The Cruz de Cerrajería (the locksmith’s cross) (Seville): materials, degradation process and restoration methodology

[EN] The Cruz de Cerrajería is a wrought-iron cross forged in 1692 by the master locksmith Sebastián Conde. Its exposure to environmental elements, its structural characteristics and the inappropriate application of superimposed coats of paint have given rise to severe degradation due to corrosion. By means of instrumental analysis techniques, we were able to accurately identify the causes of the deterioration, determine the characteristics of the metal and evaluate its response to the application of passivation and stabilization treatments. Through an experimental approach we were able to determine the most appropriate solutions regarding the restoration and protection measures adopted to combat corrosion, considering the application possibilities according to the typology and shape of the numerous pieces that form the Cruz de Cerrajería. The treatment studied here guarantees the adequate protection of the cross, water evacuation and prevents galvanic couples.[ES] La Cruz de Cerrajería es un elemento urbano de culto elaborado con hierro forjado en 1692 por el maestro Sebastián Conde. Su exposición a los agentes ambientales, sus características estructurales y la inadecuada superposición de capas pictóricas han dado lugar a un importante proceso degradativo por corrosión. Técnicas de análisis instrumental (potenciometría, microscopía óptica y electrónica) han permitido identificar con exactitud las causas de deterioro, caracterizar el metal y evaluar su comportamiento ante los tratamientos de pasivación y estabilización. Se han podido de este modo argumentar experimentalmente las decisiones más adecuadas de cara a las actuaciones de restauración y protección frente a la corrosión, considerando las posibilidades de aplicación por la tipología y forma de las numerosas piezas que forman la Cruz de Cerrajería. El tratamiento objeto de estudio garantiza una protección adecuada, la evacuación del agua y previene los pares galvánicos.Alejandre Sánchez, FJ.; Flores-Alés, V.; Soler Núñez, P.; León Calzado, J. (2018). La Cruz de Cerrajería (Sevilla): historia, proceso degradativo, materiales y metodología de restauración. Loggia, Arquitectura & Restauración. (31):124-135. doi:10.4995/loggia.2018.7320SWORD12413531AA.VV. (1993). Diccionario histórico de las calles de Sevilla. (Consejería de Obras Públicas y Transportes, Ed.). Sevilla. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10326/944ALONSO GARCÍA, J. M. (1995). Metodología y técnica de conservación de objetos arqueológicos de hierro. Tesis doctoral inédita. Universidad de Granada.ASTM C876. (2015). Método de prueba estándar para 15 Potenciales de corrosión del acero de refuerzo sin revestimiento en hormigón. Retrieved from https://www.astm.org/Standards/C876.htm.AXOTLA GARCÍA, J., GARCÍA LEÓN, O., PINEDA BECERRIL, M., AGUILAR MÁRQUEZ, A., LEÓN RODRÍGUEZ, F. (2012). Una alternativa ecológica en el recubrimiento de materiales mediante el uso de convertidores de óxidos aplicados en probetas de acero 1010 expuestas en ambiente salino. In Asoc. Española de Ingeniería Mecánica (Ed.), XIX Cong. Nac.Ing. Mecánica (p. 72). Castellón.BARRITA ROJAS, V. M. (2007). Evaluación de diversas formulaciones de convertidores de óxido aplicados en probetas de acero expuestas en ambiente ácido. Tesis doctoral inédita. Universidad Autónoma de Méjico.CHAVES REY, M. (1894). Páginas sevillanas, sucesos históricos, personajes célebres, monumentos notables, tradiciones populares, cuentos viejos, leyendas y curiosidades. (Rasco, Ed.). Sevilla.DE LA TORRE FARFÁN, F. (1671). Fiestas de la S. Iglesia Metropolitana y Patriarcal de Sevilla al nuevo Culto del Señor Rey S. Fernando. (COAAT Sevilla, Ed.) (1995th ed.). Sevilla.ESPIAU EIZAGUIRRE, M. (1993). El monumento público en Sevilla. Servicio de Publicaciones del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla.FERNÁNDEZ IBÁÑEZ, C. (2003). La alteración del hierro por sales. Ayer y hoy. Problemas y soluciones. Monte Buciero, 9, 207-322.GARCÍA BERNAL, J. J. (2006). El fasto público en la España de los Austrias. Secretariado de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Sevilla.GESTOSO Y PÉREZ, J. (1899). Ensayo de un diccionario de los artífices que florecieron en Sevilla. Sevilla: [s.n.].MENA, J. M. de. (1985). Historia de Sevilla. Plaza & Janes.MONTOTO, S. (1954, September 4). La Virgen de Regla de la Calle de las Sierpes. ABC de Sevilla. Sevilla.OLLERO LOBATO, F. (2010). La arquitectura en Sevilla durante el Lustro Real (1729-1733) en N. Morales & F. Quiles (Eds.), Sevilla y corte: las artes y el lustro real (1729-1733) (p. 357). Casa de Velázquez.ONOFRE-BUSTAMANTE, E., OLVERA, A., BARBA, A., RODRÍGUEZ, F. J., CARBONERAS, M., ÁLVAREZ, M., ESCUDERO, M. L. (2010). Optimización del tratamiento de fosfatado como método de protección frente a la corrosión. Revista de Metalurgia, 46(4): 360-369. http://doi.org/10.3989/revmetalm.0959ORDUÑA Y VIGUERA, E. (2010). Rejeros españoles (1915) ed. facsimil, Maxtor.SEARA MORALES, I., VÁZQUEZ COUTO, J. (2014). Ejemplos de respaciones de la rejería en ventanas y balcones de la Ciudad Histórica de Santiago de Compostela (Cuaderno Técnicos nº. 7). Santiago de Compostela.VELÁZQUEZ Y SÁNCHEZ, J. (1872). Anales de Sevilla: reseña histórica de los sucesos políticos, hechos notables y particulares intereses de la tercera capital de la monarquía, metrópoli andaluza: de 1800 a 1850. (Hijos de Fé, Ed.). Sevilla

