X-ray Computed Tomography Analysis of Historical Woodwind Instruments of the Late Eighteenth Century

In this work, two historical flutes of the late eighteenth century were analysed by means of X ray computed tomography (CT). The first one is a piccolo flute whose manufacturer is unknown, though some features could suggest an English or American origin. The second musical instrument is a baroque transverse flute, probably produced by Lorenzo Cerino, an Italian instrument maker active in Turin (Italy) in the late eighteenth century. Analyses carried out provided information on manufacturing techniques, materials and conservation state, and are suitable to plan restoration intervention. In particular, through the CT images, it was possible to observe the presence of defects, cracks, fractures and previous restorations, as well as indications of the tools used in the making of the instruments. Particular attention was directed towards extracting metrological information about the objects. In fact, this work is the first step of a study with a final aim of determining an operative protocol to enable the making of precise-sounding copies of ancient instruments starting from CT images, that can be used to plan a virtual restoration, consisting in the creation of digitally restored copies with a 3D printer

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Contribution of X-ray Fluorescence Techniques in Cultural Heritage Materials Characterization

Archaeometry and cultural heritage have lately taken great advantage of developments in scientific techniques, offering valuable information to archaeology, art history, and conservation science, involving both instrumental and non-instrumental approaches [...

Scientific analyses beyond the excavation: Studies for a non invasive preliminary approach

Domo is an archaeological site located in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, near the town of Bibbiena, in the province of Arezzo (Tuscany). Since the '80, investigations at Domo have revealed a Roman domus with a Roman baths complex. Unfortunately, the rich stratigraphy was almost completely lost during the first excavations. Since 2008 the archaeological site was reopened by Archeodomani s.a.s., a company that deals with promotion of cultural heritage, and it is still under summer excavation campaigns. In the future perspective to try and solve doubts about the site phase sequence of the Roman baths complex, not easy to understand now for several use modifications of the different areas, we developed an analytical method that could allow a large scale investigation limiting the sampling. In this paper, the preliminary results obtained for mortar are presented, both from the walls and from the binding of cocciopesto of the floor, with XRD (X Ray Diffraction) and ED-XRF (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence) analysis on ground samples. XRD analysis was performed at ICVBC-CNR (Milan) and the diffraction data (Cu-Ka, 1.5418 \uc3\u85) were collected on a J-J Panalytical X'Pert PRO diffractometer. Grounded samples were placed in aluminium sample holder or dusted on frosted glass sample holder, depending on sample amount. XRF measurements were performed at Physics Department of Milan University using a portable EDXRF spectrometer (Assing Lithos 3000) exploiting polychromatic radiation from a Mo anode X-ray tube. Both analyses were performed after preliminary observation of the samples by stereo-microscope and the results obtained through XRF and XRD analyses were compared to get more complete information about samples. Data were also submitted to multivariate analysis (Hierarchical Clustering) to get material classification. The comparison between the classification obtained and archaeological interpretation is still in progress; the collection of analytical data will go on in future excavation campaigns. The complete overview will be part of a project to promote the archaeological site through an online portal

A Silver Monochrome “Concetto spaziale” by Lucio Fontana: A Spectroscopic Non- and Micro-Invasive Investigation of Materials

In several of his artworks, for instance the Venezie cycle, Fontana employed metallic paints; previous investigations on such materials highlighted the use of different synthetic binders and of thick paint layers below the metal one, having different colours to change the visual perception of the metallic surface. In the present work, a monochrome silver “Concetto spaziale” by the Italo–Argentine artist belonging to a private collection recently gifted to the museum of the Church of San Fedele in Milano, Italy, was investigated to deepen the knowledge of this particular group of Fontana’s paintings. The artwork was initially visually inspected in visible and ultraviolet (UV) light. Subsequently, a non-invasive spectroscopic investigation was performed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), reflection Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. A minute fragment of silver-coloured paint was taken from the reverse of the painting, near the cut edge, and examined by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and micro-Fourier-transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy. The analytical data made it possible to identify the composition of the metallic paint layer and of the underlying dark one, both from the point of view of the pigments and of the binders used, also highlighting the potential of the non-invasive and micro-invasive methods adopted in the investigation

Ageing of flax textiles: fingerprints in micro-Raman spectra of single fibres

Flax fibre (Linum usitatissimum) is probably the earliest textile material and holds a great archaeological interest. The possibility to define a connection between ageing and molecular characteristics is thus a concrete purpose aiming to help indirect dating. In the present work, such possibility was investigated by spectroscopic techniques that allow to examine micro-sized samples and are moreover non-destructive towards the sample itself, an important requirement when precious and ancient artefacts are analysed. Confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy and laser-excited micro-fluorescence spectroscopy were applied to 23 micrometric fibres from historical linens (dating from about 3000 BC to the XVII cent.) and 11 crude or treated modern fibres. The intensity ratio between Raman bands at 1121 and 1096 cm(-1), already suggested in the literature as a possible signature for ageing, was systematically evaluated after baseline correction, showing that modern samples exhibit a quite constant ratio value of 0.85 +/- 0.05 which diminishes up to 0.7 if the linen fibre is heated or bleached. Fibres form archaeological linen show instead a lower value for this ratio, that decreases to about 0.5 depending both on age and on conservation conditions. Laser-excited fluorescence spectra were also collected from the fibres, yielding a Pearson correlation value of about 0.7 between the intensity of the fluorescence emission and the age of the flax samples. Irregularity in the trend is mainly due to the possible influence of alien features such as contamination from organic substances

FUXYA2020: A Low-Cost Homemade Portable EDXRF Spectrometer for Cultural Heritage Applications

The project FUXYA2020 was intended to design and prototype a low-cost basic energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for all those cases where there is not enough financial support to buy a commercial device. Indeed, home-made instruments are ideal when funds are low but constant over the years, as this approach allows the costs to be spread over a longer period of time. The FUXYA2020 was intended mostly for cultural heritage (CH) applications: we optimized the geometry to meet the requirements for both low Z matrix objects, such as glasses and ceramics, and medium-high Z materials, such as metals; besides, we designed a positioning system through Arduino components to obtain good results and repeatability for samples with a complex geometry. The FUXYA2020’s performance was tested both for qualitative and quantitative analyses, the former on pigment layers, and the latter on gold-based certified alloys, exploiting Axil-QXAS software for data elaboration. The classification of ancient ceramics based on multivariate analysis obtained through R environment was also carried out. The qualitative data on pigments have also been compared with the same data obtained by a commercial XRF spectrometer, demonstrating how our very simple and inexpensive prototype can be of great help for a rapid and reliable characterization of cultural heritage materials whenever commercial devices are unaffordable