Search

The pandemic within dreams. The article aims to analyse different representations of the pandemic within dreams to trace correspondences between the symbolic expressions of the oneiric language and the sociology of the imaginary. The theoretical-methodological framework of Carl G. Jung and Marie-Louise von Franz guides the articulation of the essay. The unconscious lived through the memory of dreams has the typical and strong tendency to be projected externally, hence the hypothesis that it is possible to grasp its reflections in external reality and the social world. The question to be answered concerns which shared movements are present in the unconscious of individual subjects during the current period dominated by the pandemic and which relationships can be detected between the symbolic material emerging in individual dreams and some contemporary cultural phenomena. The empirical material is drawn from a series of interdisciplinary meetings regarding patients' dreams during the pandemic.

La revocatoria de mandato es un mecanismo de la democracia directa que permite destituir un puesto de elección popular. En la actualidad,con base en lo estimado en el Código Municipal,se permite la destitución por revocatoria de mandato delas autoridades municipales. No obstante, a pesar de ser una herramienta para la ciudadanía, en la práctica su aplicación tiene lo que se conoce como “trampa electoral”. Por un lado, si participa poca gente, los porcentajes para ganar son mayores a lo establecido por la ley;pero por otro, si la participación es elevada, los votos nominales necesarios para una destitución son desproporcionalmente mayores a los alcanzados para laelección. A partir de un análisis social, legal, político y estadístico, el artículo presenta una serie de propuestas para renovar la figura de la revocatoria de mandato, entre lasque se encuentrala aplicación de nuevos criterios para la elección, específicamente para el puesto de la alcaldía,al sugerir que la opción de destitución obtenga un voto más que los alcanzados en su designación y que esta supere por mayoría simple a la otra opción electoral.

Abstract Four glass beads from a Scythian burial on the island of Khortytsia (Southern Ukraine) were subjected to 3D imaging using micro-CT and photogrammetry. The aim was to reconstruct the process used to produce and decorate the beads by detecting and interpreting the traces left by the technological processes on the bead surface and in the glass body. It turned out that all the beads were obtained by winding hot glass around the mandrel. The distribution, size and shape of the bubbles in the glass matrix revealed by the micro-CT scans and the features observed during a thorough examination of the photogrammetric models allowed us to follow the movements of the bead maker during the formation of the bead body and its decoration, highlighting several details of the production processes such as the number of the superimposed layers and the direction of the rotation of the mandrel during both the formation of the body and the decoration of the bead. Some information about the tools also emerged, with particular reference to the shape of the mandrel, the possible use of a releasing agent and how tools were used to decorate the surface or to remove the beads from the mandrel. According to the archaeological classification, the beads considered here belong to three different types, that are considered chronological indicators of the fourth century BCE and are found in archaeological sites spread over an area extending for several thousand kilometers from the Black Sea coast to the Ural Mountains. This work enriches the knowledge of the micromorphology of beads found in Eastern Europe, which is rarely discussed in the scientific literature on the archaeological glass beads.

The relevance of tobamoviruses to crop production is increasing due to new emergences, which cannot be understood without knowledge of the tobamovirus host range and host specificity. Recent analyses of tobamovirus occurrence in different plant communities have shown unsuspectedly large host ranges. This was the case of the tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV), which previously was most associated with solanaceous hosts. We addressed two hypotheses concerning TMGMV host range evolution: (i) ecological fitting, rather than genome evolution, determines TMGMV host range, and (ii) isolates are adapted to the host of origin. We obtained TMGMV isolates from non-solanaceous hosts and we tested the capacity of genetically closely related TMGMV isolates from three host families to infect and multiply in 10 hosts of six families. All isolates systemically infected all hosts, with clear disease symptoms apparent only in solanaceous hosts. TMGMV multiplication depended on the assayed host but not on the isolate’s host of origin, with all isolates accumulating to the highest levels in Nicotiana tabacum. Thus, results support that TMGMV isolates are adapted to hosts in the genus Nicotiana, consistent with a well-known old virus–host association. In addition, phenotypic plasticity allows Nicotiana-adapted TMGMV genotypes to infect a large range of hosts, as encountered according to plant community composition and transmission dynamics.

