315 research outputs found
“There once was a frog: A seventeenth century dried frog in ms. ROS 77.”
No full textThe article discusses an unpublished early modern Hebrew manuscript penned by the Italian Jewish physician Avraham Joel Conegliano (1665-1745) and today preserved at the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana in Amsterdam. The codex includes two known medical excerpts, two Hebrew synonym lists, and a magico-medical compendium.
Among its pages, the book conceals also several floral remains and even a desiccated frog, an unprecedented finding in the research fields of both Jewish magic and Hebrew manuscripts. The article offers an overview of the manuscript and its contents and presents relevant biographical information on the author, highlighting the cultural
and intellectual milieu in which Jewish physicians were trained, operated and transmitted their knowledge in Northern Italy at the end of the seventeenth-century. The finding of organic material in the manuscript is discussed in light of Jewish and non-Jewish traditions on the manipulation of frogs for magico-medical purposes and it is interpreted as evidence that the manuscript was copied and used in the context of an active magico-medical tradition
Design and Control of a Reclining Chair with Soft Pneumatic Cushions
No full textThe object of this work is the control of a reclining chair with active cushions used to optimize the interaction of the human with the chair and to avoid the formation of sores on the skin. The cushion system, already presented in other works, consists of air-cell actuators distributed according to the risk that pressure ulcers on the skin can be generated in certain areas. In this work, four cushions are designed and controlled for four parts of the human body: 1) head; 2) back; 3) buttocks; 4) heels. Cushions are used to design a reclining chair that can be moved between two configuration limits: a) chair; b) bed. The four cushions can provide real-time pressure mapping with closed-loop control, which allows to identify critical points on the body surface where pressure ulcers could form. The control systems for the single air-cell and for all cushions are designed and simulated using the software MATLAB/Simulink, presenting very interesting results
“Jewish Magia in Renaissance and Baroque Italy: Preliminary Notes on Ms. GFC 325.”
No full textThe articles presents the preliminary results of a study on an early modern Italian manuscript of Jewish magic, introducing its most relevant physical, structural and content features and showing how this remarkable source — like the many other Hebrew magical manuscripts which still lie unpublished in public and private collections around the world — may prove extremely useful for reconstructing important aspects of both Jewish and Western intellectual history. Based on an analysis of the linguistic and content specificities of the codex and textual parallels with other magical excerpts, the article provides a preliminary reconstruction of the historical context in which the magic handbook was written and the logic with which the author gathered, adapted and translated the magical knowledge conveyed in it
Brain histamine modulates the antidepressant-like effect of the 3-iodothyroacetic acid (TA1)
No full text3-iodothyroacetic acid (TA1), an end metabolite of thyroid hormone, has been shown to produce behavioral effects in mice that are dependent on brain histamine. We now aim to verify whether pharmacologically administered TA1 has brain bioavailability and is able to induce histamine-dependent antidepressant-like behaviors. TA1 brain, liver and plasma levels were measured by LC/MS-MS in male CD1 mice, sacrificed 15 min after receiving a high TA1 dose (330 μgkg-1). The hypothalamic mTOR/AKT/GSK-β cascade activation was evaluated in mice treated with 0.4, 1.32, 4 μgkg-1 TA1 by Western-blot. Mast cells were visualized by immuno-histochemistry in brain slices obtained from mice treated with 4 μgkg-1 TA1. Histamine release triggered by TA1 (20-1000 nM) was also evaluated in mouse peritoneal mast cells. After receiving TA1 (1.32, 4 or 11 μgkg-1; i.p.) CD1 male mice were subjected to the forced swim (FST) and the tail suspension tests (TST). Spontaneous locomotor and exploratory activities, motor incoordination, and anxiolytic or anxiogenic effects, were evaluated. Parallel behavioral tests were also carried out in mice that, prior to receiving TA1, were pre-treated with pyrilamine (10 μgkg-1I PYR) or zolantidine (5 μgkg-1; ZOL), histamine type 1 and type 2 receptor antagonists, respectively, or with p-chloro-phenylalanine (100 μgkg-1; PCPA), an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis. TA1 given i.p. to mice rapidly distributes in the brain, activates the hypothalamic mTOR/AKT and GSK-3β cascade and triggers mast cells degranulation. Furthermore, TA1 induces antidepressant effects and stimulates locomotion with a mechanism that appears to depend on the histaminergic system. TA1 antidepressant effect depends on brain histamine, thus highlighting a relationship between the immune system, brain inflammation and the thyroid. Copyright © 2019 Laurino, Landucci, Cinci, Gencarelli, De Siena, Bellusci, Chiellini and Raimondi
A next generation sequencing analysis of the human Y chromosome provides new clues about ancient genetic events in Africa
No full textThe male-specific portion of the human Y chromosome (MSY) has been intensively studied for phylogeographic purposes. However, the deepest lineages of its phylogeny remained largely unexplored, resulting in a biased distribution of known markers over the phylogenetic tree. We characterized by high-coverage next generation sequencing a set of deep rooting lineages, framed in a larger collection of worldwide Y chromosomes; we identified 2,386 SNPs, 80% of which novel. Evidence for some degree of purifying selection emerged in the form of an excess of private missense variants. The resulting MSY tree recapitulated the previously known topology but showed drastically different relative branch lengths, with remarkably older node ages. Our dating results, together with phylogeograpic data, hint a central-western african origin for the MSY variation, and fit recent archaeological evidence about an early next generation sequencing analysis of the human Y chromosome provides new clues about ancient genetic events in Africa
Andrea Massaia,1 Beniamino Trombetta,1 Giovanna Bellusci,2 Natalie M. Myres,3 Andrea Novelletto,2 Rosaria Scozzari,1 Fulvio Cruciani1
1Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “C. Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy; 2Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy; 3AncestryDNA, Provo, UT, USA
The male-specific portion of the human Y chromosome (MSY) has been intensively studied for phylogeographic purposes. However, the deepest lineages of its phylogeny remained largely unexplored, resulting in a biased distribution of known markers over the phylogenetic tree. We characterized by high-coverage next generation sequencing a set of deep rooting lineages, framed in a larger collection of worldwide Y chromosomes; we identified 2,386 SNPs, 80% of which novel. Evidence for some degree of purifying selection emerged in the form of an excess of private missense variants. The resulting MSY tree recapitulated the previously known topology but showed drastically different relative branch lengths, with remarkably older node ages. Our dating results, together with phylogeograpic data, hint a central-western african origin for the MSY variation, and fit recent archaeological evidence about an early exit of Homo sapiens out of the African continent. Our experimental design produced an unbiased resource of new MSY markers and novel insights on a period of human evolution previously considered poorly accessible with paternally-inherited markers
Rilascio di una combinazione di antibiotici da matrici poliuretaniche per prevenire la formazione di biofilm microbici e contrastare l’insorgenza di antibiotico-resistenza.
