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Antifungal activity and sensory analyses of chitosan aromatized with essential oils for the protection of fresh oranges and apples
No full textPostharvest diseases caused by fungal and oomycete pathogens represent a major threat to fruit preservation, especially in the absence of effective and sustainable alternatives to synthetic fungicides. This study evaluated the antimicrobial potential of ten chitosan-based formulations, each containing a different essential oil (EO), for the control of a broad spectrum of fungal and oomycete plant pathogens. In vitro assays, including agar diffusion, MIC/MFC determination, and volatile organic compound (VOC) inhibition tests, identified the two formulations ID-F-03 (containing Origanum vulgare EO) and ID-F-06 (containing Cinnamomum verum EO) as the most effectives. These formulations were further characterized by GC–MS analysis and tested in vivo on artificially inoculated apples and oranges. The results showed that both formulations significantly reduced disease incidence in both fruit, with ID-F-03 being particularly effective in limiting bitter rot development in apples and ID-F-06 in reducing green mold symptoms in oranges. GC–MS analysis identified carvacrol (ID-F-03) and (E)-cinnamaldehyde/eugenol (ID-F-06) as the major volatiles. Sensory evaluation indicated a good overall acceptability of treated fruit, with formulation–fruit combinations showing specific sensory responses; specifically, ID‐F‐06 maintained higher hedonic scores in apples, whereas ID‐F‐03 was better accepted in oranges. The study confirms the potential of chitosan–EO combinations as promising tools for the management of postharvest diseases of apples and oranges, with their application as active components in packaging materials offering a viable strategy to balance antimicrobial efficacy and sensory quality
A Comprehensive Survey on Software-Defined Wide Area Network
No full textThe rise of Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) a decade ago has ushered in a new era of networking opportunities for organizations worldwide. As enterprises undergo digital transformation fueled by cloud computing adoption and the imperative for enhanced connectivity, SD-WAN has emerged as a transformative paradigm. This survey paper unpacks the intricate ecosystem of SD-WAN technology, offering a deep dive into its foundational principles, architectural components, and diverse deployment scenarios. We explore modern SD-WAN architectures, analyzing key elements such as customer premises equipment (CPE), underlay and overlay networks, controllers, and orchestration planes. By shedding light on the mechanisms that drive SD-WAN’s agility and efficiency, we provide critical insights into its transformative potential. Beyond architecture, we examine essential operational aspects, including traffic engineering, performance monitoring, and network resources management within the SD-WAN framework. We also identify key challenges and research gaps, charting a path for future advancements in the field. This comprehensive study serves as a valuable resource for academics, researchers, and industry professionals navigating the evolving landscape of enterprise networking in the era of cloud-driven digital transformation
in V. Casali: Letture Globali Global reads, Mimesi in sezione / Mimesis in cross-section
No full textIn un presente in cui la ricerca di visibilità, visualizzazioni e, più in generale,
dove l’estetizzazione dell’esperienza sembra ormai un imprescindibile
cardine della quotidianità, Jacopo e Antonello Boschi intavolano un
discorso che va in direzione opposta. Il loro volume Camouflage. Dalla
città profonda alla città superficiale (LetteraVentidue, 2025) propone
un densissimo percorso ascensionale che racconta una serie di episodi
di mimesi riconducibili a “tre mondi”: l’universo “di sotto”, fatto di bunker
e stazioni della metropolitana; quello “di sopra”, visibile e fuori-terra; e
l’ambiguo “mondo di mezzo” dei sottopassaggi e dei tunnel di collegamento.
Questi universi non riescono – o possono – svincolarsi dal retaggio
bellico proprio del camouflage anche nel forte contraddittorio
che pervade le narrazioni a loro associate nell’immaginario collettivo,
dal sinistro al salvifico. In questa sezione trasversale del visibile e del
non visibile emerge, però, un minimo comune denominatore: il gioco
di specchi entro cui si muove la ricerca di questa invisibilità, a differenza
di altre, è retto da scelte lucide e consapevoli.In the present in which the search for visibility and where the aestheticisation of experience seems to be an essential cornerstone of everyday life, Jacopo and Antonello Boschi go in the opposite direction.
