30 research outputs found
Maestro Pulia. Un artefice poliedrico a Verona tra XIII e XIV secolo
No full textSi delinea la figura di un artista poliedrico, maestro Pulia, operante a Verona tra l’ultimo quarto del XIII secolo e gli inizi del secolo successivo. Egli è già noto alla critica per la sua documentata attività pittorica, che fu probabilmente molto apprezzata, ma è andata tutta perduta, e per le sue opere scultoree, di modesto rilievo; si contribuisce qui a precisare il catalogo di entrambe, ridefinendo, almeno in parte, le coordinate entro cui l’artista operò. Inoltre, anche in base a una sottoscrizione che gli attribuisce un’opera epigrafica, gli si assegnano, per la prima volta, altre iscrizioni lapidee di elevato pregio artistico.This study concerns master Pulia, a polyhedric artist from Verona who was working between the last quarter of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century. He is already well known for his paintings which were probably appreciated at the time but unfortunately everything was lost. He was also a sculptor but not of such a high standard. The aim of this study is to catalogue both areas of work, redefining, at least in part, the framework within which the artist worked. Furthermore, also on the basis of an epigraph which indicates he is its author, other inscriptions on stone of a very high artistic standard can be attributed to this artist for the first time
«A volte siamo due pietre che fanno scintille»
No full textQuesta nota prende le mosse dal lavoro di René Roussillon sul tema della simbolizzazione primaria. L’autore si interroga sui modi in cui l’oggetto può assumere una funzione simbolizzante e si focalizza su una situazione specifica: quella in cui l’oggetto-analista si assenta emotivamente dal paziente, se ne accorge e inizia a rappresentare dentro di sé la propria assenza per l’altro. Secondo questa prospettiva lo sviluppo dell’attività simbolica sarebbe favorito dall’introiezione di questa funzione rappresentativa dell’oggetto.This note is based on the work of René Roussillon on the theme of primary symbolisation. The author questions the ways in which the object can assume a symbolizing function and focuses on a specific situation: the one in which the analyst-object is emotionally absent from the patient, realizes it and begins to represent within himself his own absence for the other. According to this pro-perspective, the development of symbolic activity would be favoured by the introjection of this rap-representative function of the object
The trans-autobiographical writing in the psychiatric context
No full textAutobiographical narration workshops are widely used in psychiatric contexts to support pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments. However, telling of oneself in the first person could expose a person with schizophrenia to excessive psychic pain. Then, new methodologies are needed to promote narrative processing. The present study explored whether a trans-autobiographical narrative (which combines autobiographical and fictional narrative) allows the schizophrenic patient to narrate differently from the classic autobiographical narrative. One female participant with Schizophrenia read an autobiographical phrase (initial stimulus) and wrote three fictional stories taking as a starting point the initial stimulus. At each of three steps the participant commented on how she mediated between autobiography and fiction. Content and formal aspects of texts have been analyzed with qualitative approach derived from criteria of dynamic psychology, narratology, and textual semiotics. At the third step, the text is more metaphorical (symbolisation increases), defense mechanisms are more mature, the author moves from internal focalisation to zero focalisation. Trans-autobiographical narrative helped the author to decentralise his point of view and to look at himself from the outside. It was useful to soften the defence mechanisms in self-representation, to process negative emotions through a playful and fictional perspective and to retrace parts of the author’s personal story
Orfflellium enigmaticum Johnson, Masner & Musetti 2009, gen.n., sp. n.
