Search results for "Stone"
showing 10 items of 1137 documents
THE MOSAIC OF THE FRIGIDARIUM OF “VILLA BONANNO” IN PALERMO: MINERALOGICAL AND PETROGRAPHIC ANALYSES FOR IN SITU CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION INTERVE…
2018
The topic of this study was the mineralogical and petrographic characterization of bedding mortars (made of different layers) and tesserae of Roman age (3rd century A.D.), taken from the mosaic of the Frigidarium of “Villa Bonanno”, brought to light by archaeological excavations conducted in the historical centre of Palermo. The collected samples have been analysed by thin-section optical microscopy (PLM), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The study was aimed to define the “recipe” (composition of aggregate and binder, aggregate size distribution, aggregate/binder ratio), in order to assess the provenance of raw m…
Inhibition of Rho modulates cytokine-induced prostaglandin E2 formation in renal mesangial cells.
2003
Stimulation of rat mesangial cells for 24 h with interleukin-1β(IL-1β) plus forskolin (Fk) leads to a marked increase in prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) synthesis. This effect is further enhanced by the small G-protein Rho inhibitor toxin A. A similar increase in PGE 2 formation is obtained with Y27632, a Rho-dependent kinase inhibitor, and with lovastatin, a hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A inhibitor which depletes cells from geranylgeranyl moieties and thus blocks Rho activation. In parallel to the increased PGE 2 synthesis, a potentiation of IL-1β-induced secretory group IIA phospholipases A 2 (sPLA 2 -IIA) protein expression also occurs by Rho inhibition. However, only toxin A triggers an in…
Geological and cultural heritage: Dissemination experiences in Tuscany
2019
We report on some recent experiences of scientific dissemination activities on geomaterials carried out by a network of scientific organizations in Tuscany (Italy). The primary message we want to disseminate is that even the most "insignificant" rock (e.g., those constituting the bar or kitchen counter-tops) stores in their interior very useful information beyond the beautiful colors and their aesthetic appearance. These rocks can tell stories of very old geological periods on how they were formed. Their structures, texture and shape, as well as their chemistry and mineralogy provide clues to the reconstruction of geological events. Moreover, the rocks used in urban architecture and monumen…
Relationship between volume of submandibular salivary stones in vivo determined with cone-beam computer tomography and in vitro with micro-computer t…
2021
Background Successful removal of salivary stones depends on exact pretreatment information of the location, the size and shape of the stones. This study aimed to compare the volume of submandibular sialoliths determined by preoperative Cone-Beam Computer Tomography (CBCT) scans with the volume of the removed stones on micro-Computer Tomography (micro-CT) scans. Material and Methods In this study, using twenty-one submandibular sialoliths, the pretreatment volumes in-vivo measured on CBCT were compared to the volumes of removed stones determined by micro-CT scans. The volume measured on micro-CT scans served as the gold standard. Pre-operative CBCT’s and in-vitro micro-CT’s were converted in…
A specific operative protocol set up during the restoration of the Grammichele slate slab
2009
This work deals with the conservation of a slate slab, representing the map of Grammichele, a small town in the hinterland of South Eastern Sicily. The slab was engraved and painted in 1693, just after the tremendous earthquake that distroyed most of the towns in that area. The conservation process is illustrated through three steps: i) archive research; ii) physical chemical analysis of constitutive materials and degradation products; iii) planning and carrying out of the restoration and conservation operations.
On the slabbing of stones throughdiamond wire cutting
2010
Diamond wires are usually used in the cutting operations aimed to obtain slabs of stones. This tool consists of a steel cable on which are mounted annular metal–diamond pearls. The use of this technology expanded all over the world because of its advantages on other slabbing techniques as both technical and economical aspects are considered. It should be observed that with this technology wear phenomena must be properly monitored in order to obtain the best process conditions. Inthis article, thediamondwire cutting operation is investigated, highlighting the process mechanics and the wear phenomena occurring in the used tools. Furthermore, a modified version of the tool itself is proposed w…
Le cupole in pietra a vista nel primo Cinquecento in Sicilia
2021
The essay deals with the birth and the series changes relating to the construction of stone domes set on chapels in Sicily in the early sixteenth century. The selected examples and the solutions put in place by architects and builders of the time show a surprising and modern intertwining of languages, between Gothic, Renaissance and ancient local, and reveal the reasons for choices that contain an ideological component or a design and construction practice, facilitated by contracts by analogy.
The Essential Oil of
2019
Many chemicals used nowadays for the preservation of cultural heritage pose a risk to both human health and the environment. Thus, it is desirable to find new and eco-friendly biocides that can replace the synthetic ones. In this regard, plant essential oils represent effective alternatives to synthetic substances for the preservation of historical monuments. Thymbra capitata (syn. Thymus capitatus) is a medicinal and aromatic plant growing in the Mediterranean area and endowed with important pharmacological properties related to its essential oil. Among them, the antimicrobial ones make the T. capitata essential oil an ideal candidate for industrial applications; for instance, as biocide f…
A well-preserved crinoid stem in a building stone (Early Carboniferous, Mississippian) at Maastricht, the Netherlands
2017
An exceptionally well-preserved and long crinoid stem is exposed on a slab of decorative Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) limestone in front of an opticianʼs in Maastricht-Wyck, the Netherlands. The pluricolumnal is incomplete, but is c. 176.5 mm long by at least 7.0 mm wide and with a broad axial canal. The column is heteromorphic, N3231323. The specimen most likely represents a cladid or monobathrid that was preserved parallel to bedding.
La cuginanza. Storie esemplari di cugini dai Greci a Paperino
2022
Il saggio indaga in una prospettiva storico-linguistica e antropologica la natura del rapporto di cuginanza nella civiltà greca, proponendo confronti con la terminologia e la relativa concezione nel mondo latino. Al centro dell'indagine, condotta principalmente per un pubblico di non specialisti, c'è un ragionamento sulle occorrenze più antiche del termine greco "anepsiòs", esaminate nel loro contesto specifico all'interno, soprattutto, dei poemi omerici. Emerge la particolare natura del rapporto di cuginanza (termine attestato in greco nella forma anepsiòtes) secondo i Greci, che ne fa, specie nel caso di cugini primi, una fattispecie di parenti legati da uno stretto reciproco legame che i…