THE "ART OF WAR FRIEZE" IN URBINO: A BLEND OF VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION AND SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY

The Art of War Frieze was commissioned by Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, to decorate the back of the «wing façade» of the Ducal palace. The Frieze decorated the façade from the time it was realised towards the end of the XVth century until 1756. The Frieze consists of a very particular series of seventy-two limestone bas-reliefs, whose iconographic repertoire represents numerous war and building machines as well as military and political symbols. After it broke away from the outdoor façade it was stored in different rooms in the Palace but despite the many documentary records available, the question of the original sequence of the basreliefs has never been resolved. The primary scope of this paper is to create a "virtual" reconstruction of the original sequence of the bas-reliefs, starting from historical and iconographic records, an analysis of the back and the individual panels using a laser scanner and fully automatic open source photo modelling technologies like the Arc3d, and photogrammetric systems like Image Master together with analyses of the state of conservation, type of degradation correlated to atmospheric parameters (sunlight, temperature, rain). Tests will then be carried out with different systems in order to confirm the accuracy of the model if it is decided to reproduce the individual panels using the rapid prototyping technique associated to a study of the execution techniques

3-d visualization and animation of architectonic elements for prehistoric megalithic temples of the island of Gozo: the temple of Ggantija

Laser scanning can now be defined without doubt as the newest frontier in the field of survey technique, and recent technological developments of instruments and processing software have encouraged the introduction of this technique in the world of applications connected to archaeological site and other related disciplines. The temple of Ggantija on the island of Gozo was considered to be representative of the entire series of temple complexes due to their particular architectural characteristics, their stage of evolution and form of deterioration, both material and structural. The survey was conducted by the use of the local geodetic network in the different phases: • Topographic survey • 3D laser scanner survey • Photographic Survey: both traditional and digital pictures will be taken in order to fully documentation internal and external surfaces of the site. The treatment and analysis of data collections was divided into the following sub-stages: elaboration and compensation of close polygonal, thickening polygonal and direct measurements; elaboration and compensation of altimetric network; linking of the above data with the existing Maltese national networks; elaboration of laser scanner positions and absolute orientations; elaboration of points coordinates for georeferencing and linking the point clouds coming from laser; final data verification end quality control; analysis of laser measured point clouds, for filtering and subsequent elaboration; scanning orientations and subdivision into “islands” (internal rooms and external sides); analysis of laser measured point clouds over the grid determined by the topographic survey.; modelling of the Archaeological site, elimination of noises and metric "pollution" by statistics and verification; accentuation and reduction of triangles on areas interested by complex geometries; triangles transformation into complex surfaces (mesh); model checking by topographic points; mapping of digital photocolors covering all the surfaces of the site. The digital model will be cut by vertical and horizontal section plans at heights requested by customer 2D graphic editing of the plans, sections and elevations. Finishing of vertical sections (sections and views) using the mapped model created by rendering calculated, generating contours lines from the 3D model; of a light model (low density model) of the laser scanner data using the filtering tools of the software package; of an virtual animation of the high density model; of a mapped VRML (Virtual Reality Modelling Language) model for a web interactive and hypertestual navigation, using the low density model. This part of the study was aimed at defining the architectural characteristics and mode of construction of this monument

Temperature increase inside LED-based illuminators for in vitro aPDT photodamage studies

Abstract Antimicrobial PhotoDynamic Therapy (aPDT) is an emerging strategy aimed at the eradication of bacterial infections, with a special focus on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This method is easy to apply, not expensive and particularly interesting in case of bacteria that spontaneously produce the required photosensitizers. In the framework of a project aimed at the development of an ingestible pill for the application of aPDT to gastric infections by Helicobacter pylori, a LED-based illuminating prototype (LED-BIP) was purposely designed in order to evaluate the photodamage induced by light of different wavelengths on porphyrin-producing bacteria. This short paper reports about temperature tests performed to assess the maximum exposure time and light dose that can be administered to bacterial cultures inside LED-BIP without reaching temperatures exceeding the physiological range

Transmission curves and effective refraction indices of MKO near infrared consortium filters at cryogenic temperatures

We report transmission measurements at cryogenic temperatures for 4 broad-band filters of the Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) near-infrared filter set and 5 narrow-band filters. The spectral scans were collected using the multi-mode IR instrument of the TNG telescope (NICS) in which these filters are permanently mounted and commonly used for astronomical observations. We determined the transmission curves at a temperature of 78K and found no significant red-leak up to 2.6 microns, the data are available in electronic form on the TNG web page. We also estimated the variation of the wavelength response with the incidence angle and found it compatible with an effective refractive index of about 2

Role and regulation of ACC deaminase gene in Sinorhizobium meliloti: Is it a symbiotic, rhizospheric or endophytic gene?

