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The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and their rapid spread pose a threat to both human and animal health and may conceal unknown risks. This report describes an Italian human-to-cat outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 (the Alpha variant) . On March 7th, 2021, approximately ten days after COVID-19 appeared in the family, the onset of respiratory signs in a cat by COVID-19-affected owners led to an in-depth diagnostic investigation, combining clinical and serological data with rt-qPCR-based virus detection and whole genome sequencing. The Alpha variant was confirmed first in the owners and a few days later in the cat that was then monitored weekly: the course was similar with one-week lag time in the cat. In addition, based on comparative analysis of genome sequences from our study and from 200 random Italian cases of Alpha variant, the familial cluster was confirmed. The temporal sequence along with the genomic data support a human-to-animal transmission. Such an event emphasizes the importance of studying the circulation and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants in humans and animals to better understand and prevent potential spillover risks or unwarranted alerts involving our pet populations., Highlights • Respiratory signs in a household cat ten days after the appearance of COVID-19 in the family led to a thorough investigation. • The Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) was first detected in owners and one week later in the cat which showed a similar course. • A familial cluster was confirmed based on a comparative sequence analysis of the study subjects and 200 Italian random cases. • The temporal sequence together with the genomic data support human-to-animal transmission. • The human epidemic, the easy crossing of species barriers and the abundance of pets suggest monitoring for spillover risks.

Shahrood is a city located on the northern border of Kavir desert (altitude 1345 m a.s.l.), along one of the main Silk Road paths, in the North-West of Iran, within the Province of Semnan (Fig. 1). Although, nowadays, water is supplied by a modern system of drilled wells and aqueducts, in the recent past, it was ensured by a complex qanat system; a part of it is still working and supplies more than one third of Shahrood water demand (about 210?000 inhabitants).

Showbak Castle Hill and the surrounding area favored the development of various natural caves. Many of these caves have been expanded and renovated by human activities, and their use lasted for a long time. Near these structures there is the presence of extensive terracing systems, of various shapes and sizes, still used. In the considered area, five different settlements have been identified: hill of the castle characterized by three hypogeal structures adapted for burial and, in a specific case, a place of worship with the presence of arcosolium; hill in front of the castle, called Towr Aba-Ras, with a lot of hypogea for housing, for shelter of flocks and for burials. Outside some buildings for water canals and a burial plant carved into the rock; settlement called Habis 1 with reconstructed cavities on several levels with burials, engravings and depictions of crosses of Christian origins; area called Al Jaya, with many epigee structures and cavity adaptations, still used today; area called Habis 2 near Al Mukairya village. This is the largest settlement and in its interior there are still structures that have been used for a long time.

This short note presents the preliminary characterization of some qanats located in the Shahrood Province, as a result of a join agreement between the University of L'Aquila, the Institute of Chemical Methodologies of the National Research Council and the University of Technology of Shahrood. These underground water supply systems by gravity, whose conception dates back three thousand years, are still of great importance to exploit groundwater resource, that is strategic in peri-desert and desert areas. Qanats are endangered by the increasing use of drilled wells, which have exacerbated aquifers' overexploitation. To overcome this issue, these ancient underground water works can effectively offer "sustainable withdrawals" (tapping only the upper part of aquifer), if strategically implemented and following rational groundwater uses, taking into account cultural heritage, tourism enhancements and other uses related to new technologies (greenhouses heated by low-enthalpy plants, qualitative and quantitative improvement of traditional, typical and new varieties of crops, such as: peaches, apricots, pistachios).

Considering the specifi city and cultural interest of qanats, UNESCO declared them as "Common Heritage of Mankind" in 2016. These ancient underground hydraulic systems still have an important role for the territorial management in several areas of Iran and in particular in the whole Yazd province. Moreover qanats are an important touristic attraction and this arises the need to study the different problems related to their usability for visitors.

