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Role of filamentous fungi in mycoremediation of soils contaminated by organic pollutants
No full textHexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) is a highly persistent organic pollutant of global concern, involving severe risks for human health and ecosystem functioning. Mycoremediation represents a feasible nature-based solution for the restoration of soils polluted by HCH thanks to the ability of fungi to tolerate, bioaccumulate and degrade it. Soil fungi represent promising bioresources for the bioremediation of HCH-contaminated environments. This study was conducted in the National Priority Site “Bacino del Fiume Sacco” in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Italy. Soil cores (0–100cm) were collected from two plots and divided into topsoil (TS: 0–10 cm) and subsoil (SS: 10–100cm) samples. The soil samples were characterised through pedological analysis. Microbial community-level physiological profiles were assessed using the Biolog EcoPlateTM, revealing differences in metabolic activity between TS and SS communities. The fungal fraction was further investigated by quantifying colony-forming units (CFUs) per gram of dry soil. Results indicated a significantly higher fungal load in TS compared to SS. To isolate fungal strains capable of degrading HCH, a selective enrichment procedure was performed using a mixture of HCH isomers as the sole carbon source. The procedure led to the isolation of several fungal species, predominantly from Fusarium, Alternaria, and Paracremonium genera, now preserved in the Fungal Biodiversity Laboratory Culture Collection (Sapienza University of Rome). Three biosurfactant production assays demonstrated the ability of nine isolates to produce biosurfactants, potentially enhancing HCH bioavailability and degradation. Finally, a 96-wells enrichment assay was used to evaluate fungal growth responses to individual HCH isomers as sole carbon sources. Among all the species isolated, these results show that three strains isolated in this study, belonging to the Fusarium genus, are able to use the HCH-isomers as sole carbon source and to produce biosurfactants. These strains are Fusarium nirenbergiae FBL - BC 6, Fusarium nirenbergiae FBL - BC 8 and Fusarium nirenbergiae FBL - BC 56 and all came from toposil. This is the first study that reported this species as a potential candidate for mycoremediation of HCH-contaminated soil
The Italian way to an online probability panel
No full textThe Italian Online Probability Panel (IOPP) is the first initiative in Italy designed to produce high-quality longitudinal survey data for monitoring social transformations. Developed in alignment with leading European experiences—such as LISS, ELIPSS, GESIS panel, etc.—it brings Italy into the broader landscape of advanced survey infrastructures, enabling both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Launched in early 2025, IOPP is based on an offline recruitment strategy using a push-to-web approach, drawing from a nationally representative probability sample of approximately 10,000 individuals aged 18–74 from the national population register. The data collection is structured around five annual CAWI waves, centred on a core questionnaire that tracks stable constructs such as family and housing, health, education, employment, income, leisure, social integration, and political attitudes. These are complemented by rotating or one-time modules developed through open calls to the research community. To ensure inclusivity, the panel also integrates offline participants through paper questionnaires sent via postal mail. The calibration phase is expected to conclude by the end of 2025, with the panel fully operational from 2026. Data will be released in compliance with FAIR and Open Science principles with the aim of offering a collaborative infrastructure, which encourages contributions from a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and public institutions
Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Associated with Dental Implants: A Literature Review with Focus on Field-Cancerized Mucosa
No full textBackground: The oncologic safety of dental implants (DIs) in patients with oral field cancerization (OFC) remains uncertain. Increasing reports of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) developing adjacent to DIs have raised concerns regarding the interaction between implants, chronic inflammation, and genetically altered mucosa. Methods: A comprehensive PubMed/MEDLINE search was performed through June 2025 to identify English- or Spanish-language publications reporting primary OSCC occurring in proximity to DIs. Extracted variables included patient demographics, tumor site, clinical presentation, presence of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) or prior OSCC, peri-implant inflammation, management, and outcomes. Cases describing clinical features compatible with field-altered mucosa (e.g., OPMD or prior OSCC) were evaluated descriptively, recognizing that formal histopathologic or molecular evidence of OFC was rarely reported. Results: A total of 105 implant-associated OSCC cases were identified. The mean patient age was 66.8 years (range: 40–90), with a female predominance (1.3:1). The mandible was the most frequently involved site (86.7%). A prior history of OPMD or OSCC was reported in 53 patients (50.5%), and peri-implantitis preceding diagnosis in 21 cases (19.0%). The most common clinical presentations were exophytic (59.0%) and ulcerated (37.1%) lesions, frequently mimicking peri-implantitis and contributing to diagnostic delay. Reported outcomes included recurrence in 11 cases (10.5%) and death in 13 cases (12.4%). Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that implant-associated OSCC frequently occurs in patients with pre-existing mucosal alterations and may be influenced by the interaction of field cancerization with local inflammatory and mechanical factors. Implant rehabilitation in individuals with OPMD, prior OSCC, or epithelial dysplasia should be undertaken cautiously, with rigorous long-term surveillance to ensure oncologic safety
