THE CHURCH OF SANT'ANDREA IN BERGAMO: AN INTEGRATED SURVEY FOR KNOWLEDGE AND CONSERVATION

Abstract. The church dedicated to Sant'Andrea (St. Andrew) in Porta Dipinta street in Bergamo city is a treasure that keep inside it a rich heritage of great historical and cultural value, both from the architectural and from the artistic point of view. Lacking of the façade (left unfinished), it is often neglected, despite being on the main road leading to the old town from Sant'Agostino Gate. The approach to an historical building like this requires a multi-disciplinary integration, in order to join the technical competence of engineering sciences to the sensitivity of human and fine arts sciences. For a better understanding of the structural performances of the building, historical research, measurement survey, material and decay condition study have to complement each other.</p

INTEGRATED 3D SURVEY AND DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS FOR THE BUILDING ENGINEERING: THE FORMER KINDERGARTEN SAN FILIPPO NERI IN DALMINE

The paper aims to emphasise the positive contribution that the 3D laser scanning and digital photogrammetry survey, integrated with diagnostic analysis techniques, can make in the field of construction engineering. The case study of the former kindergarten San Filippo Neri in Dalmine intends to contribute to the development of methodologies and operational tools related to the knowledge and conservation of modern and contemporary heritage. After archival research aimed at retracing the building's technical-constructive evolution, the study was extended out through the metric and morphological survey of both its external walls and internal spaces, paying special attention to the analysis of the deformations of the large horizontal surfaces, such as floors and ceilings. Diagnostic investigations – thermographic and microclimatic – have completed the survey campaign, so allowed to read both the envelope and the substance of the building, and to identify the critical issues. This work adopts and shows the correct glide slope to succeed in an adaptive reuse project in which the design stage can result solely from the in-depth study of the building

3D LOW-COST MULTISPECTRAL UAV SYSTEMS: SURVEY AND ANALYSIS OF <i>TORRESINO DA POLVERE</i> OF SAN MARCO IN BERGAMO

The Torresini da Polvere are special constructions built by the Venetian Republic between the 16th and 18th centuries. They are unique architectural structures, characterized by a pyramidal roof, for the preservation of the gunpowder. The torresino of San Marco in Bergamo is one of the best-preserved in the world and was then the subject of detailed research. The powder magazine was measured by professional, ground-based and airborne instruments. The paper shows a comparison between the existing structure and the photogrammetric model obtained by low-cost UAV systems to formulate an accurate estimate, including the pros and cons of different survey systems. It also aims to deepen the aspects associated with 3D reconstruction using multispectral imagery, from the investigation to data processing, to create models with NDVI mapping for the study of the building’s decay caused by biological agents

Abrupt change in a Subtidal Rocky Reef community coincided with a rapid acceleration of Sea Water Warming

Seawater warming is impacting marine ecosystems, but proper evaluation of change requires the availability of long-term biological data series. Mesco Reef (Ligurian Sea, Italy) offers one of the longest Mediterranean data series on sessile epibenthic communities, based on underwater photographic surveys. Photographs taken in four stations between 20 m and 40 m depth allowed calculating the percent cover of conspicuous species in 1961, 1990, 1996, 2008, and 2017. Multivariate analysis evidenced an abrupt compositional change between 1990 and 1996. A parallel change was observed in Ligurian Sea temperatures. Two invasive macroalgae (Caulerpa cylindracea and Womersleyella setacea) became dominant after 1996. Community diversity was low in 1961 to 1996, rapidly increased between 1996 and 2008, and exhibited distinctly higher values in 2008-2017. A novel community emerged from the climate shift of the 1990s, with many once characteristic species lost, reduced complexity, biotic homogenization, greater diversity and domination by aliens. Only continued monitoring will help envisage the possibility for a reversal of the present phase shift or for further transformations driven by global change

UAV PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION MODELING AND MAPPING VENETIAN WALLS OF BERGAMO

In July 2017, the system of Bergamo City Walls was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with other Venetian fortresses in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro. This important historical document needs continuous care and caution in order to be preserved complete, despite the continuous atmospheric and anthropic attacks, giving rise to dangerous deterioration processes on the artefact. The UAV photogrammetry is a suitable surveying method for such an extended system, able to collect all the geometrical, material and deterioration information needed for an effective maintenance program, also quick enough to allow for a repeated monitoring of the entire wall circuit. This paper presents the UAV survey campaign planned, and partially already completed, in order to test the methodological choices and solve all the operational difficulties to use drones in an urban environment, mainly because short distance shooting of nearly vertical surfaces was required

PRESERVING THE VENETIAN FORTRESS OF BERGAMO: QUICK PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEY FOR CONSERVATION PLANNING

The historical and cultural relevance of the City Walls built by the ‘Serenissima’ Republic of Venice in the second half of 16th century was recognized in 2017 by the insertion of Bergamo, together with other Venetian Fortresses in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro, in the World Heritage List of UNESCO as transnational site. In the framework of the nomination to the WHL, the City Council together with the University of Bergamo started a campaign of studies and surveys aimed to prepare a conservation planning. The goal of this plan is to assure a constant monitoring of this artwork, so that a strict routine of controls, cleaning and small strengthening works would prevent more relevant interventions, which could corrupt the material integrity of the building.This paper delineates the methodological and operational workflow applied to the preparation of the maintenance plan, now in progress, for the Venetian City Walls of Bergamo, where the photogrammetric survey by means of UAV plays an important role. The different working phases, the adopted instrumentation, the difficulties encountered and the choices made are described, and some case studies are also illustrated that represent well the typical problems encountered for the conservation of the Walls.</p

