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A series of historical textile fragments belonging to the Guggenheim collection had been previously studied by FORS and IRR imaging. The need for further analysis emerged in order to get a better understanding of the applied dyes. Under this perspective, SERS measurements and false colour images (UVFC and IRFC) were acquired on selected samples dated back between the fifteenth and the eighteenth centuries and constituted by velvets, embossed velvets, brocades, brocatelles, damasks, lampasses, satins, gros and taffetas of Italian manufacture. The cross-checking of spectroscopic data allowed for confirming some of the results previously obtained, but in the majority of cases much more complex situations were found. On many occasions, SERS and FORS demonstrated their complementarity allowing for discovering the use of mixtures instead of single dye as previously assumed. In addition to indigotin, cochineal and tannins, already identified in the previous investigation, new data allowed for determining the presence of orcein, annatto, luteolin, quercetin and saffron. The FC images supported the obtained results but evidenced the need for the generation of a complete database of historical dyes employed with different dyeing procedures, substrates, mordants and as mixtures with different proportions. The multi-technique approach, involving both non-invasive and micro-invasive methods, also allowed for checking the compatibility of compounds with both the declared historical period and the origin of the investigated textile fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The church of San Francesco del Prato in Parma (Italy) is a masterpiece of the Gothic style, dated back to the 13th century. However, its historical and monumental value could not be appreciated for a long time, especially due to the transformation of the building into a city jail. The recent restoration works brought back to light valuable frescos and wall paintings belonging to different periods. An in situ campaign was performed on the 15th-century wall paintings adorning the vault and the walls in the church apse, by using mobile Raman and X-ray fluorescence equipment. The characterization of the art pieces was further carried out with micro-Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses. Overall, a quick and thorough identification of the colours palette of the wall paintings was successfully obtained through the in situ measurements. Laboratory analyses corroborated the understanding of the techniques through the identification of pigments and binders. In addition, micro-Raman analyses highlighted the presence of degradation products. Interestingly, a pigment hierarchy has been noted in relation to the painted contents, enhancing the preciousness of holy figures and their distinctive details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Max Ernst was one of the most influential artists associated with both the Dada and Surrealist movements. However, until now, only few scientific studies have been devoted to his works. This paper presents the results of a multi-analytical investigation on six oil paintings, made between 1927 and 1942, belonging to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice (Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York). Through a combined art historical and scientific approach, this study aims at understanding Ernst's painting techniques, including frottage, grattage, dripping, and decalcomania, the used materials, and the state of conservation of the artworks. Non-invasive in situ investigations were performed by means of Vis–NIR multi-spectral imaging, X-ray fluorescence, external reflection FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Imaging analysis revealed important information about Ernst's painting methods while the other techniques provided useful information about the ground layer, the painting materials and the presence of alteration products. Ernst's palette discloses great freedom in his use of materials and evolution during the time. This investigation demonstrates that an integrated, non-invasive, diagnostic approach provides a thorough analysis of materials and execution techniques of Ernst' masterworks allowing an in-depth knowledge of his highly skilled work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman spectroscopy is an emerging tool in the research and diagnosis of different diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. In this work, blood serum samples collected from healthy controls and dementia patients were analysed by Raman spectroscopy to develop a classification model for the diagnosis of dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT). Raman spectra were processed by means of multivariate tools for multivariate analysis. Lower concentration levels of carotenoids were detected in blood serum from patients, which allowed for a good discrimination with respect to controls, such as 93% of correct predictions on the test set with random forest. We also hypothesize that carotenoid levels might be informative about the severity and progression of the disease, since the intensity of carotenoid signals decreased from the early stage to more severe patients. These encouraging results suggest the possibility to use Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of alternative biofluids (e.g. saliva) and the unobtrusive diagnosis of other neurodegenerative disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of digital humanities, it is increasingly necessary to develop and validate virtual reality tools that are capable of combining various scientific data in a virtualized context providing also access and user friendly consultation of online repositories. This paper reports the main aspects of the implementation of a virtual reality tool integrated with an online repository for storing 3D models, metadata and chemical analyses related to different sectors of digital humanities. The virtual reality software, developed for the Oculus Quest 2 hardware, is called PROTEUS and allows for seamless transition from the macroscopic world of digital humanities to the microscopic world of molecular sciences. The paper illustrates, by means of some case studies, the performances of this innovative tool that permits the researcher to understand and manipulate objects, to test hypotheses and to seek meaningful results, visualising the metadata while changing the parameters of the simulation in a dynamic and interactive way. This represents also a significant step forward in the democratisation of science, thanks to an user-friendly and immersive access to advanced scientific algorithms, which allow the natural perception of structural and topological features of the underlying molecular and supra-molecular systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the development of a non-invasive multi-analytical approach for the study of glazing and decoration materials used in French pottery from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The considerable commercial success of this art makes this time frame of particular interest as it led, among others, to a general modernisation of the production processes and materials to satisfy the increased demand and the flourishing trade of potteries: new ceramic bodies, alternative glaze formulation and a wider range of materials became available. Considering the pristine conservation state of the twenty-one selected samples (deriving from six factories or manufacturers in four different production areas in France), a multi-technique, non-invasive and non-deliberatively destructive analytical approach was chosen for the