Madonna Del Research Articles

The role of a dedicated Oncology Nurse Navigator in the surgical oncology pathways: 1 year experience from a General Surgery Unit in central Italy with follow up.

The Nurse Navigator is a highly specialized nurse with technical and non-technical skills that offers individualized assistance to cancer patients, their family and caregivers to overcome health system barriers and facilitate access to care. This role was introduced in the General Surgery Unit of the Madonna del Soccorso Hospital in San Benedetto del Tronto from 1st January 2023. The primary endpoint is to compare the times taken for each step of the diagnostic-therapeutic pathway comparing the study group followed by Oncology Nurse Navigator (ONN) and the group not followed by this role. The secondary endpoints, only for the study group, were the number of patient contacts with the ONN and the time slots; the number of examinations and consultations organized by ONN; the evaluation of patient satisfaction at discharge; the number and type of problems noted during follow-up contact at 7 and 30days after discharge. A prospective court study with historical control was conducted from 1st January 2023 in Madonna del Soccorso Hospital, Italy. The study group consists of all cancer patients cared for by ONN. The control group was created by selecting the same number of patients as the study group but taken care of in the previous 3years (from 2020 to 2022) and, therefore, without the presence of the Nurse Navigator. The control group data come from clinical documentation. The number and time slots of contact with the ONN were recorded through the use of a company mobile phone active 24/7 through phone calls and messages. The number of examinations and consultations is known through online requests. The satisfaction assessment was carried out through the use of externally validated questionnaire Patient Satisfaction with Cancer Care (PSCC). The follow-up was performed by telephone and recorded on documentation according to established parameters. A total of 200 patients were analyzed. Both the study and control groups included 100 patients each. The average time between the first contact with the patient and the execution of the diagnostic test was 7days in the cases compared to 28days in the control group. The waiting time for the Multi-Disciplinary Team discussion (MDT) was 3 days for the study group compared to 6days in the control group. The average time taken for the first oncological visit was 3days in the study group compared to 18days in the controls. The time from first contact to the operating session was 20days compared to 45 in controls. Each patient had an average of 10 phone calls with the ONN. For all patients accompanied at the first diagnosis, at least 2 radiological and laboratory tests were organized. Oncology appointment for treatment evaluations after delivery of the histological report was communicated within a maximum of 3 working days. A patient satisfaction questionnaire achieved a response rate of 100%, with an average score of 87.0/90. The telephone follow-up had a response rate of 100% of patients and revealed a decrease in problems at the 30-day check-up compared to that of 7days after discharge. (Activity of Daily Living 20% vs 8%; nutritional problems 40% vs 21%, pain 18% vs 2%; surgical wounds 45% vs 1%; mobilization 8% vs 0%). The data demonstrate that ONN service improves the quality and outcomes of surgical oncology patients' pathway. The professional role of the ONN, with predefined technical and non-technical skills, should also be officially recognized by the healthcare system and hospital administration.

ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION WITH “ST” SEGMENT ELEVATION IN SOUTHERN MARCHE: INTRA AND POST–HOSPITAL PROCESS INDICATORS IN THE APPLICATION OF THE UNIFIED PDTA “RETE STEMI” AST OF ASCOLI PICENO AND FERMO. LONGITUDINAL OBSERVATIONAL CLINICAL STUDY