No full textOrfflellium enigmaticum Johnson, Masner & Musetti, gen.n., sp. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 001233E8-5447-40C3-9F1E-0F6F19BFC044 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 77F632EF-5DB9-43C2-A695-5D0D9A564FD0 urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:238175 urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:245120 Figures 1–6; Morphbank 3 Description. Body length: 1.28–1.51 mm (n=20). Head color, female: brown to dark brown. Head color, male: brown to dark brown. Mesosoma color, female: brown to dark brown. Mesosoma color, male: brown to dark brown. Metasoma color, female: brown to dark brown. Metasoma color, male: brown to dark brown. Body shape: small, compact. Head: Head shape, dorsal view: transverse. Hyperoccipital carina: absent. Occipital carina, extent: complete medially. Occipital carina, sculpture: simple. Position of lateral ocellus: remote from inner orbit, OOL> 2 ocellar diameters. Length of LOL: less than POL, less than OOL. Eye setae: glabrous. Frontal scrobe: frons convex, frontal scrobe not developed. Course of inner orbits: nearly parallel, diverging only at ventral extreme. Central keel: absent. Submedian carina: absent. Orbital carina: absent. Fan of striae arising from anterior mandibular articulation: absent. Clypeus structure: divided transversely to form anteclypeus, postclypeus. Clypeus shape: unknown. Anteclypeus shape: large, semicircular, concave. Postclypeus shape: short, strongly transverse. Apical margin of clypeus: straight. Lateral corners of clypeus: not produced, confluent with oral margin. Malar sulcus: present, fine, deeply incised, J-shaped. Genal carina: absent. Mandibular tooth orientation: transverse. Mandibular dentition: identate. Number of maxillary palpomeres: 2. Shape of penultimate maxillary palpomere: cylindrical. Number of labial palpomeres: 1. Number of antennomeres, female: 10. Number of antennomeres, male: 11. Insertion of radicle: parallel to long axis of A1. Dorsal surface A2, female: rounded. Length of A3, female: distinctly greater than length of A2. Claval formula: A7-A10/2-2-2-1. Number of clavomeres, shape criterion: Number of clavomeres, MGS criterion: 4. Number of MGS on basal clavomere: 2. Orientation of MGS: longitudinal. 5. Tyloid-bearing antennomeres, male: A5 only. Mesosoma: Transverse pronotal carina: absent. Mesosoma length: subequal to height, mesosoma normally proportioned. Mesosoma height: greater than width. Dorsal margin of mesosoma, lateral view: convex. Vertical epomial carina: absent. Horizontal epomial carina: absent. Anterior face of pronotum: vertical, largely hidden in dorsal view. Lateral face of pronotum: nearly flat. Netrion: absent. Anterior margin of mesoscutum: anteriorly deflexed, meeting pronotum anteriorly. Skaphion: absent. Shape of mesoscutum in dorsal view: trapezoidal, anterior side curved. Parapsidal lines: absent. Notaulus: present, percurrent. Path of notauli: converging, closely approximat- ed posteriorly. Shape of notaulus: dilated posteriorly. Mesoscutellum shape: slightly wider than long, semicircular. Mesoscutellar armature: absent. Metascutellum shape: not posteriorly produced, present as low convex bulge. Setation of dorsal propodeum: covered by dense, fine pilosity. Lateral propodeal projection: absent, posterior margin of propodeum rounded. Mesal concavity of dorsal propodeum: broadly extending anteriorly to metanotal margin. Median keel of propodeum: absent. Lateral keels of dorsal propodeum: absent. Development of mesopleuron: large, prominent. Mesopleural depression: large, well-developed. Mesopleural carina: present, forming curved arch from near mid coxa to mesopleural pit. Mesopleural pit: present. Anterior margin of ventral mesopleuron: straight, not projecting anteriorly. Mesepimeral foveae: absent. Episternal foveae: present, indicated by arched carina connecting acetabular carina and mesopleural carina. Posterodorsal corner of mesopleuron: rounded. Metapleural triangle: clearly developed, delimited posteriorly by carina. Setation of metapleural triangle: densely, evenly setose. Metapleural pit: not visible, if present, obscured by setation. Posterior margin of metapleuron: produced posteriorly into distinct lamella. Metapleural-propodeal articulation: fused, without suture separating sclerites. Leg shape: gracile, elongate. Posterior surface of hind coxa: transversely rugulose. Trochantellus: present. Tibial setation: with only short setae. Hind tibal longitudinal carina: absent. Tibial spur formula: 1-2-2. Tarsal formula: 5-5-5. Tarsomere shape on hind leg: cylindrical. Pretarsal claws: simple. Wings: Length of fore wing: extending beyond apex of metasoma. Wing color: hyaline. Shape of fore wing R: weakly arched. Bulla in fore wing R: absent. Fore wing R1: extending to costal margin. Pseudostigma: absent. r-rs shape: reflexed apically. r-rs origin: from R at costal margin, marginal vein therefore present. Development of R1 beyond r-rs: present, therefore postmarginal vein present, short. Fore wing Rs: indicated by