No full textUna combinazione di antibiotici è stata adsorbita su matrici poliuretaniche per contrastare la formazione di biofilm microbici che sono gli agenti causanti le infezioni correlate a dispositivi medici. Lo scopo del lavoro è stato quello di studiare la cinetica di rilascio dei farmaci come pure di valutare l'attività antibatterica nel tempo del sistema sviluppato. Gli antibiotici scelti per l'adsorbimento possedevano meccanismi di azione diversi al fine di controllare lo sviluppo dell'insorgenza di microrganismi antibiotico-resistenti
Biomateriali a rilascio di agenti antimicrobici per lo sviluppo di dispositivi medici anti-biofilm.
No full textI notevoli progressi in campo medico concretizzati negli ultimi decenni sono in parte da attribuire al crescente sviluppo di nuovi materiali sintetici, idonei per la realizzazione di dispositivi medici impiantabili. Al loro impiego è, tuttavia, associata una grave complicanza clinica: l’instaurarsi di processi infettivi. Tra le diverse specie microbiche responsabili, le più comuni sono batteri gram positivi (stafilococchi), e lieviti (candide).
Al fine di sviluppare biomateriali polimerici capaci di inibire la colonizzazione da specie microbica e la conseguente formazione di biofilm sono state messe appunto diverse strategie.
L’adsorbimento sulle matrici polimeriche di una o più specie antimicrobiche (cefamandole nafate, rifampicina, amoxicillina e vancomicina) o di specie antifungine (fluconazolo) è stato uno degli approcci di maggior successo, da noi perseguiti.
Metodo alternativo è stato, invece, la modifica superficiale della matrice polimerica stessa, mediante salificazione di gruppi funzionali specifici con metalli pesanti dalle note proprietà antibatteriche, come l’Ag. Il successivo adsorbimento sulla matrice così modificata, dell’antibiotico ciprofloxacina, ha permesso di ottenere un biomateriale antibiofilm la cui attività non è limitata dal potenziale sviluppo di antibiotico resistenza
Orchis x colemanii hybridization: Molecular and morphological evidence, seed set success, and evolutionary importance.
No full textDespite highly specialized pollination strategies, hybridization is a common phenomenon among Mediterranean deceptive orchids. Food-deceptive species sire a progeny of F1 unfertile plants, which work as a late post-zygotic barrier. Conversely, when pre-zygotic barriers of sexually deceptive (Ophrys) species are absent, the hybrids are fertile and an extensive introgression may occur. Here, we have performed molecular analysis and hand pollination treatments to characterize a hybrid zone of two food-deceptive species, O. mascula and O pauciflora. Hybrids (called O. x colemanii) have shown different amounts of parental nrDNA, strongly supporting that they are F2 and/or successive hybrid generations. Comparable high levels of reproductive success have been detected in natural conditions and in experimental crosses suggesting the absence of effective reproductive barriers either between hybrids, either between hybrids and parental species. In light of ecological and distributional features of O. x colemanii across its distribution range, we hypothesize that these populations have originated by secondary contact in the periglacial belt of Apennines. Moreover, the rare and localized O. pauciflora could benefit a genetic enrichment by hybridizing with a widespread related species. O. x colemanii is not a dead end population, but may have a role as potential reserve of adaptive variability and is an unusual stage along the speciation process
Ionic liquid electrolytes for safer and more reliable sodium battery systems
No full textNa+-conducting, binary electrolytic mixtures, based on 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium, trimethyl-butyl-ammonium, and N-alkyl-N-methyl-piperidinium ionic liquid (IL) families, were designed and investigated. The anions were selected among the per(fluoroalkylsulfonyl)imide families. Sodium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, NaTFSI, was selected as the salt. The NaTFSI-IL electrolytes, addressed to safer sodium battery systems, were studied and compared in terms of ionic conductivity and thermal stability as a function of the temperature, the nature of the anion and the cation aliphatic side chain length. Room temperature conductivities of interest for sodium batteries, i.e., largely overcoming 10-4 or 10-3 S cm-1, are displayed. Similar conduction values are exhibited by the EMI-based samples even below -10 °C, making these electrolyte mixtures potentially appealing also for low temperature applications. The NaTFSI-IL electrolytes, with the exception of the FSI-ones, are found to be thermally stable up to 275 °C, depending on the nature of the cation and/or anion, thus extending their applicability above 100 °C and remarkably increasing the reliability and safety of the final device, especially in the case of prolonged overheating
Ultra-wideband ranging for low-complexity indoor positioning applications
No full textWireless and Mobile CommunicationsElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
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