characterisation of glazes, pigments and other superficial materials. Each object was firstly observed with optical microscopy and subsequently underwent elemental composition analyses such as MA-XRF (macro X-ray fluorescence) and IBA (ion beam analyses) at the INFN LABEC Laboratory in Florence. For the identification of some of the compounds present in coloured enamels, a selection of the objects was analysed with Raman spectroscopy at the ICCOM CNR in Pisa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common synthetic carbon-based black pigments can be divided into three main groups on the basis of the material used for their production: bone blacks, vine blacks and lampblacks. This work reports on the physicochemical characterization of the three commercial pigments purchased from Kremer Pigmente (Germany) and Zecchi (Italy) by means of a multi-analytical approach, which included thermoanalytical (thermogravimetry, thermogravimetry coupled with FTIR and differential scanning calorimetry) and spectroscopic techniques (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction). Combining the results obtained from this multi-analytical approach, qualitative and quantitative conclusions are drawn for the first time. Lampblacks are mainly composed of amorphous carbon. In vine black (Kremer), amorphous carbon and cellulose pyrolysis by-products are the main constituents. In bone blacks and vine black (Zecchi), carbonaceous materials are minor components. Hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate are the main constituents of bone blacks, and iron and magnesium oxides are the main constituents of vine black (Zecchi). Results from this multi-analytical study on the composition of such widespread pigments can provide valuable information in the decision-making process for restorers and conservators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the stones used as building materials in the centre of Pisa during the Middle Age. Most of the stones are quarried from the nearby mountains, Monte Pisano and Monti d'Oltre Serchio, but there are also other ones, coming from Apuan Alps, Elba Island, western Tuscan coast, and from other quarries opened in the Western Mediterranean area. Our goal is to enrich the classic concept of street photography by inserting, in an interpretative context, the analysis and the observation of the geoenvironment in which we are immersed, daily, for the journey home-office, home-school or just for a simple walk. The tools we have are the eyes, the light and an instrument: the camera. Five stops along a city route allow to describe the main types of stones that have been used to construct and ornate the buildings since the 10th and 11th centuries, when Pisa acquired its traditional fame as one of the four historical Maritime Republics of Italy. Monte Pisano marble is the most important stone in the medieval phase of construction of the city of Pisa, often used together with black limestones to give the typical decorative alternate bands, black and white, of the Pisan Romanesque style. Other types of stones were also used, such as Quartzites, Agnano breccia, Panchina, Macigno sandstone as well as Apuan marble, granitoid rocks from Elba Island and Sardinia, and some rocks from ancient quarries of the western Mediterranean area, such as precious marbles from Greece and Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the provenance of marbles used as architectural elements (bases, shafts and capitals of columns) for building the internal spiral staircase of the medieval bell tower of St. Nicholas Church at Pisa, Italy. Accordingly, the 45 collected marble samples have been analysed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and mass spectroscopy for carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratio analysis; additionally, SEM-EDS analysis have been performed to complement data about accessory minerals. By comparison with literature data on the main sources of the white Mediterranean marbles used in ancient times, the results show that the analysed samples are mainly white crystalline marbles from Carrara (Italy) and, subordinately, from other Tuscan and Eastern Mediterranean quarrying areas. In fact, Mt. Pisano and Campiglia M.ma (Tuscany, Italy) and Marmara (Turkey), Paros, Mt. Penteli, Thasos (Greece) are minor sources. The other coloured stones identified on the strength of their macroscopic features are quartzites from Mt. Pisano area and granitoids from Sardinia and Island of Elba (Italy). Occasionally, a very limited number of architectonical elements made up of Acquabona limestone from Rosignano Marittimo (Livorno, Italy), red limestone with ammonites (the so-called 'Rosso Ammonitico') and black limestone belonging to the Tuscan Nappe sequence, outcropping at northwest of Pisa in the nearby Monti d'Oltre Serchio area, are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 'hybrid' method is proposed for the quantitative analysis of materials by LIBS, combining the precision of the calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) algorithm with the quickness of artificial neural networks. The method allows the precise determination of the samples' composition even in the presence of relatively large laser fluctuations and matrix effects. To show the strength and robustness of this approach, a number of synthetic LIBS spectra of Cu-Ni binary alloys with different composition were computer-simulated, in correspondence of different plasma temperatures, electron number densities and ablated mass. The CF-LIBS/ANN approach here proposed demonstrated to be capable, after appropriate training, of 'learning' the basic physical relations between the experimentally measured line intensities and the plasma parameters. Because of that the composition of the sample can be correctly determined, as in CF-LIBS measurements, but in a much shorter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limits of detection have been studied for several elements in aluminium and steel alloys, at atmospheric pressure in air, by use of the single and collinear double-pulse configurations of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. For this purpose, calibration plots were constructed for Mg, Al, Si, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu using a set of certified aluminium alloy samples and a set of certified steel samples. The investigation included optimization of the experimental conditions to furnish the best signal-to-noise ratio. Inter-pulse delay, gate width, and acquisition delay were studied. The detection limits for the elements of interest were calculated under the optimum conditions for the double-pulse configuration and compared with those obtained under the optimum conditions for single-pulse configuration. Significantly improved detection limits were achieved, for all the elements investigated, and in both aluminium and steel, by use of the double-pulse configuration. The experimental findings are discussed in terms of the measured plasma conditions (particle and electron density, and temperature). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve archaeological copper objects from the burial site of “Fontino” cave, near Grosseto, (around 2500–2000 B.C.) were analysed using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Qualitative results and a preliminary study of the samples’ composition are reported and used to make a quantitative estimate; based on these results, the samples were classified using principal components statistical analysis. The perspectives of using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for archaeometric analysis are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]