darkly pigmented nebulous vein. Fore wing Rs+M (basal vein): indicated by darkly pigmented nebulous vein. Fore wing M: indicated by darkly pigmented nebulous vein. Fore wing Cu: indicated by darkly pigmented nebulous vein. Hind wing R: tracheate throughout length, extending to hamuli on costal margin. Metasoma: Metasoma shape: short, broad. Relative sizes of metasomal segments: T2 distinctly longest segment. Number of visible terga in female: 7. Number of visible sterna in female: 6. Number of visible terga in male: 7. Number of visible sterna in male: 7. Laterotergites: present, narrow. Laterosternites: present. Base of T1: margined by transverse carina. Crenulate base of terga: T2 only. T1 horn: absent. Microsetae on T6: absent. S1 shape: evenly arched, without distinct median keel. Anterior margin of S1: transverse, not projecting anteriorly. Distribution of felt fields: S2. Cercus: present. Diagnosis. Th e large second metasomal segment, by far the largest of all segments (Fig. 5), is also found in members of the subfamilies Platygastrinae and Telenominae. Orwellium is distinguished from telenomines by the presence of narrow laterotergites and laterosternites on the metasoma and by the densely setose propodeum and metapleuron. Orwellium is distinguished from platygastrines by the presence of well-devel- oped, tracheate marginal and stigmal veins in the fore wing, the presence of a malar sulcus, and the presence of cerci. Etymology. The name Orwellium honors the author George Orwell, the brilliant and seemingly clairvoyant writer of political science fiction, and is to be considered to be neuter in gender. The specific epithet enigmaticum refers to the initial doubts concerning the proper familial placement for this genus. Link to Distribution Map . [http://osuc.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/maplarge.html? id=245120] Material Examined. Holotype female: CHILE: Los Lagos, Ahoni, Chiloé Island, 70 m, V.1988, Malaise trap, L. Masner, OSUC 163069 (deposited in CNCI, Ottawa). Paratypes: CHILE: 118 males, 159 females, OSUC 163053–163065, 163067–163068, 163070–163071, 226381–226491, 226493–226638, 256958–256960 (CNCI, OSUC). Discussion. Two outstanding features of Orwellium are the number of antennomeres and the dense pilosity on the metapleuron and propodeum. Although we record here that the female antenna is comprised of ten antennomeres, A3 is extremely long and there is a noticeable constriction in its midlength. Th is seems to indicate the fusion between a former A3 and A4. Th e densely setose metapleuron and propodeum is relatively rarely seen in Platygastroidea, and then principally within the Platygastrinae. In many specimens of Orwellium (such as in Fig. 2), there is an appreciable amount of extraneous material embedded within the setae. Th is may simply be a trap for debris, or it may suggest the presence of an exocrine gland. The 1-2-2 tibial spur formula is uncommonly found in the superfamily outside of the Platygastrinae. It is limited to the genera Archaeoteleia, Neuroscelio, and the tribe Sparasionini (sensu Johnson et al. 2008b). Th ree sparasionine genera were not included in the analysis of Murphy et al. (2007), but the remainder are precisely those taxa that cluster near Platygastrinae at the base of the cladogram of the superfamily. Orwellium has a number of features that are similar to platygastrines. Th e notauli are expanded posteriorly and converge near the transscutal articulation. Orwellium lacks a netrion on the pronotum, the site of origin of the second flexor of the fore wing (Mikó et al. 2007). The mesopleural pit (Fig. 2, mp) is located in a relatively low and posterior position on the mesepisternum, and connected by a groove to the apices of the mesopleural carina and sternaulus anteriorly, and to another pit (unnamed in Mikó et al. 2007) located ventrally near the posterior margin of the mesopleuron. Similar structures are found in a number of platygastrines (see illustrations in Masner and Huggert 1989), but are not yet known in the other subfamilies. Th ese similarities to platygastrines must be reconciled with another set of characters. Th e pronotum lacks the epomial and transverse pronotal carinae. The sex segment in the male is on A5, although the fact that the male has one more segment than platygastrines might suggest that the A 5 in Orwellium could be homologous with the A 4 in platygastrines in which the maximum number of antennomeres is 10. The cerci are well developed on the apical metasomatic tergite, but in platygastrines cerci are completely absent. Th e presence of the marginal, stigmal and (short) postmarginal vein (Fig. 6) is completely unknown in any platygastrine. We interpret this evidence to be consistent with the hypothesis that Orwellium is the sister group of the Platygastrinae. We are currently actively working on the comprehensive morphological and molecular analysis of relationships within the superfamily that is needed to address this question.Published as part of Johnson, Norman F., Masner, Lubomír & Musetti, Luciana, 2009, Orwellium, a new Valdivian genus of Platygastridae (Hymenoptera), pp. 21-30 in ZooKeys 20 on pages 24-27, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.20.204, http://zenodo.org/record/57650