Foods implicated in human campylobacteriosis include raw or undercooked poultry and raw dairy products. Because Campylobacter spp. are the most frequently reported cause of bacterial infection in the European Union and because conventional methods are cumbersome, rapid methods for Campylobacter detection and quantification in food are needed. With this study we sought to validate, according to the standard procedure (UNI EN ISO 16140:2003), an alternative to the reference analytical method (UNI EN ISO 10272- 1:2006) for official controls of Campylobacter spp. in raw milk and dairy products. Milk samples collected from 16 milk vending machines located throughout the Genoa metropolitan area were analyzed using two different methods, an enzymelinked fluorescent assay (ELFA) and a real-time PCR assay, and evaluated in parallel against the reference method. In addition, a total of 460 samples of raw milk collected from milk vending machines were analyzed by ELFA. Results obtained with ELFA showed it was compliant with UNI EN ISO 10272-1:2006 criteria and that the immunoassay had 100% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Regarding samples of milk vending machines, 5.0% (23/460) tested positive at ELFA screening and were subsequently confirmed as C. jejuni. Validation according to UNI EN ISO 16140:2003 of the ELFA method suggests it may be a useful alternative to conventional methods for detecting Campylobacter spp. in official controls.

Metformin is an antidiabetic drug which possesses antiproliferative activity in cancer cells when administered at high doses, due to its unfavorable pharmacokinetics. The aim of this work was to develop a pharmacological tool for the release of metformin in proximity of the tumor, allowing high local concentrations, and to demonstrate the in vivo antitumor efficacy after a prolonged metformin exposition. A 1.2% w/w metformin thermoresponsive parenteral formulation based on poloxamers P407 and P124, injectable at room temperature and undergoing a sol-gel transition at body temperature, has been developed and optimized for rheological, thermal and release control properties; the formulation is easily scalable, and proved to be stable during a 1-month storage at 5 °C. Using NOD/SCID mice pseudo-orthotopically grafted with MDA-MB-231/luc+ human breast cancer cells, we report that multiple administrations of 100 mg of the optimized metformin formulation close to the tumor site cause tissue accumulation of the drug at levels significantly higher than those observed in plasma, and enough to exert antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. Our results demonstrate that this formulation is endowed with good stability, tolerability, thermal and rheological properties, representing a novel tool to be pursued in further investigations for adjuvant cancer treatment.

The term qanat, also transcribed as kanat or ghanat, generically refers to an ancient hydraulic system implemented for irrigation purposes in desert areas. The underground channel prevents water evaporation and transports the water directly to the oasis where it is used wisely and sparingly, in accordance with regulations, processes, procedures and secular methods. Thus the oasis, the desert and the qanat are the expression of a specific cultural heritage not to be found in any other location. Iran occupies a position of significant importance: it was thought, that the qanats originated in this very part of the Near East.

Shahrood is a city located on the northern border of Kavir desert (altitude 1345 m a.s.l.), along one of the main Silk Road paths, in the North-West of Iran, within the Province of Semnan (Fig. 1). Even if ,nowadays, water is supplied by a modern system of drilled wells and aqueducts, in the recent past, it was ensured by a complex qanats system; a part of it is still working and supplies more than one third of the water needs of Shahrood population (about 210?000 inhabitants). The part of the qanat still operational (Fig. 2) has a length of approximately 25 km; it is subdivided in two branches (Tash e Mojen), in the upper recharge area, each one has a length of about 5 km, then the two tunnels merge in a single main gallery, in which a pipeline has been placed to avoid stability problems and to safeguard water supply of the town (Fig. 3a). The hydraulic system was excaveted inside alluvial and eluvio-colluvial deposits along the valley, while the final part of the qanat crosses limestone rocks. At the qanat outlet, the original comb-like structure was preserved, it was used to split water flow among different users (Fig. 3b). Today, waters, downstream the outlet, are sent to the drinking water treatment plant, before entering urban pipelines. In the areas crossed by the qanat, there are several similar hydraulic structures, realized at different depths and along other directions in order to drain underground water as efficiently as possible. Along the last section of the qanat, where it exits from the main valley and enters a secondary one, it is possible to see several shafts, which directions are transversal to the one of the main qanat, converging toward a morphological notch in the limestone reliefs, that divides this valley from the plain where Shahrood lies (Fig 4a). These qanats were probably intended for agricultural water supply. The importance of this system, now abandoned, is justified by the presence of a large adobe building, probably erected to control the mentioned shafts and qanats(Fig. 4b). While the secondary valley is still of strategic relevance, since four water wells have been drilled to support qanat flow during drought periods. The large use of drilled wells, in the last decades, has driven into crisis the ancient sub-horizontal underground drainage system.