Abstract Background SCAs (Acute Coronary Syndromes) are one of the most frequent cardiovascular diseases, among which STEMI is certainly the most relevant in terms of short and long–term prognosis. The latest ESC Guidelines about ACS–STEMI indicate some key elements in terms of diagnosis and treatment, from first contact to cardiological rehabilitation. Objective Detect the number of SCA–STEMIs managed in the AST of Ascoli Piceno, along with intra and post–hospital process indicators provided in the PDTA of the “RETE STEMI” issued by the Marche Region specifically in AST of Ascoli Piceno. MATERIALS & METHODS An observational, longitudinal, monocentric, not–for–profit clinical study without diagnostic–therapeutic interventions was designed. The data collection started on 01/11/2022 and ended on 30/06/2023, at “Madonna del Soccorso” Hospital of San Benedetto del Tronto and “Mazzoni” Hospital of Ascoli Piceno in Cardiological Intensive Care Units (UTIC). Useful data for this study were acquired every month, consulting the folders of each patient diagnosed with “SCA–STEMI”, and then, reported in an Excel sheet, they were processed with different mathematical and statistical functions, including frequency, percentage, arithmetic average and standard deviation, and later used to design tables and graphs. All the data have been aggregated in full compliance with current legislation on the protection of patient privacy. Results The most significant results are related to the time between the first medical contact and the’ starting of the PPCI procedure, with an average time detected of 110 minutes. Another very important result is the number of patients sent to a post–acute cardiological rehabilitation program (PCRP): from the present study it appears that only the 1% of the entire sample was sent to a PCRP. Finally, other indicators considered in relation to the PDTA appear to be in line with the current Guidelines. Conclusions The present study highlights the aspects of the STEMI PDTA of the Marche Region which could be improved, namely reducing FCM–Wire crossing time and sending patients to a cardiological rehabilitation program, also by implementing the figure of the nurse specialized in the critical and cardiological area.

A new figure in oncology pathways: Oncology Nurse Navigator and his preliminary results in the San Benedetto del Tronto Surgery

Background. The role of the Nurse Navigator was developed in order to address the health disparities created by the social determinants of health, , being an expert, specialized and trained nurse who takes charge of the patient diagnosed with cancer and accompanies him throughout the treatment process, helping him to extricate himself from the labyrinth of the healthcare system. This figure was introduced and studied in the general surgery of the Madonna del Soccorso hospital in San Benedetto del Tronto. Objective. Primary outcomes are the reduction of time interval between the first patient contact and each phase of the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway. Secondary outcomes are the assessment of the number and frequency of contacts between the patient and the ONN, as well as of the number and type of organized procedures, and patient satisfaction assessment. Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted with a historical control group represented by the same number of cancer patients treated in the same surgical unit in the previous year and not followed by an ONN. The patients’ contacts were registered within a dedicated mobile number. A questionnaire on patient satisfaction with cancer care was completed and administered to patients in a blinded manner by a third party to avoid bias. Results. The study group included 30 cancer patients. The average time from first contact to primary diagnostic test was 8 days versus 20 days in 2022 (control group). All patients underwent discussion by a multidisciplinary team (MDT), and the time to reach the MDT discussion was not different between the 2 groups. Five patients were deemed ineligible for surgery, and the average time to referral to a medical oncologist was 2 days in the study compared to 10 days in the control group. Twenty-five patients were eligible for initial surgery, and the mean time from first contact to surgery was 23 days after ONN establishment compared with 45 days in the control group. Each patient had an average of 10 phone calls with the ONN. For patients with a first diagnosis of cancer, the ONN organized an average of 4 tests. A patient satisfaction questionnaire achieved a response rate of 100%, with an average score of 85.2/90. Conclusion. The data demonstrate that ONN service is effective and may improve the quality and outcomes of the management path of surgical oncology patients. The professional role of the ONN, with predefined technical and non-technical skills, should also be officially recognized by the healthcare system and hospital administration.

Gift and Glory

The gift of a velvet with repeating patterns of the Virgin Mary nursing Christ (Madonna del Latte) from Shah Abbas of Safavid Persia to the Republic of Venice is often interpreted as the embodiment of the Shah’s two-fold political and commercial motivations in pursuing his transcultural allegiance with Venice against the Porte. This paper explores the Shi’a Safavid iconography of the biblical imagery on this velvet and rereads it as a Safavid attempt in defining commonality across cultures through visual media. This vision differs significantly with the Venetians’ perception of the Shah’s luxurious gifts and letters, which is reflected in Gabriele Caliari’s painting of the Safavid reception by Doge Grimani in 1603, in Palazzo Ducale, Venice. The paper analyzes the two visions of the Safavids and the Venetians in a comparative study of the period’s textual and visual materials. It explores how the gifts such as the Madonna del Latte velvet facilitated diplomatic negotiations with Christian Europe, whereas painted representations such as Caliari’s reveal much about the perception of cultural difference in early modern courts.

