Habsburg topographic cartography of the Italian peninsula in the first half of the 19th century

The geodetic point lists of the Habsburg survey of the Italian peninsula, carried out in several steps after the Napoleonic wars, were digitized and analyzed together with the modern coordinates of the identified points. Assuming the usage of the Zach-Oriani hybrid ellipsoid, the Burša-Wolf type datum transformation parameters were estimated between the local, historical triangulation Datums and the WGS84. The results show interesting accuracy differences in the Italian regions; since the points and coordinates in Lombardy, Piedmont and Lucca shows surprisingly high accuracy and consistency, the survey of Venice, Tuscany, the Papal State, the Adriatic coasts and the Kingdom of Naples is less controlled. The results enabled us to geo-refer the corresponding map series, stored in the Austrian Military Archives, in Vienna, in four different parts. Venice, Lombardy and Lucca (with other small regions at their southern border) were a part of the Habsburg Second Military Survey, with same scale and technology and legend. Part of the series of Piedmont was also found in the Vienna archives and geo-referred. South of these regions, Tuscany and the Papal State was mapped in 1:86400 scale, in a Cassini projection with the centre in the Duomo S. Salvatore, Milan. The southernmost systematic mapping work in the peninsula was in the Kingdom of Naples in the 1820s, with the same scale as used in mid-Italy, projection centre was in Capodimonte (Naples). Albeit the relatively high accuracy of the geodetic network, these map mosaics are refined horizontally applying a local correction grid (GSB) to keep the horizontal errors below 200 meters

Habsburg topographic cartography of the Italian peninsula in the first half of the 19th century

The geodetic point lists of the Habsburg survey of the Italian peninsula, carried out in several steps after the Napoleonic wars, were digitized and analyzed together with the modern coordinates of the identified points. Assuming the usage of the Zach-Oriani hybrid ellipsoid, the Burša-Wolf type datum transformation parameters were estimated between the local, historical triangulation Datums and the WGS84. The results show interesting accuracy differences in the Italian regions; since the points and coordinates in Lombardy, Piedmont and Lucca shows surprisingly high accuracy and consistency, the survey of Venice, Tuscany, the Papal State, the Adriatic coasts and the Kingdom of Naples is less controlled. The results enabled us to georefer the corresponding map series, stored in the Austrian Military Archives, in Vienna, in four different parts. Venice, Lombardy and Lucca (with other small regions at their southern border) were a part of the Habsburg Second Military Survey, with same scale and technology and legend. Part of the series of Piedmont was also found in the Vienna archives and geo-referred. South of these regions, Tuscany and the Papal State was mapped in 1:86400 scale, in a Cassini projection with the centre in the Duomo S. Salvatore, Milan. The southernmost systematic mapping work in the peninsula was in the Kingdom of Naples in the 1820s, with the same scale as used in mid-Italy, projection centre was in Capodimonte (Naples). Albeit the relatively high accuracy of the geodetic network, these map mosaics are refined horizontally applying a local correction grid (GSB) to keep the horizontal errors below 200 meters

Circulating anti-heat-shock-protein antibodies in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia

It has been previously reported that circulating anti-heat-shock-protein (Hsp) antibody levels are elevated in cardiovascular disorders. The aim of the present study was to determine circulating antihuman Hsp60, antimycobacterial Hsp65, and antihuman Hsp70 antibody levels in healthy pregnant women and preeclamptic patients and to investigate their relationship to the clinical characteristics of the study subjects, as well as to the markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP)), endothelial activation (von Willebrand factor antigen), or endothelial injury (fibronectin), oxidative stress (malondialdehyde) and to serum Hsp70 levels. Ninety-three preeclamptic patients and 127 normotensive healthy pregnant women were involved in this case control study. Serum anti-Hsp60, anti-Hsp65, anti-Hsp70, and Hsp70 levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum CRP levels were determined by an autoanalyzer using the manufacturer’s kit. Plasma von Willebrand factor antigen levels were quantified by ELISA, while plasma fibronectin concentration by nephelometry. Plasma malondialdehyde levels were measured by the thiobarbituric-acid-based colorimetric assay. For statistical analyses, nonparametric methods were applied. Anti-Hsp60, anti-Hsp65, and anti-Hsp70 antibodies were detected in all of our serum samples. There were no significant differences in serum anti-Hsp60, anti-Hsp65, and anti-Hsp70 antibody levels between the control and preeclamptic groups. Serum levels of Hsp70 and CRP, as well as plasma levels of VWF antigen, fibronectin, and malondialdehyde, were significantly higher in preeclamptic patients than in normotensive healthy pregnant women. Serum anti-Hsp60 antibody levels showed significant correlations with serum anti-Hsp65 antibody levels both in the control and the preeclamptic groups (Spearman R = 0.55 and 0.59; p < 0.001, respectively). However, no other relationship was found between clinical features (maternal age, smoking status, parity, body mass index, gestational age at blood draw, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, gestational age at delivery, and fetal birth weight) and measured laboratory parameters of the study subjects and serum anti-Hsp antibody levels in either study group. In conclusion, anti-Hsp60 and anti-Hsp70 antibodies as naturally occurring autoantibodies are present in the peripheral circulation of healthy pregnant women. Nevertheless, humoral immunity against heat shock proteins was not associated with preeclampsia. Further studies are warranted to explore the role of heat shock proteins and immune reactivity to them in the immunobiology of normal pregnancy and preeclampsia