211 research outputs found
Studio dei materiali legati ad attività metallurgiche dall’isola di S. Andrea, Loppio (TN): risultati preliminari.
No full textMetallurgical activities leave several types of traces in the area in which they take place: remnants of structures of various nature such as plain burnt, furnaces or forges, holes/containers for the collection of the products deriving from pyrotechnologic activities (charcoal, mineral, fluxing, etc.), pits for placement or storing of tools functional to the metallurgic activity, such as hoods, anvil, benches or plain of support in wood; remains of discard materials such as cinders, mineral slag, charcoal, fragments of crucibles and tuyeres, more rarely real metallic cuttings, directly related to the raw material, the semi-worked or the final products of the metallurgic activity, or tools related to the specific metallurgic job. In this paper we present the results of investigations carried out to characterize some products of metallurgic activities identified on the site of Loppio. Our results indicate that the majority of the remnants of metallurgic processes found in Loppio are associable to iron working activities, and only a minor amount to the copper or copper alloy working process. In both the cases they are not related to reduction processes (primary working), but derive from secondary working process, such as smithing activities of iron. Based on morphological and physical parameters we classified and grouped the residues of metallurgical activity found in Loppio in 11 classes, 10 of which related to the ironworking. The results of petrographic, chemical and mineralogical investigations carried out on a few samples belonging to significant classes of materials provided the early specific information on the phases and the working processes. The chemistry and the mineralogy of two samples of plano-convex bottom (PCB) smithing slag, their morphology and the abundance of this specific class of slags in the site, all suggest that the iron smithing was related to ingots of metal and /or to recycled iron, but probably not to the bloom. Further bulk analyses on these class of slags are needed to confirm this observation. Moreover the two investigated PCB slags show different mineralogical composition, compatible with different oxi-reductive conditions of production, and in one case result similar to the SFR type and in the other to the SGD one described by Serneels and Perret (2003). The presence of various types of PCB indicate a variety of ironworking processes, at various temperature, oxidation condition and produced by the use of different amounts of flux. The flux used has a silica-lime rich composition. Mineralogical analysis indicate that the temperatures of formation of the slag in the forge range between 1100-1200°C, coherently with ‘optimum’ temperature reported in literature for iron smithing. Since the excavations have not shown holes of forge, the identification of numerous remnants of walls of forge allows to hypothesize the presence of raised forges that, based on iconographic evidences are known to be used since the Roman age. In similar way the use of tuyeres, not recovered in the site, can be proven by negative imprints observed a the edges of some slag. A preliminary statistic analysis of spatial and chronological distribution of the investigated materials, suggests that the metallurgic activity possibly begun in the III Period of the Loppio site, in an area corresponding or close to the building IIIc.; evidence of metallurgical activity are also observed in contexts related to the Periods V and VI, mainly in the Buildings IIIb and IIIc and in the corridor IIIb /c and, less abundant, in the area III and possibly in the building V. However, the phenomenon of the redistribution of metallurgical remains in a working site, and the stratigraphic disturbance due to the different life phases of the site do not allow to attribute with certainty such finding to the Longobard period. The same consideration holds for the slags found in building V in layers ascribed to the VII Period, as a reworking cannot be excluded. The workmanship of the copper and /or of its leagues, is testified finally only in Buildings IIIb and IIIc and in the corridor IIIb/c, relatively to the Period V. Finally, no trace of metallurgic activity has been observed around Building I of sector A, where two metal bars were recovered from (Maurina this vol. ), indicating that the presence of metal bars in this area is not related to working activities
Isolation and N-Terminal sequence of multiple forms of granulins in human urine
No full textThree molecular forms of granulins (also known as epithelins) were isolated, for the first time, in human urine. Their N-terminal sequences, which have also been determined, are identical to those of granulins A and B, previously isolated from human leukocytes, and of granulin F, never isolated before but whose primary structure is known on the basis of the cDNA sequence. The urinary molecules, which show a molecular weight of about 6.5 kDa, are most likely produced by a posttranslational. proteolytic processing occurring at the level of the kidney, which appears to be the organ richest in granulin precursor mRNA. The molecular events underlying the precursor processing are unknown, even though the involvement of the protease kallikrein, an enzyme thought to be responsible for the processing of several polypeptidic growth factor precursors, could be hypothesized. Granulins, however, do not show antikallikrein activity. The presence in human urine of isoform F, previously not identified from other human sources, seems to support the hypothesis that mature forms of granulins are generated by an organ-specific precursor processing, on the basis of particular physiological requirements, and to suggest also that this isoform may play ''in vivo'' an important and specific role in the epithelial cells of the human kidney. (C) 1997 Academic Press
Trace element analysis of archaeological glasses: comparison between LA-ICPMS and Electron Microprobe analysis.
