4,754 research outputs found
Identity as Liminality in Post-Colonial Fiction: Nadine Gordimer.âs The Pickup and Bessie Head.âs A Question of Power
This paper sets out to analyze the interstitial/liminal aspect of postcolonial literature as ciphered in the narratives of Nadine Gordimer and Bessie Head. A Question of Power and The Pickup both voice hybrid subjects in terms of race and gender, and thus represent the new epistemological space that this literature opens up. Focusing on the shifting identities of the female characters in these novels, we will establish a connection between the praxis of post-colonial writing as a continuous refocusing of cultural certainties and the relocation of the familiar in the uncanny. Este artĂculo pretende analizar el aspecto liminal de la literatura postcolonial tal y como se refleja en la narrativa de Nadine Gordimer y Bessie Head. A Question of Power y The Pickup articulan la voz de individuos hĂbridos en cuanto a raza y gĂ©nero, y, de este modo, representan el nuevo espacio epistemolĂłgico que esta literatura abre. Al centrarnos en las identidades variables de los personajes femeninos de estas novelas, trataremos de establecer una conexion entre la praxis de la literatura postcolonial como un continuo reajuste de certezas culturales y la reubicaciĂłn de lo familiar en lo extraño
Application of Ό-Raman spectroscopy to the study of the corrosion products of archaeological coins
In this paper, a study of the corrosion products formed on archaeological bronze artefacts excavated in Tharros (Sardinia, Italy) is presented. The investigation was carried out by means of the combination of different analytical techniques, including optical microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy (”-RS), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The artefacts under study are three bronze coins from the Phoenician-Punic period that are deeply corroded due to the chloride-rich soil of the Tharros excavation site. ”-Raman spectroscopy was chosen to investigate the corroded surfaces of the artefacts because it is a non-destructive technique, it has high spatial resolution, and it makes it possible to discriminate between polymorphs and correlate colour and chemical composition. Through ”-RS, it was possible to identify different mineralogical phases and different polymorphs, such as cuprite (Cu2O), copper trihydroxychloride [Cu2Cl(OH)3] polymorphs, hydroxy lead chloride laurionite [PbCl(OH)] and calcium carbonate polymorph aragonite. The experimental findings highlight that micro-Raman spectroscopy can be used to provide further knowledge regarding the environmental factors that may cause the degradation of archaeological bronzes in soil
eHealth literacy scale: a nursing analysis and Italian validation
Background:
One of the scales most used to measure quickly and easily eHealth Literacy is the eHealth LiteracyScale (eHEALS); however, there was no validation of this scale in Italian. Therefore, the aim of this study was to adapt and validate the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) to the italian context.
Methods:
Italian translation of eHEALS was administered along unit to another two scale for measure lifestyle habits self-esteem and life satisfaction). A sample of 650 university students aged between 18 and 45 years was selected. An exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of invariance, reliability, stability and bivariate correlations were performed.
Results:
Exploratory factor analysis revealed a monofactorial structure that explained 67% of variance. Reliability of 0.87 and test-retest correlation of 0.78 was obtained. The questionnaire was invariant by gender. Regarding the criterion validity, a statistically significant and positive correlations between 0.05 and 0.15 with three indicators was obtained (self-esteem, lifestyle habits and life satisfaction). The italian version of the eHEALS tested in this work has shown to be a valid and reliable scale to measure eHealth competence in university students
Micro-Raman investigation of dangerous corrosion products of archaeological bronzes from Tharros (Sardinia-Italy)
A large number of bronze artefacts have been found during archaeological excavations carried out at Tharros (Sardinia, Italy). The composition of corrosion products have been determined by the combined use of optical microscopy (OM), micro-Raman spectroscopy (Ό-Raman), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). In particular, we will use Ό-Raman spectroscopy to identify the corrosion products of natural patinas. This technique is equivalent or sometimes more efficient than microscopic and diffraction techniques to identify archaeological corrosion products. It is able to discriminate between different polymorphs, has a high spatial resolution and assures a correlation between the colour and the mineralogical nature. Furthermore has the advantage of being a nondestructive technique, quality highly valued in the cultural heritage
Solunto archaeological park in Sicily: life under mosaic tesserae
Biodeterioration is a complex process induced by the growing and metabolic activity of a wide range of macro and microorganisms, becoming a revelling problem also for the mosaic tesserae of âCasa di Ledaâ in the Greco - Roman site of Solunto in Sicily.
In this case-study, a thick biofilm inducing a deep alteration of mortar and consequently the mosaic tesserae detachment has been highlighted during the restoration plan.
The biofilm microbial consortium has been investigated by an integrate approach based on Microscopy analysis (O.M., C.L.S.M.), in vitro culture (Nutrien and Saboraud media) and molecular biology investigation (DNA target sequence amplification, sequencing, sequence analysis).