Phosphogypsum waste lime as a promising substitute of commercial limes: A rheological approach

This paper presents the rheological properties of three types of lime putty, specifying the influence of their origin. The study aims to compare a special lime putty prepared from phosphogypsum with a commercial lime powder and an aged lime putty. The results obtained in terms of chemical composition, crystalline structure, grain size and rheological characterization, (linear viscoelasticity, shear rate and time-dependent flow behaviour) are presented in the study. Putties studied present a similar rheological response, which mainly depends on the particle size and water content. Lower values of the linear viscoelastic functions and viscosity were found for the phosphogypsum lime putty, in agreement with the higher particle size. Transient flow tests reveal a predominant elastic response with no significant shear-induced structural perturbations. However, either a thickening phenomenon over time, i.e. rheopexy, favoured at low shear rates, or a viscosity decrease, i.e. thixotropy, favoured at high shear rates, was observed

A Novel Circulating MicroRNA for the Detection of Acute Myocarditis.

The diagnosis of acute myocarditis typically requires either endomyocardial biopsy (which is invasive) or cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (which is not universally available). Additional approaches to diagnosis are desirable. We sought to identify a novel microRNA for the diagnosis of acute myocarditis. To identify a microRNA specific for myocarditis, we performed microRNA microarray analyses and quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction (qPCR) assays in sorted CD4+ T cells and type 17 helper T (Th17) cells after inducing experimental autoimmune myocarditis or myocardial infarction in mice. We also performed qPCR in samples from coxsackievirus-induced myocarditis in mice. We then identified the human homologue for this microRNA and compared its expression in plasma obtained from patients with acute myocarditis with the expression in various controls. We confirmed that Th17 cells, which are characterized by the production of interleukin-17, are a characteristic feature of myocardial injury in the acute phase of myocarditis. The microRNA mmu-miR-721 was synthesized by Th17 cells and was present in the plasma of mice with acute autoimmune or viral myocarditis but not in those with acute myocardial infarction. The human homologue, designated hsa-miR-Chr8:96, was identified in four independent cohorts of patients with myocarditis. The area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve for this novel microRNA for distinguishing patients with acute myocarditis from those with myocardial infarction was 0.927 (95% confidence interval, 0.879 to 0.975). The microRNA retained its diagnostic value in models after adjustment for age, sex, ejection fraction, and serum troponin level. After identifying a novel microRNA in mice and humans with myocarditis, we found that the human homologue (hsa-miR-Chr8:96) could be used to distinguish patients with myocarditis from those with myocardial infarction. (Funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and others.).Supported by a grant (PI19/00545, to Dr. Martín) from the Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Carlos III Institute of Health–Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria; by a grant from the Biomedical Research Networking Center on Cardiovascular Diseases (to Drs. Martín, Sánchez-Madrid, and Ibáñez); by grants (S2017/BMD-3671-INFLAMUNE-CM, to Drs. Martín and Sánchez-Madrid; and S2017/BMD-3867-RENIM-CM, to Dr. Ibáñez) from Comunidad de Madrid; by a grant (20152330 31, to Drs. Martín, Sánchez-Madrid, and Alfonso) from Fundació La Marató de TV3; by grants (ERC-2011-AdG 294340-GENTRIS, to Dr. Sánchez-Madrid; and ERC-2018-CoG 819775-MATRIX, to Dr. Ibáñez) from the European Research Council; by grants (SAF2017-82886R, to Dr. Sánchez-Madrid; RETOS2019-107332RB-I00, to Dr. Ibáñez; and SAF2017-90604-REDT-NurCaMeIn and RTI2018-095928-BI00, to Dr. Ricote) from the Ministry of Science and Innovation; by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); and by a 2016 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators from the BBVA Foundation to Dr. Martín. The National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) is supported by the Carlos III Institute of Health, the Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Pro CNIC Foundation, and by a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence grant (SEV-2015-0505). Mr. Blanco-Domínguez is supported by a grant (FPU16/02780) from the Formación de Profesorado Universitario program of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports. Ms. Linillos-Pradillo is supported by a fellowship (PEJD-2016/BMD-2789) from Fondo de Garantía de Empleo Juvenil de Comunidad de Madrid. Dr. Relaño is supported by a grant (BES-2015-072625) from Contratos Predoctorales Severo Ochoa para la Formación de Doctores of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Dr. Alonso-Herranz is supported by a fellowship from La Caixa–CNIC. Dr. Caforio is supported by Budget Integrato per la Ricerca dei Dipartimenti BIRD-2019 from Università di Padova. Dr. Das is supported by grants (UG3 TR002878 and R35 HL150807) from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association through its Strategically Focused Research Networks.S

