ERROR AND UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS OF RESIDUAL STRESS EVALUATION BY USINGTHE RING-CORE METHOD

The Ring-Core Method is a technique used for the experimental analysis of the residual stresses in mechanical components. For uniform and non-uniform residual stresses estimation, the use of the method leads in general to accurate results but, unfortunately at present the user does not have appropriate procedures to correct the obtained results from systematic errors as well as to estimate the uncertainty due to random errors. In order to overcome such drawbacks, in the present work, the procedures for the correction of the effects of the main error sources and for the stress uncertainty estimation, are proposed. The practical application of such procedures allow the user to highlight the relative magnitude of the error and stress uncertainty associated with the main influence parameters

Cigarette smoke increases BLT2 receptor functions in bronchial epithelial cells: in vitro and ex vivo evidence

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is a neutrophil chemotactic molecule with important involvement in the inflammatory responses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Airway epithelium is emerging as a regulator of innate immune responses to a variety of insults including cigarette smoke, the major risk factor for COPD. In this study we have explored whether cigarette smoke extracts (CSE) or soluble mediators present in distal lung fluid samples (mini-bronchoalveolar lavages) from smokers alter the expression of the LTB4 receptor 2 (BLT2) and peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor-a (PPAR-a) in bronchial epithelial cells. We also evaluated the effects of CSE on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and on the binding of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1) to ICAM-1 promoter as well as the adhesiveness of neutrophils to bronchial epithelial cells. CSE and minibronchoalveolar lavages from smokers increased BLT2 and ICAM-1 expression as well as the adhesiveness of neutrophils to bronchial epithelial cells and decreased PPAR-a expression. CSE induced the activation of STAT-1 and its binding to ICAM-1 promoter. These findings suggest that, in bronchial epithelial cells, CSE promote a prevalent induction of pro-inflammatory BLT2 receptors and activate mechanisms leading to increased neutrophil adhesion, a mechanism that contributes to airway neutrophilia and to tissue damage

An automatically generated high-resolution earthquake catalogue for the 2016–2017 Central Italy seismic sequence, including P and S phase arrival times

The 2016–2017 central Italy earthquake sequence began with the first main shock near the town of Amatrice on August 24 (Mw 6.0), and was followed by two subsequent large events near Visso on October 26 (Mw 5.9) and Norcia on October 30 (Mw 6.5), plus a cluster of four events with Mw > 5.0 within few hours on 18 January 2017. The affected area had been monitored before the sequence started by the permanent Italian National Seismic Network (RSNC), and was enhanced during the sequence by temporary stations deployed by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology and the British Geological Survey. By the middle of September, there was a dense network of 155 stations, with a mean separation in the epicentral area of 6–10 km, comparable to the most likely earthquake depth range in the region. This network configuration was kept stable for an entire year, producing 2.5 TB of continuous waveform recordings. Here we describe how this data was used to develop a large and comprehensive earthquake catalogue using the Complete Automatic Seismic Processor (CASP) procedure. This procedure detected more than 450 000 events in the year following the first main shock, and determined their phase arrival times through an advanced picker engine (RSNI-Picker2), producing a set of about 7 million P- and 10 million S-wave arrival times. These were then used to locate the events using a non-linear location (NLL) algorithm, a 1-D velocity model calibrated for the area, and station corrections and then to compute their local magnitudes (ML). The procedure was validated by comparison of the derived data for phase picks and earthquake parameters with a handpicked reference catalogue (hereinafter referred to as ‘RefCat’). The automated procedure takes less than 12 hr on an Intel Core-i7 workstation to analyse the primary waveform data and to detect and locate 3000 events on the most seismically active day of the sequence. This proves the concept that the CASP algorithm can provide effectively real-time data for input into daily operational earthquake forecasts, The results show that there have been significant improvements compared to RefCat obtained in the same period using manual phase picks. The number of detected and located events is higher (from 84 401 to 450 000), the magnitude of completeness is lower (from ML 1.4 to 0.6), and also the number of phase picks is greater with an average number of 72 picked arrival for a ML = 1.4 compared with 30 phases for RefCat using manual phase picking. These propagate into formal uncertainties of ±0.9 km in epicentral location and ±1.5 km in depth for the enhanced catalogue for the vast majority of the events. Together, these provide a significant improvement in the resolution of fine structures such as local planar structures and clusters, in particular the identification of shallow events occurring in parts of the crust previously thought to be inactive. The lower completeness magnitude provides a rich data set for development and testing of analysis techniques of seismic sequences evolution, including real-time, operational monitoring of b-value, time-dependent hazard evaluation and aftershock forecasting

