Narrative Fresco and Ritual: Filippo Lippi, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Performative Properties of the Religious Art in Quattrocento Florence

The present study analyses Filippo Lippi’s frescoes in the main chapel of the Prato cathedral and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s decoration of the Tornabuoni chapel in Santa Maria Novella in Florence. It focuses on the relationship between the frescoes and the ritual practices of the period, in particular, the religious spectacle. The aim of the research is to analyse the little-known and somewhat elusive relations between the two chapel decorations and other public expressions of devotional culture, such as the religious spectacles performed in the city during religious festivities. Chapter 1 provides a necessary theoretical and historiographical background to the work, while chapter 2 examines the performative production of Florence. It locates the tradition of religious plays within the context of the fifteenth-century devotion and analyses a sample of texts of sacre rappresentazioni. Chapter 3 provides archival evidence of the involvement of Florentine artists, including the two at the centre of this research, with the social and cultural world of the lay confraternities. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on the two fresco decorations. The iconographic analysis allows us to recognize the hagiographic and philosophical sources of the paintings. The study shows the influence of Renaissance culture on the sacred iconography, and the introduction of new themes to the sacred narratives, such as Ficino’s idea of prisca theologia. Finally, the study discusses the relationship between the frescoes and the drama and asks questions about the relationship between the decorations and the ritual. The argument of the thesis is that the visual elements coming from the religious spectacles penetrated to the Florentine narrative paintings thanks to the personal exchange between both environments. Moreover, the study suggests that these inserts were meaningful and allowed the frescoes to become part of the ritual of intercession. Finally, the research shows in which ways the ruling elite participated to the cultural life of the city and used its visual aspects in order to promote their values and to obtain political consent

Can a Nonorganometallic Ruthenium(II) Polypyridylamine Complex Catalyze Hydride Transfer? Mechanistic Insight from Solution Kinetics on the Reduction of Coenzyme NAD+ by Formate

Application of organometallic ruthenium(II) arene complexes has been successful for the modulation of cellular redox processes via their interaction with species such as formate to control the NAD+/NADH balance in cells. Here we present the first evidence that similar effects can be reached with the application of a nonorganometallic ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complex. Kinetic studies performed demonstrate the ability of [RuII(terpy)(en)(H2O/EtOH)]2+ in water/ethanol (1:9, v/v) solution, where terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine and en = ethylenediamine, to catalyze the reduction of the NAD+ coenzyme to NADH in the presence of formate as hydride transfer source. In this case, terpy instead of arene is responsible for the labilization of coordinated solvent. The suggested catalytic cycle begins with the fast anation of the [RuII(terpy)(en)(H2O/EtOH)]2+ complex by formate. This is followed by the rate-determining formate-catalyzed decarboxylation of the generated ruthenium(II) formato complex to form [RuII(terpy)(en)H]+. Rapid hydride transfer to NAD+ from [RuII(terpy)(en)H]+ to form NADH and to regenerate the starting ruthenium(II) solvato complex, closes the overall catalytic cycle

No relationship between baseline salivary alpha-amylase and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Score in drug-naïve patients with short-illness-duration first episode major depressive disorder : an exploratory study

Salivary ?-amylase (sAA) activity alternations are observed in major depressive disorder (MDD) being associated with depression severity and its specific psychopathological dimensions with anxiety being attributed to distress. No data is available on sAA in MDD according to Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The exploratory study examines whether and to what extent baseline sAA level is interrelated to the psychopathological features including severity of symptoms and specific psychopathological dimensions. The basal, non-stimulated sAA activity was studied in 20 non-late-life adult, treatment-naïve MDD patients with short-illness-duration and in 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls along with psychometric assessments with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Significantly lower (p=0.011) sAA activity was observed in MDD as compared to controls. No significant correlations were observed between sAA activity and the total HAMD-17 score as well as with regard to the specific core depression, insomnia, anxiety and somatic HAM-D psychopathological dimensions. No significant correlations were also found between sAA and STAIX-1 and STAIX-2 scores. Low baseline sAA levels in MDD with no correlations between sAA and psychopathological features including severity of symptoms and specific psychopathological dimensions was found

Tuning the lability of a series of Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes: a comparison of experimental-kinetic and DFT-predicted reaction mechanisms

This report deals with a comparison of experimentally obtained kinetic and activation parameter data, and theoretical DFT computations, in terms of mechanistic information on the water exchange and water displacement reactions by thiourea for a series of complexes of the type [RuII(terpy)(N^N)(H2O)]2+, where terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine and N^N represents ethylenediamine (en), 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (ampy), 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy), 1,10-phenantroline (phen), and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmen). The complexes were all isolated in the form of [Ru(terpy)(N^N)Cl]X (X = Cl– or ClO4–) compounds and fully characterized in both the solid state and in solution. The DFT calculations revealed further mechanistic insight into the water exchange reactions as well as the water displacement reactions by thiourea. Both the experimental activation parameters and the DFT calculations suggest the operation of an associative interchange (Ia) mechanism for both reaction types studied

