Historic tuff masonry in Naples: different approaches to its conservation

[EN] Tuff, a sedimentary rock made of volcanic ash, is a traditional building material in the Campania region. Since its foundation Naples’ architecture, whether monumental or vernacular, has been erected in tuff masonry and only the arrival of concrete and steel has meant its downfall. Due to the soft nature of tuff, traditionally the building material was designed to be covered by plaster and very few and monumental architectures, by selecting and sculpting to the purpose the rock, were designed to be fair-faced. In years the exposition to natural and artificial degradation agents has brought a wide variety of deterioration phenomena both on the fair-faced tuff masonry and the ones that had lost plaster. In approaching the restoration of these architectures, the conservator is faced with a challenging task. This is due to the difficulty of balancing the pursue of minimum intervention and authenticity respect, the conservation of the historic consolidated image of the architecture and the necessity of using the best restoration techniques that guarantee the highest conservation of the material in future years, with particular regard to bio-compatible and sustainable materials both for operators and the environment. By analyzing the restoration of various architectures, both archaeological and modern, the paper will address this difficult task and the different decisions made by the conservators in relation to the monuments’ nature, identity, history and status of conservation. The paper is based on a multidisciplinary approach due to the contribution of the expertise of an architect, a restorer and an archaeologist.Balbi, B.; Bosso, R.; Russo Krauss, G. (2022). Historic tuff masonry in Naples: different approaches to its conservation. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 963-970. https://doi.org/10.4995/HERITAGE2022.2022.1505396397

Co-expression of Myoepithelial and Melanocytic Features in Carcinoma Ex Pleomorphic Adenoma

The presence of melanin pigment and melanocytic markers expression have been rarely reported in salivary gland tumors. Herein, two cases of carcinoma arising in pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland and showing diffuse expression of myoepithelial and melanocytic markers are described. The clinical-pathological clues useful in the differential diagnosis with melanoma are discussed. In addition, a review of the pertinent literature is also proposed, discussing the pathologic mechanisms potentially involved in this phenomenon

Lipoprotein (a) is increased in acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina pectoris and myocardial infarction), but it is not predictive of the severity of coronary lesions

Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] concentrations were determined in 365 patients undergoing coronary angiography for stable angina (n = 159), unstable angina (n = 99), recent myocardial infarction (n = 45), and nonischemic heart disease (cardiomyopathy or valvular disease, n = 62, non-IHD). Mean +/- SD and median Lp(a) concentrations in stable angina (29.9 +/- 29.2;22 mg/dl) did not differ from those in non-IHD (26.9 +/- 26.3; 17), but were significantly lower than in patients with unstable angina (52.7 +/- 36.6; 58) and myocardial infarction (44.8 +/- 36.4; 34) (p0.01). Coronary angiography revealed that 261 patients, including 4 patients in the non-IHD group, had significant (or = 50%) coronary lesions. Lp(a) was higher in patients with (41 +/- 35; 32) than in those without (28 +/- 27; 19) angiographic evidence of significant coronary stenosis (p0.05) and showed a weak univariate correlation with the angiographic index (Total Score) of the severity of the disease (r = 0.106;p0.05). However, in the subgroup of 303 patients with stable/unstable angina or myocardial infarction, Lp(a) was predictive neither of angiographic presence nor of severity of coronary disease. Patients were then ranked according to the Total Score values. Among patients with comparable angiographic severity of coronary artery disease, Lp(a) appeared to be remarkably higher in patients with acute ischemic syndromes (unstable angina, myocardial infarction) than in patients with stable angina. In conclusion, Lp(a) was roughly twice as high in acute (unstable angina, myocardial infarction) than in chronic (stable angina) ischemic syndromes, but there was no difference between chronic stable angina and non-IHD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

Advanced Oxidation Protein Products-Modified Albumin Induces Differentiation of RAW264.7 Macrophages into Dendritic-Like Cells Which Is Modulated by Cell Surface Thiols.