Uno sconosciuto pittore veronese del Trecento: Tomeo detto Madharius (o Macharius) di Marcemigo (Tregnago)
No full textA seguito del restauro della chiesetta di San Dionigi a Marcemigo (Tregnago, in provincia di Verona), condotto tra il 2008 e il 2009, è stato riportato completamente in luce un pannello affrescato, provvisto di iscrizione dedicatoria, che riferisce come l’autore – altrimenti sconosciuto –, Bartolomeo detto Madharius di Marcemigo, lo realizzò nel 1357 per l’anima del padre e della madre. Vi sono rappresentati i Santi Simone, Taddeo, Tommaso (nell’Incredulità), un altro santo non identificato e Dionigi con due devoti (i genitori del pittore). Su base stilistica, è stato possibile attribuire allo stesso artista anche un San Cristoforo, sostanzialmente coevo, affrescato sul medesimo edificio, nonché accostargli un Cristo pantocratore entro clipeo accostato da due rosoni, con sottostante scena di cui resta solo la cuspide di un trono, dipinto, intorno agli anni Ottanta del XIV secolo, nella cappella della canonica di Tregnago. Tutte queste pitture, di cultura provinciale, erano rimaste sostanzialmente ignote alla letteratura.Following the restoration of the small church of San Dionigi in Marcemigo (Tregnago, in the province of Verona), carried out between 2008 and 2009, a fresco panel was fully brought to light, including a dedicatory inscription. The inscription reveals that the author — otherwise unknown — Bartolomeo, known as Madharius of Marcemigo, created it in 1357 for the soul of his father and mother. The fresco depicts Saints Simon, Thaddeus, Thomas (in the Incredulity), another unidentified saint, and Dionysius with two devotees (the painter’s parents). Based on stylistic analysis, the same artist was also the auctor of a Saint Christopher, painted around the same time on the same building; it is also possible to associate with him a Christ Pantocrator within a clypeus flanked by two rose windows, with a scene below of which only the cusp of a throne remains, painted around the 1380s in the chapel of the parish house of Tregnago. All these provincial culture paintings had remained substantially unknown to literature
Freud's clinical writing. An encounter between philology and psychoanalysis
No full textThe authors examine Freud's clinical cases dedicated to Emmy von N. and The Rat Man in a philological perspective. They start with the analysis of the notes taken by Freud during the treatments and then they focus on the way in which the notes were used in the final drafting of the clinical cases. They observe that Freud's clinical writings disregarded the philological adherence of the notes and that the author considered them as a simple trace to be reworked from a formal and also substantial point of view. The lack of coincidences between the notes and the published texts must not be considered as an error or a stretch. It needs to be intended as a legitimate and acceptable variation with the purpose of introducing some significant openings in the meaning and new possible interpretations
Involvement of alanine racemase in germination of Bacillus cereus spores lacking an intact exosporium
No full textGreen synthesis of Ag nanoparticles using plant metabolites
No full textNano-biotechnology is one of the most promising areas in modern nanoscience and technology. In this
emerging area of research, nanoparticles (NPs) play an important role since the large-scale production and huge numbers
of utilization. Gold and silver nanoparticles are among the most extensively studied nanomaterials, since they show high
stability and low chemical reactivity in comparison to other metals. They are commonly synthesized using toxic chemical
reducing agents able to reduce metal ions into uncharged NPs and/or high energy supplied procedures. The most
commonly used method for the synthesis of NPs requires toxic chemicals like N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) or
trisodium citrate, but recently a green technique, based on natural reducing agents, has been suggested to substitute the
nature-unfriendly chemical methods. Many scientific works put in evidence the efficacy of plant extracts to reduce metal
salts into the respective NPs, but this process lacks a clear control of NPs shapes and dimensions, since many different
metabolites present into the extracts could participate to the process. This paper aims to clarify the reducing action of
single pure natural compounds usually present in plant tissues and to obtain a stable and reproducible protocol for NPs
synthesis
Monte Amiata: the mineralogical collection of the Natural History Museum of the Pisa University
No full textThe development and preservation of mineral collections from Tuscan occurrences for research,
education, and public exhibitions is one of the missions of the Natural History Museum of the Pisa University.