A microbial diversity has been revealed belonging to bacteria (Bacillus) and fungi (Alternaria, Aspergillus), besides cyanobacteria (Chroococcus) and green algae (Chlorella).
In order to control the biofilm colonization two essential oils (EO), Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare, have been utilized and their antimicrobial activity, preliminarily in vitro (agar disc diffusion methods) and after ex situ and in situ evaluated. This experimentation is aimed at identifying and implementing green biocides for the control of microbial colonization, a promising technology with a reduced impact on human health and environment, able to replace traditional biocide action
Accretion and photodesorption of CO ice as a function of the incident angle of deposition
Non-thermal desorption of inter- and circum-stellar ice mantles on dust
grains, in particular ultraviolet photon-induced desorption, has gained
importance in recent years. These processes may account for the observed gas
phase abundances of molecules like CO toward cold interstellar clouds. Ice
mantle growth results from gas molecules impinging on the dust from all
directions and incidence angles. Nevertheless, the effect of the incident angle
for deposition on ice photo-desorption rate has not been studied. This work
explores the impact on the accretion and photodesorption rates of the incidence
angle of CO gas molecules with the cold surface during deposition of a CO ice
layer. Infrared spectroscopy monitored CO ice upon deposition at different
angles, ultraviolet-irradiation, and subsequent warm-up. Vacuum-ultraviolet
spectroscopy and a Ni-mesh measured the emission of the ultraviolet lamp.
Molecules ejected from the ice to the gas during irradiation or warm-up were
characterized by a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The photodesorption rate of CO
ice deposited at 11 K and different incident angles was rather stable between 0
and 45. A maximum in the CO photodesorption rate appeared around
70-incidence deposition angle. The same deposition angle leads to the
maximum surface area of water ice. Although this study of the surface area
could not be performed for CO ice, the similar angle dependence in the
photodesorption and the ice surface area suggests that they are closely
related. Further evidence for a dependence of CO ice morphology on deposition
angle is provided by thermal desorption of CO ice experiments
Nature-Inspired Interconnects for Self-Assembled Large-Scale Network-on-Chip Designs
Future nano-scale electronics built up from an Avogadro number of components
needs efficient, highly scalable, and robust means of communication in order to
be competitive with traditional silicon approaches. In recent years, the
Networks-on-Chip (NoC) paradigm emerged as a promising solution to interconnect
challenges in silicon-based electronics. Current NoC architectures are either
highly regular or fully customized, both of which represent implausible
assumptions for emerging bottom-up self-assembled molecular electronics that
are generally assumed to have a high degree of irregularity and imperfection.
Here, we pragmatically and experimentally investigate important design
trade-offs and properties of an irregular, abstract, yet physically plausible
3D small-world interconnect fabric that is inspired by modern network-on-chip
paradigms. We vary the framework's key parameters, such as the connectivity,
the number of switch nodes, the distribution of long- versus short-range
connections, and measure the network's relevant communication characteristics.
We further explore the robustness against link failures and the ability and
efficiency to solve a simple toy problem, the synchronization task. The results
confirm that (1) computation in irregular assemblies is a promising and
disruptive computing paradigm for self-assembled nano-scale electronics and (2)
that 3D small-world interconnect fabrics with a power-law decaying distribution
of shortcut lengths are physically plausible and have major advantages over
local 2D and 3D regular topologies
Surveillance of nosocomial infections: a preliminary study on hand hygiene compliance of healthcare workers
The observance of hand hygiene compliance is important to reduce cross-infection by micro-organisms. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the level of hand hygiene in healthcare workers from different departments, with particular emphasis on transient flora. The study was conducted in three departments (Surgery, Intensive Care Unit, Obstetrics and
Gynecology) of a hospital in Campania, southern Italy. Over a six-month period, 50 healthcareworkers wererandomly tested.
Imprints of palms and fingertips were taken monthly during the morning shift. The number of colonies per plate was counted and transient pathogens were identified. Risk factors for hand contamination were determined. Total flora was found in the following CFU means per palm and per five fingertips (95% CI):
Obstetrics and Gynecology [palms 130 CFUs (95% CI 85-180); fingertips 125 CFUs (95% CI 92-160)]; ICU [palms 80 CFUs (95% CI 58-99); fingertips 62 CFUs (95% CI 45-82)]; Surgery [palms 75 CFUs (95% CI 41-120); fingertips 70 CFUs (95% CI 52-90)] Transient flora was found on 39% of healthcare workers?hands. The only factor associated with hand contamination by transient flora was the absence of gloving during healthcare procedure(P=0.02)
- âŠ