Several activities have been carried out: Shafts georeferencing and depth measurement Qanat branches mapping Measurement of water physical-chemical parameters (e.g. T, EC, pH) Discharge flow measurements at qanat outlets Radon measurements in water Radon assessment in air inside the shafts Proposal of a preliminary hydrogeological conceptual model of groundwater flow and drainage by qanats

Yazd, an important city in the middle of Iranian Kavir desert with more than 423,000 inhabitants, is very well known for the presence of several qanats all over the territory, some of which are very ancient, but still perfectly working. The network development of these underground hydraulic systems runs for several hundred kilometers. For this reason and taking into consideration their specificity and cultural interest, UNESCO declared 11 of them as mankind heritage and established in Yazd a Center for the study of these underground hydraulic systems (ICQHS). Thanks to an agreement signed between UNESCO-ICQHS, IMC-CNR and the University "Niccolò Cusano" started the project to carry out a joint research on the Qanats of Yazd. For the safeguard of these systems and of the related water sources, it will be important to define the conceptual models of their operation and water drainage. In particular it will be important to complete/update the evaluation of the architectural features and the stability/safety of the tunnels and of the service/entry structures, if the case defining and implementing specific monitoring points. Moreover it seems strategic to implement also a continuous monitoring system (possibly remote controlled) of the flow rate; to well define the areas for the recharge and capitation of a single selected qanat; to understand the relationships among the meteoric and underground water contributions and to clarify the hydrogeologic aspects of the underground water circulation intercepted by qanat; to characterize these resources under the chemical and quantitative aspects (flow rate put forward and losses/withdrawal along the itinerary), stressing the possible variations; the weather related trends and, at the end, to elaborate suitable tools to support operational decisions (numerical models implemented in GIS environment). To perform these activities we are studying the possibility to use open-source tools and to develop cheap equipment for the monitoring. To ensure the usability/compliance with safety standards of these hypogeum systems it is relevant also the monitoring of the possible presence of radon in the water and of radon indoor along the tunnels, in the underground rooms and in the service/entry structures, stressing (taking into account the significant linear and aerial development of qanat system) the areas where there is a higher concentration, the possible origin and the suitable mitigation actions. The monitoring of the possible presence of radon gas in the underground structures relates to qanats will offer an additional element for the cultural tourism of Yazd qanats. Radon in high concentration can pose a threat to human health, and these days qanat underground galleries are frequently visited by two groups of people: qanat workers and qanat tourists. Now qanat is being brought to the fore in the tourism sector and, in case it proves that visiting qanat galleries is harmful to the visitors' health, it would be a devastating blow to this industry at its infancy. Therefore measuring the concentration of Radon in qanats can help us better figure out what to do in order to safe the visitors against any possible danger related to Radon.