A SLIP-based post-failure model to predict the propagation of soil slips and their interaction with infrastructures.

Rainfall-induced shallow landslides (also called soil slips) are natural phenomena which can be triggered suddenly anywhere, even in areas with no previous landslide history, causing unexpected damage when interacting with the built environment. The damage could be sometimes extensive, as occurred to the “Madonna del Monte” overpass located in the Italian highway A6 (Torino-Savona), which collapsed in November 2019 because of the interference of a large soil slip. This paper shows a new methodology to analyze the propagation of soil slips and their interference with infrastructures, with specific attention to roads. Failure is detected through the physically-based model SLIP, while the post-failure evolution is investigated through a simplified model, based on SLIP results and the geomorphology of the area. The proposed approach is applied to an area in Enna (Sicily, southern Italy) where on 2nd February 2014 shallow landslides were triggered after intensive rainfall, interfering with the Provincial Road SP2 and the State Road SS117bis. Volume and average speed of the debris flow are estimated by the model and could be used in further analyses of impact with the surrounding infrastructures, showing the potential of the methodology.

Książę Adam Jerzy Czartoryski i jego obóz polityczny wobec grekokatolików

Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski and his political camp towards Greek Catholics The article aims to describe the actions of Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski and his friends of the same political group directed towards Greek Catholics. Prince Adam Jerzy, firstly religiously indifferent, came into contact with Uniates’ problems at the beginning of the 19th century, as a curator of Vilnius Scientific Society. In that period he was a protector of Uniate Bazylian Convent. As a representative of authorities of the Kingdom of Poland he aimed to engage Uniates in development of people’s education. New opening for Czartoryski’s activities started with the Great Emigration after the failure of the November Uprising. As a leader of Hotel Lambert Prince Czartoryski observed with a great worry the liquidation of the Church Union in Russian partition. Several times he intervened by Pope Gregory XVI in favour of the persecuted people of Uniate Church. Apostolic Capital was then receiving journals, letters, and other proofs for Russian repressions. In 40s and 50s of the 19th century Czartoryski’s agents were involved in issues of Uniates living in Russian and Austrian partitions. Some examples of these actions were: giving the Roman Catholic Church Madonna del Pascola to Bazylian Convent, opening of Uniate Collegium and placing Galician clerics in Apostolic Capital. Moreover, initiatives for Greek Catholics among Polish immigrants were supported and also the foundation of the Greek Catholic Church in Bulgaria was backed up.

Securing the church of Madonna del Sole during the emergency phase of 2016 earthquake: interoperability of different actors as an instrument for reducing seismic risk of damaged built heritage

Potential damage from seismic risk is particularly high for historic buildings, as it can produce an irreversible loss of value and sense, not only concerning the material meaning but also the intangible one. Undoubtedly, the best strategy to reduce seismic risk of the built heritage consists in assessing and reducing vulnerability. In any case, it is not always possible to early intervene on historic buildings to improve seismic performance, neither it is possible to change or to completely remove some external factors (i.e., the hazard exposure due to local geotechnical features), nor to avoid that aftershocks increase the damage produced by the first event. On the contrary, it is possible to reduce the level of seismic risk for buildings also resorting to the coping capacity of a society, improving the effective reaction that authorities can oppose to a hazardous event, such as an earthquake, already during the emergency phase. This capacity, or preparedness to risk, applies also to the protection of damaged cultural heritage and particularly to churches, which constitute one of the most vulnerable typologies of historic buildings, due mainly to their shape and constructive characteristics.Recent seismic events have clearly shown that during the emergency phase which immediately follows an earthquake it is still possible to intervene on historic buildings, in order to limit the progress of damage. During a seismic emergency the protection of Cultural Heritage is in charge to public Agencies: the cooperation among them plays an essential role, as well as does the knowledge both of the buildings and of their vulnerability, or the technical ability to properly intervene in order to stop the progress of damage.This paper shows how interoperability in preparedness to risk can be effectively developed among the different actors involved in the protection of cultural heritage during the post-earthquake emergency phase. The study refers to the case of the church of “Madonna del Sole” in Capodacqua (AP), a hamlet in the heart of the Sibillini Mountains. This case study well demonstrates the importance of preparedness to risk, since a prompt reaction can effectively reduce negative consequences on the built heritage; at the same time, it shows the benefit of achieving a good interoperability of all the actors involved in the protection of cultural heritage during the emergency phase, as they can significatively increase the residual safety of damaged historic buildings.