Être au cœur d’un grand événement, en connaître les rouages et les acteurs : aujourd’hui c’est possible de différentes manières, grâce aux nouvelles technologies journalistiques de communication, en particulier avec Internet. Il s’agit d’un constat que l’on peut faire dans de nombreux domaines, et tout particulièrement dans celui du sport où, bien souvent, l’actualité a une portée qui ne se limite pas à une seule journée. Elle s’inscrit généralement dans un contexte de compétition qui s’étale sur plusieurs jours, voire sur plusieurs semaines. D’où la nécessité d’une constante mise à jour de l’information, à même de répondre à l’assiduité avec laquelle les lecteurs, aussi bien amateurs que professionnels, consultent les sites concernés. Une semblable démarche n’est pas sans conséquences sur la perception que l’on peut avoir du temps et de l’espace. Sur le web l’espace n’est plus géographique, les distances sont abolies et, de même, les schémas traditionnels du temps sont remis en question. C’est ce que notre article s’efforcera de démontrer à partir de l’exemple du journalisme de tennis.

Glioblastoma is the most common and lethal primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) promote and are responsible for glioblastoma intratumoral heterogeneity and therapy resistance, due to their two main features: self-renewal and differentiation. Lipids have important biological and physiological functions that are critical for understanding the regulation and control of stem cell fate; lipid metabolism and related unsaturation levels play a possible role as the target of therapeutics to overcome glioblastoma radioresistance. This paper aimed at an in-depth analysis of 13 GSC mesenchymal (MES) lines, two subclones, and a stabilized glioblastoma line (T98G) by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Particularly, 2D MRS was used to investigate lipid unsaturation behavior during growth in culture and after treatment with etomoxir and photon beams. MES lines, although belonging to the same genetic and metabolic cluster, showed metabolic heterogeneity when observed by MRS, focusing on lipid signals. Nonetheless, the observed unsaturation level stability for two representative lines after stressful treatments suggests unusual robustness of the unsaturation levels for each line, as a peculiar and intrinsic characteristic of GSCs.

Analytical techniques play a fundamental role in heritage science. Among them, Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques are widely used in many laboratories for elemental composition analysis. Although they are well-established, a strong effort is put on their upgrade, making them suitable for more and more applications. Over the years, at the INFN-LABEC (the laboratory of nuclear techniques for the environment and cultural heritage of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics), the INFN-CHNet group, the network devoted to cultural heritage, has carried out many technological improvements to the PIXE and XRF set-ups for the analysis of works of art and archaeological finds. Among the many, we recall here the scanning external microbeam facility at the TANDEM accelerator and the MA-XRF scanner. The two instruments have shown complementary features: the former permits quantitative analysis of elements heavier than sodium, which is not possible with the latter in most of the case studies. On the contrary, the scanner has the undeniable advantage of portability, allowing it to work in situ. In this framework of technological developments in heritage science, INFN, CERN, and OPD are jointly carrying on the MACHINA (Movable Accelerator for Cultural Heritage In-situ Non-destructive Analysis) project for on-site Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) studies on cultural heritage.

Digital radiography and computed tomography are two fundamental diagnostic techniques in different fields of research, including cultural heritage studies and gemmology. The application of these physical methods of investigation has gained considerable importance as they are non-invasive techniques. The presented work has been mainly focused on micro-tomographic analysis. The project is concerned with the study of natural and cultivated pearls in order to develop an investigation methodology for the analysis, distinction and characterization of different types of pearls, some of them belonging to different precious jewels from private collections. The investigations, carried out on a total of 22 heterogeneous types of pearls, allowed us to establish their origin (natural or cultivated) or to confirm/deny if a hypothesis was already expressed, and as well to highlight the cultivation methodology used case by case. Furthermore, it was possible to ascertain how large and varied the market for cultured pearls is nowadays and how difficult is, in some particular cases, to ascertain their attribution to a certain origin.

Diagnostic physical methods are increasingly applied to Cultural Heritage both for scientific investigations and conservation purposes. In particular, the X-ray imaging techniques of computed tomography (CT) and digital radiography (DR) are non-destructive investigation methods to study an object, being able to give information on its inner structure. In this paper, we present the results of the X-ray imaging study on an ancient Egyptian statuette (Late Period 722–30 BCE) belonging to the collection of Museo Egizio in Torino and representing an Egyptian goddess called Taweret, carved on wood and gilded with some colored details. Since few specific studies have been focused on materials and techniques used in Ancient Egypt for gilding, a detailed investigation was started in order to verify the technical features of the decoration in this sculpture. Specifically, DR and CT analyses have been performed at the Centro Conservazione e Restauro “La Venaria Reale” (CCR), with a new high resolution flat-panel detector, that allowed us to perform tomographic analysis reaching a final resolution better than the one achievable with the previous apparatus operating in the CCR.