La bancarotta impropria da reato societario. dalla legge fallimentare al codice della crisi d’impresa
No full textL’Autore analizza il delitto di bancarotta impropria da reato societario (L FALL 223, 2, n. 1 e CCII 329, 2, lett. a). Si tratta della figura di raccordo tra il diritto penale concorsuale e il diritto penale societario. Con tale autonomo titolo delittuoso il legislatore ha equiparato, sul piano sanzionatorio, alla bancarotta fraudolenta la commissione di una serie di illeciti penalsocietari seguiti dal fallimento ovvero dalla liquidazione giudiziale della società. La figura criminosa è stata riformulata dal DLGS 61/2002, tramite il quale il legislatore ha previsto un collegamento causale tra i reati societari richiamati nella fattispecie e il dissesto della società. Si è trasformato perciò il previgente illecito di pericolo in un delitto con evento di danno, nel quale il dissesto rappresenta appunto l’evento naturalistico. Il nuovo codice della crisi d’impresa e dell’insolvenza ha confermato integralmente la configurazione originaria, sostituendo unicamente il riferimento alla procedura fallimentare con quella relativa alla liquidazione giudiziale
Immunization reveals a key role of Enterobacterial ClpB protein in the development of host anorexia
No full textAnorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disease of unknown etiology. Recently, caseinolytic protease B (ClpB), produced by Enterobacteriaceae, was identified as an antigen mimetic of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone
(α-MSH), an anorexigenic neuropeptide. Here, we studied the role of ClpB in the development of activity-based anorexia (ABA), a rodent model of AN. In two series of ClpB immunization experiments, we show that when ClpB was lowered by antibodies, mice were protected against ABA, showing lean mass preservation, an increase in food intake, and reduced feeding anticipatory activity. On the contrary, if antibody production was accompanied by an increase of ClpB, ABA was aggravated. A key role of anti-ClpB IgG in ABA protection was confirmed in ClpB-tolerized mice and by IgG inhibiting ClpB- and α-MSH- activation of melanocortin 4 receptor. ClpB immunization influenced clpB DNA abundance in ABA mice without affecting fecal microbiota diversity and energy content. These data support a key role of Enterobacterial ClpB as well as its control by the immune system in host anorexia and provide background for ClpB immunoneutralization as a putative biotherapy of AN
CK2 inhibition sensitizes BRCA-proficient cancer cells to PARP inhibitors by modulating PRIMPOL-mediated repriming
No full textCK2 is a constitutively active Ser/Thr kinase that is widely expressed across eukaryotes. Recent studies have highlighted its crucial role in ensuring optimal activation of the ATR-CHK1 checkpoint pathway during replication stress and in maintaining genome integrity by ensuring the WRN-RPA interaction.
Here, we identify a novel role of CK2 in restraining the PrimPol-mediated repriming mechanism. Using a functional inhibitor of CK2, we demonstrate that the absence of its activity during mild replicative stress, which slows down fork progression, leads to massive PrimPol recruitment at the replication fork and excessive activation of the repriming pathway. The accumulation of replication gaps, resulting from MRE11-mediated processing of nicked DNA left by repriming, can act as a sensitizer to PARP inhibitor treatment, similarly to what occurs in BRCA-deficient cancer cells.
Based on these findings, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of CK2 inhibition. Our results show that co-treatment of Olaparib-resistant, BRCA-proficient cancer cells with an CK2 inhibitor and Olaparib reduces cell viability and proliferation, suggesting a promising therapeutic strategy
From micro-structured materials to layered compounds: strategies for thermal energy management
No full textThis thesis investigates advanced materials and innovative approaches for thermal energy management, with the goal of addressing the global demand for sustainable energy generation and conversion technologies. Through a combination of experimental and computational techniques, including near- and far-field spectroscopy, thermal emission, Seebeck coefficient, and resistivity measurements, this work explores both the mechanisms of heat transfer and energy conversion. High-quality epitaxial samples grown via Molecular Beam Epitaxy and electromagnetic simulations provided the foundation for a detailed analysis of these processes.
The research is divided into two main areas. The first focuses on thermal radiation emission from micro-structured materials, such as 3D microporous graphene and silicon carbide (SiC), revealing how artificial patterning can enhance emissivity and modify optical and thermal properties through phonon-polariton excitations. The second area addresses the development and characterization of epitaxial thermoelectric materials, including Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3, and (BixSb1−x)2Te3 thin films, assessing their transport and thermoelectric performance. Additionally, the optical properties of (GeTe)n(Sb2Te3)m layered alloys are examined, highlighting their potential both as phase-change and thermoelectric materials.
