The underground cavity network of south-eastern Rome (Italy): an evolutionary geological model oriented to hazard assessment

There are many abandoned underground mines beneath the city of Rome, created in the Pleistocene pyroclastic deposits over thousands of years. These pose a serious public safety risk hence the study was undertaken to better assess the stability of the underground workings. The Villa de Sanctis public park was selected as a suitable test site, as in this area the cavity network can be inspected and the different steps of the progressive migration of voids toward the surface can be identified. In addition to an underground geological survey, geophysical investigations were undertaken to elucidate some key characteristics of the involved lithological units, including elastic stiffness and layer thickness. Recommendations are made for further studies of the accessible and inaccessible areas.     

Case Study: Seismic Upgrade of a Masonry Bell Tower Using Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Ties

In many cases masonry buildings present structural problems related to development of local mechanisms under seismic actions. The solution to this weakness has to be chosen taking into account several aspects if the construction is ancient and is gifted of monumental significance. In this paper the case of the Bell Tower of Santa Maria del Carmine (Napoli, Italy) is discussed; the construction has been deeply examined by the writers performing experimental inquires in situ and theoretical analysis with three-dimensional models. While the results obtained in the hypothesis of compact behavior of the structure have pointed out a low risk condition under seismic actions, in contrast the study of local out-of-plane mechanisms, dealt with in detail in this paper, have evidenced an unsafe situation. To avoid such mechanisms, connective systems with tie rods made of glass fiber-reinforced polymer laminates have been designed to be inserted where local verifications are not satisfied. Design, application, and monitoring procedures of this innovative intervention are discussed in detail herein.     

Colour features and pigment composition of Italian carbonic macerated red wines

Thirty commercially available Italian carbonic macerated young red wines, have been analysed by HPLC–DAD–MS with the aim to characterise their pigment composition and find possible correlations with the colour features evaluated by means of spectrophotometric measurements. The composition in anthocyanin monoglucosides, acetates, p-coumarates as well as that in pyranoanthocyanins and direct and ethyl-bridged adducts with flavanols, was studied. Because of the peculiar maceration process, carbonic macerated wines demonstrated to be qualitatively rich in pyranoanthocyanins and pigment adducts. A number of ethyl-bridged anthocyanin isomers was found, together with significant contents of vitisin A and vitisin B (up to 15.5 mg/L as a sum). Malvidin-3-glc-4-vinylphenol was the main pyranoanthocyanin-vinylphenol adduct (up to 1.10 mg/L). The colour features of the wines were broadly distributed as a consequence of the percentage of carbonic macerated wine present in the marketed product. The statistical treatment of the entire data set revealed that pyranoanthocyanins are positively correlated with colour density (while no correlation was found for monoglucosides) and that direct adducts and/or ethyl-bridged compounds can play a role for what concerns the hue of carbonic macerated wines.     

昨天/明天: 意大利城市保护与发展50年

本文记录了意大利城市保护的理论和文化信息，更重要的是，它展示了由城市和区域部门执行的具体保护案例，并展示了大学研究中心在保护技术和方法上的进步。主要分为4个部分：历史、城市议题、景观议题、培训和国际合作。从城市设计的理念和技术的角度，向世人解析意大利古罗马建筑如何在现代化城市进程中愈加焕发时尚气息的领先技术。中国现阶段正经历着经济快速发展所带来的种种迷惑，或许能从分享中找到答案。     

Effects of nutrient supplementation on fermentation kinetics, H2S evolution, and aroma profile in Verdicchio DOC wine production

Different yeast nutrient additions were studied for the 2008 and 2009 vintages of Verdicchio grape juice fermentation. Addition of yeast derivatives at the beginning of fermentation and/or different amounts of diammonium phosphate at various times within the first half of fermentation were examined, with initial yeast assimilable nitrogen concentrations set at 200 and 250 mg l^?1. Supplementation with glutathione in combination with this nitrogen addition was also evaluated. Fermentation rates were monitored throughout these fermentations carried out under different nutrient conditions. H₂S production during fermentation and synthesis of volatile compounds in the finished wines were quantified; the wines also underwent sensory evaluation. The fermentation kinetics were almost exclusively influenced by the inorganic nitrogen supplementation with diammonium phosphate. H₂S evolution was more affected by assimilable nitrogen than glutathione. Diammonium phosphate significantly reduced H₂S production, with a further reduction in the presence of yeast derivative. This nitrogen supplementation yielded higher concentrations of acetate esters, and in particular of isoamyl acetate (fruity aromas), which positively influences the analytical and aroma profile of wines and results in a general reduction in 2-phenylethanol production (floral aromas). Overall results (two harvesting times and vintages) indicate that the management with diammonium phosphate and yeast derivative supplementation improves the kinetics of fermentation and provides a good tool to reduce H₂S formation and increase the analytical and sensory quality of Verdicchio wine.     

Effects of solvent and alkaline earth metals on the heat-induced precipitation process of sodium caseinate

The precipitation temperatures of sodium caseinate in H₂O and D₂O in the presence of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ were investigated through fluorescence, turbidity and conductivity experiments.     

Synthesis, Molecular Characterization and Preliminary Antioxidant Activity Evaluation of Quercetin Fatty Esters

Quercetin shows interesting pharmacological effects, but its use in topical applications is limited by its low skin permeability and solubility. In this work, the synthesis of highly lipophilic quercetin esters with oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid useful as topical quercetin prodrugs is reported. Partial OH esterification is advisable to maintain the antioxidant activity of these compounds; tetraesters and triesters can be achieved by modulating the reaction conditions utilized for the total esterification of quercetin. The chemical structures of the esters were proven by spectroscopic techniques; quantum chemical NMR calculation were mandatory to unequivocally assign the free position in triesters. Finally, the antioxidant activity of all the synthesized compounds was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl method and by 2,2-azinobis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay.     

Soil Moisture Measurements: Comparison of Instrumentation Performances

It has long been recognized that reliable, robust, and automated instrumentation for the measurement of soil moisture content can be extremely useful, if not essential, in hydrological, environmental, and agricultural applications. A number of automated techniques for point measurement of soil water content have been developed to operational level over the past few decades. While each of those techniques has been individually calibrated by the gravimetric method, typically under laboratory conditions, there have been few studies that made a direct comparison between the various techniques, particularly under field conditions. This paper compares ECH2O probes, EC-5 (both sensors based on capacitance measurements, developed by Decagon Devices) and time domain reflectometer sensors (CS616 Campbell Scientific Water Content Reflectometer), with gravimetric data and with each other, under field conditions. Data were collected during two field experiments characterized by different soils and a wide range of soil moistures, resulting from irrigation/drying cycle. Results show that all the tested probes give acceptable results after being calibrated in the field. The capacitive sensors can be used in each type of soil with the same calibration equation, independently from depth, with root mean square error (RMSE) ranging between 2.5 and 3.6%. Time Domain Reflectometry probes showed a dependence on depth but a lower RMSE (1.6%).