Frammenti in situ nelle biblioteche cappuccine del Canton Ticino (CH)

The project Ticinensia disiecta, launched in 2020 and hosted by Fragmentarium, inventories, catalogues and studies medieval manuscript fragments in the Latin alphabet preserved in libraries in the canton of Ticino (Switzerland), with a focus on in situ fragments. The first part of the project concentrates on the library collection of the Capuchin convent of Madonna del Sasso in Orselina, which is fully catalogued in the library system (SBT) of the canton of Ticino. The study and online publication of these fragments helps sketch the circulation, use and perhaps production of medieval manuscripts in this area, as well as examine the practices of their reuse in the binding of books produced between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. Among the first results obtained is the discovery of a fragment of a laudario, one of the the oldest witnesses to the Lombard vernacular preserved in Ticino.

P306 COVID–19 RELATED PERICARDITIS. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS AND ROLE OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION IN SUBSEQUENT LONG–COVID SYNDROME

Acute pericarditis is considered one of the cardiovascular complications of COVID–19.Aim of the StudyThe aim was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical implications of acute pericarditis diagnosed through the presence of pericardial effusion in patients with COVID–19.MethodsThe investigation is a retrospective observational study enrolling patients admitted to ICU of Madonna del Soccorso Hospital (San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy) because of a SARS–Cov2 induced severe acute respiratory syndrome. N.170 patients, admitted from 1st april 2020 to 30th april 2021, were enrolled. All patients presented a variable picture of bilateral ground glass opacifications at HR– Chest CT. Some patients underwent oro–tracheal intubation+invasive ventilation. All patients underwent cardiological consultation including a transthoracic bedside echocardiogram, using ultrasound E9–GE machine (Boston, MA, USA). Demographic, laboratory and clinical data were collected for all enrolled patients.The diagnosis of acute pericarditis was defined by different degrees of pericardial effusion. All patient were divided in two groups: 1) pericarditis group (A); 2) pericarditis–free group (B).ResultsOf 170 enrolled patient, 51 were females (30%) and 119 were males (70%). Median age for all patients was 67,6 + 13,3 (females: 70,5 + 16,2; males: 66,4 + 11,7). Of 170, n. 60 patients had a diagnosis of acute pericarditis (32,2%) and were included into Group A [age 69,2 + 12,6; 39 (65%) males aged 69,3 + 10,6, 21 (35%) females aged 69,1 + 16,0]. Of 60, only 6 had a pericardial effusion >10 mm (10%); the remaining group A–patients (90%) had a mild pericardial effusion (<10 mm). No patient had tamponade picture. Group B (pericarditis–free) included 110 patients, aged 66,7 + 13,7, 80 (72,7%) males aged 65,0 + 12,1, 30 (27,3%) females aged 71,4 + 16,6. Group A–patients had more days of intubation and a prolonged hospital stay compared with group B, with a significant difference (p < 0.02 and p < 0,03 rispectively). N. 21 of 60 group A patients underwent a 7 weeks of CARDIAC REHABILITATION (CR) because of a LONG–COVID picture. In these patient a 6MWT was performed before and after CR. A significant increase of the walked distance after CR was found (from 352 + 21 to 498 + 31 – p < 0.03 – delta=41%).ConclusionPericarditis is a frequent cardiovascular complication of COVID–19 (32,2% in our study) with clinical and prognostic implications. CR is essential for long–term recovery in these patients.