Local accumulation of Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP) induces pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic processes in kidneys and is an independent predictor of renal fibrosis and of rapid decline of eGFR in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In addition to kidney damage, circulating AOPP may be regarded as mediators of systemic oxidative stress and, in this capacity, they might play a role in the progression of atherosclerotic damage of arterial walls. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that involves activation of innate and adaptive immunity. Dendritic cells (DCs) are key cells in this process, due to their role in antigen presentation, inflammation resolution and T cell activation. AOPP consist in oxidative modifications of proteins (such as albumin and fibrinogen) that mainly occur through myeloperoxidase (MPO)-derived hypochlorite (HOCl). HOCl modified proteins have been found in atherosclerotic lesions. The oxidizing environment and the shifts in cellular redox equilibrium trigger inflammation, activate immune cells and induce immune responses. Thus, surface thiol groups contribute to the regulation of immune functions. The aims of this work are: (1) to evaluate whether AOPP-proteins induce activation and differentiation of mature macrophages into dendritic cells in vitro; and (2) to define the role of cell surface thiol groups and of free radicals in this process. AOPP-proteins were prepared by in vitro incubation of human serum albumin (HSA) with HOCl. Mouse macrophage-like RAW264.7 were treated with various concentrations of AOPP-HSA with or without the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Following 48 h of HSA-AOPP treatment, RAW264.7 morphological changes were evaluated by microscopic observation, while markers of dendritic lineage and activation (CD40, CD86, and MHC class II) and allogeneic T cell proliferation were evaluated by flow cytometry. Cell surface thiols were measured by AlexaFluor-maleimide binding, and ROS production was assessed as DCF fluorescence by flow cytometry. HSA-AOPP induced the differentiation of RAW264.7 cells into a dendritic-like phenotype, as shown by morphological changes, by increased CD40, CD86 and MHC class II surface expression and by induction of T cell proliferation. The cell surface thiols dose dependently decreased following HSA-AOPP treatment, while ROS production increased. NAC pre-treatment enhanced the amount of cell surface thiols and prevented their reduction due to treatment with AOPP. Both ROS production and RAW264.7 differentiation into DC-like cells induced by HSA-AOPP were reduced by NAC. Our results highlight that oxidized plasma proteins modulate specific immune responses of macrophages through a process involving changes in the thiol redox equilibrium. We suggest that this mechanism may play a role in determining the rapid progression of the atherosclerotic process observed in CKD patients

PRAME Expression in Mucosal Melanoma of the Head and Neck Region

PRAME (PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma), a cancer-testis antigen expressed in normal and neoplastic tissues with several functions, proved to be a useful diagnostic tool in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant melanocytic lesions. The current study aims to perform PRAME stain on a retrospective case series of mucosal melanocytic tumors of the head and neck region to compare 3 different scores and evaluate the most reliable one in this diagnostic set. Immunohistochemical analysis for PRAME was performed in 54 benign and malignant mucosal melanocytic tumors of the head and neck region collected from 41 patients. The best-performing cutoff of PRAME-positive cells (nuclear stain) to differentiate benign and malignant mucosal melanocytic tumors of the head and neck region is that proposed by Raghavan and colleagues (<60%/≥60% of PRAME-positive cells), with 100% and 77.8% of benign lesions and malignant tumors respectively correctly identified. Applying this score, PRAME stain showed the best results (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values) for the diagnosis of head and neck melanocytic tumors. However, a subset of PRAME-negative malignant tumors was identified, especially located in the palatal area (hard and soft palate). Finally, high PRAME expression (≥60%) was associated with specific sites (nasal cavity/nasal septum/turbinates nasopharynx, and the maxillary sinus), nodular histotype, and female sex

Co-progettazione di esperienze del patrimonio culturale per tutti con la realtà virtuale: un approccio di progettazione basato su scenari