The regional collections are composed by a total of 8238 specimens, representing about 42% of the total
mineralogical collections.
The Monte Amiata collection, formed by 171 specimens, is one of the smallest among the regional
collections. Several specimens are accompanied by old hand-written labels dating back to the period of
activity of Prof. Antonio D’Achiardi (1839-1902) and were described by this author in his Mineralogia della
Toscana (D’Achiardi, 1872/73).
The specimens belong to three different groups: i) minerals from the Plio-quaternary hydrothermal ore
deposits, ii) minerals related to the volcanic rocks of the Monte Amiata, and iii) specimens formed through
the action of silica-rich waters.
The first group is representative of one of world-class Hg ore deposits of Monte Amiata (e.g., Rimondi et
al., 2015). The mining activity definitively ceased at the end of 1970s and since then the opportunity to
collect new specimens has progressively decreased. Consequently, old specimens kept in public or private
mineralogical collections are useful for the study of the mineralogy as well as the ore geology of the Monte
Amiata. The collection preserves several specimens of cinnabar representive of its different kinds of
occurrence in the mining district. Moreover, accessory minerals are present, such as metacinnabar, realgar,
orpiment, and stibnite. The occurrence of the high T cubic polymorph of HgS is particularly interesting
because its presence was not reported so far in literature. The recent study of some specimens kept in the
collection of the Natural History Museum led to the full characterization of metacinnabar from the
hydrothermal Hg ores from Monte Amiata.
Minerals related to the volcanic rocks have a particular historical importance, having been collected in the
first half of the XIX Century. For example, several loose crystals of sanidine were collected by the naturalist
Giorgio Santi (1746-1822). Santi (1795) described (and probably collected) also specimens of “fiorite”, a
variety of opal from Santa Fiora. These specimens, together with samples of diatomaceous earths, form the
third group of specimens constituting the Monte Amiata collection.
In conclusion, the collection is the proof of the mining exploitation carried out in the Monte Amiata area
and it has a great historical importance in housing several specimens collected between the end of the XVIII
and the beginning of the XIX Century. In this way, the collection is important not only from the scientific point
of view but also from an educational perspective, illustrating the evolution of the scientific knowledge and the
birth of the mineralogical school at the Pisa University
What are the differences between the three most used classifications for acute colonic diverticulitis? A comparative multicenter study
No full textBackground: Acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in the acute setting. Currently, the most popular classifications, based on radiological findings, are the modified Hinchey, AAST, and WSES classifications. We hypothesize that all classifications are equivalent in predicting outcomes. Methods: This is a retrospective study of 597 patients from four medical centers between 2014 and 2021. Based on clinical, radiological, and intraoperative findings, patients were graded according to the three classifications. Regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used to compare six outcomes: need for intervention, complications, major complications (Clavien-Dindo >2), reintervention, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Results: A total of 597 patients were included. Need for intervention, morbidity, and reintervention rates significantly increased with increasing AAST, modified Hinchey, and WSES grades. The area under the curve (AUC) for the need for intervention was 0.84 for AAST and 0.81 for modified Hinchey (p = 0.039). The AUC for major complications was 0.75 for modified Hinchey and 0.70 for WSES (p = 0.009). No differences were found between the three classifications when comparing AUCs for mortality, complications, and reintervention rates. Conclusion: The AAST, WSES, and modified Hinchey classifications are similar in predicting complications, reintervention, and mortality rates. AAST and modified Hinchey scores result the most adequate for predicting the need for surgery and the occurrence of major complications. Level of evidence: Prognostic and epidemiological study, level III
