59 research outputs found
Creatività come agatopoièsi L’esperienza della formatività nella filosofia di Platone
No full textCreativity can be regarded as the faculty of producing a work which manifests itself both as eminently individual and as revealing the individuality of its own Sitz im Leben, as well as of its author. This paper attempts to illustrate how the notion of art (téchne) presupposed by Plato – notwithstanding its inapplicability to current discourses on aesthetics – implies significant analogies with the just articulated idea of creativity. Paradoxically enough for contemporary aesthetics, those analogies base on the metaphysical background entailed by Plato’s concept of art. Since, according to that concept, its essence consists in producing manifestations of the good, art indeed involves for Plato an intrinsic relation with a direct knowledge of the Absolute. Nevertheless, in Plato’s perspective this does not represent a limitation. In fact, Plato perceives the Good as transcending every being, so that through a relation to it a complete absence of conditioning both in thought and action is attained. Only this state of authentic liberation leads to an activity capable of transcending every norm, and is able to culminate in a work that we can consider as substantiation of creativity.La creatività può essere considerata come la facoltà di produrre un'opera che si manifesta sia come eminentemente individuale sia come rivelatrice dell'individualità del suo Sitz im Leben e del suo autore. Questo articolo cerca di illustrare come la nozione di arte (téchne) presupposta da Platone - nonostante la sua inapplicabilità agli attuali discorsi sull'estetica - implichi significative analogie con l'idea appena articolata di creatività. Paradossalmente per l'estetica contemporanea, queste analogie si basano sullo sfondo metafisico del concetto di arte di Platone. Poiché, secondo tale concezione, la sua essenza consiste nel produrre manifestazioni del bene, l'arte comporta effettivamente per Platone una relazione intrinseca con la conoscenza diretta dell'Assoluto. Tuttavia, nella prospettiva di Platone questo non rappresenta una limitazione. Infatti, Platone percepisce il Bene come trascendente ogni essere, così che attraverso la relazione con esso si raggiunge una completa assenza di condizionamenti sia nel pensiero che nell'azione. Solo questo stato di autentica liberazione porta a un'attività capace di trascendere ogni norma, e in grado di culminare in un'opera che possiamo considerare come sostanziazione della creatività
Characterization of PLA parts made with AM process
No full textThe main objective of the presented work is to evaluate the thermal behavior of Poly-lactic acid (PLA) parts made with a Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) process. By using a robust framework for the testing sequence of PLA parts, with the aim of establishing a standard testing cycle for the optimization of the part performance and quality. The research involves study the materials before and after 3D printing. Two biodegradable PLA polymers are investigated, characterized by different colors (one black and the other transparent). The study starts with the examination of each polymeric material and measurements of its main thermal properties
Integrating Post-Processing Kinematic (PPK)–Structure-from-Motion (SfM) with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Photogrammetry and Digital Field Mapping for Structural Geological Analysis
No full textWe studied some exposures of the Roccacaramanico Conglomerate (RCC), a calcareous-clastic mega-bed intercalated within the Late Messinian–Early Pliocene pelitic succession of the La Queglia and Maiella tectonic units (central Apennines). The outcrops, localized in the overturned limb of a kilometric-scale syncline, show a complex array of fractures, including multiple systems of closely spaced cleavages, joints, and mesoscopic faults, which record the progressive deformation associated with the Late Pliocene thrusting. Due to the extent of the investigated sites and a large amount of data to collect, we applied a multi-methodology survey technique integrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies and digital mapping in the field. We reconstructed the 3D digital outcrop model of the RCC in the type area and defined the 3D pattern of fractures and their time–space relationships. The field survey played a pivotal role in determining the various sets of structures, their kinematics, the associated displacements, and relative chronology. The results unveiled the investigated area’s tectonic evolution and provide a deformation model that could be generalized in similar tectonic contexts. Furthermore, the methodology allows for evaluating the reliability of the applied remote survey techniques (i.e., using UAV) compared to those based on the direct measurements of structures using classic devices. Our purpose was to demonstrate that our multi-methodology approach can describe the tectonic evolution of the study area, providing consistent 3D data and using a few ground control points. Finally, we propose two alternative working methods and discuss their different fields of application
QUaternary fault strain INdicators database: QUIN 1.0 - first release from the Apennines of central Italy
No full textThis database relates to the paper “QUaternary fault strain INdicators database - QUIN 1.0 - first release from the Apennines of central Italy”.