The application of digital technologies for the accessibility of cultural heritage sites is an emerging area of research that presents relevant design challenges. In this regard, the potential of virtual reality (VR) is increasingly highlighted to guarantee the universal right to enjoy cultural heritage to visitors with different accessibility needs. This study provides a contribution to advance knowledge and practice in this area by presenting the design process and findings of a research project aimed to develop a compensatory solution through VR for improving the accessibility of cultural heritage sites for visitors with mobility impairments. For this research, the Scenario-Based Design method (SBD) is applied within a User-Centered Design approach to identify user requirements of the VR interface. Based on this method, different personas and corresponding scenarios are designed to represent the needs, motivations and behaviors of the main user groups of the compensatory technological solution. Further, the SBD is used in the prototyping phase as a tool for co-design activity, which involved users with specific accessibility needs, designers and other stakeholders to identify the requirements of the VR application. The paper presents the findings of the co-design relating to the functional and experiential requirements and discusses the methodological and practical implications to support the use of this approach for the development of digital solutions for cultural heritage accessibilityL'applicazione delle tecnologie digitali per l'accessibilità dei siti culturali costituisce un'area emergente di ricerca che presenta rilevanti sfide per la progettazione. In quest’ambito viene crescentemente evidenziato il potenziale della realtà virtuale (RV) per garantire il diritto universale alla fruizione del patrimonio culturale per i visitatori con diverse esigenze di accessibilità. Il presente lavoro fornisce un contributo per l’avanzamento delle conoscenze e della pratica in quest’area, presentando il processo di design e i risultati di un progetto di ricerca finalizzato a sviluppare una soluzione compensativa con la RV per migliorare l'accessibilità dei siti culturali per i visitatori con disabilità motorie. La ricerca impiega il metodo dello Scenario-Based Design (SBD) nell’ambito di un approccio di User-Centered Design per identificare i requisiti degli utenti per lo sviluppo dell'interfaccia di RV. Attraverso questo metodo, diversi personas e i corrispondenti scenari sono progettati per rappresentare i bisogni, le motivazioni e i comportamenti dei principali gruppi di utenti dell’applicazione tecnologica. Tale metodo è inoltre utilizzato nella fase di prototipazione come strumento per l'attività di co-design, che ha coinvolto utenti con specifiche esigenze di accessibilità, designer e altri stakeholder per identificare i requisiti dell’applicazione. L'articolo presenta i risultati del co-design relativi ai requisiti funzionali ed esperienziali e discute le implicazioni metodologiche e pratiche a supporto dell'uso di questo approccio per lo sviluppo di soluzioni digitali per l'accessibilità del patrimonio culturale

How Can App Design Improve Lexicographic Outcomes? Examples from an Italian Idiom Dictionary

Despite the growing number of smartphone apps used in everyday tasks, lexicographic applications are still rarely discussed. Studies focus mainly on the usability of available tools, but contributions concerning the development of dictionary apps are almost non-existent. In this paper, three different design solutions are presented to implement a dictionary app for Italian idioms, having foreign learners as prospective users. Prototypes were sketched according to Human-centred design principles and by applying a participatory approach in which users contribute to the design process. To offer a trustworthy tool, special attention was also paid to the lexicographic data provided. To this end, the OWID Sprichwörterbuch model was enriched with specific information to support foreign speakers, whose communicative needs had been tested in a production task with Italian idioms. The presentation of three prototypes is specifically addressed to highlight design solutions which can guarantee descriptive richness

How Can App Design Improve Lexicographic Outcomes? Examples from an Italian Idiom Dictionary

Despite the growing number of smartphone apps used in everyday tasks, lexicographic applications are still rarely discussed. Studies focus mainly on the usability of available tools, but contributions concerning the development of dictionary apps are almost non-existent. In this paper, three different design solutions are presented to implement a dictionary app for Italian idioms, having foreign learners as prospective users. Prototypes were sketched according to Human-centred design principles and by applying a participatory approach in which users contribute to the design process. To offer a trustworthy tool, special attention was also paid to the lexicographic data provided. To this end, the OWID Sprichwörterbuch model was enriched with specific information to support foreign speakers, whose communicative needs had been tested in a production task with Italian idioms. The presentation of three prototypes is specifically addressed to highlight design solutions which can guarantee descriptive richness