The MURAVES experiment aims at the muographic imaging of the internal structure of the summit of Mt. Vesuvius, exploiting muons produced by cosmic rays. Though presently quiescent, the volcano ...carries a dramatic hazard in its highly populated surroundings. The challenging measurement of the rock density distribution in its summit by muography, in conjunction with data from other geophysical techniques, can help the modeling of possible eruptive dynamics. The MURAVES apparatus consists of an array of three independent and identical muon trackers, with a total sensitive area of 3 square meters. In each tracker, a sequence of 4 XY tracking planes made of plastic scintillators is complemented by a 60 cm thick lead wall inserted between the two downstream planes to improve rejection of background from low energy muons. The apparatus is currently acquiring data. Preliminary results from the analysis of a first data sample are presented.
The BLEMAB European project (BLast furnace stack density Estimation through online Muon ABsorption measurements), evolution of the previous MuBlast European project, is designed to investigate in ...detail the capability of muon radiography techniques applied to the imaging of a blast furnace's inner zone. In particular, the geometry and size of the so called cohesive zone, i.e. the spatial zone where the slowly downward moving material begins to soften and melt, that plays an important role in the performance of the blast furnace itself. Thanks to the high penetration power of the natural cosmic ray muon radiation, muon transmission radiography represents an appropriate non-invasive methodology for imaging large high-density structures such as blast furnaces, whose linear size can be up to a few tens of meters. A state-of-the-art muon tracking system, whose design profits from the long experience of our collaboration in this field, is currently under development and will be installed in 2022 at a blast furnace on the ArcelorMittal site in Bremen (Germany) for many months. Collected data will be exploited to monitor temporal variations of the average density distribution inside the furnace. Muon radiography results will also be compared with measurements obtained through an enhanced multipoint probe and standard blast furnace models.
The demand-control model originally developed by Robert Karasek is in Italy the preferred tool to investigate perceived work stress due to work-related organizational constrains. We wish to report ...the comprehensive results of the SEMM Study, carried on a wide sample of civil servants. N. 5271 women and 2601 men, employed at the Municipality of Milan in the years 1991-1996 were enrolled into the study. The overall participation rate was high in both gender group (75% or more), indicating a good compliance of employees for health prevention programmes carried out in work settings. Each participant, who has given consent, in addition to the medical examinations and biological tests related to the investigation of work exposures, underwent to a structured procedure to measure cardiovascular risk factors, according to the methods developed in the WHO MONICA Project, job strain adopting the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and the Baecke Questionnaire to investigate major quotes of physical activity. In this contest the JCQ has shown an acceptable level of internal and external consistency as well as of acceptance, measured by employees compliance. Psychological job demand and decision latitude can be assessed with two different JCQ revisions available in Italian, which were validated with the contribution of the author, at different complexity, but with comparable results of weighted scores. For a comprehensive assessment of the working conditions social support at work is also of relevance. In the work public sector considered, the JCQ major scores resulted to be valid descriptors of key aspects of the work organization. The concurrent assessment of sick leaves, known marker of burnout, allows to identify work- and individual-related determinants and, in a specific work setting, to give indications for coping actions which may improve workers' integration. In addition, the assessment of cardiovascular risk factors, carried out with standardised and then reliable methods, allow to measure overall global CVD risk and to identify unhealthy behaviours that can be addressed with specific preventive programmes.
Muon radiography is a fast growing field in applied scientific research. In recent years, many detector technologies and imaging techniques using the Coulomb scattering and absorption properties of ...cosmic-ray muons have been developed for the non-destructive assay of various structures across a wide range of applications. This work presents the first results that assess the feasibility of using muons to interrogate waste silos within the UK Nuclear Industry. Two such approaches, using different techniques that exploit each of these properties, have previously been published, and show promising results from both simulation and experimental data for the detection of shielded high-Z materials and density variations from volcanic assay. Both detector systems are based on scintillator and photomultiplier technologies. Results from dedicated simulation studies using both these technologies and image reconstruction techniques are presented for an intermediate-sized nuclear waste storage facility filled with concrete and an array of uranium samples. Both results highlight the potential to identify uranium objects of varying thicknesses greater than 5cm within real-time durations of several weeks. Increased contributions from Coulomb scattering within the concrete of the structure hinder the ability of both approaches to resolve objects of 2cm dimensions even with increased statistics. These results are all dependent on both the position of the objects within the facility and the locations of the detectors. Results for differing thicknesses of concrete, which reflect the unknown composition of the structures under interrogation, are also presented alongside studies performed for a series of data collection durations. It is anticipated that with further research, muon radiography in one, or both of these forms, will play a key role in future industrial applications within the UK Nuclear Industry.
Following the demonstration of a fully satisfactory immunogenic activity of a hepatitis B vaccination protocol consisting of three doses of Hevac B Pasteur vaccine given at 3,5 and 11 months of age, ...it was possible to administer this vaccine at the same times as the vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus and polio which are mandatory in Italy at those ages. We have also shown that both another plasma-derived vaccine, H-B-VAX (MSD), as well as the DNA-recombinant Engerix B (SK&F) are highly immunogenic when given at the same times as the mandatory childhood vaccinations. In this paper we demonstrate that the same schedule can be used for another hepatitis B vaccine prepared by a DNA-recombinant technique, Recombivax HB (MSD) recently introduced in Italy. In fact two doses of this vaccine, the first given at three months of age and the second two months later, resulted in a 100% seroconversion rate and a mean anti-HBs titre of 440 mUI/ml. Although the date are incomplete since the third dose will be given at 11 months of age, we conclude that this hepatitis B vaccine can also be used in the mass vaccination campaigns of infants in Italy, the first of which was initiated in January 1987 in an hyperendemic area near Naples (HBsAg prevalence about 14%). We underline that this mass vaccination campaign is the first in Europe.
Following the demonstration of a fully satisfactory immunogenic activity of a hepatitis B vaccination protocol consisting of three doses given at the 3rd and 5th months of age with a booster at 11, ...it was possible to administer this vaccine at the same times as the vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus and polio which are mandatory in Italy at those ages. A field trial of this protocol in a hyperendemic area near Naples (prevalence of HBsAg about 14%) started on January 1987. The French vaccine, Hevac B, Pasteur, was used. At this time compliance is 99%, and fully satisfactory results both in terms of seroconversion rate (96.3%) and of mean anti-HBs titre (4,352 mIU/ml) two months after the booster dose have been obtained. In this paper we demonstrate that even for a new hepatitis B vaccine prepared by a DNA-recombinant technique (Engerix B, SK & F) recently introduced in Italy, the same schedule can be used. In fact two doses of this vaccine, the first given at three months of age and the second two months later, resulted in a 100% seroconversion rate and a mean anti-HBs titre of 560 mIU/ml. Two months after the booster given at 11 months of age the mean anti-HBs titre was 12,100.
