Mussolini\u27s Gladius: The Double-Edged Sword of Antiquity in Fascist Italy

Mussolini and the Fascist Party used a plethora of propaganda techniques in order to suggest the renewal of the old Roman Empire with the rise of the Italian Fascist Party. Through the use of ideology, race issues, religion, educational control, posters, theatre, architecture, and archeology, the Fascists used the Roman past to glorify modern Italy and the Fascist party. The Fascists’ use of these Roman allusions made their own deficiencies more apparent and led to a general failure of their propaganda program in terms of creating a new Italian identity focused upon the Ancient Roman past

Virtus in the Roman World: Generality, Specificity, and Fluidity

Virtus in the Roman world was often cited, by the Romans themselves, to be their defining attribute that allowed them to conquer the Mediterranean. Virtus’ meaning changed throughout the Roman Republic as different successful methodologies came into usage, and eventually the word virtus focused solely on those who were successful, rather than their own moral or practical character

Crop Rotations - 1968 Viewpoint

Results and practice and show selected crop selected crop sequences are the modern concept in crop production. With some exceptions, technology provides the same factors as rotations do - and is more profitable

SPECIFIC ACTIVATION OF THE BONE MARROW-DERIVED LYMPHOCYTE BY ANTIGEN PRESENTED IN A NON-MULTIVALENT FORM : EVIDENCE FOR A TWO-SIGNAL MECHANISM OF TRIGGERING

Antigen-induced activation of bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes involves interactions between specific antigenic determinants and immunoglobulin receptors on the lymphocyte surface (1). Soluble antigens such as serum proteins can trigger B lymphocytes only if thymus-derived (T) cells are provided (2), thus implying a requirement for some element besides a simple antigen-receptor interaction. Triggering may result from the presentation to the B cell of a multivalent configuration of identical antigenic determinants produced on, or through the action of, the T cell (3, 4). Alternatively, it has been postulated that, as well as the binding of antigen by receptors, the B cell must react with a second substance, this second signal being some product of collaborating T cells (5). The first hypothesis has been supported by the observation that antigens not requiring T cell help to activate B cells share a common polymeric structure (3, 6), enabling them to directly form multiple receptor-antigen bonds. The experiments to be reported offer an alternative explanation for the role of one such thymus-independent antigen, polymerized flagellin (POL) (6) in B cell triggering. They sugges

INDUCTION OF IMMUNOLOGICAL TOLERANCE TO A THYMUS-DEPENDENT ANTIGEN IN THE ABSENCE OF THYMUS-DERIVED CELLS

Specific immunological unresponsiveness was induced using thymus-dependent antigens in congenitally athymic (nu/nu) mice, in which no T-cell function has been demonstrated. The tolerance was induced in vivo by the injection of 5–10 mg of either FGG or DNP-HGG. Spleen cells from treated mice were tested in vitro for the ability to mount thymus-independent immune responses against FGG in the presence of polymerized flagellin POL, and the DNP determinant conjugated to POL. A specific deficiency in either the in vitro anti-FGG or anti-DNP response was demonstrated, depending on the antigen used for treatment of the spleen cell donor. Athymic mice treated with FGG were also tested by in vivo challenge with FGG given with POL as an adjuvant and were found to be hyporesponsive. Unresponsiveness to in vitro challenge was established by 24 h after the in vivo injection of FGG. It was found that the injection of POL with the FGG prevented the development of unresponsiveness, but not if the POL was given 24 h or more after the FGG. The unresponsiveness could not be overcome by confrontation with allogeneic spleen cells from CBA mice, although the presence of allogeneic spleen cells had a large amplifying effect on the response of control spleen cells. These experiments demonstrate a mechanism for the tolerization of bone marrow-derived cells by thymus-dependent antigens in the absence of the thymus

Coherence properties and quantum state transportation in an optical conveyor belt

We have prepared and detected quantum coherences with long dephasing times at the level of single trapped cesium atoms. Controlled transport by an "optical conveyor belt" over macroscopic distances preserves the atomic coherence with slight reduction of coherence time. The limiting dephasing effects are experimentally identified and are of technical rather than fundamental nature. We present an analytical model of the reversible and irreversible dephasing mechanisms. Coherent quantum bit operations along with quantum state transport open the route towards a "quantum shift register" of individual neutral atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A neutral atom quantum register

We demonstrate the realization of a quantum register using a string of single neutral atoms which are trapped in an optical dipole trap. The atoms are selectively and coherently manipulated in a magnetic field gradient using microwave radiation. Our addressing scheme operates with a high spatial resolution and qubit rotations on individual atoms are performed with 99% contrast. In a final read-out operation we analyze each individual atomic state. Finally, we have measured the coherence time and identified the predominant dephasing mechanism for our register.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Effect of Stocking Biomass on Solids, Phytoplankton Communities, Common Off-Flavors, and Production Parameters in a Channel Catfish Biofloc Technology Production System

The effect of initial channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus, Rafinesque, 1818) fingerling biomass (1.4, 1.8, or 2.3 kg m-3) on phytoplankton communities, common off-flavours and stocker catfish production parameters was evaluated in biofloc technology production tanks. Stocker catfish size (145.5–172.6 g fish-1) at harvest did not differ among treatments, but net yield increased linearly as initial biomass increased (R2 = 0.633). Mean total feed consumption increased linearly with initial catfish biomass (R2 = 0.656) and ranged from 10.7 to 15.8 kg m -3. Total suspended solids (TSS) in all treatments increased linearly with total feed addition, and high TSS appeared to impact negatively daily feed consumption. Initial phytoplankton populations were dominated by small colonial green algae and diatoms, and later transitioned to populations dominated by a small, filamentous cyanobacteria and diatoms. Low, variable concentrations of 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin were present in biofloc tank water during most of the study and two tanks yielded catfish with 2-methylisoborneol or geosmin concentrations that might be classified as off-flavour. One isolate of actinomycete was isolated sporadically from some biofloc tanks, but its abundance was not correlated with 2-methylisoborneol concentration in tank waters. The microbial sources of 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin in biofloc tanks remain unidentified