4,175 research outputs found
Vivere oltre il confine. L'esperienza dell'esilio nei carteggi francesi di Marina Ivanovna Cvetaeva (1925-1939)
No full textMarina Cvetaeva ha sempre sostenuto che «la paura di dimenticarsi della Russia potrebbe averla soltanto colui che pensa e sente il suo paese al di fuori di sé, perché chi ha la Russia dentro, la perde unicamente quando perde la vita».
In questo breve articolo ci si è proposto di tracciare i confini poetici esistenziali di Cvetaeva, esplorando l’esperienza del suo esilio attraverso il sentimento della lontananza espresso nelle lettere spedite dalla Francia (1925-1939) ad alcune grandi perso-nalità dell’epoca
Pushing the Limits of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry: Beyond Fungal Species Identification
No full textMatrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI–TOF) is a powerful analytical tool that has revolutionized microbial identification. Routinely used for bacterial identification, MALDI-TOF has recently been applied to both yeast and filamentous fungi, confirming its pivotal role in the rapid and reliable diagnosis of infections. Subspecies-level identification holds an important role in epidemiological investigations aimed at tracing virulent or drug resistant clones. This review focuses on present and future applications of this versatile tool in the clinical mycology laboratory
The Dikkowita Marina Project
No full textThe large fishery harbour of Dikkowita faces some problems with respect to revenues and conflicts between the users. To create a higher revenue and to avoid these conflicts, a marina will be implemented. This report discusses the different aspects implementing a marina in the harbour of Dikkowita.Civil Engineering and Geoscience
Use of Amplification Fragment Length Polymorphism to genotype Pseudomonas stutzeri strains following exposure to ultraviolet light A
No full textChanges in ultraviolet light radiation can act as a selective force on the genetic and physiological traits of a microbial community. Two
strains of the common soil bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri, isolated from aquifer cores and from human spinal fluid were exposed to
ultraviolet light. Amplification length polymorphism analysis (AFLP) was used to genotype this bacterial species and evaluate the effect
of UVA-exposure on genomic DNA extracted from 18 survival colonies of the two strains compared to unexposed controls. AFLP showed
a high discriminatory power, confirming the existence of different genotypes within the species and presence of DNA polymorphisms
in UVA-exposed colonies
Marina Martín Garcia
No full textIsla Martín Garcia is founded on a rock outcrop in the Río de la Plata which is a natural protected area between Argentina and Uruguay. Due to the extension of the runway at the local airport, wetlands between Isla Timoteo Domínguez and Isla Martín Garcia developed during the last decades. The bay, where the old port was located, was loaded with sediment. After the waters between the two islands sedimented, Isla Hércules is formed and a channel is created. For the location of the marina, three possible options are selected: at the pier, south of Isla Hércules and in the sedimented bay north of Isla Martín Garcia. By using a multi criteria analysis, a marina at the pier is chosen as the best option because of its small dredging area and minor environmental impact. In consultation with the consultative authorities, a marina at the bay is chosen as the elaborated alternative. The recovery of the old situation in which the marina is located in the bay is the main reason for this choice.Implementation of the marina at Isla Martín Garcia involves cooperation between two parties: the government and a second investor. The government is responsible for the island, and a certain amount of liquidity is required to boost tourism on the island. A second party, like a private investor, is introduced for the maintenance and exploration of the project. This cooperation needs to invest 22.9 million dollars; this includes the 16.4 million dollars for the government and 6.5 million dollars for the second party. Without involving an external investor the internal rate of return (IRR) is 1.77% which is very low. When involving a private investor the IRR increases, the external investor receives an IRR of 7.71 % over the entire lifetime of the marina.Hydraulic EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience
Non-linear optical response to strong applied electronic fields in polyconjugated materials
No full textRecent applications in the field of photonics require materials with a large, non-linear response to applied fields. Among the tools that can indicate which organic material has a large hyperpolarizability, there is vibrational spectroscopy. It is shown here that materials with very large Raman intensities have a large, second hyperpolarizability accounted for in terms of relaxation mechanism; it is also suggested that doped materials, which have an anomalously large infrared intensity, can have a large, first hyperpolarizability. Moreover, the relaxation mechanism involved in hyperpolarizabilities can be explained in terms of changes in geometries along the direction of the 'effective conjugation coordinate' R
Developing a framework for an ecosystem-based approach to sustainable marina development: Including a framework application case study for a marina on the island of Mauritius, Indian Ocean
No full textThis thesis report considers the topic of sustainable marina development. This term can be understood to be a combination of two terms; “sustainable development” and “marina”. Sustainable development in this research study has been considered in relation to the coastal zone and basically entails an approach to ensure a balance between the environment and economic development. A marina, being a coastal (economic) development, interacts with the environmental conditions of the coastal zone and as such, affects the balance for sustainable development. Sustainable marina development is subsequently defined as the development of a marina in such a way and capacity, that the marina integrates its natural, social and economic environment. Additionally, a marina cannot be deemed sustainable by itself, as important principles for sustainable development like the cumulative impacts, multiple (long-term) objectives and sustainability need to be considered on the level of the larger coastal zone, or ecosystem. Currently, marina design is considered to lack an integrated development approach, and is inadequately represented in current marina development guidelines. Especially the initial stages of marina development, involving important development considerations like location selection and alternatives evaluation, lack the assessment of a marina’s integration in its natural, social and economic environment; a key element of sustainable development.Civil Engineering and GeosciencesHydraulic Engineerin
CORT0C04210 is required for Candida orthopsilosis adhesion to human buccal cells
No full textCandida orthopsilosis is a human fungal pathogen belonging to the Candida parapsilosis sensu lato species complex.