Preliminary Study of the Mural Paintings of Sotterra Church in Paola (Cosenza, Italy).

A multi-analytical approach was employed to study wall paintings located in the Sotterra church at Paola, in the province of Cosenza, Italy. The site is an underground church (hence the name of Sotterra, which means “under the earth”) rediscovered in the second half of the 19th century, during the building works of the Madonna del Carmine church on the same area. This underground church preserves valuable mural paintings having different styles. The construction’s dating and overlapped modifications made until the site was abandoned is also debated. A wall painting, depicting “The Virgin” as part of the “Annunciation and the Archangel Gabriel” present on the opposite side of the apse, was selected and investigated using both in situ and laboratory-based analysis. Preliminarily, the non-destructive investigations involved several analytical techniques (IR imaging, UV-Induced Visible Fluorescence, and X-ray Fluorescence analyses) that provided mapping and characterization of pictorial layers and first data about deterioration phenomena. On the basis of this information, a more in-depth study was conducted on micro-fragments aimed at characterizing the stratigraphy and to identify the artist’s technique. Cross-sections were analysed using polarized optical microscopy and electron scanning microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to obtain morphological and chemical information on the selected pictorial micro-fragments of the wall painting. The results allowed to characterize the pigments and provide better readability of the whole figure, revealing details that are not visible to the naked eye, important for future historical-artistic and conservative studies. The results represent the first step of a systematic archaeometric research aimed at supporting the ongoing historical-stylistic studies to distinguish the different building phases hypothesized for this religious site which remained buried for three centuries.

ІКОНИ БОГОРОДИЦІ У ПРОСТОРІ КУЛЬТУРНОЇ СПАДЩИНИ РИМУ

The images of the Mother of God in Italy represent a significant part of the cultural heritage of European and world sacred art and icon painting of various chronological periods and stylistic features. A special place in this dimension belongs to the icons of the Mother of God in Rome. Ever since the first centuries, images of the Virgin have been represented in the paintings of the Roman catacombs. The iconographic heritage of Rome represents different periods and a unique interweaving of styles. Over the centuries, ancient icons of the Mother of God have been kept in Rome, made both in the technique of encaustic, tempera, and later in oil painting. Many images of the Mother of God in Rome represent the original samples of the Byzantine style of icon painting of various origins and the works of masters of the Italian artistic environment at the intersection of Western and Eastern artistic styles. A significant number of these icons are crowned and have the status of miraculous. Some of the most ancient and famous icons of the Mother of God in Rome are «Salus Populi Romani», «Madonna del Conforto», «Madonna Avvocata», «Madonna della Clemenza», «Madre del Perpetuo Soccorso», «Santa Maria del Popolo», «Madonna della Catena», «La Madonna dei Martiri» and others. Common iconographic types are Hodegetria, Agiosoritissa, Kyriotissa, Galaktotrofusa, etc. Often, these icons have several Italian-language names, which must be considered when choosing methodological tools for historiographical analysis. The article provides a general overview of the heritage of the icons of the Mother of God in Rome based on the most famous of them. English-language and Italian-language historiography was analyzed to model further relevant research directions in developing this topic by modern specialists in an interdisciplinary context. It is emphasized that in the churches of Rome, there are still many less-known and less-researched icons of the Mother of God, particularly in terms of stylistic features and painting techniques. Their detailed study and analysis of sources can effectively fill this niche in historiography and become an interesting topic for modern interdisciplinary research in the field of history, icon painting, art, restoration, and cultural heritage, as well as the basis of original concepts for exhibitions, photo catalogs, new excursion routes, etc.

