Chapter Copertura ‘a bulbo’ del campanile. Un di-segno visivo e visuale

The 43rd UID conference, held in Genova, takes up the theme of ‘Dialogues’ as practice and debate on many fundamental topics in our social life, especially in these complex and not yet resolved times. The city of Genova offers the opportunity to ponder on the value of comparison and on the possibilities for the community, naturally focused on the aspects that concern us, as professors, researchers, disseminators of knowledge, or on all the possibile meanings of the discipline of representation and its dialogue with ‘others’, which we have broadly catalogued in three macro areas: History, Semiotics, Science / Technology. Therefore, “dialogue” as a profitable exchange based on a common language, without which it is impossible to comprehend and understand one another; and the graphic sign that connotes the conference is the precise transcription of this concept: the title ‘translated’ into signs, derived from the visual alphabet designed for the visual identity of the UID since 2017. There are many topics which refer to three macro sessions: - Witnessing (signs and history) - Communicating (signs and semiotics) - Experimenting (signs and sciences) Thanks to the different points of view, an exceptional resource of our disciplinary area, we want to try to outline the prevailing theoretical-operational synergies, the collaborative lines of an instrumental nature, the recent updates of the repertoires of images that attest and nourish the relations among representation, history, semiotics, sciences

The open-well staircase of Palazzo Di Majo in Naples between geometry and equilibrium | La escalera de ojo abierto del Palacio Di Majo en Nápoles entre geometría y equilibrio

The staircases represent one of the most impressive architectural expressions of the building. Many authors presented a great deal of research over the years on this matter intending to understand how they are designed and laid out. This paper is concerned with a particular structural type of masonry staircase, known as stair with open well or roman staircase. It aims to demonstrate that in masonry-vaulted staircases, the close relationship between the shape and static behavior is particularly evident, and geometry and construction are essential for their stability. The authors have proved this statement by studying Palazzo Di Majo’s open-well staircase in Naples, whose main structure consists of tuff vaults. The first part of the article is substantially descriptive and presents an in-depth description of the geometric and architectural features of the stair. The second part explains all the aspects concerning the equilibrium of this kind of stairways, within Heyman’s theory of masonry

La escalera de ojo abierto del Palacio Di Majo en Nápoles entre geometría y equilibrio

The staircases represent one of the most impressive architectural expressions of the building. Many authors presented a great deal of research over the years on this matter intending to understand how they are designed and laid out. This paper is concerned with a particular structural type of masonry staircase, known as stair with open well or roman staircase. It aims to demonstrate that in masonry-vaulted staircases, the close relationship between the shape and static behavior is particularly evident, and geometry and construction are essential for their stability. The authors have proved this statement by studying Palazzo Di Majo’s open-well staircase in Naples, whose main structure consists of tuff vaults. The first part of the article is substantially descriptive and presents an in-depth description of the geometric and architectural features of the stair. The second part explains all the aspects concerning the equilibrium of this kind of stairways, within Heyman’s theory of masonry.  Las escaleras representan una de las más imponentes expresiones arquitectónicas del edificio. Varios autores han presentado muchas publicaciones a lo largo de los años sobre este tema para entender cómo han sido diseñadas y cómo se sostienen. Este trabajo se trata sobre un tipo específico de escalera de albañilería, conocida como escalera “de ojo abierto” o “a la romana”. El objetivo es demostrar que en las escaleras con bóvedas de fábrica existe una estrecha relación entre la forma y su comportamiento estático. La geometría y la construcción son imprescindibles para su estabilidad. Los autores han demostrado esta tesis estudiando la escalera de ojo abierto del Palacio Di Majo en Nápoles, cuya estructura principal está constituida por bóvedas de toba. La primera parte del artículo presenta una descripción detallada de las características geométricas y arquitectónicas de la escalera. La segunda parte, explica el equilibrio de estas escaleras a partir de la teoría del equilibrio de estructuras de fábrica de Heyman

The majolica dome of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples. Geometric configuration analysis and stability studies | La cúpula de mayólica de Santa Maria della Sanità en Nápoles. Configuración geométrica y estudios de estabilidad

This article deals with the survey and representation of the dome of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples (Italy). The survey led to a geometric analysis of the spatial configuration of the dome, the drawing of its majolica decoration and its structural behavior. The overall objectives of this research can be briefly outlined as follows. First, the study focuses on defining the correct geometry of the dome obtained through accurate surveys. Finally, the study performs a simplified structural analysis of the compound dome-buttress system set within the theoretical framework of the Limit Analysis through the graphical statics

