Inorganic treatments for the consolidation and protection of stone artefacts

Consolidation and protection are two of the principal kinds of treatments through which the decay of old statues, stone facades, plasters and mural paintings caused by both natural atmospheric agents and, above all in the last five decades, by atmospheric pollution, is faced. The most traditional approach has been and is mainly based on the use of organic polymeric materials. They offer the advantage of easy application procedures and the possibility to obtain, at short times, very satisfying results. Different is their behaviour at long times. Some drawbacks come out over time both under the esthetical point of view as well as to the durability, compatibility and efficacy. Particularly critical is the situation when porous materials and soluble salts - gypsum above all - are simultaneously present. In such a situation inorganic treatments demonstrate to be much more appropriate. They assure durable and compatible results. In the present paper two of the most efficient and appropriate inorganic methods are reviewed in detail: the barium hydroxide method, both as desulfating and consolidating agent, and the ammonium oxalate method as passivating agent, consolidant and as a treatment capable of improving the natural colour contrast of the stone, when it is lost due to decay processes

Chapter The Extraordinary Role of the Imaging Techniques in the Conservation and Valorization of Cultural Heritage

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Chapter The Extraordinary Role of the Imaging Techniques in the Conservation and Valorization of Cultural Heritage

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Implementation of A Year-Long Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in A 227-Bed Community Hospital in Southern Italy

Background: Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) are serious healthcare complications affecting hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, and costs. Root cause analysis has identified the inappropriate use of antibiotics as the main causative factor in the expansion of multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in our hospital. An Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) program was implemented to optimize antibiotic use, limit the development of resistance, improve therapeutic efficacy and clinical outcomes, and reduce costs. Methods: The stewardship strategies were: antimicrobial oversight on “critical” antibiotics; the development of hospital guidelines on antibiotic selection with the production of a consensus document; the implementation of clinical and management control algorithms with visual impact and Business Intelligence methods; training and updating; and the monitoring of outcome measures and process indicators. Results: Clinical outcomes: length of stay reduced by 0.23 days, hospital readmission/first month rates decreased by 19%, and mortality for infections reduced by 8.8%. Microbiological Outcomes: Clostridium Difficile colitis incidence reduced by 9.1%.Economic Outcomes: Reduction in antimicrobial costs by 35% on average fee/discharged patient. Conclusions: The systematic application of the AMS program in a small hospital led to multiple improvements in clinical, microbiological, and economic outcome measures. The analysis of the core indicators for our hospital AMS program showed a significant adherence to the model and hospital recommendations

Trattamenti de-solfatanti: una questione sempre aperta. Il cantiere-pilota per il recupero dei dipinti di Gino Grimaldi

The experience presented here refers to an initiative just ended that began in 2013 involving teachers and students of the School of Specialization in Architectural Heritage and Landscape of the University of Genoa, CNR researchers, representatives of the Soprintendenza and restorers. The research project aimed to study and fine-tune consolidating and desulphurising treatments on contemporary paints in wet areas with a strong presence of magnesium sulfates. The initiative also opens up the debate on the need / willingness of collaboration between institutions in the area and the possibility / need to optimize resources for the development of knowledge that can produce effective results in interventions. The \u201cschool building site\u201d is in S. Maria Addolorata, a church of the former Provincial Psychiatric Hospital of Genoa. The wall paintings on which they took part are part of the pictorial cycle created by Grimaldi, painter and patient of the "asylum". The materials used and the spreading techniques are in some cases also very different, going from traditional materials up to those of the contemporary period. The preliminary diagnosis to the construction site was able to make use of innovative instruments developed by the CNR-ICVBC, for the consolidating and desulphurizing treatment, various products have been considered and different methods and dosages are also experimented. Beyond the specific case, the intervention presented may be of general interest for the particularity of the salts on which we have had to intervene, magnesium sulphates which, due to their characteristics, are currently among the most difficult to treat salts. Furthermore, the experience also shows the broader theme of the ever more pressing need for intervention even on contemporary structures in a state of decay that see the use of techniques and materials on which experimentation is still rather limited at the moment

One-pot synthesis of magnesium nanoparticles embedded in a chitosan microparticle matrix: A highly biocompatible tool for in vivo cancer treatment

none10siA novel highly biocompatible nanosystem made up of a chitosan matrix and filled with magnesium nanoparticles was synthesized using a simple and one-pot strategy, and tested as a promising, well-tolerated tool for photothermal therapy. Moreover, in vivo a proof of concept on hepatocarcinoma-bearing mice is presented.noneMartin, Robert. C.; Locatelli, Erica; Li, Yan; Matteini, Paolo; Monaco, Ilaria; Cui, Guozhen; Li, Suping; Banchelli, Martina; Pini, Roberto; Comes Franchini, MauroMartin, Robert. C.; Locatelli, Erica; Li, Yan; Matteini, Paolo; Monaco, Ilaria; Cui, Guozhen; Li, Suping; Banchelli, Martina; Pini, Roberto; Comes Franchini, Maur