669 COVID-19-related acute pericarditis. A retrospective observational study

AimsAcute pericarditis is considered one of the cardiovascular complications of COVID-19. The published data suggest that the diagnosis of acute pericarditis in patients with COVID-19 infection may be more frequent than usually diagnosed and as a consequence, undertreated. The proposed investigation is a retrospective observational study in which 170 patients, admitted to an Intensive Care Unit because of a COVID-19 diagnosis, were analysed. All patients underwent cardiological evaluation including a bedside echocardiogram. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical implications of acute pericarditis diagnosed through the presence of pericardial effusion.Methods and resultsThe proposed investigation is a retrospective observational study enrolling patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit of Madonna del Soccorso Hospital (San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy) because of a SARS-CoV-2 induced severe acute respiratory syndrome. No. 170 patients, admitted from 1 April 2020 to 30 April 2021, were enrolled. All patients presented a variable picture of bilateral interstitial pneumonia characterized by ground glass opacifications at HR-Chest CT. Some patients underwent oro-tracheal intubation and invasive ventilation. All patients underwent cardiological consultation including a transthoracic bedside echocardiogram, using ultrasound E9-GE machine (Boston, MA, USA). Demographic, laboratory and clinical data were collected for all enrolled patients (Table 1). The diagnosis of acute pericarditis was defined by: (i) different degree of pericardial effusion; (ii) C-reactive proteine elevation. All patients were divided in two groups: (1) pericarditis group (a); (2) pericarditis-free group (b). Of 170 enrolled patient, 51 were females (30%) and 119 were males (70%). Median age for all patients was 67.6 ± 13.3 [females: 70.5 (±16.2); males: 66.4 (±11.7)]. Of 170, n. 60 patients had a diagnosis of acute pericarditis (32.2%). Group A (patient with acute pericarditis) consisted of 60 patients, age 69.2 (±12.6), 39 (65%) male [age 69.3 (±10.6)], 21 (35%) female [age 69.1 (±16.0)]. Of 60, only 6 had a pericardial effusion >10 mm (10%); the remaining group A-patients (90%) had a mild pericardial effusion (<10 mm). No patient had tamponade picture. Group B (pericarditis-free patients) included 110 patients, age 66.7 (±13.7), 80 (72.7%) males [age 65.0 (±12.1)], 30 (27.3%) females [age 71.4 (±16.6)]. Group A-patients (with pericarditis) had more days of intubation and a prolonged global hospital stay compared with group B (pericarditis-free). Other demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were similar between the two groups.ConclusionsPericarditis is a frequent cardiovascular complication of COVID-19 (32.2% in our study). It may have clinical and prognostic implications.

The Anachronic Madonna Lactans: Impersonations of the Nursing Virgin by Cindy Sherman, Catherine Opie, and Vanessa Beecroft

Abstract This article examines Cindy Sherman’s Untitled #216 (1989), Catherine Opie’s Self-Portrait/ Nursing (2004), and Vanessa Beecroft’s White Madonna or VBSS.002 (2006) in relation to the medieval and Renaissance artworks these photos quote and re-instantiate: Jean Fouquet’s Virgin of Melun (1452–1455); Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Madonna del Latte (1325–1335) and Leonardo da Vinci’s Litta Madonna (1490s); and Tino di Camaino’s Charity (1321) and Jan van Eyck’s Lucca Madonna (1436), respectively. This juxtaposition — framed by reference to Alexander Nagel’s and Christopher Wood’s concept of “anachronism” and to Aby Warburg’s notion of the Pathosformel — helps us ask new questions and gain new insights about the “old masters” under discussion.