Animal welfare during transportation has been investigated in several studies, as opposed to post-transportation phases. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a novel environment after transportation on 26 Friesian bulls, 242 ± 42 day-old, from ten different dairy farms. Animals were shipped to a breeding center in different seasons, and selected parameters of innate immunity (serum bactericidal activity, hemolytic complement, serum albumin, α, β, and γ-globulins, interleukin-6, TNF-α) were monitored before and after the arrival at days--4/0/4/15/30. Our results showed significant differences of IL-6 and TNF-α protein levels at destination in December (94 ± 1.3 pg/ml) and June (+788 pg/ml), respectively. Moreover, the serum levels of these cytokines increased between days 0 and 15 after the arrival, the modulation of IL-6 being in agreement with established models of physical and/or psychological stress. Concerning the modulation of albumin, alpha and beta-globulins, the highest levels were detected in April, whereas a significant decrease was observed between day 15 and 30 after arrival; on the contrary, γ-globulin levels significantly increased after day 15. The results of this study highlight the occurrence of innate immune responses of young bulls to the combined effects of climate (season) and novel farming conditions.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a small subpopulation of cells responsible for tumor formation and progression, drug resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasization. CSCs have been identified in many human tumors including osteosarcoma (OSA). CSC distinctive properties are the expression of stem cell markers, sustained growth, self-renewal and tumorigenicity. Here we report the isolation of stem-like cells from two canine OSA cultures, characterized by self-renewal, evaluated by sphere formation ability, differential marker expression, and in vitro proliferation when cultured in a medium containing EGF and bFGF. Current therapies for OSA increased survival time, but prognosis remains poor, due to the development of drug resistance and metastases. Chemotherapy shrinks the tumor mass but CSCs remain unaffected, leading to tumor recurrence. Metformin, a drug for type 2 diabetes, has been shown to possess antitumor properties affecting CSC survival in different human and animal cancers. Here we show that metformin has a significant antiproliferative effect on canine OSA stem-like cells, validating this in vitro model for further pre-clinical drug evaluations. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining CSC-enriched cultures from primary canine OSA cells as a promising model for biological and pharmacological studies of canine and human OSAs.

Water resources near Shawbak ; The rock of Abu Maktub; the Village of Al Muquariya; The qanat at Udhruh village, in southern Jordan; The ancient village of Towr Aba-Ras.

The territory of the Borrello Municipality is located in the Region Abruzzo, next to the Molise Region. Samnites remains are spread all over this area, up to the Sangro River; however, precise dating of archaeological remains attributable to Samnites is hard to perform because ancient fortifications were re-handled in later periods, specifically to build up rural houses, walls to contain roads, agricultural terraces, sheep barns, etc. This work is devoted to unexplored tombs.

Background Mammary tumours frequently develop in female domestic cats being highly malignant in a large percentage of cases. Chemokines regulate many physiological and pathological processes including organogenesis, chemotaxis of inflammatory cells, as well as tumour progression and metastasization. In particular, the chemokine/receptor pair SDF-1/CXCR4 has been involved in the regulation of metastatic potential of neoplastic cells, including breast cancer. The aim of this study was the immunohistochemical defininition of the expression profile of CXCR4 in primary and metastatic feline mammary carcinomas and the evaluation of the role of SDF-1 in feline mammary tumour cell proliferation. Results A total of 45 mammary surgical samples, including 33 primary tumours (31 carcinomas and 2 adenomas), 6 metastases, and 4 normal mammary tissues were anlyzed. Tumor samples were collected from a total number of 26 animals, as in some cases concurrent occurrence of neoplasm in more than one mammary gland was observed. Tissues were processed for standard histological examination, and all lesions were classified according to the World Health Organization criteria. CXCR4 expression in neoplastic cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The level of CXCR4 immunoreactivity was semi-quantitatively estimated as CXCR4 score evaluating both the number of positive cells and the intensity of staining. Six primary, fibroblast-free primary cultures were obtained from fresh feline mammary carcinomas and characterized by immunofluorescence for CXCR4 and malignant mammary cell marker expression. SDF-1-dependent in vitro proliferative effects were also assayed. CXCR4 expression was observed in 29 out of 31 malignant tissues with a higher CXCR4 score observed in 4 out of 6 metastatic lesions than in the respective primary tumours. In 2 benign lesions analyzed, only the single basaloid adenoma showed a mild positive immunostaining against CXCR4. Normal tissue did not show CXCR4 immunoreactivity. CXCR4 score was statistically significantly associated with the histological features of the samples, showing an increase accordingly with the degree of neoplastic transformation (from normal tissue to metastatic lesions). Finally, in the primary cultures obtained from 6 primary feline mammary carcinomas CXCR4 expression was detected in all cells and its activation by SDF-1 in vitro treatment caused a significant increase in the proliferation rate in 5 out of 6 tumours. Conclusions These results indicate that malignant feline mammary tumours commonly express CXCR4, with a higher level in malignant tumours, and, in most of the cases analysed, metastatic cells display stronger immunoreactivity for CXCR4 than the corresponding primary tumours. Moreover, CXCR4 activation in primary cultures of feline mammary carcinomas causes increase in the proliferative rate. Thus, SDF-1/CXCR4 system seems to play a tumorigenic in feline mammary gland malignancy and in vitro cultures from these tumour samples may represent an experimental model to investigate the biological and pharmacological role of this chemokinergic axis.

