1,720,988 research outputs found
The INA Casa Watershed: Adalberto Libera and the Modelisation of the Collective
No full textThis article discusses the impact of INA-Casa—the dominant Italian reconstruction plan that operated between 1949 and 1963—on Italian and international architectural debate. It focuses on the role of the so-called manualetti, a series of booklets that guided the designers of the INA-Casa programme. Published by the INA-Casa architecture office in 1949 and 1950 under the supervision of the rationalist architect Adalberto Libera, the booklets openly criticised rationalism and the international style in favour of a re-evaluation of vernacular and historical architectural characteristics. The article proposes a new reading of the second booklet, devoted to urban planning, analysing its structure and questioning its agency for the projects developed under the plan. It argues that its use of texts and images corresponds to the dichotomy between rules and models, as explored by Françoise Choay. The article delves into the notion of the model as the “imaginative tool” that makes urban planning possible, identifying the manualetti as normative models. It proposes that the influence of Libera’s models on Italian architecture has been overlooked and must be framed afresh within the broader historical debate on Italian “neorealism,” which, a few years later, would result in the “watershed” represented by early Italian postmodernism
ROLE OF SigE IN M.TUBERCULOSIS DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY AND PERSISTENCE
Get PDFM.tuberculosis (Mtb) is one of the most important pathogens that infect humans and it is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), a disease that dates back to ancient times.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than one third of the total whole population is infected with Mtb and each year about 1,5 millions people die from tuberculosis.
Two of the main problems in M. tuberculosis control are the lengthy treatment and the enormous reservoir of latent carriers.
A common explanation for the need of lengthy treatment is that all or part of the population enters a non-replicating persistent state characterized by some degree of dormancy. These are called “dormant” or “persistent” cells. This phenomenon, whose physiology is not well known, is very important for the treatment of infections, given the fact that dormant cells are resistant to many drugs.
The aim of this study was to find new potential molecular targets that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of traditional antibacterial drugs, in order to develop new therapies effective against this population of non-replicating cells.
Sigma factors (σ) regulate gene expression by binding to the RNA polymerase core enzyme and they could be important targets of new therapeutic approaches in the future, as some evidences recently showed they may play an essential role during Mtb persistence.
In this work, we focused on one of these sigma factors, SigE, that was previously described to have a role in response to the different types of stresses bacteria encounter during infection, such as heat shock, surface and oxidative stresses (Manganelli et al., 2001).
Using a sigE null mutant and through a series of different molecular and phenotypic investigations, we demonstrated how SigE plays a crucial role in response to stresses caused by different classes of antimicrobials. Furthermore, we observed a strong decrease in persister cells production when the sigE mutant was exposed to high concentrations of antibiotics. Finally, we tested other sigma mutants, to investigate if such a feature was shared across sigma factors. Although we demonstrated sigB (which expression is controlled by sigE under stress conditions) involvement in persisters production, the vast majority of the features we described in this work were unique of the SigE sigma factor.
To conclude, with this work we were able to demonstrate how SigE may be a valid molecular target to develop new effective therapies against M.tuberculosis infections
Rules and the production of built space: an investigation on compliant nomotropism
Get PDFState-enforced norms regarding the production of built space play a central role in determining architectural and urban quality. When addressing to this issue, researchers concentrate on social, historical, political and technical aspects of architectural regulations, but their role is not often investigated in morphological terms. This research concentrates on two normative case studies regarding the assessment of the ‘quantity of buildable space’, which are extrapolated from Italian laws and local regulations and tested using the architectural project as a heuristic tool to understand their effects on architectural design. Two questions are addressed: (1) how can a rule have effects, such as hinder or promote specific (architectural) forms without addressing them directly, and (2) what are the mechanisms that allow these effects to take place? The study argues that building regulations, even in apparently neutral aspects, such as the definition of indexes, can result in perverse effects, namely effects that are neither intended nor planned, and that can encourage or hamper specific forms. It concludes with the assertion that regulations regarding architecture should be subject to a deep analysis to envisage possible distortions, using the design process as a method of assessment, in order to understand whether their influence on design choices can or not be acceptable or desirable
The architect as nomothete: Luigi Snozzi at Monte Carasso
No full textThis article discusses how the work of Luigi Snozzi in the village of Monte Carasso in Switzerland is relevant for the investigation of the relationship between rules and architectural form. It describes the work of Snozzi both as a nomothete and as a designer across thirty years, arguing that the impact of his code and that of harchitectural designs on the village are not separable. While Snozzi’s code for Monte Carasso, as reported in various publications and talks, builds on a series of indeterminacies that can potentially undermine its effectiveness, the architect’s own designs, such as the Guidotti House, act as models for the interpretation of the normative reach of the code. This article traces the indeterminacy of Snozzi's code, building on concepts borrowed from social ontology and philosophy of law, to describe how rules can contribute, in this case study, to determine architectural quality. In particular, the article questions the nature of the norms enacted in Monte Carasso to suggest that the unmediated application of building codes can lead to unfavourable architectural outcomes. It argues that, when considered as normative models, architectural projects can facilitate a more effective application of the ideas underlying the normative scope of architectural regulations
Iron and Zinc Uptake by ESX-3 Secretion System in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and in Mycobacterium smegmatis
No full textThe reuse of Caprera’s coastal batteries and other decommissioned military sites in Gallura (Sardinia)
No full textThe defensive system of the Archipelago of La Maddalena (Sardinia-Italy) constitutes a significant testimony to the evolution of the Italian national defence system, with particular reference to the period of the establishment of the maritime Piazzaforte in La Maddalena in 1883. The gradual decommissioning of the post-unitarian coastal batteries, and their transfer from state property to the regional administration, allows us to prefigure different scenarios for their possible future use for civil purposes and support for the tourist economy.
The Archipelago is still profoundly affected by the loss of the historical military role and the unfortunate events that led to the displacement of the previously planned 2008 G8 summit; therefore it is dramatically urgent to focus on the opportunity given by the restoration and reuse of this heritage. The reference framework emerging from the study of the qualities of the artefacts reinforces the awareness of the enormous historical and landscape value of the system of the strongholds of La Maddalena of La Maddalena, while raising questions concerning its conservation in the medium and long term
The Nuragic Heroon of Mont’e Prama. From the excavation to the project
No full textThe Sinis Peninsula represents one of the most paradigmatic examples in Sardinia (Italy) a highly dynamic, ever-evolving landscape in which the traces of previous historical settlements interact with the current one. Despite that, the local landscape is mainly perceived as a postcard for tourists’ use and consumption. Lots of archaic evidence of an ancient, sometimes glorious, past is considered as a background for institutional or commercial communication, and extensive, in-depth readings of the historical landscape are dramatically rare. The upcoming public opening of the Mont’e Prama archaeological site in Cabras could allow an overturning of the perception of the site, and it could represent a good practice example for museification of the whole regional archaeological heritage. The large peninsula is a geographic, complex whole that unfolds from the sea and the coastal deserts of Is Arenas to the pond of Cabras wetlands; from the central basaltic plateau of Montiferru, up to the plains of the Campidano
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