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The ancient library of the bolognese convent of S. Paolo in Monte (l’Osservanza): catalogue of manuscripts
No full textIl lavoro è dedicato allo studio della collezione manoscritta di epoca medievale appartenuta al convento Osservante bolognese di S. Paolo in Monte, fondato agli inizi del Quattrocento. Il primo capitolo ripercorre la storia dell’ente, dalla fondazione all’epoca moderna, presentando numerose fonti storico-documentarie riemerse sia dall’archivio del convento stesso (attualmente conservato presso l’Archivio di Stato di Bologna), sia dalla tradizione storiografica francescana a partire dal XVI secolo. Il secondo capitolo pone l’attenzione sulla libraria del convento, la cui esistenza risulta già attestata intorno alla metà del XV secolo, cercando di ricostruire le vicende genetiche ed evolutive della collezione attraverso l’indagine di documenti d’archivio, fonti catalografiche e sopravvivenze manoscritte. Vengono presentate, in particolare, due liste librarie relative a questa biblioteca: la prima, già nota alla bibliografia più recente, fu redatta agli inizi del XVI secolo da un umanista italiano di nome Fabio Vigili (92 item) ed edita nel 1943 da padre M. J. Laurent nell’ambito di una più ampia serie di cataloghi di biblioteche emiliano-romagnole (M. H. LAURENT, Fabio Vigili et les bibliothèques de Bologne au debut du XVIe siècle d’après le Ms. Barb. Lat. 3185, Studi e testi, 105) Città del Vaticano, 1943); la seconda, esemplata nel 1600 nell’ambito dell’inchiesta della S. Congregazione dell’Indice, e mai attenzionata è stata, invece, recentemente riscoperta da chi scrive all’interno del ms. Città del Vaticano, BAV, Vat. lat. 11271 (ff. 81r-98v). Di entrambe le liste librarie si offre la trascrizione integrale, mettendone in luce le concordanze. Attualmente sono stati individuati 65 manoscritti appartenuti al convento di S. Paolo in Monte, dislocati in diverse sedi di conservazione dei quali si è approntato un catalogo descrittivo che costituisce la parte più consistente del lavoro. Chiudono il lavoro un’ampia serie di tavole, e la bibliografia di riferimento.This study investigates the medieval manuscript collection of the Franciscan Observant convent of San Paolo in Monte (also known as l’Osservanza), founded in Bologna in the early 15th century. The first chapter traces the history of the convent from its foundation to the modern era, drawing upon a wide range of historical and documentary sources—many of which have recently come to light in the convent’s own archive (now housed at the Archivio di Stato di Bologna) and within the broader Franciscan historiographical tradition from the 16th century onwards. The second chapter focuses on the convent’s library, already attested by the mid-15th century. Through archival documents, catalog records, and surviving manuscripts, the study reconstructs the origins and development of the collection. Two key book lists are examined: the first, compiled in the early 16th century by the Italian humanist Fabio Vigili (92 items), was published by M. J. Laurent in 1943; the second, previously unknown, was rediscovered by the author in Vatican Library, Vat. lat. 11271 (ff. 81r–98v), and dates to 1600. The study includes full transcriptions of both inventories, with commentary and concordance analysis. It further traces the fate of the library through the Napoleonic (1810) and post-Unification (1866) suppressions, which led to the collection’s dispersal. To date, 65 manuscripts from San Paolo in Monte have been identified in modern repositories—including the Biblioteca Universitaria and Archiginnasio in Bologna, the Houghton Library at Harvard, and the Sacro Convento in Assisi. The core of the work is a descriptive catalogue of these manuscripts, enriched with historical and codicological insights. The volume concludes with a comprehensive set of tables and a full scholarly bibliography
The human microbiota in cancer: unraveling microbial roles in hematological malignancies and colorectal cancer
No full textThe human microbiota plays a crucial role in modulating both health and disease, influencing immune responses, metabolism, and overall homeostasis. In recent years, its involvement in onco-hematological diseases has gained increasing attention. This thesis explores the dynamic interplay between the gut microbiome (GM) and the progression of cancer, with a specific focus on colorectal cancer (CRC) and hematological malignancies. Four studies are presented:
The first study investigates the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/mTOR signaling pathways in APC-driven colorectal carcinogenesis, highlighting the potential role of specific microbiota compositions in modulating these pathways. The second study assesses how the GM affects the outcome of lymphoma patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors, identifying microbial signatures that could predict treatment response. The third study examines the impact of GM diversity on hematological recovery in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) following induction therapy. Finally, the fourth study provides a comprehensive shotgun metagenomic analysis of the GM in pediatric recipients of allo HSCT, identifying microbial signatures associated with clinical outcomes and post-transplant recovery.