1.1 - Towards the 8th Framework Programme: where is the sweetest girl? 1.2 - The new Research Commissioner: no quiet mouse! 1.3 - The European Commission discusses 1.4 - The European Commission consults 1.5 - The structure of FP8: merry-go- round 1.6 - Next decade: continuity vs. discontinuity 1.7 - The budget of the FP8: a matter for Magicians 1.8 - A swarm of Stakeholders 1.9 - European Organizations: helping hands? 1.10 - References

This article sets out the results of air quality biomonitoring along a transect bordering on the A32 Turin–Bardonecchia motorway (Italy). The results were obtained using aeroponic sampling units, an innovation insofar as the plants acting as monitor live and grow in these units above ground, assuring that atmospheric pollutants are absorbed only through the leaves. The accumulation of 15 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the leaves of Brassica oleracea var. Acephala, used as biosampler, was determined on samples taken in the months of February, July and October 2002, in each case after two months' exposure. The results highlight: (i) the influence of the seasons on the accumulation of pollutants, (ii) that phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene generally account for more than 80% of total PAHs, (iii) that the data may be considered representative of both volatile and non-volatile compounds. Comparison with other sampling methods are supplied and discussed.

Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered the cell subpopulation responsible for breast cancer (BC) initiation, growth, and relapse. CSCs are identified as self-renewing and tumor-initiating cells, conferring resistance to chemo- and radio-therapy to several neoplasias. Nowadays, th (about 10mM)e pharmacological targeting of CSCs is considered an ineludible therapeutic goal. The antidiabetic drug metformin was reported to suppress in vitro and in vivo CSC survival in different tumors and, in particular, in BC preclinical models. However, few studies are available on primary CSC cultures derived from human postsurgical BC samples, likely because of the limited amount of tissue available after surgery. In this context, comparative oncology is acquiring a relevant role in cancer research, allowing the analysis of larger samples from spontaneous pet tumors that represent optimal models for human cancer. Methods Isolation of primary canine mammary carcinoma (CMC) cells and enrichment in stem-like cell was carried out from fresh tumor specimens by culturing cells in stem-permissive conditions. Phenotypic and functional characterization of CMC-derived stem cells was performed in vitro, by assessment of self-renewal, long-lasting proliferation, marker expression, and drug sensitivity, and in vivo, by tumorigenicity experiments. Corresponding cultures of differentiated CMC cells were used as internal reference. Metformin efficacy on CMC stem cell viability was analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. Results We identified a subpopulation of CMC cells showing human breast CSC features, including expression of specific markers (i.e. CD44, CXCR4), growth as mammospheres, and tumor-initiation in mice. These cells show resistance to doxorubicin but were highly sensitive to metformin in vitro. Finally, in vivo metformin administration significantly impaired CMC growth in NOD-SCID mice, associated with a significant depletion of CSCs. Conclusions Similarly to the human counterpart, CMCs contain stem-like subpopulations representing, in a comparative oncology context, a valuable translational model for human BC, and, in particular, to predict the efficacy of antitumor drugs. Moreover, metformin represents a potential CSC-selective drug for BC, as effective (neo-)adjuvant therapy to eradicate CSC in mammary carcinomas of humans and animals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1235-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