Plant-associated bacteria exhibit a number of different strategies and specific genes allow bacteria to communicate and metabolically interact with plant tissues. Among the genes found in the genomes of plant-associated bacteria, the gene encoding the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase (acdS) is one of the most diffused. This gene is supposed to be involved in the cleaving of plant-produced ACC, the precursor of the plant stress-hormone ethylene toning down the plant response to infection. However, few reports are present on the actual role in rhizobia, one of the most investigated groups of plant-associated bacteria. In particular, still unclear is the origin and the role of acdS in symbiotic competitiveness and on the selective benefit it may confer to plant symbiotic rhizobia. Here we present a phylogenetic and functional analysis of acdS orthologs in the rhizobium model-species Sinorhizobium meliloti. Results showed that acdS orthologs present in S. meliloti pangenome have polyphyletic origin and likely spread through horizontal gene transfer, mediated by mobile genetic elements. When acdS ortholog from AK83 strain was cloned and assayed in S. meliloti 1021 (lacking acdS), no modulation of plant ethylene levels was detected, as well as no increase in fitness for nodule occupancy was found in the acdS-derivative strain compared to the parental one. Surprisingly, AcdS was shown to confer the ability to utilize formamide and some dipeptides as sole nitrogen source. Finally, acdS was shown to be negatively regulated by a putative leucine-responsive regulator (LrpL) located upstream to acdS sequence (acdR). acdS expression was induced by root exudates of both legumes and non-leguminous plants. We conclude that acdS in S. meliloti is not directly related to symbiotic interaction, but it could likely be involved in the rhizospheric colonization or in the endophytic behavior

The TNG Near Infrared Camera Spectrometer

NICS (acronym for Near Infrared Camera Spectrometer) is the near-infrared cooled camera-spectrometer that has been developed by the Arcetri Infrared Group at the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory, in collaboration with the CAISMI-CNR for the TNG (the Italian National Telescope Galileo at La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain). As NICS is in its scientific commissioning phase, we report its observing capabilities in the near-infrared bands at the TNG, along with the measured performance and the limiting magnitudes. We also describe some technical details of the project, such as cryogenics, mechanics, and the system which executes data acquisition and control, along with the related software.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, compiled with A&A macros. A&A in pres

Segmental Ureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies

Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) represents the standard of care for high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). In selected patients with ureteral UTUC, a conservative approach such as segmental ureterectomy (SU) can be considered. However, this therapeutic option remains controversial. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the outcomes of SU versus RNU in patients with UTUC. Three search engines (Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science) were queried up to May 2019. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Statement (PRISMA Statement) was used as a guideline for study selection. The clinical question was established as stated in the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) process. Patients in the SU group were more likely to have history of bladder cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-3.51; P = .02), but less likely to present with preoperative hydronephrosis (OR, 0.52; 95% CI: 0.31-0.88; P = .02). A higher rate of ureteral tumor location was found in the SU group (OR, 7.54; 95% CI, 4.15-13.68; P < .00001). The SU group presented with a lower rate of higher (pT ≥ 2) stage (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53-0.82; P = .0002), and high-grade tumors (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.78; P < .0001). The SU group was found to have shorter 5-year relapse-free survival (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43-0.95; P = .03), but higher postoperative estimated glomular filtration rate (weighted mean difference, 10.97 mL/min; 95% CI, 2.97-18.98; P = .007). Selected patients might benefit from SU as a therapeutic option for UTUC. In advanced high-risk disease, RNU still remains the standard of care

A 5 Gb/s Radiation Tolerant Laser Driver

A laser driver for data transmission at 5 Gb/s has been developed as a part of the Giga Bit Transceiver (GBT) project. The Giga Bit Laser Driver (GBLD) targets High Energy Physics (HEP) applications for which radiation tolerance is mandatory. The GBLD ASIC can drive both VCSELs and some types of edge emitting lasers. It is essentially composed of two drivers capable of sinking up to 12 mA each from the load at a maximum data rate of 5 Gb/s, and of a current sink for the laser bias current. The laser driver include also pre-emphasis and duty cycle control capabilities

A patrimonialização do kochkäse como uma perspectiva de desenvolvimento regional no médio Vale do Itajaí (SC) – UNIEDU / The patrimonialization of the kochkäse as a perspective of regional development in the middle Itajaí Valley (SC) – UNIEDU

O presente trabalho traz uma narrativa dos acontecimentos que envolveram a busca da patrimonialização do Kochkäse produzido pelos agricultores do Vale do Itajaí-SC. Para tanto, as autoras buscam enfatizar as dificuldades encontradas para que o objetivo seja alcançado. Fez-se uma reflexão dos argumentos que fundamentam o reconhecimento do Patrimônio Cultural de Natureza Imaterial do kochkäse, entre eles estão a identificação dos Sistemas Agroalimentares Locais