Detectors are a key feature of the contemporary scientific approach to cultural heritage (CH), both for diagnostics and conservation. INFN-CHNet is the network of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics that develops and applies new instrumentation for the study of CH. This process results in both optimized traditional state-of-the-art and highly innovative detection setups for spectrometric techniques. Examples of the former are X-rays, gamma-rays, visible-light and particles spectrometers tailored for CH applications, with optimized performances, reliability, weight, transportability, cost, absorbed power, and complementarity with other techniques. Regarding the latter, examples are ARDESIA, the array of detectors at the DAΦNE-Light facility, the MAXRS detection setup at the Riken-RAL muon beamline and the imaging facilities at the LENA Laboratory. Paths for next-generation instruments have been suggested, as in the case of the X-ray Superconductive Detectors and X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometers, allowing astonishing improvement in energy resolution. Many issues in CH can now be addressed thanks to scientific techniques exploiting the existing detectors, while many others are still to be addressed and require the development of new approaches and detectors.

Elles ne sont ni rares ni secondaires les batailles qu’a livrées le “soldat” Massimo d’Azeglio au cours de son existence aventureuse et riche de multiples expériences. De la peinture à l’écriture et de la politique à la guerre, cet aristocrate piémontais s’est imposé comme une personnalité essentielle de la pensée et de l’action propres au Risorgimento. Il a acquis sa stature intellectuelle et historique en empoignant tour à tour ou simultanément son pinceau, sa plume et son épée, ses trois armes préférées. Poussé, dans sa jeunesse, par la volonté de lutter pour s’affranchir d’une éducation rigide, d’un milieu social et familial étouffant, il a ensuite été amené, par la maturité et de profondes motivations patriotiques, à peindre, écrire et combattre pour l’indépendance de l’Italie et pour l’unité des Italiens.

At present, the use of non-destructive, non-invasive X-ray-based techniques is well established in heritage science for the analysis and conservation of works of art. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) plays a fundamental role since it provides information on the elemental composition, contributing to the identification of the materials present on the superficial layers of an artwork. Whenever XRF is combined with the capability of scanning an area to provide the elemental distribution on a surface, the technique is referred to as macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF). The heritage science field, in which the technique is extensively applied, presents a large variety of case studies. Typical examples are paintings, ceramics, metallic objects and manuscripts. This work presents an uncommon application of MA-XRF analysis to furniture. Measurements have been carried out with the MA-XRF scanner of the INFN-CHNet collaboration at the Centro di Conservazione e Restauro “La Venaria Reale”, a leading conservation centre in the field. In particular, a chinoiserie lacquered cabinet of the 18th century and a desk by Pietro Piffetti (1701–1777) have been analysed with a focus on the characterisation of decorative layers and different materials (e.g., gilding in the former and ivory in the latter). The measurements have been carried out using a telemeter for non-planar surfaces, and with collimators of 0.8 mm and 0.4 mm diameter, depending on the spatial resolution needed. The combination of the small measuring head with the use of the telemeter and of a small collimator has guaranteed the ability to scan difficult-to-reach areas with high spatial resolution in a reasonable time (20 × 10 mm2 with 0.2 mm step in less than 20 min).

Clustering of patient-derived glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) through unsupervised analysis of metabolites detected by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) evidenced three subgroups, namely clusters 1a and 1b, with high intergroup similarity and neural fingerprints, and cluster 2, with a metabolism typical of commercial tumor lines. In addition, subclones generated by the same GSC line showed different metabolic phenotypes. Aerobic glycolysis prevailed in cluster 2 cells as demonstrated by higher lactate production compared to cluster 1 cells. Oligomycin, a mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor, induced high lactate extrusion only in cluster 1 cells, where it produced neutral lipid accumulation detected as mobile lipid signals by MRS and lipid droplets by confocal microscopy. These results indicate a relevant role of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation for energy production in GSCs. On the other hand, further metabolic differences, likely accounting for different therapy responsiveness observed after etomoxir treatment, suggest that caution must be used in considering patient treatment with mitochondria FAO blockers. Metabolomics and metabolic profiling may contribute to discover new diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers to be used for personalized therapies.