In this study, the possible use of small (100 mm) diameter cores for the determination of clay brick masonry compressive strength was investigated. The compressive strength of a masonry arch-bridge was assessed by testing cylindrical cores, by making use of two high-strength mortar castings above and beneath the core in order to load it in the same direction as in the actual wall. The compressive strength value obtained by testing the cores was then compared with values obtained by testing small masonry portions and brick and mortar samples, separately. The results found by the three different methods show very good agreement, hence the use of small diameter cores appears as a promising moderately destructive method for assessing masonry compressive strength.

A new inorganic consolidant for limestone, based on the reaction between diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) and calcite in the stone to form hydroxyapatite (HAP), has recently been proposed. This consolidant was found to cause a significant increase in the mechanical properties of limestone, due to the bonding action between the stone grains, and, at the same time, a very slight alteration in the transport properties of treated stones, unlike many other consolidating products currently used. Moreover, HAP treatment is expected to exhibit a good acid resistance and low solubility, with corresponding benefits in terms of durability. The short reaction time (just two days) and the use of a solvent not hazardous for human health (water) are further advantages of this consolidant. Due to the good performance on limestone, its use for the consolidation of sandstone was investigated in the present paper, in comparison with a TEOS-based consolidant. Two lithotypes with varying carbonate content and porosity were used: a highly porous calcareous sandstone and a quartzitic sandstone with low porosity. After preliminary artificial weathering, each lithotype was treated: (i) with a 1 M aqueous solution of DAP; (ii) with a solution of TEOS oligomers in isopropyl alcohol, each applied by brushing until apparent refusal. The effects of the two consolidating treatments in terms of microstructural, physical and mechanical properties were investigated. HAP led to an improvement in dynamic elastic modulus and tensile strength of the stones substantially similar to that achieved by TEOS, but with smaller variations in porosity and pore size distribution, as well as in the rate of water sorption and in water vapor permeability.

Objectives. The International Centre of methodology for teaching history and heritage (DiPaSt) of the Educational Faculty of University of Bologna is a meeting-place for the study and teaching of history and cultural heritage. In particular, it aims to encourage the sharing of terminology, methods, practices and tools used in various places and countries. The Centre collects and utilizes the wide range of experience, research, projects and activities that have taken place during recent years at a national and international level in the teaching of history and cultural heritage and in different sectors such as archives, libraries, museums, art galleries and other relevant cultural institutions. Methods. An ancient Canadian proverb says that parents must give two things to their children: the roots and the wings. The DiPaSt, the Department of History and Anthropology and Geography, together with local organizations and schools have promoted a project “The roots to flying: the protagonists of history”. Is it acceptable that the roots could be used to fly? And what does it mean: what are the connections with history and its teaching? The metaphors we use are often excessive or they oversimplify, but in this case the expression is really appropriate. Today globalization and migration make it necessary to redefine the idea of citizenship which means to recognize that we are all part of one humanity and one planet. The roots to flying means to understand, to create, to be as far as possible an agent of our own future, and to learn that each person is like a stratification, a sedimentation of knowledge and active participants of collective events of history. Each schools adopts a particular monument or a topic such as canals, roads, towers or churches. Then, at the end of the school year, students are brought together in a prominent public building and exchange the knowledge they have acquired. The International Feast of History represents the last confluence of all these initiatives that were carried during the previous year with teachers and students. Is not a “festival”, a collection of people who come from out of the city, but a “feast” because was born in the city, with the city’s resources. Results. What does this “Feast” consist of? Conferences, roundtables, shows, concerts and exhibitions held in palaces, squares, streets, churches, cloisters of Bologna and the surrounding area. The Feast is not only dominated from renowned experts, but a special feature is the role of schools, universities, cultural institutions and associations that exhibit what have been acquired during research activities carried out during the years, emphasizing the history of the city and the region or focusing on major historical themes. The wealth of history is that the food made history, art made history, sport made history, music made history, everything surrounding us made history. Conclusions. In the last Feast over three hundred events were held in a week. The “Feast” is a concrete project of dissemination of the history that has developed a greater sense of belonging, more respect of the city and an important cultural tourism.