New insight into the role of the complement in the most common types of retinopathy-current literature review

Pathological neovascularisation, which is a critical component of diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), is a frequent cause of compromised vision or blindness. Researchers continuously investigate the role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of retinopathy. Studies have confirmed the role of factors H and I in the development of AMD, and factors H and B in the development of DR. Other components, such as C2, C3, and C5, have also been considered. However, findings on the involvement of the complement system in the pathogenesis of ROP are still inconclusive. This paper presents a review of the current literature data, pointing to the novel results and achievements from research into the role of complement components in the development of retinopathy. There is still a need to continue research in new directions, and to gather more detailed information about this problem which will be useful in the treatment of these diseases

Associations between adipocytokines and metabolic disturbances in obese adolescents - preliminary results

Wstęp Celem prezentowanych badań była ocena zależności między obecnością składowych zespołu metabolicznego u otyłych nastolatków a występowaniem insulinooporności, z uwzględnieniem roli wybranych adipocytokin. Materiał i metody Badaniem objęto 99 nastolatków w wieku 10-18 lat (średnia wieku 14,3 ± 1,8 roku) diagnozowanych w Klinice Endokrynologii i Diabetologii Wieku Rozwojowego we Wrocławiu z powodu otyłości. U pacjentów określono: wskaźnik masy ciała (BMI), obwód talii, zmierzono ciśnienie tętnicze, wykonano krzywą cukrową (OGTT) z insuliną, wyliczono HOMA-IR, oceniono gospodarkę tłuszczową, zbadano stężenie leptyny, adiponektyny i rezystyny. Insulinooporność rozpoznano, gdy: HOMA-IR było większe od 2,5; zespół metaboliczny ustalono według kryteriów IDF. Wyniki W grupie badanej zespół metaboliczny rozpoznano u 36,36% pacjentów. Insulinooporność stwierdzono u 67,67% badanych, wśród pacjentów z rozpoznanym zespołem metabolicznym u 86,11%, bez zespołu metabolicznego u 55,5%. W grupie pacjentów z ZM stwierdzono istotnie statystycznie niższe stężenie adiponektyny w stosunku do grupy pacjentów bez tych zaburzeń. Wnioski 1. U otyłych nastolatków obserwuje się insulinooporność, częściej u dzieci, które spełniają kryteria zespołu metabolicznego. 2. Adiponektyna jest czułym markerem insulinooporności i zespołu metabolicznego.Background The purpose of our study was to evaluate associations between metabolic syndrome’s components, insulin resistance and adipocytokines in obese teenagers. Material and methods We examined 99 overweight and obese children, aged 10-18 years (mean 14.3 ± 1.8) diagnosed and treated in Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Wrocław. BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, OGTT with insulin levels, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides levels were taken into account. Moreover adiponectin and resistin were estimated. Insulin resistance was diagnosed if HOMA-IR > 2.5. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was diagnosed according to IDF. Results MetS was diagnosed in 36.36% of children. Insulin resistance was diagnosed in 67.67% of children: in 86.11% children with MetS and 55.5% children without MetS. In the MetS group lower concentration of adiponectin was observed. Conclusions 1. Insulin resistance is observed in obese adolescents, more frequently in patients with metabolic syndrome. 2. Adiponectin is a sensitive marker for insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome

The cytotoxic effect of copper (II) complexes with halogenated 1,3-disubstituted arylthioureas on cancer and bacterial cells

A series of eight copper (II) complexes with 3-(4-chloro-3-nitrophenyl)thiourea were designed and synthesized. The cytotoxic activity of all compounds was assessed in three human cancer cell lines (SW480, SW620, PC3) and human normal keratinocytes (HaCaT). The complexes 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8 were cytotoxic to the studied tumor cells in the low micromolar range, without affecting the normal cells. The complexes 1, 3, 7 and 8 induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in all cancer cell lines, but not in the HaCaT cells. They provoked early apoptosis in pathological cells, especially in SW480 and PC3 cells. The ability of compounds 1, 3, 7 and 8 to diminish interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration in a cell was established. For the first time, the influence of the most promising Cu (II) complexes on intensities of detoxifying and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging the enzymes of tumor cells was studied. The cytotoxic effect of all copper (II) conjugates against standard and hospital bacterial strains was also proved