Le Muse di Voghera Un ciclo di affreschi di Bartolomeo Suardi detto Bramantino

Le Muse di Voghera: un ciclo di affreschi di Bartolomeo Suardi detto Bramantino La tematica del mio elaborato verte sull’analisi delle Muse e lo sviluppo di questo tema nella pittura italiana ed europea tra la fine del Quattrocento e i primi anni del Cinquecento. Racconto come questo mito si è evoluto riuscendo a sopravvivere all’inesorabile scorrere del tempo, ai cambiamenti religiosi, politici e culturali, assumendo un’aurea di eternità. Le Muse vengono messe in discussione con la nascita del cristianesimo; i primi a farlo sono Orazio e Ovidio: affermano che la parola del poeta è l'unica in grado di possedere la validità e la veridicità. Da questo momento prende avvio il declino dell'importanza della parola e dell'ispirazione delle Muse, che subirà una brusca discesa fino a raggiungere un completo rifiuto da parte dei primi scrittori cristiani, furono sostituire dalle arti liberali, e reintegrate grazie a Dante, Petrarca e Boccaccio. Il mio elaborato è costituito da una parte in cui cerco di ricostruire cronologicamente la vita professionale di Bartolomeo Suardi, ricostruendo e analizzando il suo percorso artistico e professionale in ambiente lombardo. Bramantino, nel Castello Visconteo di Voghera eseguì un ciclo di affreschi di tema mitologico, composizione eseguita tra il 1499 e il 1503 quando il signore del feudo era Louis de Luxembourg, conte di Ligny; gli affreschi sono suddivisi in due sale: il Salone del Paesaggio e la Sala delle Muse di dimensioni più contenute; grazie ai restauri avvenuti alla fine degli ’90 del Novecento e alla rimozione delle controssoffittature sono emersi questi affreschi di altissima qualità ed estro creativo, la paternità fu immediatamente attribuita a Bramantino, nonostante fossero molto lacunosi e deteriorati dal tempo. Dopo aver analizzato l'evoluzione delle Muse durante i secoli cercherò di tradurre la singolare interpretazione di Bartolomeo Suardi, analisi molto difficoltosa dovuta alla presenza della scialbo e ai danni provocati dal tempo, che purtroppo non permettono di avere una visione completa delle figure, in quanto alcune parti sono troppo lacunose per essere interpretate e decifrate. La tesi è suddivisa in due parti. Nella prima cerco di ricostruire la vita di Bramantino analizzando la sua produzione artistica e i vari viaggi e le influenze che possono aver contribuito alla sua formazione. Nella seconda parte mi focalizzo sul mito delle Muse e sugli affreschi del Castello di Voghera

Measurement of the Gravity-Field Curvature by Atom Interferometry

We present the first direct measurement of the gravity-field curvature based on three conjugated atom interferometers. Three atomic clouds launched in the vertical direction are simultaneously interrogated by the same atom interferometry sequence and used to probe the gravity field at three equally spaced positions. The vertical component of the gravity-field curvature generated by nearby source masses is measured from the difference between adjacent gravity gradient values. Curvature measurements are of interest in geodesy studies and for the validation of gravitational models of the surrounding environment. The possibility of using such a scheme for a new determination of the Newtonian constant of gravity is also discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Sistema di filologia computazionale per testi demotici

A project for a Demotic Inscriptions on Ostraka Database is being carried out in collaboration between ILC/CNR (Pisa), the Department of Electronic Engineering (Calabria University) and the Department of the Ancient World History (Egyptological section, Pisa University). The aim of the project is to analyse the digital colour images of demotic texts on ostraka (Medinet Madi, in Fayyum region) with the aid of computational tools. The module described in the paper is a neural component able to learn the graphical features of each demotic symbol, which has been previously segmented in the images thanks to a semiautomatic procedure. A specific neural network tries to recognize the text written in the images linking the symbols segmented within the ostraka images database to the correspondent symbols available on a virtual keyboard. The graphical interface is particularly useful for teaching and research activities on this type of archaeological documentation

Lumbar interspinous process fixation and fusion with stand-alone interlaminar lumbar instrumented fusion implant in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis undergoing decompression for spinal stenosis