Le débat à propos de l’Unité de la Péninsule a été lié en grande partie à la question romaine. D’Azeglio s’y est révélé comme le plus grand adversaire de Cavour dont il a combattu le programme de Rome capitale. À partir de 1860, il décide d’exposer ses idées dans un essai politique, Questioni urgenti, où il argumente que la Ville éternelle ne peut point assumer le rôle de capitale de l’Italie. Mais, à cet antagonisme publiquement déclaré, vient s’ajouter un conflit intime qui oppose d’Azeglio à lui-même. Si, dans son essai, il se livre à une analyse “technique”, polémique et circonstanciée, dans son autobiographie, en revanche, le récit de son passé romain n’est pas exempt d’accents sentimentaux et nostalgiques. Toutes ses considérations idéologiques se heurtent fortement à son lien affectif et à son attachement artistique à Rome. La Rome “dépeinte” par Massimo d’Azeglio n’est pas du tout la même selon qu’il en parle dans les Questioni urgenti ou dans les Ricordi.

Le cheval est omniprésent dans l’œuvre picturale de Massimo d’Azeglio. Passionné depuis son enfance par les mythes équestres liés à l’épopée chevaleresque, d’Azeglio a peint des chevaux pendant quelque cinquante ans. Envisagé comme sujet unique d’une étude anatomique ou intégré à une composition historiée, le cheval s’avère être une clé de lecture incontournable de sa peinture. De même, des simples esquisses de jeunesse aux riches tableaux de la maturité, le thème équestre est un fil conducteur qui apporte un éclairage pertinent sur l’évolution de la pensée de l’artiste dans son siècle.

La comparaison des différents registres d’écriture dans l’œuvre de Massimo d’Azeglio révèle une personnalité riche, complexe, parfois contradictoire. Si, dans son autobiographie, sa spontanéité et les divers élans de son caractère sont canalisés dans une écriture exemplaire de formation, il en va tout autrement dans sa correspondance épistolaire. L’étude de ses lettres met en relief de nombreux “écarts de conduite”, qui peuvent aller de la dérision à la colère, en passant par la provocation.

La présence du train dans certains romans d’aventures d’Emilio Salgari (1862-1911) témoigne de l’attention que l’auteur porte à la modernité de son époque et du futur. Les personnages voyagent à un rythme accéléré, par rapport aux mouvements plus doux de la nature. Toutefois, si la locomotive représente bien l’emblème du progrès technologique, la vision générale du romancier reste encore ancrée dans un exotisme romantique et rêveur. Parfois la nature et les nouvelles machines ont des rôles complémentaires au sein d’une histoire. Dans d’autres récits, en revanche, la nature, avec ses rythmes lents, est représentée comme l’antagoniste du train et de sa vitesse.

L’idée de nation, d’après Massimo d’Azeglio, est directement liée aux fondements chrétiens qui accordent à tout individu et aux nations les mêmes droits naturels, qui sont la forme juste et ordonnée des associations humaines. L’indépendance et l’identité italiennes sont des conditions essentielles de vie, mais possibles seulement si les individus ont acquis une valeur morale. À ce propos, l’émancipation des Italiens constitue le principal souci de l’auteur, l’élément qu’il considérait comme le point de départ du “renouvellement” de la nation.

Au XIXe Massimo d’Azeglio, peintre, romancier et futur homme politique, gagne dans les années Trente, une place d’honneur dans la peinture romantique italienne. En 1836, fort de la reconnaissance de son talent, il décide d’exposer ses tableaux au Salon de Paris. Contre toute attente, l’expérience parisienne ne suscite pas l’enthousiasme de d’Azeglio : il n’apprécie guère le style pictural présent au salon, trop ténébreux et maniéré à son goût, et la société parisienne lui apparaît trop superficielle et mondaine. D’Azeglio se trouve projeté dans une réalité qui n’est pas la sienne, mais il s’efforce d’en tirer tous les éléments positifs qu’elle peut lui offrir, particulièrement sur le plan culturel. Son esprit ouvert l’aidera à se familiariser à cette ville qui lui semblait si hostile au premier abord.