Consequences of the marine climate and ecosystem shift of the 1980-90s on the Ligurian Sea biodiversity (NW Mediterranean Sea)

A rapid temperature increase in the 1980-90s has been accompanied by dramatic and unprecedented changes in the biota and communities of the Ligurian Sea. This review uses existing historical series (a few of which have been purposely updated) to assess extent and consequences of such changes. A number of warm-water species, previously absent or occasional in the comparatively cold Ligurian Sea, has recently established thanks to warmer winters. Occurrence among them of invasive alien species is causing concern because of their capacity of outcompeting autochthonous species. Summer heatwaves, on the other hand, caused mass mortalities in marine organisms, some of which found refuge at depth. New marine diseases appeared, as well as other dysfunctions such as the formation of mucilage aggregates that suffocated and entangled benthic organisms. Human pressures have combined with climate change to cause phase shifts (i.e., abrupt variations in species composition and community structure) in different habitats, such as the pelagic environment, seagrass meadows, rocky reefs, and marine caves. These phase shifts implied biotic homogenization, reduction of diversity, and dominance by invasive aliens, and may be detrimental to the resilience of Ligurian Sea ecosystems. Another phase of rapid warming has possibly started in the 2010s and there are clues pointing to a further series of biological changes, but data are too scarce to date for proper assessment. Only well addressed long-term studies will help understanding the future dynamics of Ligurian Sea ecosystems and their possibilities of recovery

Tilted implants for full-arch rehabilitations in completely edentulous maxilla : a retrospective study

Purpose. The aims of this study were to assess the treatment outcome of immediately loaded full-arch fixed bridges anchored to both tilted and axially placed implants in the edentulous maxilla and to evaluate the incidence of biological and prosthetic complications. Materials and Methods. Thirty-four patients (18 women and 16 men) were included in the study. Each patient received a maxillary full-arch fixed bridge supported by two axial implants and two distal tilted implants. A total of 136 implants were inserted. Loading was applied within 48 hours of surgery and definitive restorations were placed 4 to 6 months later. Patients were scheduled for followup at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months and annually up to 5 years. At each followup plaque level and bleeding scores were assessed and every complication was recorded. Results. The overall follow-up range was 12 to 73 months (mean 38.8 months). No implant failures were recorded to date, leading to a cumulative implant survival rate of 100. Biological complications were recorded such as alveolar mucositis (11.8 patients), peri-implantitis (5.9 patients), and temporomandibular joint pain (5.9 patients). The most common prosthetic complications were the fracture or detachment of one or multiple acrylic teeth in both the temporary (20.6 patients) and definitive (17.7 patients) prosthesis and the minor acrylic fractures in the temporary (14.7 patients) and definitive (2.9 patients) prosthesis. Hygienic complications occurred in 38.2 patients. No patients' dissatisfactions were recorded. Conclusions. The high cumulative implant survival rate indicates that this technique could be considered a viable treatment option. An effective recall program is important to early intercept and correct prosthetic and biologic complications in order to avoid implant and prosthetic failures

Effects of sildenafil on maximum walking time in patients with arterial claudication: The ARTERIOFIL study

BACKGROUND: Patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) frequently experience claudication, a clinical symptom indicative of reduced walking capacity. Recommended care consists of exercise rehabilitation combined with optimal medical treatment and surgery. The effects of a single oral dose of sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor, on patients with claudication are discussed. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of a single 100 mg dose of sildenafil compared to placebo in terms of maximal walking time (MWT) in patients with claudication. METHODS: The ARTERIOFIL study is a crossover, double-blind, prospective, randomized, single-center study conducted at Angers University Hospital in France. MWT (primary endpoint) was assessed using a treadmill test (10% incline; 3.2 km/h). Secondary endpoints (pain-free walking time (PFWT), transcutaneous oximetry during exercise and redox cycle parameters and safety) were also studied. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were included of whom two were ultimately excluded. In the 12 remaining patients, the MWT was significantly improved during the sildenafil period compared with the placebo period (300 s [95% CI 172 s-428 s] vs 402 s [95% CI 274 s-529 s] p &lt; 0.01). Sildenafil had no significant effect on pain-free walking time or skin tissue oxygenation during exercise. According to redox cycle parameters, sildenafil significantly reduced blood glucose and pyruvate levels and the 3-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio, while there was no significant effect on lactate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate and free fatty acid levels. Symptomatic transient hypotension was observed in two women. CONCLUSIONS: The ARTERIOFIL study has shown that a single 100 mg oral dose of sildenafil had a significant effect on increase in MWT but had no significant effects on PFWT and oxygenation parameters in patients with claudication. A double-blind, prospective, randomized, multicenter study (VIRTUOSE©) is ongoing to evaluate the chronic effect of six month-long sildenafil treatment on MWT in PAD patients with claudication. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov, registration. number: NCT02832570, (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02832570)