Their book Camouflage. Dalla città profonda alla città superficiale (LetteraVentidue, 2025) presents a very dense ascending path that recounts a series of episodes of mimesis found in “three worlds”: the universe “below”, made up of bunkers and subway stations; the one “above”, visible and above-ground; and the ambiguous “middle world” of underpasses and connecting tunnels. These universes are unable – they perhaps try but fail – to extricate themselves
from the wartime legacy inherent in camouflage, even amid the marked contradictions that pervade their narratives in the collective imagination, ranging from the sinister to the salvific. However, throughout this cross-section of the visible and the invisible, a common denominator emerges: unlike other forms of invisibility, the “hall of mirrors” through which this research proceeds is governed by clear and conscious choice
The Use of Concrete Damage Plasticity for Modeling Shear-Compression Tests on Stone Masonry Panels
No full textModeling complex historical masonry structures to assess their seismic vulnerability poses a challenging but fundamental task in the realm of cultural heritage conservation. In complex situations, it may become necessary to adopt elaborate approaches and refined models, relying on continuum mechanics and the application of inelastic constitutive laws. However, the numerous nonlinearities inherent to masonry materials make the choice of the most appropriate constitutive law extremely difficult. Furthermore, there is an inherent challenge in experimentally determining the parameters of the chosen constitutive model. This work is part of a broader study aimed at investigating the ability of different material constitutive laws to simulate the in-plane failure modes of masonry panels. Here, we considered the Concrete Damaged Plasticity constitutive law and explored the influence of the mechanical parameters variability on the results in terms of ultimate horizontal load within a probabilistic framework. The sensitivity of the response to input parameters was evaluated through the calculation of Sobol’ indices, highlighting the parameters worthy of further investigation when dealing with the seismic assessment of historical masonry buildings
A novel conjunction filter based on the minimum distance between perturbed trajectories
No full textThe increasing congestion in the near-Earth space environment has amplified the need for robust and efficient conjunction analysis techniques including the computation of the minimum distance between orbital paths in the presence of perturbations. After showing that classical Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance computation schemes are unsuitable to treat Earth orbiting objects, the article presents an analytical approach to provide a more accurate estimate of the true distance between perturbed trajectories by incorporating the effect of zonal harmonics of arbitrary order. Cook's linear secular theory for the motion of the eccentricity vector is extended to include higher order eccentricity effects and applied to the computation of the minimum and maximum radii attained by two orbits at their mutual nodes, which can be employed to estimate the true distance between the two orbital paths and to establish an efficient algorithm for determining or excluding potential conjunctions. Extensive testing and validation are conducted using a high-fidelity propagator and a comprehensive dataset of resident space objects. The results demonstrate an accuracy below the km level for the orbit distance computation in 99 % of cases, which enables high-efficiency conjunction filtering
Verbal prefixation as an actionality (and valency) change strategy across ancient Greek, Latin and modern European Languages
No full textThis study aims at providing an answer to critical aspects of the following intertwined questions, which are common to ancient and modern languages of Europe: 1) is it possible to identify the principles underlying specific patterns of semantic change that affect prefixed verbs? 2) is the processing of prefixed verbs governed by the distinction between semantically transparent and semantically opaque preverbs? 3) do the functions and distribution of verbal prefixation in the languages of Europe rely on genetic factors, contact phenomena or universal typological tendencies? Ancient Greek and Latin data are analyzed, at the morphosyntax/semantics interface, and a unitary model is provided for the interpretation of the identified patterns of verbal prefixation. The function and distribution of Ancient Greek and Latin preverbs are further discussed in relation to evidence from other ancient Indo-European languages, such as Sanskrit and Hittite, as well as from modern Indo-European languages, inside and outside Europe. The results of this study show that: 1) verbal prefixation in ancient Indo-European languages can be used as a strategy for modifying the actionality of the predicate, by increasing the degree of its telicity and, consequently, of the affectedness of the undergoer argument; 2) so-called opaque preverbs, that is preverbs that have lost their lexical meaning, may produce semantic change and even valency change; 3) the