Measures In Italy Research Articles

Use of TLD in evaluating diagnostic reference levels for some radiological examinations.

The European Council Directive 97/43 introduces diagnostic reference levels (DRL) for all medical examinations involving ionising radiation. Each department has to evaluate patient dose and to compare that value with the DRL adopted by its member state. Italian law, applying the Directive, states that reference levels must be measured every 2 years. Quantities that must be measured are entrance surface dose or air kerma, or other dosimetric quantities. In our work, clinical measurements on patients were made by positioning a thermoluminescence dosemeter (TLD) over the skin of a statistically significant number of patients for each projection of each examination. As there is no national guideline for these measurements in Italy, the aim of this work was to establish a method based both on European publications and on clinical experience. Three different modalities were considered: conventional radiography, computed radiography and mammography. Accordingly, differently shaped types of TLD were required, especially for mammography where the beam energy is lower.

Biospheric influence on carbon dioxide measurements in Italy

The study concerning carbon dioxide measurements taken during the 1997, 1998 and 1999 summer campaigns at two different altitude stations and biospheric conditions are presented. The higher station (Mt. Cimone, 2165 m a.s.l.) is characterised by 360° free horizon and is located on a rocky mountain while the lower (Ninfa lake, 1550 m a.s.l.) is located inside the red spruce and beech forest. The different behaviour of CO 2 at the two mountain stations has been registered. It shows the strong effect of nighttime soil emission and vegetation respiration on CO 2 mixing ratio increases and of diurnal vegetative activity on CO 2 concentration decreases at the lower measurement site. The baseline character of the higher measurement site has been confirmed by comparison of CO 2 diurnal amplitudes recorded at the two stations.

Restoring the Countryside: George Perkins Marsh and the Italian Land Ethic (1861-1882)

Abstract G.P. Marsh wrote his monumental Man and Nature (1864) almost entirely in Italy, where he drew heavily from Italian insights and Italian landscapes. While warning about the human propensity to degrade nature, he also maintained hope in the human ability to restore nature. In Italy, as in the United States, Marsh's writings helped stimulate discussion leading to major new land-use policies; generally preservationist measures in the U.S. and restorationist measures in Italy. The novelty and urgency of Marsh's messages depended upon contrasting Old and New World traditions of land management.

Seizure and Confiscation Measures in Italy: An Evaluation of their Effectiveness and Constitutionality

Seizure and Confiscation Measures in Italy: An Evaluation of their Effectiveness and Constitutionality

Forest Fire: An Evolution of Control Measures in Italy

Forest Fire: An Evolution of Control Measures in Italy

The atmospheric long range transport model LORAN and its application to Chernobyl release

The computer model LORAN (LOng Range Atmospheric advection of Nuclides) wich includes a recently developed description of the mixing layer growth is described. The model is assessed against measurements of radioactivity in air and soil after the Chernobyl accident. The ATMES data set, together with recently acquired measurements in Italy (Cs-137 air concentration), Russia, Rumania and Norway (cumumulative deposition of Cs-137) are used for the actual field measurements, when the analysed windfields from circulation models are used. This gives an indication of the representativeness of measurements considered in the comparison.

Hydraulic fracturing testing method for rock stress measurements in Italy : Barla, G; Bertacchi, P; Zaninetti, A; Rossi, P P; Vielmo, I Proc International Symposium on Rock Stress and Rock Stress Measurement, Stockholm, 1– Sept 1986P331–340. Publ Lulea: Centek, 1986

Hydraulic fracturing testing method for rock stress measurements in Italy : Barla, G; Bertacchi, P; Zaninetti, A; Rossi, P P; Vielmo, I Proc International Symposium on Rock Stress and Rock Stress Measurement, Stockholm, 1– Sept 1986P331–340. Publ Lulea: Centek, 1986

The chernobyl accident: Air radioactivity measurements in Italy

The data of the air radioactivity collected in the period 26/4–25/5, 1986 after the Chernobyl accident are presented. In particular the network of the sampling stations and the analyses carried out are briefly described. The meteorological situation responsible for the long-range transport of the pollutants from the place of emission to our country is also shown. Then the data of the air radioactivity are discussed and finally some observations on the functioning of the network are done.