It provides very local-scale geometric and kinematic data on Fault Striation Pairs (FSP, the fault plane and the slickenline measured on it) surveyed along the Quaternary (last 2.5 My) extensional intra-Apennine belt of central Italy. The sampled area develops for an along-strike extent of ~550 km and in an average NW-SE direction.
The first release of the “QUaternary fault strain INdicator” database (acronym QUIN) consists of a comprehensive compilation of both unpublished (1315) and published (2026) FSPs, for a total of 3339 records. Overall, considering the ~60,100 numerical data released in this database, the 79.8% are unpublished while the 20.2% are from the previous literature. The FSP data are distributed within ~455 Survey Sites (SS) geolocated along the trace of well-distinct hosting faults. The database is released in a .txt table and as shapefile (.shp) in WGS84 coordinate system. The FSP records are organized in 34 fields, referring to three themes:
A) FSP identification and SS location (fields 1 to 12);
B) FSP geometry with quality ranking and references (fields 13 to 22);
C) FSP deformation axes (fields 23 to 34).
The first two domains include for each FSP the geographic and structural position, the SS name, the hosting fault-system name and average dip-direction, the geometric parameters (strike, dip-direction and dip, and trend and plunge), the newly calculated rake and corresponding kinematic classifications, the references of the field data and two quality rankings on the input data resolutions and location.
The third domain, entirely new from this work, includes for each FSP, the attitude ( trend and plunge) of the kinematic axes (P, B, T) measured at 45° and 30° from striation in the extensional movement plane (see the main paper for more details).
This database represents the most complete local-scale collection of Quaternary geological fault/slip data and derived kinematic and strain parameters over a large regional seismogenic and potentially seismogenic territory.
The QUIN database is meant as a relatively aseptic data input for forecoming stress inversion and geodynamic modelling, fundamental for new generations of seismotectonics and seismic hazard assessment research
The role of endocannabinoid signaling in the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease
No full textAlzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive impairment and mental disorders. The actual cause and cascade of events in the progression of this pathology is not fully determined. AD is multifaceted in nature and is linked to different multiple mechanisms in the brain. This aspect is related to the lack of efficacious therapies that could slow down or hinder the disease onset/progression. The ideal treatment for AD should be able to modulate the disease through multiple mechanisms rather than targeting a single dysregulated pathway. Recently, the endocannabinoid system emerged as a novel potential therapeutic target to treat AD. In fact, exogenous and endogenous cannabinoids seem to be able to modulate multiple processes in AD, although the mechanisms that are involved are not fully elucidated. This review provides an update of this area. In this review, we recapitulate the role of endocannabinoid signaling in AD and the probable mechanisms through which modulators of the endocannabinoid system provide their effects, thus highlighting how this target might provide more advantages over other therapeutic targets
Host Faults Database of central Italy
No full textThe “Q-host faults database” is an original compilation, on a GIS platform, of Quaternary faults hosting the Structural Sites (SS) of the QUIN 1.0 database and neighboring to them.