No full textRiassunto presentato al Congresso congiunto SIMP-AIV-SoGeI-SGI "Il Pianeta Dinamico: sviluppi e prospettive a 100 anni da Wegener", Firenze, 2-4 Settembre 2015
Proteinase inhibitors of the Kunitz family in fallow deer organs: a comparative study.
No full textProtein proteinase inhibitors belonging to the Kunitz family have been isolated and characterized in several fallow deer organs. In all the organs studied we found the basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) while its isoforms, previously isolated and characterized in organs of other ruminant species (bovids and ovids), were absent. In the kidney, in addition to BPTI, active fragments of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor were also isolated. The distribution of Kunitz-type inhibitors in different species of ruminants is compared and discussed on the basis of the expression of their encoding genes
Analisi archeometriche su manufatti vitrei
No full textObject of the present work is the archaeometric study of glass fragments found on the archaeological site of S. Andrea. The study
aims at investigating possible relationships between chemical composition and type and/or production techniques; at identifying
analogies with coeval glass from the Mediterranean area; at better contextualising the various phases of the site, and at extending
the database on Italian Medieval glass. Archaeometric study was carried out on a selection of glass fragments from Sectors
A and B for a total of 29 samples, composed of objects, glass-working residues and two glass ‘cakes’. Chemical composition
of glass fragments was obtained with CAMECA SX50 electron microprobe (EMPA) equipped with four wavelength-dispersive
spectrometers (WDS). Textural analyses were also performed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), using CamScan
MX3000 instrument with LaB6 source. Results of chemical analysis show that all objects and glass-working residues are silicasoda-
lime in composition, with natron as flux in accordance with production technologies used in Early Medieval times. Various
compositional groups, named LP1a, LP1b and LP1c, were identified, consistent with some of the major ones identified in the
western Mediterranean during the first millennium AD. Group LP1a is chemically similar to unintentionally coloured Roman glass,
spanning the period between the 1st and the 4th centuries AD. The presence within LP1a group of both glass-working residues
and objects points to the existence of a Late Antique/Early Medieval secondary glass-workshop in the Loppio site. Traces of at
least one of the elements Cu, Sn, Sb, and Pb in quantities above 0.05 wt% in most of the LP1a objects, suggest possible recycling
of older glass. Further support to this hypothesis comes from the finding in the same site of one blue glass tessera, having high
contents of copper, tin, antimony and lead, and characterised by calcium antimonate as opacifier, mainly used in Roman period.
Group LP1b can be compared with ‘Group 2’ of Foy et al. 2003, a ‘weaker’ HIMT (High Iron, Manganese and Titanium) group,
which is datable to the 6th-8th centuries AD. Group LP1c shows chemical similarity with ‘Series 3.2’, a subgroup of ‘Group 3’ of
Foy et al. (2003). In particular, ‘Series 3.2’, characterised by lower Al2O3 and higher Na2O than other series of the same group,
with manganese as decolourant, comprises glass samples from the Western Mediterranean area dated from the late 5th to the early
6th century AD. Both groups LP1b and LP1c are entirely composed of objects. Whether groups LP1b and LP1c were obtained by
recycling earlier glass or whether they are the result of a new glass batch intentionally prepared in Late Antique/Early Medieval
period cannot be established with certainty. However, the bad match with previous Roman glass and the absence of glass-working
residues with comparable compositions seem to invalidate the hypothesis of recycling, as also confirmed by the generally low levels
of trace elements such as Cu, Co, Sb and Pb. Three outliers were also identified in the Loppio assemblage; they show similarities
with Roman glass decolourised with antimony or manganese, and with that intentionally coloured in black.
The two rough ellipsoidal glass ‘cakes’, with a concave-convex profile, show a chemical composition very different from other
samples from Loppio. The main mass of the Loppio ‘cakes’ is composed of a green, transparent glass containing frequent, submillimetric,
randomly distributed whitish inclusions. The main mass is completely surrounded by a 3-5 millimeters thick cortex of
a brownish colour characterised by frequent radial, and sometime open, fractures disposed orthogonal to the contact. The contact
between the main mass and the cortex is sharp. Both glass cakes show high potash and calcium contents and are chemically
comparable with Medieval wood ash glasses, likewise more than 80% of the finds analysed until now. The cortex appears to be
hydrated and highly depleted in K, Ca and Mg with respect to the main mass. It likely represents an alteration of the primary glass.
Although the function of these objects are still unclear, their finding may suggest contacts between the Loppio area and the North
European one.
In conclusion, the archaeometric research proves the presence of a local secondary glass workshop in Late Antique/Early Medieval
time. The identification of various natron compositional groups in Loppio glass assemblage, and of the two wood ash glass ‘cakes’,
indicates the coexistence of recycling practice of earlier glass and the supplying of ‘fresh’ glass in Late Antique/Early Medieval
period. This suggests, on the one hand, the extensive availability of older glass for re-use and, on the other, the good commercial
connections between Loppio and Mediterranean and/or European area
High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of aprotinin-like inhibitors and their determination in very small amounts.
No full textA reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination and quantitative recovery of fully active aprotinin (the basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor or Kunitz inhibitor) and aprotinin-like inhibitors in amounts down to 0.5 micrograms is reported. The method, which allows separation of aprotinin isoinhibitors characterized by small differences in the primary structure with respect to aprotinin itself, appears to be suitable for the quantitation and identification of aprotinin-like inhibitors in human biological fluids, in which they appear to be present at very low levels
I grammatici tra libro e testo. Il caso di Orso beneventano
No full textThe codex 1086 of the Biblioteca Casanatense of Rome, with the Adbreviatio artis gramaticae of Ursus Beneventanus, is a case study particularly significant to deepen the relationship between author, text and book: in its first part the manuscript is an 'idiografo d'autore' because it reports the text 'fired' by the author; in the second one it collects the notes of the author himself, working materials stopped at a stage of sketch or partial drafting. A reconstruction of the figure of Ursus is attempted, a grammar teacher active in Benevento in the first half of the IXth century, and the didactic nature of his manual is deepened. Finally, some reservations are proposed at the recent critical edition of Barbara Maria Tarquini
UTILIZZAZIONE DEI FARMACI DOPAMINERGICI NEL TRATTAMENTO DEI DISORDINI RIPRODUTTIVI FEMMINILI. MONOGRAFIA SANDOZ
No full textInterference of dopamine infusion on gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-stimulated prolactin increase
No full textThe effects of simultaneous iv administration of dopamine (DA) and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) were evaluated in 5 normal women. After injection of 50 mg GABA alone, PRL plasma concentrations showed a significant (p less than 0.02) rise. DA infusion (500 g/min over a 60 min period) significantly (p less than 0.02) decreased PRL plasma levels. When GABA was administered intravenously during DA infusion, the rise of PRL plasma concentrations, which was observed after injection of GABA alone, was suppressed. PRL circulating levels significantly (p less than 0.02) decreased as during infusion with DA alone. These results seem to support the hypothesis that stimulatory effects of GABA or its analogues on in vivo PRL secretion could be due to an inhibitory effect of these drugs on endogenous DA
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