Overall, this work contributes to the understanding and optimization of materials capable of efficiently managing thermal energy, paving the way for environmentally friendly solutions in energy harvesting, conversion, and storage
Advanced signal processing techniques to support diagnosis and prognosis of patients with Disorders of Consciousness
No full textDisorder of Consciousness (DoC) is a clinical condition characterized by alterations in arousal and/or awareness that affects people who survive an acquired brain injury. Depending on the level of impairment, DoC can be categorized into different states, including coma (in the acute phase), Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (UWS), and Minimally Conscious State (MCS). Coma is defined as a state of absence of both arousal and awareness. The UWS is a condition in which patients demonstrate arousal but remain unresponsive, showing only reflex movements, and no awareness of themselves or their surroundings. The MCS is characterized by the presence of discernible non-reflexive behavior, manifested by the recovery of arousal in conjunction with the eye-tracking ability and command following, but inconsistent reproducibility of this behavior.
Clinical scales are regarded as the gold standard for the diagnosis of DoC, but they are strongly dependent on behavioral markers, which makes them susceptible to alteration by a multitude of factors. This results in a misdiagnosis rate of approximately 40%, with evident ethical and clinical implications for patients' prognoses, treatments, and end-of-life decisions.
A substantial body of literature has been dedicated to investigating brain activity through electroencephalography (EEG) which has proven to be a valuable support for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of patients with DoC. Quantitative EEG analysis utilizes mathematical processing and computational techniques to derive numerical measures from various domains, such as the spectral and the connectivity domains, non-linear dynamics, and event-related responses. EEG-based measures have been extracted and investigated in a variety of conditions, including the resting state and the execution of passive or active cognitive tasks, thus demonstrating their pivotal role in the extraction of prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. EEG features calculated at rest range from spectral and connectivity measures to microstates and nonlinear measures (i.e., measures of complexity). With respect to the cognitive tasks examined by the extant literature, auditory stimulation has been the most investigated, as it represents the most straightforward method to elicit event-related potentials (ERP) that disclose late stages of information processing that can be related to consciousness levels. Moreover, among cognitive tasks, active paradigms entail the execution of a command and have been demonstrated to be particularly efficient in the disclosure of covert awareness; in this context, the modulation of sensorimotor rhythms has been shown to have significant potential.
However, not all EEG-based measures have been equally investigated, nor have they all demonstrated an ease of integration into clinical practice. Numerous studies have yielded incoherent and non-conclusive results, often due to the limited size of patients' cohorts. Furthermore, the majority of these studies are limited to a single time point, overlooking the temporal variability in patients’ responsiveness.
The novel frontiers in the research field of EEG-derived quantitative measures are represented by the optimization of the signal processing techniques and the methods of feature extraction. Indeed, the classical EEG techniques used to process signals derived from healthy subjects are not effective when applied to DoC patients, as their signals present a series of nonidealities (e.g., inter-trial variability, prolonged latencies, responsiveness fluctuations) that, in conjunction with the presence of artifacts, compromise the quality of the data. Consequently, the application of traditional signal processing techniques becomes ineffective, and the implementation of complex computational models is hindered by the limited size of the available datasets. Therefore, there is a fundamental necessity to implement signal processing pipelines suitable to manage the specific issues of the patients under study.
Within this framework, the main objective of the present thesis is to explore the EEG-based quantitative measures that can efficiently and effectively support the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of patients with DoC using advanced signal processing techniques tailored to address the specific issues presented by the EEG signal of DoC patients. This objective is pursued by exploring two different temporal perspectives, the former consisting in a single acquisition of the order of minutes, the latter represented by a monitoring protocol that samples the entire day. The two temporal perspectives encompassed the extraction of both EEG spectral and connectivity characteristics at two different levels of engagement, i.e., rest and responses to cognitive tasks.
The present thesis is divided into three sections. The first section examines quantitative measures extracted in the resting state condition at a single time point to disclose the potential of spectral and connectivity features in distinguishing between UWS and MCS patients and in predicting their 3-month outcome.
The second section involves a single time point analysis, as the previous section, but focused on the characterization of the P300 ERP. The first chapter of this section (Chapter 2) addresses the signal processing techniques used to enhance the potential of P300 in supporting DoC diagnosis by managing the inter-trial variability of the ERP response, acknowledged as the latency jitter phenomenon. Meanwhile, Chapter 3 examines the relationship between latency jitter and the clinical condition, aiming to ascertain the potential of latency jitter in supporting DoC diagnosis.
The third section analyzes the evolution of EEG characteristics over time with the aim of characterizing fluctuations in responsiveness in MCS patients. Chapter 4 is dedicated to the analysis of the variability in EEG characteristics extracted from the spectral and connectivity domains in the resting state condition, while Chapter 5 characterizes the fluctuations in the modulation of sensorimotor rhythms during the execution of a motor command task
Profili costituzionali
No full textIl partenariato pubblico-privato, nelle sue varie forme, costituisce un rilevante strumento di intervento pubblico nell'economia, teso a funzionalizzare la concorrenza e l'iniziativa economica privata all'interesse pubblico. Nel presente contributo si analizzano dapprima il riparto delle competenze Stato-Regioni nella materia dei contratti pubblici e, successivamente, come l'istituto sia caratterizzato dalla tensione fra sussidiarietà orizzontale ed eguaglianza sostanziale