Introduction Since the beginning of modern theories about restoration, in the Fifties of XIX Century, it seems that the problem of the introduction of modern plants in historic buildings has been explicitly treated just a few occasions (for instance Viollet-le-Duc wrote about this issue in his Dictionnaire). This attitude derives from the fact that in that age, coming from the industrial revolution, the "inventor engineers" began to address their attention to the plants in building. Central heating plants then appeared (from the Franklin stove to Perkins heating plants) and, a little bit later, gas lighting plants and then electrical lighting plants. The French architect declared that the restorer has to pay attention to add to the historical buildings all the comforts that can be assured by new plants, with the aim to improve the quality of the historic building. The theories about restoration that followed the ones by Viollet-le-Duc, mirrored that attitude, generally not in an express way, considering new plants as additions to the historic materia of the monuments. Following this, more than a century and a half later, several "generations" of plants have been installed in historic buildings or in buildings which have meanwhile become historic, and a more attentive attitude has been developed, consisting in the preservation rather than the restoration of ancient architecture, and rethinking that attitude seems important, accepting the fact that plants themselves became important documents that have to be preserved. Goals This paper would like to display how the preservation of historical plants is not only necessary to attest the technological evolution of the plants themselves in relation to the changing ways of life and to the life of buildings, but also that they can sometimes be re-employed depending on their typology through the use of new technological products, taking advantages from their potentiality. Methodology- The proposed methodology comes from a generally accepted methodology in the field of restoration of ancient buildings. The steps are: I. analysis of the existing plants; 2. evaluation of their still existing potentiality; 3. evaluation of the level of performances requested to the building and hypothesis about the new plants to introduce in the old building, according to the technical rules; 4. analysis of the compatibility between the historic plants, depending from their typology (lighting, wiring,HVAC etc.), and use of new technologies; 5. drafting of the new project connecting old and new. Results The results drawn from point 4 can vary from simple preservation of the historic plants to their effective inclusion in the new plant design. Conclusions-Components of historic plants, components of historic plants, stratified for more than a century in the historic architecture, can not be anymore considered as something not consubstantial to historical buildings. A really modern attitude in this field combines technical and historical knowledge, the evaluation of their functionality, the evaluation of their simple preservation "in museum" or their inclusion in the new plant design.

The effectiveness of heating stone specimens to high temperature, to induce controllable microstructural, physical and mechanical alterations, was investigated. Three types of stones were considered: a highly porous limestone (LS1), a porous calcareous sandstone (SS1) and a siliceous sandstone with low porosity (SS2). Samples were artificially weathered by heating at 200 °C for 1 hour after water saturation; at 200 °C for 1 hour after water saturation and then at 400 °C for 1 hour; at 400 °C for 1 hour without prewetting. The heated samples exhibited an increase in porosity and water absorption, owing to the opening of new micro-cracks caused by the anisotropic thermal deformation of calcite crystals, the differential thermal deformation of different minerals and the presence of water in water-saturated samples. Correspondingly, LS1 and SS1 exhibited decreases in mechanical properties, which depend on the heating temperature and on the open porosity of the heated lithotype. SS2, on the contrary, exhibited an increase in compressive and tensile strength, attributed to the “hot melt effect” of some secondary clay minerals. All things considered, heating proved to be a fairly effective and reproducible method to obtain stone samples artificially weathered to different degrees, on which the effectiveness of new stone consolidants can be tested. Nonetheless, depending on the mineralogical characteristics of the studied lithotypes, the effects of heating may vary significantly, hence the suitability of this artificial weathering method should be preliminarily evaluated on each lithotype.

