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Percorsi in Civiltà dell’Asia e dell’Africa V. Quaderni di studi dottorali alla Sapienza
No full textIl presente volume costituisce il quinto dell’iniziativa editoriale inaugurata nel 2021, volta a promuovere i risultati delle ricerche di giovani studiosi in formazione presso il Dottorato in Civiltà dell’Asia e dell’Africa, dell’Università di Roma Sapienza. I saggi qui presentati, di autori iscritti al 38°, al 39° e al 40° ciclo, rispecchiano alcune delle principali specializzazioni del corso in questione e spaziano dalla letteratura alla linguistica, dalla storia ai cultural studies, per le diverse aree geografiche e culturali, dal Maghreb all’Estremo Oriente. Di carattere multidisciplinare e basati su fonti in lingua originale, tali studi assumono particolare rilevanza sia in campo accademico, sia a un livello più divulgativo, contribuendo a una maggiore comprensione delle tematiche affrontate attraverso analisi inedite e strumenti metodologici innovativi
Roman and Early Medieval bronze artifacts from the Middle Tiber Valley: Technological and conservation insight through optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, and electrochemical analysis
No full textThis study focuses on microstructure, chemistry, and patina characterisation of eleven archaeological bronze artefacts from two contexts of the Middle Tiber Valley (Viterbo, Central Italy). The samples were unearthed in the cistern at Spoletino (1st -4th century AD) and in the late Roman-early Medieval necropolis of Castel Sozzio (5th-7th century AD). They were analysed using optical microscopy (OM), micro-Raman spectroscopy (μ-Raman), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and electrochemical investigations. OM explored corrosion products on the surfaces, highlighting mineralogical and structural heterogeneity of the patinas. SEM-EDS analysis showed the presence of binary (Cu-Sn) and ternary (Cu-Pb-Sn) alloys with minor and trace elements. The binary alloys were used for good hardness artefacts, and the ternary ones for those that required easy metal working. Selective enrichment and depletion of the alloying metals produced broad chemical variations and structural heterogeneity in the patinas. Micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed different corrosion products such as cuprite (Cu2O), lazurite (Na7Ca(Al6Si6O24)(SO4)(S3)·H2O), malachite (CuCO3Cu(OH)2), and phosgenite (Pb2Cl2CO3). The presence of lazurite in two samples was linked to sulphurrich burial environments, while phosgenite was linked to the interactions with Cl and a CO2-rich burial environment. Metallurgical practices, such as slow cooling rates and lead segregation during casting, promoted mineralogical and structural heterogeneity in the patinas due to interactions with the burial environment, where decomposition of organic matter occurred. Electrochemical data permitted the estimation of the corrosion rates for all artefacts at remarkably low levels (0–0.1 mm/year), reflecting stable burial conditions and the protective nature of the patinas. These results suggest that the burial environments in the Middle Tiber Valley were non-aggressive, facilitating the development of layered patinas influenced primarily by oxygen and carbon dioxide from humus-rich soils, with a lesser contribution from salts
Portable ER-FTIR as a non-destructive method to pre-screen collagen for ZooMS analysis in archaeology
No full textIn the last decades, archaeology has witnessed a significant increase in the use of biomolecular analyses to study a variety of materials, including skeletal elements, as they are frequently preserved in archaeological deposits and directly linked to cultural and economic dynamics of ancient human populations. Radiocarbon dating, isotopic studies, and proteomic analyses are particularly useful to explore these questions, while their success is highly dependent on the state of preservation of collagen, the most abundant component of the organic fraction of skeletal elements. Over time collagen degrades, and its preservation is often compromised in very ancient archaeological contexts or when taphonomic processes are particularly severe, which can significantly limit the feasibility of subsequent biomolecular analyses.
The aim of this study is to test whether external reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ER-FTIR) can serve as a rapid, non-destructive pre-screening tool for assessing collagen preservation prior to ZooMS analysis. To evaluate the method's effectiveness, various faunal bone fragments were selected from different archaeological contexts (e.g., rock shelters, pits in dune fields, etc.) located in the Central Sahara (SW Libya), dating to the Middle and Late Holocene (8300–3400 cal BP). The bone fragments were first subjected to ER-FTIR analysis and then to ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry) to compare the results and assess the presence of collagen in the samples.
