Note sul commercio del libro universitario a Bologna nel Due e Trecento

Il saggio intende fornire un contributo concreto alla conoscenza del commercio del libro universitario, limitando l’attenzione ad un’area precisa (Bologna) in un arco di tempo sufficientemente ampio per potere cogliere eventuali mutamenti, ma soprattutto utilizzando tutta una serie di fonti alquanto eccezionali per completezza e omogeneità. Si tratta di fonti in senso lato "notarili" (formulari, contratti, registrazioni di contratti) in parte edite e in parte inedite

Note sul commercio del libro universitario a Bologna nel Due e Trecento

Il saggio intende fornire un contributo concreto alla conoscenza del commercio del libro universitario, limitando l’attenzione ad un’area precisa (Bologna) in un arco di tempo sufficientemente ampio per potere cogliere eventuali mutamenti, ma soprattutto utilizzando tutta una serie di fonti alquanto eccezionali per completezza e omogeneità. Si tratta di fonti in senso lato "notarili" (formulari, contratti, registrazioni di contratti) in parte edite e in parte inedite

Porti fluviali e ponti in età medievale. Il Po e l’area padana

During the Middle Ages the Po Valley garantees the continuity of trade and the progress of the economy of northern Italy. The sources tell us that many river ports and docks were useful to the manors of monasteries and churches, holders of public rights. These sources also allow to identify some significant trends: the progressive expansion of a modular system of waterways, even if the navigation is impossible today (see the case of Bologna), and the growing involvement of the neighboring towns into the river system (Pavia, Piacenza, Cremona, Mantova and so on). Outside the cities, the castles and the parish churches on the river ports attest that the ports attract settlements and territorial powers (Canossa). Furthermore, the coincidence of ports and ponti (i.e. ferries for river crossings) promotes the vitality of the roads; the stretch of the river between Cremona and Parma, for example, is an important meeting point between Po river and the road of Monte Bardone, which was the favourite road for the Lombards to reach Tuscany through the Appennines

Sunscreens Cause Coral Bleaching by Promoting Viral Infections

Background: Coral bleaching (i.e., the release of coral symbiotic zooxanthellae) has negative impacts on biodiversity and functioning of reef ecosystems and their production of goods and services. This increasing world-wide phenomenon is associated with temperature anomalies, high irradiance, pollution, and bacterial diseases. Recently, it has been demonstrated that personal can products, including sunscreens, have an impact on aquatic organisms similar to that of other contaminants. Objectives: Our goal was to evaluate the potential impact of sunscreen ingredients on hard corals and their symbiotic algae. Methods: In situ and laboratory experiments were conducted in several tropical regions (the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and the Red Sea) by supplementing coral branches with aliquots of sunscreens and common ultraviolet filters contained in sunscreen formula. Zooxanthellae were checked for viral infection by epifluorescence and transmission electron microscopy analyses. Results: Sunscreens cause the rapid and complete bleaching of hard corals, even at extremely low concentrations. The effect of sunscreens is due to organic ultraviolet filters, which are able to induce the lyric viral cycle in symbiotic zooxanthellae with latent infections. Conclusions: We conclude that sunscreens, by promoting viral infection, potentially play an important role in coral bleaching in areas prone to high levels of recreational use by humans