytocomplex
Empirical predictive model for seismic damage of historical churches
No full textGenerally, strong seismic events cause serious damage to cultural heritage, especially in ancient churches characterized by a high vulnerability due to the intrinsic peculiarities of their structural systems which are not able to develop efficient resisting mechanisms. Starting from observed damage of churches and recorded ground motions, it is possible to define empirical response models. In this paper, an empirical predictive model for the seismic damage of churches is proposed. In particular, the damage is expressed by a continuous index and the seismic action is described by a scalar intensity measure. A sample of churches falling into a limited area hit by the Central Italy 2016 seismic sequence, which caused notable damage to the cultural heritage, has been chosen to calibrate the parameters of the proposed predictive model. The considered sample covers a wide range of damage and intensity levels, and includes all the churches of the area. The parameters of the model have been evaluated using the maximum likelihood estimation, considering a double step in the optimization procedure that combines a discrete with a continuous approach. Alternative proposals have been considered for the shape functions used in the numerical approximation and the results are discussed. Finally, the predictive model is applied to evaluate the damage scenario after a single seismic event and to illustrate the potential application of this risk analysis in decision-making processes. In particular, a deterministic event of magnitude 5.9 generated by the Senigallia fault has been considered and the consequences on historical churches reported in the national catalogue, are evaluated
Vulnerabilità ed inquinamento degli acquiferi delle pianure dell’Arno.Risorse idriche sostitutive e di emergenza del Valdarno Medio
No full textViene descritta l'attività e le ricerche svolte dalla U.O. 4.20 U del CNR-GNDCI in relazione alla vulnerabilità all'inquinamento degli acquiferi in Toscan
Modeling of the Guagua Pichincha volcano (Ecuador) lahars
No full textLahars, here defined as debris flows of volcanic origin, are rapid mass movements that pose a serious threat to cities located in the vicinity of many volcanoes. Quito, capital city of Ecuador and placed at the foot of the Pichincha volcano complex, is exposed to serious inundation hazard as part of the city is built on numerous deposits of large lahars that have occurred in the last 10,000 years. The objective of this paper is to model the potential lahars of the Pichincha volcano to predict inundation areas within the city of Quito. For this purpose two models that apply different approaches were utilized and their results were compared. The programs used were LAHARZ, a semi-empirical model conceived by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and FLO-2D, a hydraulic model distributed by FLO Software Inc. LAHARZ is designed as a rapid, objective and reproducible automated method for mapping areas of potential lahar inundation (Proc. First Int. Conf. on Debris Flow Hazards Mitigation, San Francisco, USA, ASCE, 1998, p. 176). FLO-2D is a two-dimensional flood routing model for simulating overland flow on complex surfaces such as floodplains, alluvial fans or urbanized areas (FLO-2D Users manual, version 99.2). Both models run within geographical information systems (GIS). Fieldwork was focused on collecting all available information involved in lahar modeling. A total of 49 channel cross-sections were measured along the two main streams and stratigraphic investigations were carried out on the fans to estimate the volume of previous events. A global positioning system was utilized to determine the coordinates of each cross-section. Further data collection concerned topography, rainfall characteristics and ashfall thicknesses. All fieldwork was carried out in cooperation with the Instituto Geofisico of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional. Modeling in a GIS environment greatly aided the exportation of results for the creation of thematic maps and facilitated model comparison. Evaluation of the models was performed by comparing simulation results against each other and against the geometry of existing lahar deposits. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Joh. Canuti Lenaei De Veritate Et Excellentia Christianae Religionis Brevis Informatio : Ad Exemplar Upsaliae MDCXXXVIII Excusum / [Hrsg.: Ernestus Salomon Cyprianus]
No full textVorlageform des Erscheinungsvermerks: LIPSIAE ET COBVRGI IN OFFICINA PFOTENHAVERIANA ANNO MDCCI. SCHLEVSINGAE, TYPIS G. W. GOEBELII, GYMNAS. TYPOGR
Vulnerability assessment and risk mitigation: the case of Vulcano Island, Italy
No full textThe paper reports on a comprehensive vulnerability analysis based on a research work developed within the EC ENSURE Project (7FP) dealing with the assessment of different volcanic phenomena and induced mass-movements on Vulcano Island (S Italy) as a key tool for proactive efforts for multi-risk mitigation. The work is mainly focused on tephra sedimentation and lahar hazards and related physical, systemic and mitigation capacities
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