La processione a Forlì del 1636 in onore della Madonna del Fuoco e gli incroci dei saperi. Il progettista degli apparati

«A map with no figure and our woman in the middle» miraculously escaped the fire that had devastated the school-house of the master Lombardino da Ripetrosa in Forli on the night between 4 and 5 February 1428. That night – as we are told by the painter and fifteenth-century chronicler Giovanni di Mastro Pedrino from Forli, pseudonym of Giovanni Merlini – the master’s house burned down entirely, so that «non ne romaxe altro che le mura e una carta con alcuna figura e nostra Donna in mezzo. E perche parve grande miracolo fo tolta dai calonixe de Santa Croxe con reve(re)ncia: e questa fa assa(e) miraculi». We will illustrate the engravings by Floriano Dal Buono for the decorations that in 1637 accompanied Bezzi’s account on the procession of 1636 for the translation of the woodcut with the Madonna del Fuoco into the new chapel of the Forli cathedral and we will propose Giovanni Battista Aleotti as a possible identification for their designer.

Summer observations of Eleonora’s Falcon (&lt;em&gt;Falco eleonorae&lt;/em&gt;) in the Stura Valley (South Western Alps)

From 1999 to 2020 the Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae) has been observed 12 times at the site of Madonna del Pino, near Demonte (Province of Cuneo - Piedmont - South Western Alps). All of these individuals were birds in their second calendar year and thus these sightings are to be attributed to summer movements of nonbreeding animals. The growing number of observations of this species is imputable to the increasing identification skills of birdwatchers, necessary in order to distinguish Eleonora’s Falcons from the similar and very common Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo), and to the constant monitoring of migrating raptors as part of the Migrans Project.

Radial distribution of figures in Leonardo’s and Renaissance paintings

Via a dedicated software program it has been possible to overlap circular drawings (such as the Academia Leonardo da Vinci woodcut and the Islamic Samsha sun-symbol) with paintings by Leonardo (Madonna Litta, Madonna Benois) and by Botticelli (Madonna del Libro). These paintings show a radial distribution of the figures of Madonna and Child, with the Child’s head embracing an inner circle that then expands to encompass the Madonna’s head as well. This radial distribution of figures imparts to these paintings a unique harmony and radiance that is absent in the Byzantine icons representing the same subjects over the centuries, from about the third century AC till the fall of Byzantium (Constantinopolis). Interestingly, the Madonna and Child (Tempi Madonna) by Raffaello at the Alte Pinakothek, although painted in 1508, does not follow this rule. However his masterpiece Madonna della Seggiola, 1513–1514, shows the same radial distribution as found in Leonardo’s paintings, suggesting that Raffaello had studied the works of the Maestro and appreciated this peculiar disposition of the heads of the two figures.

Madonna del Libro in the Collection of the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore: The First Data of Attribution and Technical Study of the Picture

This article is devoted to the attribution of the Madonna and Child painting from the collection of the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local Lore (Yekaterinburg), corresponding to the image of Madonna del Libro distributed in Italy in the sixteenth century. Referring to works of Italian researchers, the author reveals the original source that served as the basis for creating the iconographic work, i.e. a work of Perino del Vaga, an Italian artist. Further research helps establish the fact that the Ural canvas is a copy of an original painting of the Spanish artist Pedro de Rubiales who worked in Italy in the 1640s–1660s and reinterpreted P. del Vaga’s work. However, a technological analysis of the Ural canvas demonstrates that it was created much later, between the second quarter and the mid-nineteenth century. The unknown author of the picture studied in the article made attempts to reconstruct the technology of the original, but the discrepancies between them and the materials and methods of the Italian painting from between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries revealed in the analysis of the canvas, ground, the stratigraphy of the paint layer, and paint binder make it possible to speak about the author’s insufficient awareness of the principles of painting of the era and region he referred to in his reinterpretation. Thus, the work in question demonstrates the peculiarities of creating imitations of sixteenth-century works at a later time. The article also proposes a version on the place and time of restoration of the painting, formulated on the basis of comparing data on the use of duplication technology, the design of the subframe, the presence of a signature on the subframe, and the correlation of said features with records from the catalogue of the Nizhny Tagil collection of paintings by D. P. Shorin. They suggest that work to improve the preservation of the painting was performed in the workshops of the imperial Hermitage by restorer N. A. Sidorov.