Between architecture and geometry Ovate experiments in Neapolitan tuff

[IT] Questa ricerca è dedicata allo studio della configurazione geometrica della scala come spazio rappresentativo dell’architettura. Questo contributo analizza una sorprendente scala, situata a Napoli (Italia) a Capodimonte, costruita in tufo (con sistema a sbalzo) e con sviluppo spaziale su una pianta a forma di cono rovescio. I metodi di indagine adottati sono stati il rilievo architettonico (diretto e con scanner laser) e l’analisi geometrica delle forme. I dati raccolti hanno permesso di riconoscere in questa scala la presenza di un grande pensiero progettuale capace di costruire una scala ovata a sbalzo nel tufo, adattando il suo sviluppo a un’elica conica invertita. Il modello della scala ovata è stato analizzato anche nei trattati di architettura italiana dal XVI al XVIII secolo.[EN] This research is dedicated to the study of the geometric configuration of the staircase as a representative space of architecture. This contribution analyzes an astonishing staircase, located in Naples (Italy) in Capodimonte, built in tuff (in a cantilevered system) and with a spatial development on an inverted cone-shaped plan. The investigation methods adopted were the architectural survey (direct and with laser scanner) and the geometric analysis of the forms. The data collected allowed to recognize in this staircase the presence of a cultured design thought capable of constructing a cantilevered ovate staircase in the tuff, adapting its development to an inverted conical helix. The model of the ovate staircase was also analyzed in Italian architectural treatises from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries.Cirillo, V.; Zerlenga, O. (2020). Entre arquitectura y geometría.Un ejemplo de escalera oval en la toba napolitana. EGA Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica. 25(39):196-207. https://doi.org/10.4995/ega.2020.11962OJS1962072539CARDONE, V. 1990. Il tufo nudo nell'architettura napoletana. Napoli: CUEN.CIRILLO, V. 2018. The Representation of Staircases in Italian Treatises from the Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries. Diségno, n. 3, pp. 177-188. DOI: https:// doi.org/10.26375/disegno.3.2018.17CIRILLO, V. 2019. Riflessioni e suggestioni fra geometria e forma. Le scale '700 napoletano. Napoli: La scuola di Pitagora.DE CARLO, L., BAGLIONI, L., 2009. Le linee curve, le superfici e le loro proprietà. In Migliari, R. Geometria descrittiva. Novara: De Agostini, vol. II, pp. 122-143.DELL'ERBA, L. 1923. Il tufo giallo napoletano. Studio scientifico-tecnico esteso alle cave ed alle frane. Napoli: Pironti.DI MAURO, L. (a cura di) 1992. La pianta Schiavoni in 24 fogli. Napoli: Elio De Rosa.GAMBARDELLA, A. 2018. Palazzo Cassano Ayerbo d'Aragona. Una risorsa nascosta. In Zerlenga, O. (a cura di). M'illumino d'immenso. cit., p. 18-19.LAPEGNA, U. 1985. Le cavità artificiali. Aspetti storico-morfologici e loro utilizzo. 2° Convegno Nazionale di Speleologia Urbana. Napoli, 1985.LUISE, G. 1991. Metodologie adottate per l'indagine sugli aspetti geologici dell'area. In Buccaro, A. Il borgo dei Vergini. Storia e struttura di un ambito urbano. Napoli: CUEN, p. 302.MIGLIARI, R. 2003. Geometria dei modelli. Roma: Kappa, pp. 156-157.VITTONE, B. A. 1766. Istruzioni diverse concernenti l'officio dell'Architetto Civile. Lugano: Agnelli, pp. 148-151.ZERLENGA, O. 1991. In Buccaro, A. Il borgo dei Vergini. Storia e struttura di un ambito urbano. Napoli: CUEN, pp. 176-177; 180.ZERLENGA, O. 1993. La scala nel banco di tufo. In Penta, R. (a cura di). Lo spazio del disegno. Bollettino Informativo del Dipartimento di Configurazione e Attuazione dell'Architettura. Napoli: Il Notiziario legale, pp. 68-79; 98-79.ZERLENGA, O. 2018. Disegnare un 'fuori scala'. In Zerlenga, O. (a cura di) M'illumino d'immenso. cit., pp. 41-47.ZERLENGA, O. 2018 (a cura di). M'illumino d'immenso. La scala del palazzo Cassano Ayerbo d'Aragona. The staircase of the palazzo Cassano Ayerbo d'Aragona. Napoli: La scuola di Pitagora

Neurobiological After-Effects of Low Intensity Transcranial Electric Stimulation of the Human Nervous System: From Basic Mechanisms to Metaplasticity