The acoustics of Opera houses and theatres characterise many different architectural historical buildings in Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin. The acoustics of historical rooms, as baroque theatres and renaissance concert halls, is nowadays considered as the most important physical aspect in the cultural heritage of theatres. In this paper the acoustic characteristics of some important theatres in the Mediterranean basin will be considered. The theatres are chosen in important locations on the Mediterranean basin, covering different Countries. Moreover, in order to precisely characterise the analogies among the theatres, only theatres which were realised in the 18th Century were considered. The acoustics characteristics of the theatres have been obtained considering an exponential sine sweep played in the room by means of a pre-equilised omnidirectional sound source, and acquired by means of a dummy head and a Sound-Field microphone. Therefore, the measurements were be to obtain thorough informations about sound distribution in the hall, including spatial sound distribution. Afterwards, the acoustic physical parameters measured in the theatres are analysed and compared, and related with the architectural background of the area where they are located. Finally, some sound experiments obtained by means of 3D auralisation will be presented and commented. In this way the sound characterisation that was experienced by the listeners of the 18th century will be renewed and represented in the “Arlecchino” listening room at the University of Bologna.

"The extensive debate on museums that has developed in Italy since the mid 1950’s is here summarised and evaluated through a long theoretical and professional study on environment and territory museum. This short presentation is based on the assessment of three museums dedicated to the Italian environment and territory: The National Mountain Museum, Fort Exilles, Piedmont; The Civic Museum of the Lagoon, Chioggia, Veneto; “E for Environment” Museum, Turin, Piedmont. Cultural Approaches in Museum Design: These three case studies are located in different geographical areas but share a very similar cultural background as well as educational and research intents. The three museums, following the guiding principles set up by the local and regional authorities, promote the concept of cultural territory which is still rather abstract and scarcely identified in its essence. At the end of the 1980’s the cultural approach towards territory underpinned a will for knowledge, experiential sharing and rooting in the collective consciousness of the territory. In 1990’s the concept of territory shifted to “place of value” as in collective fading memory and in non-renewable resource. In addition, the museum as institution has become an important local reality able to promote youth employment and flows of cultural and sustainable tourism. These factors are still playing an important role in the Italian and Mediterranean economic sector. Besides, since 1990’s the figure of the architect has acquired new managerial and cultural competencies, thereby well defined professional roles have developed. The achievement of these three projects focused on the use of abandoned buildings either off town centre (Chioggia), or placed in degraded industrial estates (Turin) or in very beautiful but inaccessible areas (Fort Exilles). Yet, the logical path and the immaterial space-time map relations of the individual territories were much more difficult to draw. The aim was to overcome the classical concept of museum as a container. The diffusion of multimedia and digital communication technologies applied to museums made it possible to involve the audience in a cognitive path rich in emotional and sensorial inputs, i.e. Museum of the Lagoon, Chioggia and the Mountain Museum, Fort Exilles. Last but not least, the educational role of museums from childhood to senior age. The need to combine cultural-scientific rigor with simple and effective expressive languages, i.e. “E for Environment” Museum, Turin, has minimised the risky approach of museum as a place of mere aesthetic contemplation. Conversely, an approach more focussed on knowledge and communications has been adopted, although to the detriment of the structure of the building that hosts the museum."

Lichens growing on rocks cause physico-chemical deterioration processes, being particularly harmful when they colonize stonework. Considering the different aims and experimental approaches, the countless researches about lichen deterioration are not so adequate to assess the lichen biodeteriogenic activity on stonework and thus to plane proportionate conservation programs. Recently, an Index of Lichen Potential Biodeteriogenic Activity (LPBA) has been tentatively proposed to organize information, available from both previous literature and new researches for the evaluation of the potential risk associated to bioprotection. The application of the LPBA index to more and more case studies in Italy but also in the whole Mediterranean basin is wished for, in order to validate the index parameters and to create an interpretation scale.