ABSTRACT:This study is part of the EU H2020 research Project FLOWERED (de-FLuoridation technologies for imprOving quality of WatEr and agRo-animal products along the East African Rift Valley in the context of aDaptation to climate change). FLOWERED project aims to develop technologies and methodologies at cross-boundary catchment scales to manage the risks associated with high Fluoride water supply in Africa, focusing on three representative test areas along the African Rift Valley (i.e. Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania), characterized by high fluoride contents in waters and soils, water scarcity, overexploitation of groundwater and high vulnerability to risks arising from climate change, as drought and desertification. It also is empowering local communities to take responsibility for the integrated-sustainability of the natural resources, growing national and international environmental priorities, enhancing transboundary cooperation and promoting local ownership based on a scientific and technological approach. Within the FLOWERED project, the transition from the land cover to the land use and water use maps is provided through the development of a mobile application (FLOWERED-GeoDBapp ). It is dedicated to the collection of local geo-information on land use, water uses, irrigation systems, household features, use of drinking water and the other information needful for the specific knowledge of water supply involving local communities through participative approach. This system is structured to be populated, through an action of crowd-generating data by local communities (students and people involved mainly by NGOs). The SHAREGEODBapp is proposed as an innovative tool for water management and agriculture institutions at regional and local level.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy is indicated in advanced heart failure patients with a wide QRS complex, because it restores the synchronicity of the atrioventricular, interventricular and intraventricular contractions. It is performed through endovascular implantation of one or more leads. Left cardiac lead positioning is one of the most challenging procedures in interventional cardiology; unfortunately, in up to 40% of cases no clinical improvements occur. Surgical implantation of a left ventricular lead is indicated in cases of failure or predicted unfeasibility of a transvenous positioning. Several surgical techniques have been described for implantation of left ventricular lead. Minimally invasive approaches, including video-assisted thoracic and robotic surgery, are favoured due to reduced trauma, pain and recovery time. Robotic surgery confers significant advantages for visualization and manoeuverability, which are important in patients with a history of cardiac surgery, in whom scarring and adhesions may render placement challenging. We describe here the surgical technique for robotic implantation of left ventricular leads in candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy.

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ABSTRACT:The increasing availability of satellite data is a real value for the enhancement of environmental knowledge and land management. Possibilities to integrate different source of geo-data are growing and methodologies to create thematic database are becoming very sophisticated. Moreover, the access to internet services and, in particular, to web mapping services is well developed and spread either between expert users than the citizens. Web map services, like Google Maps or Open Street Maps, give the access to updated optical imagery or topographic maps but information on land cover/use -are not still provided. Therefore, there are many failings in the general utilization -non-specialized users-and access to those maps. This issue is particularly felt where the digital (web) maps could form the basis for land use management as they are more economic and accessible than the paper maps. These conditions are well known in many African countries where, while the internet access is becoming open to all, the local map agencies and their products are not widespread.