DEPOSITI DELTIZI PLIOCENICI ALLO SBOCCO DELLA VAL BREMBANA (PREALPI BERGAMASCHE)

At the outlet of the Brembo valley into the upper Lombardy Plain a conglomerate unit is present, about 30 m thick and outcropping over an area of about 1.5 km 2 . This conglomerate was in the past attributed to the Villafranchian and considered as the lowermost part of the "Ceppo", a thick and widespread formation composed of well cemented coarse fluvial deposits.&#x0D; The conglomerate unit here described, called Madonna del Castello Conglomerate, is interpreted as a Late Pliocene deltaic deposit. It shows a large scale cross—stratification affecting the whole thickness of the unit; single beds show decreasing gradient from the top to the base, with a concave up profile. Beds are prevailingly composed of matrix supported conglomerate, with elongated clasts parallel to the dip of bedding. Both geometry and structures are indicative of foreset beds.&#x0D; The petrographic composition of the Madonna del Castello Conglomerate is characterized by prevailing clasts of Mesozoic limestones of local provenance, while subordinate and often absent are metamorphic, volcanic and arenaceous rocks deriving from the Sudalpine crystalline basement and from its Paleozoic cover, which outcrop at the head of the Brembo valley.&#x0D; The Madonna del Castello Conglomerate overlies Early to Middle Pliocene fossiliferous mudstones (Tornago Formation) and represents a terminal regressive phase of the marine Pliocene sedimentation at the foot of the Lombardy Prealps.

Noninvasive geophysical integrated survey at Madonna del Giglio (Sabine necropolis, Magliano Sabina, Latium, Central Italy)

Nondestructive geophysical methods are increasingly used for the investigation of archaeological sites, where a detailed physical and geometrical reconstruction of structures is required in order to explore and document the presence of subsurface structures related to cultural heritage. The aim of this work was to detect buried features in an unexplored area of the Sabine necropolis (VII–IV century B.C.) called Madonna del Giglio (Latium, Central Italy). For the surveys, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and fluxgate gradiometry methods have been employed. We applied time slice techniques for GPR data and 2D normalized cross-correlation on magnetic data in order to obtain a planimetric view at different depths of anomalous bodies. The results obtained with GPR were confirmed by those taken employing fluxgate gradiometry. Furthermore, it should be stressed that the anomalies detected by the GPR are positioned almost on the limit of the plateau of Madonna del Giglio and downhill, toward the residential area of Magliano Sabina, where, in 1992, archaeological excavations revealed the presence of the necropolis, highlighting an extremely unclear stratigraphic situation. The integrated noninvasive geophysical proposed in this study was extremely useful for tracing the complex archaeological framework in order to pursuit cultural heritage preservation and valorization.

Low-Cost GNSS Solution for Continuous Monitoring of Slope Instabilities Applied to Madonna Del Sasso Sanctuary (NW Italy).

In recent years, the development of low-cost GNSS sensors allowed monitoring in a continuous way movement related to natural processes like landslides with increasing accuracy and limited efforts. In this work, we present the first results of an experimental low-cost GNSS continuous monitoring applied to an unstable slope affecting the Madonna del Sasso Sanctuary (NW Italy). The courtyard of Sanctuary is built on two unstable blocks delimited by a high cliff. Previous studies and non-continuous monitoring showed that blocks suffer a seasonal cycle of thermal expansion and a long-term trend to downslope a few millimeters (2/3) per year. The presence of a continuous monitoring solution could be an essential help to better understand the kinematics of unstable slope. Continuous monitoring could help to forecast a possible paroxysm phase that could end with a failure of the unstable area. The first year of experimental measurements shows a millimetric accuracy of low-cost GNSS, and the long-term trend is in agreement with other monitoring data. We also propose a methodological approach that considers the use of semi-automatized procedures for the identification of anomalous trends and a risk communication strategy. Pro and cons of the proposed methodology are also discussed.