Our results indicate that collagen was detected in about one-third of the samples, consistently associated with specific spectral features and further validated by ZooMS analyses. The method effectively distinguished well-preserved from poorly preserved samples while avoiding destructive sampling. This pre-screening approach reduces time and financial costs and safeguards the integrity of archaeological bones. Beyond its practical application, it also contributes to bioarchaeology and conservation science by providing a reproducible, non-destructive framework for evaluating biomolecular preservation across different sites and periods
Rationalizing Evaluation Legal Models for Affordable Home Ownership and Leasehold Interests in Italy
No full textWith reference to the issue of the evaluation of the purchase prices for leasehold properties, in Italy the transfer of properties built as part of regulated housing initiatives is restricted by a series of constraints, the removal of which entails a set of fees to be borne by the housing lessees. This study, starting from an analysis of similar tools applied in other European territorial contexts, provides a methodological approach for estimating these fees while simultaneously considering the framework established by the current regulations, the trends in the residential market, and the inflation dynamics
L'immaginazione operativa di Giordano Bruno
No full textL’intera produzione filosofica bruniana si apre con il De umbris idearum (1582) e si chiude con
il De imaginum compositione (1591), due opere mnemotecniche che dimostrano come l’interesse
bruniano per l’ars non si sia mai affievolito. Essa, ben lungi dall’essere intesa come mero
esercizio, rappresenta piuttosto un campo d’applicazione ove Bruno teorizza una vis
imaginativa “controllata” e intimamente connessa all’attività razionale. La proposta bruniana
lega altresì il vantaggio pratico ad un vero e proprio fine metafisico, che fa della memoria il
viatico per l’emulazione del magistero naturale. Pertanto, la tesi si sviluppa in una prospettiva
che intende indagare la praxis dal De umbris idearum al De imaginum compositione, passando per
la mediazione del Sigillus sigillorum, in un continuo confronto coi cardini della «Nolana
filosofia». Pertanto, oggetto di particolare approfondimento sono i concetti di umbra, contractio
e idea, mentre, dal punto di vista tecnico, il lavoro dedica ampio spazio all’uso delle ruote
circolari e dell’atrium immaginativo. Attraverso l’esame delle suddette opere latine, si mostra
come l’immaginazione agisca quale specchio vivente (speculum) della mente universale e come
prassi filosofica che unisce metafisica e morale nel perseguimento della similitudine divina
Exploring perceived gender disparities in neurology career: insights from an Italian survey
No full textIntroduction: The percentage of women neurologists is steadily increasing globally. Nevertheless women still face lower and slower levels of career progression and are less likely to reach leadership positions. In order to obtain a better understanding of the gender gap in the area of neurology in Italy, the Gender Equality Committee of the Italian Society of Neurology (SIN) conducted a survey among the society members. Methods: Members of the SIN were invited to complete an anonymous online survey. The questions were grouped into different sections covering work environment, research, academic career, scientific societies, work/life balance and gender equality perception. The questions were structured using Likert-type scales. Results: A total of 237 subjects (64.1% women; mean age 42.5 ± 13.6 years), representing 6.4% of the SIN members, participated in the survey. A significantly higher percentage (p < 0.0001) of women than men reported that gender influences career progression (51.5% vs 5%), academic career (91.8% vs 57.1%), access to research facilities (37.5% vs 17.1%), authorship of scientific articles (34.2% vs 8.6%), selection of contributions and speakers within scientific societies (37.9% vs 16.2%), and work-life balance (76% vs 37.5%). Overall, women felt that gender equality was poor in all the different sections. Conclusions: In Italy women neurologists face a wide range of gender disparities affecting their professional and personal lives in the hospital and academic settings. Even if the low response rate could have affected the results, improving gender equality should be a priority in the near future
Detection of irradiated insect products: A pilot study on dried crickets (Acheta domesticus)
No full textThis work aimed to verify the possibility of identifying irradiated dried crickets using physical techniques based on stimulated luminescence, namely Photostimulated Luminescence (PSL) and Thermally Stimulated Luminescence or Thermoluminescence (TL). These techniques detect irradiation in minerals present in foods, mainly in silicates that have good luminescent properties. Insects living on the soil in open air are supposed to contain enough minerals for the analysis. However, in the case of farmed insects, such as those covered by this study, the conditions in which they are raised and the treatments to which they are subjected during production could modify their contamination and prevent the application of such methods. In this study, we investigated dried crickets (Acheta domesticus), supplied by an Italian farm, that are boiled and dried during production. Tests were performed on one non-irradiated sample and on samples irradiated at 1 and 3 kGy using the PSL and TL based methods EN 13751 and EN 1788, respectively. Both methods provided satisfactory results, which indicated that, despite treatments during production, sufficient quantities of minerals were still present on the insects for analysis
Simulations and experimental activities on electron diagnostics for EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB
No full textThe development of advanced beam diagnostics is essential in next-generation high-brightness accelerator facilities, including free-electron lasers and plasma-based accelerators.
The EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB facility, currently under construction at INFN-LNF, will demonstrate a high-brightness plasma-driven accelerator capable of delivering beams suitable for a freeelectron laser. In this context, this thesis presents dedicated beam dynamics studies aimed at
characterizing and determining the resolution limits of the diagnostic systems foreseen for EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB. The work evaluates the performance of diagnostics at three representative
energies — low (118 MeV), medium (400 MeV), and high (1 GeV) — through dedicated beam dynamics simulations. Particular attention is devoted to the PolariX Transverse Deflection Structure
(PolariX TDS), an X-band cavity with variable polarization developed by PSI, CERN, and DESY.
Its capability to continuously rotate the streaking field in the transverse plane allows the same
device to perform longitudinal diagnostics in orthogonal planes. This unique flexibility also enables
tomographic reconstruction of the longitudinal and transverse phase-space distributions. The work
presents theoretical activities, including RF studies and beam dynamics simulations of the PolariX
TDS, such as the validation of 3D field maps and the RF design of the 50-cell structure for the
low-energy section. In addition, dedicated simulations were performed to evaluate the measurement
resolution for emittance, energy, and bunch length across the EuPRAXIA diagnostic sections. Finally, experimental results from the SwissFEL Athos beamline demonstrate the feasibility of 3D
and 5D beam tomography using the PolariX TDS, performed on realistic high-brightness beams
and intended for future implementation at both SwissFEL and EuPRAXIA. The outcomes of this
research establish the achievable resolution of the EuPRAXIA diagnostic systems and validate the
integration of the PolariX TDS concept as a key enabling technology for next-generation compact
FEL facilities
Urinary metabolomics as a window into occupational exposure: the case of foundry workers
No full textFoundries represent complex exposure scenarios where metals, particulate matter, and combustion by-products coexist, posing potential cumulative biological effects. Urinary metabolic profiles from 64 foundry workers and 78 residents living in surrounding areas were investigated using multivariate statistical modeling. Differences in urinary metabolite patterns were observed between the two groups, including lower levels of several amino acids (e.g., valine, alanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) and tricarboxylic acid intermediates (e.g., citrate and succinate), together with higher levels of selected branched-chain amino acid catabolites (e.g., 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and erythro-2,3-dihydroxybutyrate) in workers. Variations in gut microbiota-related metabolites, such as phenylacetylglycine and p-cresol sulphate, were also detected. Based on these metabolic patterns, potential molecular mechanisms related to energy metabolism, oxidative stress and host–microbiome interaction are discussed as interpretative hypotheses. The comparison between workers and residents was interpreted, taking into account differences in demographic and lifestyle characteristics between groups. Overall, the results indicate that occupational exposure in foundries is associated with measurable differences in urinary metabolic profiles, demonstrating that the applied NMR-based metabolomic strategy is capable of capturing early biological effects and supporting its potential as a non-invasive and holistic biomonitoring tool for evaluating the health impact of complex occupational exposures