Analisi di un ambiente umido confinato, finalizzata alla conservazione: i graffiti di Grotta Romanelli

ItGrotta Romanelli (Castro-Le) è una delle principali stazioni italiane del paleolitico superiore. Il sito, che si ritiene essere stato frequentato anche da Homo neanderthalensis, ha restituito, tra l'altro, materiale paleontologico, paletnologico, una pietra dipinta, arte mobiliare e parietale graffita riferita al paleolitico superiore. Lo scavo di trincee interne, per lo studio stratigrafico, e lo svuotamento della maggior parte dei depositi, avvenuti tra gli ultimi anni del 1800 (STASI) ed il 1970 (CARDINI), ha messo a nudo la gran parte delle pareti della grotta. In questi ultimi anni, l'esposizione all'aria, la costituzione litica e le caratteristiche ambientali, hanno favorito l'insistente proliferare, sulle superfici graffite ed a danno di queste ultime, di specie biologiche aggressive. L'assenza di interventi di manutenzione e difesa, protrattasi per circa 200 anni, sta provocando il lento ed inesorabile deterioramento dei graffiti.Il presente lavoro, dopo aver brevemente presentato l'ambiente ed i contenuti di grotta Romanelli, propone una prima analisi degli agenti aggressivi presenti sulle pareti interne (Licheni), finalizzata alla conservazione dei materiali lapidei di supporto e quindi dei graffiti stessi.EnThe Romanelli cave (Castro-Le) is one of the main italian sites of the superior paleolithic era. It is believed to have been frequented by Homo neanderthalensis, and among other finds there are paleonthological and paletnological material, a painted stone, mobiliar art and pariethal graffiti from the superior paleolithic era. The escavation of internal trenches in late 1800 by STASI and in 1970 by CARDINI has freed most of the walls of the cave. Now the exposure to air, the lithic consistency and the environmental characteristics have favoured the prolification of aggressive biological species on the graffiti with the risk of ruining them. The lack of maintenence and defence is causing a slow and unrelenting deterioration of the graffiti. This study, after a brief description of the environment and contents of the Romanelli cave, proposes an analysis of the aggressive agents present on the internal walls (lichens) finalized to the conservation of the stone walls and hence of the graffiti

ACQUA DA INVASIONE NELLA CHIESA DELL’ANNUNZIATA A SESSA AURUNCA (CE). LA DIAGNOSTICA PROPEDEUTICA ALL’APPROCCIO SUI BENI CULTURALI

The conservative restoration objective could be achieved through an approach to cultural heritage, optimized by diagnostics. So, it is possible to identify the causes of degradation, to monitor the effects of interventions and to guide future choices. The validity of this approach is testified by the interventions made on the Church of the Annunziata di Sessa Aurunca (CE). Inappropriate interventions and a lack of planned maintenance had caused widespread degradation. The presence of humidity was due to rising damp and condensation. After the first thermographic surveys, the restoration work began. The validation of the results had emerged from the monitoring through thermographic analysis iterated over time, which had allowed to measure the effectiveness of the interventions and to optimize the choices towards more effective actions too. The monitoring through non-destructive analysis has made it possible to develop a methodological approach that can be generalized to the historical building. Diagnostics become a system of objective measurement not only of degradation but also of the regression of degradation itself. In the reality of the restoration site, diagnostics are often overlooked with a view to reducing overall costs. This case study shows how important it is to sensitize professionals to make use of diagnostics in the approach to cultural heritage and in particular, in the case of conservative restoration, to make this preparatory phase more than desirable

Essential Oils and Hydrolates: Potential Tools for Defense against Bacterial Plant Pathogens

The essential oils (EOs) of Origanum compactum and Satureja montana chemotyped (CT) at carvacrol, two Thymus vulgaris CT at thujanol and thymol, and Hydrolates (Hys) of S. montana and Citrus aurantium var. amara were chosen for studying their bactericidal efficacy against few phytobacterial pathogens. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were found by microdilution assay. The essential oils of O. compactum (MBC 0.06% v/v), T. vulgaris CT thymol (MBC 0.06% v/v), and Hy of C. aurantium (MBC 6.25% v/v) resulted in being the most effective against Erwinia amylovora; thus, they were used as starting concentrations for ex vivo assays. Despite the great in vitro effectiveness, the disease incidence and the population dynamic ex vivo assays showed no significant results. On the other hand, EO of O. compactum and Hy of C. aurantium (at 0.03% and 4.5% v/v, respectively) showed resistance induction in tomato plants against Xanthomonas vesicatoria infections; both treatments resulted in approximately 50% protection. In conclusion, EOs and Hys could be promising tools for agricultural defense, but further studies will be necessary to stabilize the EOs emulsions, while Hys application could be an effective method to prevent bacterial diseases when used as resistance inducer by pre-transplantation treatment at roots

Focused library of phenyl-fused macrocyclic amidinoureas as antifungal agents

The rise of antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes and the spread of the global pandemic of COVID-19 are worsening the outcomes of hospitalized patients for invasive fungal infections. Among them, candidiases are seriously worrying, especially since the currently available drug armamentarium is extremely limited. We recently reported a new class of macrocyclic amidinoureas bearing a guanidino tail as promising antifungal agents. Herein, we present the design and synthesis of a focused library of seven derivatives of macrocyclic amidinoureas, bearing a second phenyl ring fused with the core. Biological activity evaluation shows an interesting antifungal profile for some compounds, resulting to be active on a large panel of Candida spp. and C. neoformans. PAMPA experiments for representative compounds of the series revealed a low passive diffusion, suggesting a membrane-based mechanism of action or the involvement of active transport systems. Also, compounds were found not toxic at high concentrations, as assessed through MTT assays.14n