C. orthopsilosis annotated genome harbors 3 putative agglutinin-like sequence (ALS) genes named
CORT0B00800, CORT0C04210 and CORT0C04220. The aim of this study was to investigate the role played by
CORT0C04210 (CoALS4210) in the virulence and pathogenicity of this opportunistic yeast. Heterozygous and
null mutant strains lacking one or both copies of CoALS4210 were obtained using the SAT1-flipper cassette
strategy and were characterized in in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models. While no differences between the mutant
and the wild-type strains were observed in in vitro growth or in the ability to undergo morphogenesis, the
CoALS4210 null mutant showed an impaired adhesion to human buccal epithelial cells compared to heterozygous
and wild type strains. When the pathogenicity of CoALS4210 mutant and wild type strains was evaluated
in a murine model of systemic candidiasis, no statistically significant differences were observed in fungal burden
of target organs. Since gene disruption could alter chromatin structure and influence transcriptional regulation
of other genes, two independent CRISPR/Cas9 edited mutant strains were generated in the same genetic
background used to create the deleted strains. CoALS4210-edited strains were tested for their in vitro growing
ability, and compared with the deleted strain for adhesion ability to human buccal epithelial cells. The results
obtained confirmed a reduction in the adhesion ability of C. orthopsilosis edited strains to buccal cells. These
findings provide the first evidence that CRISPR/Cas9 can be successfully used in C. orthopsilosis and demonstrate
that CoALS4210 plays a direct role in the adhesion of C. orthopsilosis to human buccal cells but is not primarily
involved in the onset of disseminated candidiasis
Feasibility study for a marina at Hook of Holland - Zeejachthaven Hoek van Holland: Haalbaarheidsstudie
No full textThe distance between marinas along the Dutch coast is large. By building marinas on strategic locations along the coast, sailing times can be reduced significantly. However, building marinas bordering the North Sea is expensive due to the lack of sheltering from waves. Hook of Holland is such a strategic location, located at a distance of 30 kilometers of Stellendam and 20 kilometers away from Scheveningen. The realization of a marina at Hook of Holland will lead to season lengthening, differentiation of the beach function and creates a boost for the local economy. In addition, it will be a stepping stone for creation of a network of marinas along the Dutch coast which will enable day trips from marina to marina, boosting the economy further. Waves in the marina basin will lead to damage to the yachts if the significant wave height Hs is higher than Hs =0.6 m. The design storm for the marina has a return period of 200 years and will lead to waves with a significant wave height up to Hs = 4.3 m at the project area. Also it will lead to a water level rise up to 4.2 m above NAP. To reduce the waves in the basin, a large breakwater is needed which is expensive. An entrance of the marina along the Nieuwe Waterweg is cheaper but politically unachievable. A previous study for a marina with the entrance along the Nieuwe Waterweg did not make it to realization due to this factor. A marina is mostly financed with real estate development and funding of the government. Real estate development at the project area is difficult to realize due to the nearby Natura 2000 area ‘Solleveld & Kapittel duinen’ and its associated strict nature legislation . Land reclamation is a possibility to make real estate development possible. However at the moment this is not attractive due to the prices for land reclamation are higher than inland development of these functions. Also the real estate market is in a downward state due to the economic crisis. A marina at Hook of Holland needs to be on a small scale and well integrated in the surroundings without a large land reclamation project, such a marina will cost around 50 million euro. A marina at Hook of Holland is technically feasible and has a positive effect on the required coastal maintenance. However the direct revenues are much lower than the construction costs. The indirect revenues are significant, however without a public investment there will be no marina realized at Hook of Holland.Hydraulic EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience
Culture Takeaway
No full textThis keynote is mainly based on Wallace's research for Volume X of La Cultura Italiana published by UTET in 2010. The volume is in Italian and, by translating it, it can now be shared with colleagues, students and friends. The relationship that each citizen has with his/her own country and culture is mediated by personal experiences and matured during a lifetime. It is a delicate task to identify what motivates the consciousness of “insiders” of a culture whilst, at the same time, stimulating the interest of outsiders. To be able to observe the prodigious artistic production of one’s own country from the point of view of another culture and another genetic material offers fresh cues. Curiosity, prodded by geographical and physical distance, helps to identify in a schematic way those characteristics that define a country’s visual culture in a decisively distinctive way
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