Indoor Gamma Exposure Measurements in Italy

A national survey has been carried out in Italy by ENEA to assess the indoor exposure of the Italian population. Both large cities and rural areas, spread over the whole country and characterised by different building materials and natural background have been surveyed. The paper deals with indoor gamma exposure measurements performed with a dosemeter based on two LiF detectors placed in the same plastic holder and issued for a two month period. The results are from about 600 dwellings and, at least for the areas taken into account, no extreme situations are in evidence.

A descriptive study of epilepsy in the district of Copparo, Italy, 1964-1978.

Worldwide investigation of the epidemiology of epilepsy has suggested wide variations in the frequency of convulsive disorders. However, descriptive studies in general populations cannot be completely comparable because of a remarkable methodological dishomogeneity in definition of epilepsy, classification of seizures, and ascertainment, collection, and selection of the cases. The position with regard to the Mediterranean people was still little known, and the few studies presently available from Italy offer underestimates of epilepsy frequency owing to incompleteness in case-collection practices and lack of information about the incidence of the disease. Therefore, to verify the true frequency of epilepsy in our country, we performed a community-based epidemiologic study of convulsive disorders in the district of Copparo (population 45,153) in northern Italy. Based on 278 accepted cases with "active" epilepsy, the prevalence per 1,000 population on December 31, 1978, was 6.2 (6.4 if standardized to the Italian population). The average annual incidence for the period 1964 through 1978 was 33.1 per 100,000 (38.3 if standardized). These results, similar to those found in other Western countries, support the view that the frequency of epilepsy in Italy as a whole is higher than that indicated by the Italian studies previously published, and suggest that epilepsy is evenly distributed in Europe and the United States. Antecedents which could be considered potential causes of epilepsy were found in 39.6%, and in 39.1% of the prevalence and incidence cases, respectively; for both prevalence and incidence groups, perinatal brain injuries were the most frequent event. This high proportion of epileptic cases with underlying causes emphasizes the urgency of planning precautionary measures in Italy to improve prenatal and perinatal medical care.

Lidar Visibility Measurements in Italy

This paper describes the activity of the IROE Lidar Group in the field of visibility measurements. Lidar visibility measurements were started as early as 1973 in collaboration with the DFVLR of Oberpfaffenhofen (F.R. Germany) and are still progressing as a part of the Air Traffic Control Programme of the CNR. Lidar signatures were obtained in field experiments carried out in 1974, 1976 and 1978 and different processing methods were employed in order to test their reliability. The results of such measurements are discussed in this paper.

Heat flow in Italy

More than fifty heat flow measurements in Italy are examined. The values, corrected only for local influences (when present), are related to the main geological features with the following results: foreland areas, 55±19 mW m−2, foredeep areas, 45±21 mW m−2; folded regions and intermountain depressions, 76±29 mW m−2. In volcanic areas the heat flow rises to in excess of 600 mW m−2. From a tectonic point of view, these values are consistent with the hypothesis that the Apennine chain is intersected by two arcuate structures: the first from Liguria to Latium is very probably a continental arc, that is an are which occurs within a continent, and the second from Campania to Calabria is very similar from geophysical evidence to the classic island arcs.

Malaria control through anti-mosquito measures in Italy

Abstract The Malaria Experiment Station at Rome (Stazione Sperimentale per la Lotta Antimalarica) has during the last four years carried on experiments in malaria control in certain Italian communities using (1) anti-larval measures alone, (2) anti-larval measures combined with intensive quininization, and (3) intensive quininization alone. In every case, the anti-larval measures were less expensive than the treatment of the malaria previously carried on in the community, and in four years produced an almost complete disappearance of endemic malaria which was not accelerated by the concomitant treatment of chronic carriers. Intensive quininization alone has not in two years produced any diminution in the parasite or spleen indices, although it has reduced the size of the largest spleens and has somewhat diminished the amount of malignant tertian and quartan fevers. Medical assistance to the malarious sick and the prevention of transmission through anti-mosquito measures are both necessary, and should be carried on simultaneously; but they have different aims, and one is not a substitute for the other. The intensity of malaria in a locality bears a definite relationship to the density of anophelines in human habitations, and responds rapidly to changes in the latter ; but the measure of contact between anophelines and man is a factor which varies widely in different regions with the same species, and with different species in the same region. The use of larvicides should not take the place of permanent measures to abolish anopheline breeding whenever these are possible, but larvicides (especially Paris green) should be used to hold malaria in check until definite measures can be applied ; and, where this is impracticable, communities may successfully and economically employ larvicides in an annual campaign against anopheline larvae for an indefinite period of time.