valency change produced by preverbs applies to a specific class of verbs and is an epiphenomenon of the general principle governing the actionality change produced by preverbs; 4) the same mechanisms account for the identified functions of verbal prefixation in both ancient Indo-European languages and modern Indo-European and non-Indo-European languages of Europe: the patterns of verbal prefixation that involve a semantic or a semantic + valency change are a perfect candidate for a typological tendency that relies on universal principles; 5) verbal prefixation provides evidence of a causative/applicative syncretism in ancient Greek and Latin and sheds new light on the relationship between these two categories, showing how a more precise and systematic knowledge of the functions and distribution of verbal prefixation in the ancient Indo-European languages can help address crucial aspects of the unsettled questions on actionality and valency change strategies in the modern languages of Europe
3D imaging dataset of the human skeletal collection from Lucus Feroniae (Rome, Italy, 1st-3rd century CE)
No full textAtmospheric cold plasma as a preservation strategy for red shrimp surimi-based products: Effects on bacterial communities, volatile compounds, and freshness during refrigerated storage
No full textMicrobial spoilage is a major contributor to seafood quality deterioration, posing major challenges to freshness preservation. In this study, we investigated how atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) treatment influenced the freshness, volatile compounds (VCs), and microbial properties of red shrimp surimi-based product (RSSP) during refrigerated storage. The results demonstrated that ACP treatment had no significant impact (p > 0.05) on the color attributes, texture properties, or pH of RSSP on day 0 compared to the untreated group. However, notable changes were observed in the VCs, including increases in 2-butanone-D and 1-pentanol, and a decrease in ethyl acetate-D, suggesting mild oxidative modifications. Notably, ACP significantly (p < 0.05) reduced total viable count and psychrotrophic viable count by 62.53 % and 65.82 %, respectively. Over the storage period, ACPtreated samples exhibited delayed proliferation of Shewanella and Brochothrix, leading to a reshaped bacterial community structure during the mid- to late storage stages, which delayed the accumulation of spoilage-related VCs such as trimethylamine and ammonia. Additionally, ACP-induced oxidative stress influenced the ecological assembly of the bacterial community, shifting from a stochastic process in the early stage of storage to a more deterministic trajectory later on. Correlation analysis identified Psychrobacter, Shewanella, and Brochothrix as key contributors to quality decline, although causality requires further investigation. Overall, ACP treatment effectively inhibited microbial spoilage progression and helped maintain the freshness of RSSP
Succinate Modulation as a Biochemical Correlate of Metabolic and Neurobehavioral Changes Associated With Intermittent Fasting in Obesity
No full textAim: Obesity significantly impacts the central nervous system (CNS), increasing the risks of neuropsychiatric disorders and dementia. Intermittent fasting (IF) shows promise for improving peripheral and CNS health, but its mechanisms are unclear. Methods: Using a diet-induced obesity mouse model [10 weeks high fat diet (HFD), then 4 weeks intervention], we compared HFD, HFD-IF, ad libitum control chow (CC), and CC-IF groups. Results: Switching to CC or IF reduced body weight, fat mass, and improved glucose tolerance. Notably, CC-IF uniquely enhanced exploration and reduced anxiety-like behavior. Transcriptomics revealed HFD-induced hippocampal neuroinflammation, whereas metabolomics identified a specific succinate signature in CC-IF mice: plasma concentration decreased, whereas liver and brown adipose tissue (BAT) levels increased. Succinate supplementation mimicked CC-IF metabolic and behavioral benefits and reduced hippocampal inflammation. Conclusion: These findings suggest that regulating plasma succinate and its metabolism in liver and BAT may represent a novel biochemical correlate underlying the metabolic, neuroinflammatory, and behavioral improvements induced by IF
Coating materials for journal bearings
No full textJournal bearings are typically lined with thin coatings that enhance tribological properties with respect to the underlying structural material. Traditionally, white metal coatings have been used, but they are currently being replaced to improve environmental sustainability, mechanical and thermal properties, wear resistance, and to reduce friction. This paper reviews recent progress in advanced materials for bearing coatings. After reviewing different materials and their deposition technologies, testing methods for evaluating materials performance are analysed. The results from comparative tests are presented. Furthermore, a unified comparison of tribological properties across different experiments is shown. Then, numerical modelling techniques are discussed. Based on the findings, conclusive recommendations for future bearing coating development are provided