Extinction risk of Mesoamerican crop wild relatives

Ensuring food security is one of the world's most critical issues as agricultural systems are already being impacted by global change. Crop wild relatives (CWR)—wild plants related to crops—possess genetic variability that can help adapt agriculture to a changing environment and sustainably increase crop yields to meet the food security challenge. Here we report the results of an extinction risk assessment of 224 wild relatives of some of the world's most important crops (i.e. chilli pepper, maize, common bean, avocado, cotton, potato, squash, vanilla and husk tomato) in Mesoamerica—an area of global significance as a centre of crop origin, domestication and of high CWR diversity. We show that 35% of the selected CWR taxa are threatened with extinction according to The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List demonstrates that these valuable genetic resources are under high anthropogenic threat. The dominant threat processes are land use change for agriculture and farming, invasive and other problematic species (e.g. pests, genetically modified organisms) and use of biological resources, including overcollection and logging. The most significant drivers of extinction relate to smallholder agriculture—given its high incidence and ongoing shifts from traditional agriculture to modern practices (e.g. use of herbicides)—smallholder ranching and housing and urban development and introduced genetic material. There is an urgent need to increase knowledge and research around different aspects of CWR. Policies that support in situ and ex situ conservation of CWR and promote sustainable agriculture are pivotal to secure these resources for the benefit of current and future generations

The Mudejar tower of the church "Sta. Ma de la Encarnacion", Constantina (Seville). State of conservation and materials characterization

The aim of this work is to describe the state of conservation of the tower of the church Sta. Ma de la Encarnacion, Constantina (Seville), the characterization of its bricks, masonry and rendering mortars and establish the origin of their decay. The methodology consisted in determining the chemical composition by XRF, the contents of soluble salts and chlorides by ICP and ionic chromatography, the mineralogical composition by XRD, the study of physic-mechanical properties and finally the dating by 14 C of the rendering mortar. As a result of all the analyses developed it was determined that the main causes of decay were the heterogeneity of the quality of artisanal bricks and the presence of expansive efflorescence that damaged the structure through crystallization/dissolution cycles

Analysis of the materials and state of conservation of the medieval rammed earth walls of Seville (Spain)

In the specific study of medieval fortifications, an advanced knowledge of the state of conservation is required to achieve an effective diagnosis and a detailed evaluation that will provide the basis for establishing the criteria for prevention and restoration. The characterization of the materials and the knowledge of their degree of deterioration is one of the key points to address a restoration project in any rammed earth wall. In the last decades, a number of medieval fortifications built with rammed earth in Spain have been studied and restored. Although there is currently a better knowledge of the construction materials involved and their degradation processes, no detailed work has been carried out to date on the Seville City Wall, which is an outstanding sample of this kind of heritage. The aim of this work is hence to study the material characterization of the most recognisable section of the whole structure, which is known as Macarena Wall, that runs between the Macarena and the Cordoba Gates. The results and discussions presented offer a novel approach for this heritage asset and would play a solid criterion for a correct restoration proposal. For this purpose, ananalytical methodology already known and verified in the literature has been followed, which has been adapted according to the specific requirements of this monumental building. Among the most relevant results of the analytical and experimental phase, it is highlighted that capillary humidity and the transport and crystallisation of salts is one of the main causes of the deterioration of this monument. As this building is a clear reference of rammed earth military structures, the analytical procedure and the results obtained are an interesting reference for other similar interventions