Non-invasive low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) of the brain is an evolving field that has brought remarkable attention in the past few decades for its ability to directly modulate specific brain functions. Neurobiological after-effects of tES seems to be related to changes in neuronal and synaptic excitability and plasticity, however mechanisms are still far from being elucidated. We aim to review recent results from in vitro and in vivo studies that highlight molecular and cellular mechanisms of transcranial direct (tDCS) and alternating (tACS) current stimulation. Changes in membrane potential and neural synchronization explain the ongoing and short-lasting effects of tES, while changes induced in existing proteins and new protein synthesis is required for long-lasting plastic changes (LTP/LTD). Glial cells, for decades supporting elements, are now considered constitutive part of the synapse and might contribute to the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. This review brings into focus the neurobiological mechanisms and after-effects of tDCS and tACS from in vitro and in vivo studies, in both animals and humans, highlighting possible pathways for the development of targeted therapeutic applications

Anthocyanins are Key Regulators of Drought Stress Tolerance in Tobacco

Abiotic stresses will be one of the major challenges for worldwide food supply in the near future. Therefore, it is important to understand the physiological mechanisms that mediate plant responses to abiotic stresses. When subjected to UV, salinity or drought stress, plants accumulate specialized metabolites that are often correlated with their ability to cope with the stress. Among them, anthocyanins are the most studied intermediates of the phenylpropanoid pathway. However, their role in plant response to abiotic stresses is still under discussion. To better understand the effects of anthocyanins on plant physiology and morphogenesis, and their implications on drought stress tolerance, we used transgenic tobacco plants (AN1), which over-accumulated anthocyanins in all tissues. AN1 plants showed an altered phenotype in terms of leaf gas exchanges, leaf morphology, anatomy and metabolic profile, which conferred them with a higher drought tolerance compared to the wild-type plants. These results provide important insights for understanding the functional reason for anthocyanin accumulation in plants under stress

Pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium gordonae in a teaching hospital: importance of strictly following decontamination procedures and emerging issues concerning sterilization

Aim of this study was to investigate a pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium gordonae analyzing isolates detected from clinical and environmental samples. Mycobacterium gordonae was detected in 7 out of 497 broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) samples after bronchoscopy procedure in patients admitted to a teaching hospital between January and April 2013. During this pseudo-outbreak clinical, epidemiological, environmental and molecular investigations were performed. None of the patients met the criteria for non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease and were treated for M. gordonae lung disease. Environmental investigation revealed M. gordonae in 3 samples: in tap water and in the water supply channel of the washer disinfector. All the isolates were subjected to genotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The PFGE revealed that only patients' isolates presented the same band pattern but no correlation with the environmental strain was detected. Surveillance of the outbreak and the strict adherence to the reprocessing procedure and its supplies resulted afterwards in no detection of M. gordonae in clinical respiratory samples. Clinical surveillance of patients was crucial to establish the start of NTM treatment. Regular screening of tap water and endoscopic equipment should be adopted to compare the clinical strains with the environmental ones when an outbreak occurs

Representing fortified architecture to narrate and enhance the Alexandrian territory border

[EN] The Piemonte cultural territory is also characterized by the significant presence of complex defensive systems, grouped by types and orographic configuration. Specifically,this paper will address asystematic and unitary re-reading of the territory of the Alessandria area, which includes: the sixteenth-century Cittadella di Casale, of the Gonzagas; the Citadel of Alexandria (1732), by Giulio Ignazio Bertola; Valenza and its fortifications (from the “Spanish” period with interventions by Gaspare Beretta, also interested in the fort / Castello Tortona); that of Gavi (restored “in the modern” by Gaspare Maculano known as Fiorenzuola, the friar who condemned Galileo). Following thirty years international research, the objectives of the work are twofold: the first aims to physically connect in this system a “network” of thematically dedicated tourist itineraries, through documentary paths that reconstruct historical events, construction phases and transformation, (in similitude with the ECCOFORT project, in the province of Verona). Following other works, by the authors already dedicated to the Alexandrian, through the advanced 3D modeling (like the one carried out in the reconstruction of the fort of Gavi) the second objective of the present contribution will follow the same restoring and reconstructive procedure. Through digitalized anastylosis, even dynamized, the Castle of Tortona will be rebuilt on the basis –among other things– of the conspicuous documentation (dated 1799, the year of the Napoleonic siege, followed by demolition, in 1801) found at the Osterreichisches Staatsarchiv, Kriegsarchiv of Vienna. The critical reconstruction is now made possible thanks to the precious wealth of knowledge, matured over the decades by Marotta, Zerlenga, Abello: with (indexed) data, including metrics, graphics and visual returns. Drawing between real and virtual, it will be possible to reconnect individual episodes, comparable and critically selected information, by means of congruently connected interventions, both physically and digitally. Finally, in a project of knowledge, conservation and valorisation, the “local” dimension dialogues and integrates with the European dimension.Marotta, A.; Cirillo, V.; Rabino, C.; Zerlenga, O. (2020). Rappresentare l’architettura fortificata per narrare e valorizzare il territorio della frontiera alessandrina. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 357-364. https://doi.org/10.4995/FORTMED2020.2020.11473OCS35736