Abstract STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PURPOSE: To assess the ability of a stand-alone lumbar interspinous implant (interspinous/interlaminar lumbar instrumented fusion, ILIF) associated with bone grafting to promote posterior spine fusion in degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) with vertebral instability. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: A few studies, using bilateral laminotomy (BL) or bilateral decompression by unilateral laminotomy (BDUL), found satisfactory results in stenotic patients with decompression alone, but others reported increased olisthesis, or subsequent need for fusion in DS with or without dynamic instability. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with Grade I DS, leg pain and chronic low back pain underwent BL or BDUL and ILIF implant. Olisthesis was 13% to 21%. Follow-up evaluations were performed at 4 to 12 months up to 25 to 44 months (mean, 34.4). Outcome measures were numerical rating scale (NRS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI) and short-form 36 health survey (SF-36) of body pain and function. RESULTS: Fusion occurred in 21 patients (84%). None had increased olisthesis or instability postoperatively. Four types of fusion were identified. In Type I, the posterior part of the spinous processes were fused. In Type II, fusion extended to the base of the processes. In Type III, bone was present also around the polyetheretherketone plate of ILIF. In Type IV, even the facet joints were fused. The mean NRS score for back and leg pain decreased by 64% and 80%, respectively. The mean ODI score was decreased by 52%. SF-36 bodily pain and physical function mean scores increased by 53% and 58%, respectively. Computed tomography revealed failed fusion in four patients, all of whom still had vertebral instability postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Stand-alone ILIF with interspinous bone grafting promotes vertebral fusion in most patients with lumbar stenosis and unstable Grade I DS undergoing BL or BDUL

Alien shades of grey: New occurrences and relevant spread of Sciurus carolinensis in Italy

The eastern grey squirrel is listed among the worst invasive species throughout the world. This species of American origin is currently replacing the native Eurasian red squirrel in most of the Great Britain, as well as in parts of Ireland and Italy. It may debark trees and exert damages to woodlands and tree plantations. Therefore, its spread may be deleterious for biodiversity and environment, emphasising the need for a rapid detection in new areas of occurrence. In this work, we reported for the first time, the presence of new populations of this invasive species in Tuscany (Central Italy) and some updates and analyses regarding the status of this species in Veneto (North-Eastern Italy). Occurrences were collected through citizen-science contributory approach supported by photos, road-kills, and/or hair-tube sampling. Field investigations ad hoc were carried out in Veneto and Tuscany   to confirm the repeated reports in the surroundings of Arezzo and in the province of Siena. Although records can be possibly related to erratic or single individuals escaped from captivity, reproductive nuclei have also been detected in both regions, with the observations of juveniles and/or lactating females. The occurrence of the  species in these regions is still scarce and localised, but considering the surrounding favourable wooded habitats, a rapid removal of the animals would be required to prevent their spread

Recursive random-sampling strategy for a digital wattmeter

A recursive random-sampling strategy is proposed for the implementation of a digital broadband wattmeter. In this strategy each sampling instant is obtained by adding to the preceding one a predetermined constant lag plus a random increment. In order to correlate the measurement uncertainty to the bandwidth, the asymptotic mean-square error arising from the sampling strategy and the filtering algorithm is evaluated and analyzed; it has been shown that the proposed sampling strategy does not limit the bandwidth of the instrument if an appropriate statistical distribution of the random increments is selected. The theoretical results are compared with those obtained by simulating the measurement proces

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF COLOSTRUM IN GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES

This paper reviews the composition of colostrum and the potebntial preventive and therapeutic use of this "first milk" for treating various gastrointestinal disorders in humans. Colostrum is a complex biological liquid that is rich in antimicrobial peptides, immune-regulanting compounds and growth factors than the subsequent mature milk. The main functions of colostrum are to provide essential nutritional components, strenghten the natural defense system, modulate immune response, balance intestinal microbiota and enhance the growth and repair of several tissues. several studies and clinical trials carried out both in vitro and in vivo on humans and animals suggest the clinical benefits of bovine colostrum (BC) supplementation in gastro-intestinal diseases. Despite the encouraging results, there are no contraindications regarding high dose levels and few side effects of clinical relevance have been reported. In conclusion, in the near future, colostrum-based supplementations may be play a role to synthetic drugs in the prevention and treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders