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L’INDUSTRIA GRAFICA. Tecniche di produzione standard e anatomia dei prodotti stampati con Piero Sabatini
No full textCon l’obiettivo di fornire strumenti operativi per progettare e dialogare con la filiera produttiva, il seminario introduce l’industria grafica nelle sue componenti chiave: standard di produzione, flussi di lavoro e anatomia dei principali prodotti stampati. Con un approccio teorico pratico verranno illustrati i passaggi dalla pre stampa alla post stampa, le tecniche e i macchinari impiegati, e le buone pratiche per garantire qualità e sostenibilità
Blood Glucose in Birds: Another Way to Think About “Normal” Glycemia and Diabetes Mellitus in Animals
Get PDFBirds exhibit naturally high blood glucose concentrations, a physiological trait that, unlike in mammals, does not lead to typical pathological consequences such as diabetes mellitus. This review explores the unique features of glucose metabolism in birds, with a particular focus on the anatomy and function of the avian pancreas, the roles of key hormones such as insulin and glucagon, as well as the distinctive mechanisms of glucose absorption and utilization. Evidence suggests a dominant role of glucagon over insulin, along with adaptations such as insulin resistance and antioxidant defenses, which may contribute to birds’ apparent resilience to hyperglycemia-related complications. Despite these adaptations, cases of diabetes mellitus have been reported, primarily as secondary to other pathologies, including pancreatitis, hemochromatosis, infections, and toxicities. Diagnosis remains challenging due to interspecies variability and the lack of standardized assays. Treatment, mainly via insulin therapy, has shown mixed outcomes, often limited by the underlying disease severity. This review highlights the need for species-specific diagnostic tools and a deeper investigation into the pathophysiology of glucose regulation in birds, aiming to improve clinical outcomes, develop standardized therapies, and ultimately broaden the perspectives of comparative endocrinology
Malattie infettive
No full textNel presente capitolo sono considerate solo le principali malattie infettive, rimandando la trattazione di quelle meno frequenti ai testi specialistici. Di ogni malattia considerata vengono sinteticamente riportati definizione, eziopatogenesi, quadro clinico, diagnosi e terapia, rimandando anche in questo caso il relativo approfondimento ai testi specialistici
Impact of Dietary Enrichment with Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Extruded Linseed and Padina pavonica Algae Extract on Growth Performance and Metabolic Status in Fattening Rabbits
Get PDFThis study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from extruded linseed, alone and combined with Padina pavonica algae extract, on growth performance and metabolic status in fattening rabbits. Sixty New Zealand White rabbits were assigned to three groups, as follows: control (CNT), L (5% linseed), and LPP (3.5% linseed + 0.2% algae extract) from weaning (37 days) to slaughter (85 days). Productive performance was assessed through body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed intake (FI). Blood was sampled at weaning, 60 days, and slaughter and analyzed for insulin, leptin, cortisol, thyroid hormones (T3, T4), glucose, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs). The L group showed significantly higher ADG (41.0 ± 1 g/d) and improved FCR (4.1 ± 0.2) compared to LPP (ADG: 37 ± 1 g/d, FCR: 4.6 ± 0.2; p = 0.001). No differences were observed in final BW or FI among groups (p < 0.001). Insulin peaked at 60 days across all groups (p < 0.001), with the LPP group showing the lowest levels (9.8 ± 0.9 μUI/mL; p = 0.043). T3 and T4 increased significantly with age (p < 0.001), and the T3/T4 ratio varied by diet and time (p = 0.005). Cortisol rose only at slaughter (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with insulin and thyroid hormones. The results suggest that omega-3-rich nutraceuticals can enhance growth performance without disrupting metabolic balance and may modulate specific hormonal responses due to their bioactive compounds
THE 2016 CENTRAL ITALY EARTHQUAKE. WAITING FOR RECONSTRUCTION
No full textThe 2016 Central Italy earthquake affected a portion of the sub-Apennine territory that spans 4 regions, 10 provinces, 138 municipalities, and encompasses a total territory of approximately 8,000 square kilometres.
A population of 600,000 people was involved, with a high number of lost lives, injured, and people displaced.
According to the history of natural disasters in Italy, reconstruction is emerging as a delayed process that only
in recent months seems to have started; a top-down process that has greatly burdened communities. In a scenario of great landscape value, communities already subject to depopulation and economic depletion still experience, eight years later, a condition of crisis dictated by the delay in reconstruction and the lack of
policies to keep these communities alive in the long period from the disaster until the reconstruction is completed. Small temporary settlements, built in the aftermath of the earthquake, are the new urban system in which only part of the population has decided to settle, rather than abandon their territories, as others
have done. Observing the impacts of a highly destructive earthquake on communities in the so-called "inland areas" it is necessary to grasp how the impoverishment of a community's intangible values (social relations, quality of living, etc.) can be even more serious than the loss of the buildings
In Vitro and In Vivo Investigations into the Potential of Quinazoline and Quinoline Derivatives as NorA Efflux Pump Inhibitors Against Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains
No full textBackground: Staphylococcus aureus is a highly lethal Gram-positive bacterium that is responsible for over one million deaths annually. As a member of the ESKAPE pathogens, its methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA) are prevalent worldwide and exhibit significant antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Bacterial efflux pumps play a pivotal role in the development of AMR by facilitating the expulsion of a range of antimicrobial agents. Methods: The S. aureus strain SA-1199B, which overexpresses NorA and carries a GrlA mutation, was utilized to comprehensively profile the mechanism of the compounds PQQ16P and PQK4F. To assess the toxicity and genotoxicity of these compounds, RAW macrophages, HEK 293T, and HepG2 cell lines were utilized. Female BALB/c mice were utilized to assess the in vivo synergism of EPIs with CPX, Results: NorA efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs), PQQ16P and PQK4F, enhanced the efficacy of the antibacterial ciprofloxacin (CPX) against resistant S. aureus strains. The mechanism of EPIs involved the inhibition of NorA efflux pump, without compromising bacterial membrane permeability, ATP levels, or mammalian calcium channels. Moreover, the EPIs significantly augmented the bactericidal and post-antibiotic effects of CPX, elevating its mutation prevention concentration without manifesting substantial toxicity to human cells. Furthermore, the EPIs reduced S. aureus invasiveness in macrophages, indicating a role for NorA in bacterial virulence. Notably, the in vivo synergism of these EPIs with CPX was observed in a mouse infection model. Conclusions: This study provides substantial evidence for the potential of employing EPIs in a combination with CPX to counteract AMR, both in vitro and in vivo
HHT‐Based Probabilistic Model of Prestressed Bridges Inferred From Traffic Loads
No full textPrestressed bridges’ performance is strongly dependent on the health state of their prestressing cables, but unfortunately, thesestructural components are hidden and cannot be assessed through visual inspections. Moreover, conventional low-energymethods, like operational modal analysis, are inadequate due to their inability to detect the nonlinear efects of the prestressingforce on the response under heavy travelling loads. In this paper, a methodology exploiting the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT)is investigated in which the bridge’s nonlinear constitutive force–displacement relationship can be reconstructed by analysing thetrafc-induced dynamic response, which has the features of a short-time nonstationary and potentially nonlinear signal. HHT,thanks to its adaptability to complex behaviours, is suitable for treating such type of signals and makes it possible to trace theresponse properties at each time instance, thus allowing to correlate instantaneous values of deformation with the simultaneousinstantaneous (tangent) stifness in a one-to-one relationship. Starting from a previous introductory study, and with the aim ofmaking the proposed approach suitable for real structural health monitoring applications, a comprehensive investigation isperformed considering a bridge with dynamical properties in the range of interest and realistic trafc scenarios adequatelydescribing the time series of travelling loads and relevant internal actions. In particular, three main issues are considered: (i)development of a refned probabilistic response model (to be inferred from data collected under service loads) capable toovercome troubles induced by the nonhomogeneous distributions of data, generally consisting of frequent passages of lightvehicles and rare passages of heavy vehicles; (ii) convergence analysis aimed at providing a relationship between the duration ofthe training period and the accuracy expected to infer the probabilistic model; and (iii) proposal and validation of a novelprocedure to derive constitutive model of the bridge exploiting only deformation data recorded during vehicle passages andprovide a tool for relating prestressing losses to variations in the dynamic response. Te outcomes prove the potential of theproposed strategy paving the way for real-world experimental application
Half-Sandwich Ruthenium and Osmium Complexes with Hydrazinocurcuminoid-like Ligands
Get PDFRuthenium and osmium half-sandwich complexes with hydrazinocurcuminoid ligands, 4,4 '-((1E,1 ' E)-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3,5-diyl)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl))bis(2-methoxyphenol) (HZPcurc) and 4,4 '-((1E,1 ' E)-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3,5-diyl)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl))diphenol (HZPbdcurc), have been synthesized and characterized using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Two of the complexes were also characterized in the solid state using X-ray diffraction analysis, confirming the pseudo-octahedral "three-legged piano-stool" geometry. Density functional theory (DFT) studies are performed on the ligands to evaluate their coordinating capabilities and on the resulting ruthenium and osmium complexes. The complexes are highly soluble in water and stable under physiological conditions. Their cytotoxicity against MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma and A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells, both normal and cisplatin-resistant, was investigated, and good activity and selectivity with respect to nontumorigenic cells (HEK293T) were observed
Optimization of Seed Oil Extraction from Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav. Using Response Surface Methodology
No full textTwo solvents, n-hexane and ethyl acetate, were employed to extract oil from Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav. seeds using the Soxhlet extraction technique. The process was optimized using Central Composite Design (CCD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). ANOVA and a second-order polynomial equation were applied to evaluate the effects of key operational factors, including extraction time (20–60 min) and solvent-to-solid ratio (0.2–0.6 g/mL), on oil yield. The physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, and functional groups of the extracted oil were analyzed. While both solvents influenced oil yield and quality, the fatty acid composition remained consistent, with unsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, identified as the main components. Under optimized conditions, the highest oil yields were 22% with n-hexane and 19.91% with ethyl acetate. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of ester groups, suggesting potential applications in biodiesel production. These findings offer valuable insights for producing oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids for food, cosmetic and renewable energy industries. These findings pave the way for further advancements in industrial applications by promoting the sustainable use of plant-derived oils