It is supplementary to: QUaternary fault strain INdicators database - QUIN 1.0 - first release from the Apennines of central Italy
by: Giusy Lavecchia1,2, Simone Bello1,2*, Carlo Andrenacci1,2, Daniele Cirillo1,2, Federica Ferrarini1,2, Noemi Vicentini1,2, Rita de Nardis1,2, Gerald Roberts3, Francesco Brozzetti1,2
1: DiSPuTer - Dipartimento di Scienze Psicologiche, della Salute e del Territorio, Università G. d’Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy. 2: CRUST - Centro inteRUniversitario per l’analisi Sismotettonica Tridimensionale, Chieti, Italy. 3: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London
Corresponding author: Simone Bello ([email protected])
Slowly Deforming Megathrusts within the Continental Lithosphere: A Case from Italy
No full textThe Late Pliocene–Quaternary Outer Thrust System of the Apennine-Maghrebides
fold-and-thrust belt extends ~2000 km from northern Italy to Sicily. Its northernmost arc
is seismically active and represents a test case to study geometries and seismogenesis
of slowly deforming megathrusts developed within the continental lithosphere. Two distinct SW-dipping reverse shear zones (T1 and T2) in the Outer Thrust System of eastern Central Italy have been recently unveiled thanks to geological and integrated seismological information. These shear zones penetrate the Adria continental lithosphere to a maximum depth of ~60 km, with an outward convex shape associated with an outwarddiverging radial pattern. This paper presents new constraints on
the megathrusts’ geometry in light of a novel microseismic catalog (from 2009–2022) specifically focused on the compressional volume. Further details in the reconstruction of T1 and T2 are derived from a recent compressional seismic sequence (November 2022, MW 5.5) located in the Adriatic offshore. It activated the outermost T1 upper crustal segment with pure compressional kinematics and illuminated T2 at lower crustal depths. We integrate geological sections, seismic lines, serial hypocentral cross sections, and focal mechanisms to build a detailed nonplanar 3-D model of the thrusts involved. In addition, we build Coulomb stress scenarios for analyzing the possibility of the static interplay between the upper crust T1 segment activated by the 2022 sequence and the underlying T2 crust segment. The overall results may be relevant for assessing seismic hazards in areas with multi-depth active structures and for gaining insights into plate tectonic dynamics
Glutamate and mitochondria: two prominent players in the oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration
No full textThe aetiology of major neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unknown, but increasing evidences suggest that glutamate and mitochondria are two prominent players in the oxidative stress (OS) process that underlie these illnesses. Although AD and PD have distinct pathological and clinical features, OS is a common mechanism contributing to neuronal damage. Glutamate is an important neurotransmitter in neurons and glial cells and is strongly dependent on calcium homeostasis and on mitochondrial function. In the present work we focused on glutamate- induced calcium signaling and its relation to the mitochondrial dysfunction with cell death processes. In addition, we have discussed how alterations in this pathway may lead or aggravate the neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, this review aims to stimulate further studies on this issue and thereby engage a new perspective regarding the design of possible therapeutic agents or the identification of biomarkers
3D Fault Modelling of the Crati Basin (Northern Calabria, Southern Italy): Integrating Geology, Seismic Interpretation, Earthquake Analysis, and Geodetic Data for Hazard Assessment in an Active Tectonic Region
No full textThe Crati Basin, located in Northern Calabria (Southern Italy), is a tectonically active region with complex fault systems and notable seismic activity (Brozzetti et al., 2017a; 2017b; Cirillo et al., 2022; Lavecchia et al., 2024). Understanding the tectonic dynamics of this area is essential for evaluating the current seismic hazards. This study presents a comprehensive 3D fault modelling approach that integrates geological field observations, topographic analysis, interpretation of high resolution seismic reflection profiles, and geodetic measurements to map the fault system surface traces, define subsurface geometries and, ultimately, relate all the data to surface deformation.
Integrating different datasets allowed building a detailed 3D structural model that provides
insights into the spatial distribution and activity of fault systems in the basin.
The findings highlight active fault segments, primarily exhibiting normal kinematics associated, in some cases, with a minor strike-slip component, consistent with the region's extensional tectonic regime. Moreover, the faults’s geometries are compatible with the recorded seismicity and related to geodetic data, emphasizing their role in earthquake generation and surface deformation. Seismic hazard assessment, based on the integrated model, identifies high-risk areas, particularly at fault intersections and zones of active strain, where seismic activity and surface deformation are more pronounced. In our study, we identify a 60-km-long, east-dipping master fault, as the primary structural feature controlling the Crati Basin, referred to as the Crati Graben Detachment Fault (CGDF). This fault represents the main expression of Quaternary extension in the area. It is
characterized by a low-angle, east-dipping normal fault that outcrops along the eastern border of the Catena Costiera Calabra. The CGDF plays a pivotal role in shaping the basin, influencing its deep geometry and depositional evolution. It acts as a detachment horizon for both the synthetic high-angle normal faults (E-ENE dipping) and the antithetic high-angle normal faults (W-WSW dipping), which define the western and eastern boundaries of the basin, respectively. This comprehensive approach highlights the importance of integrating geological, geophysical, and geodetic data to construct reliable fault models for seismic hazard analysis in active tectonic regions. The results offer a basic framework for better understanding the active tectonics in Northern Calabria and provide valuable insights for regional planning and risk mitigation strategies
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