Mediterranean plant germination reports – 5

This is the fifth issue of the series of germination reports from Mediterranean areas (sensu Med-Checklist). It comprises germination protocols for 18 taxa: Hieracium and Pilosella from South Italy by Di Gristina & al. (Nos. 103-106); Genista from Sardinia by Deplano & al. (No. 107); Antirrhinum, Anthyllis, Digitalis, Echium, Jasione, Nothoscordum, Silene and Verbascum by Martínez-Oliver & al. (Nos. 108-116); Dianthus, Helichrysum and Silene from Sicily by Scafidi & Salmeri (Nos. 117-120)

MUDA: dynamic geophysical and geochemical MUltiparametric DAtabase

In this paper, the new dynamic geophysical and geochemical MUltiparametric DAtabase (MUDA) is presented. MUDA is a new infrastructure of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), published online in December 2023, with the aim of archiving and disseminating multiparametric data collected by multidisciplinary monitoring networks. MUDA is a MySQL relational database with a web interface developed in PHP, aimed at investigating possible correlations between seismic phenomena and variations in endogenous and environmental parameters in quasi real time. At present, MUDA collects data from different types of sensors such as hydrogeochemical probes for physical–chemical parameters in waters, meteorological stations, detectors of air radon concentration, diffusive flux of carbon dioxide (CO2) and seismometers belonging both to the National Seismic Network of INGV and to temporary networks installed in the framework of multidisciplinary research projects. MUDA publishes data daily, updated to the previous day, and offers the chance to view and download multiparametric time series selected for different time periods. The resultant dataset provides broad perspectives in the framework of future high-frequency and continuous multiparametric monitoring as a starting point to identify possible seismic precursors for short-term earthquake forecasting. MUDA can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.13127/muda (Massa et al., 2023).</p

The emerging role of NG2 in pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) have a dismal prognosis and are poorly understood brain cancers. Receptor tyrosine kinases stabilized by neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG2) protein are known to induce gliomagenesis. Here, we investigated NG2 expression in a cohort of DIPG specimens (n= 50). We demonstrate NG2 expression in the majority of DIPG specimens tested and determine that tumors harboring histone 3.3 mutation express the highest NG2 levels. We further demonstrate that microRNA 129-2 (miR129-2) is downregulated and hypermethylated in human DIPGs, resulting in the increased expression of NG2. Treatment with 5-Azacytidine, a methyltransferase inhibitor, results in NG2 downregulation in DIPG primary tumor cells in vitro. NG2 expression is altered (symmetric segregation) in mitotic human DIPG and mouse tumor cells. These mitotic cells co-express oligodendrocyte (Olig2) and astrocyte (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP) markers, indicating lack of terminal differentiation. NG2 knockdown retards cellular migration in vitro, while NG2 expressing neurospheres are highly tumorigenic in vivo, resulting in rapid growth of pontine tumors. NG2 expression is targetable in vivo using miR129-2 indicating a potential avenue for therapeutic interventions. This data implicates NG2 as a molecule of interest in DIPGs especially those with H3.3 mutation

A dense micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)-based seismic network in populated areas: rapid estimation of exposure maps in Trentino (NE Italy)

The micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)-based seismic network of Trentino (NE Italy) consists of 73 low-cost accelerometers installed close to inhabited areas. These sensors have a suitable sensitivity to detect moderate-to-strong earthquakes but are able to record even weaker seismicity. The densely distributed peak ground acceleration values recorded by MEMS and other types of stations are integrated within the existing seismic monitoring procedure in order to automatically obtain a complete set of strong motion parameters a few minutes after the origin time. The exposure of the resident population and critical buildings is estimated by quantifying the different levels of shaking, which is expressed according to the Mercalli–Cancani–Sieberg intensity scale. These types of results, summarized in synthetic portable document format (PDF), can be useful for civil protection purposes to evaluate the state of emergency after a strong earthquake in a timely manner and to choose how and where to activate first aid measures and targeted structural monitoring.</p