Together, these studies underscore the importance of the microbiome in cancer progression and treatment outcomes, paving the way for microbiome-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in personalized medicine. The findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the GM’s role as a critical modulator of carcinogenesis and therapeutic response, particularly in onco-hematological contexts
Mechanisms of resistance to last generation EGFR inhibitors: hijacking compensatory pathways
No full textEGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is successfully treated with small molecules TK inhibitors. However, tumor relapse occurs and the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance are related to the insurgence of new mutations or activation of new bypass pathways. The complete abrogation of EGFR axis, achieved through the combination of osimertinib and cetuximab, leads to the activation of the parallel pathways HER2 and HER3 along with the upregulation of the HER3 ligand, NRG1. In line, NRG1 when overexpressed increases proliferation and invasion of cancer cells conferring resistance to EGFR/HER2-targeted therapy. Our hypothesis is that targeting NRG1 will effectively impair ErbB signaling through both HER2, HER3 and HER4 parallel pathways activation. To assess this we employed lung adenocarcinoma cell lines carrying exon 19 deletion in EGFR and an ex vivo model derived from an EGFR-mutated patient but resistant for osimertinib therapy. ScRNAseq revealed the plasticity of lung cancer tumor cells confirming the abundance of the NRG1 driven bypass pathways activation in response to the treatment. Through the use of osimertinib resistant cells (AZDR) we demonstrated the fundamental role of NRG1/HER3 axis in developing resistance and metastasis. Thus, we employed an antibody neutralizing NRG1 in combination with osimertinib and cetuximab to assess the benefit of blocking NRG1 on EGFR neutralization effectiveness. NRG1 neutralization strongly inhibited cell invasion and proliferation in cells and tumor growth in mice, resulting in the dampening of HER3 and RTKs upregulation and activation after TKIs treatment. Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that NRG1 may represent an escaping mechanism to EGFR inhibition and its neutralization will effectively impair ErbB signaling through both HER2, HER3 and HER4 parallel pathways activation
Numerical modelling of the tribological and gas-dynamic interaction between piston rings and liner in internal combustion engines
No full textThis research investigates the complex behavior of the piston‐ring‐liner system in internal combustion engines, emphasizing lubrication regimes, frictional losses, blow‐by effects, and overall mechanical performance under varying conditions. Both hydrodynamic and mixed lubrication states are analyzed, along with solid–solid contact phenomena under high loads, which pose significant thermal and mechanical challenges at elevated speeds and power demands.
A primary focus is the lubrication mechanism within the piston–ring–liner interaction. We employ a mixed lubrication model that integrates fluid film lubrication with asperity contacts, using the Greenwood–Tripp model and the Patir–Cheng flow factor formulation. This method elucidates the interplay between the oil film and surface roughness under differing temperature and pressure conditions that affect lubricant viscosity. The full Reynolds equation is solved, accounting for cavitation and non-linear fluid.
Frictional heating—which reduces lubricant viscosity and impacts both hydrodynamic friction and asperity contact—is also examined. Thermal effects are incorporated by solving the energy equation to capture local temperature distributions across the lubricated contacts.
For engine sealing, the blow-by phenomenon is studied using a 1D CFD model to assess pressures around the piston rings and predict gas leakage from the combustion chamber to the crankcase. This analysis is vital for understanding how the rings conform to the cylinder liner under operational stresses, with phenomena like ring flutter potentially causing increased blow-by at high speeds.
The study evaluates a high-performance engine at speeds ranging from 3000 rpm to 10,000 rpm, including a scenario with a non-linear fluid at 10,000 rpm, to capture both low- and high-speed behaviors and the influence of non-Newtonian fluid properties. This integrated approach, combining mixed lubrication with advanced numerical models, provides valuable insights for enhancing engine efficiency and understanding the dynamic thermal interactions within the piston–ring–liner system
The translation and reception of Luigi Pirandello's works in China
No full textNegli ultimi anni, le pratiche della traduzione hanno subito un cambiamento e le traduzioni “da lingua straniera a cinese" e "da cinese a lingua straniera" sono sempre più caratterizzate da una tendenza interattiva. Lo studio della traduzione letteraria è diventato un'importante area di ricerca nel campo degli studi sulla traduzione. È in questo contesto che, quando guardiamo indietro all’introduzione e alla traduzione della letteratura straniera in Cina negli ultimi quarant’anni, riconosciamo in Luigi Pirandello un caso rappresentativo. Pirandello, un grande scrittore italiano del XIX - XX secolo, ha vinto il Premio Nobel per la Letteratura nel 1934. È anche uno dei pochi scrittori italiani contemporanei a raggiungere fama internazionale, non solo grazie al Premio Nobel ma anche grazie alle numerose compagnie di teatro che recitano le sue commedie in tutto il mondo. Le sue opere sembrano incarnare le parole di Leopardi nel Zibaldone: «Il vero poeta è anche filosofo e il vero filosofo è anche poeta». Sia le sue opere che la ricerca su di esse hanno ricevuto un notevole interesse globale. Pertanto, la loro traduzione, la ricezione e l'interpretazione in Cina meritano uno studio approfondito. Questa tesi intende superare il tradizionale approccio alla ricerca, focalizzato esclusivamente sulle modalità di traduzione delle opere di Pirandello in Cina. Si concentra su due punti chiave: la traduzione e la ricezione di Pirandello in Cina saranno analizzate in un contesto complesso che include storia, cultura, ambiente politico e ideologia. Inoltre, verrà esaminata la produzione di traduzione e il ciclo di vita dei testi letterari. Attraverso teorie come la medio - translatology e l'estetica della ricezione, lo studio esplorerà il processo di scoperta, traduzione, ricezione e interpretazione delle sue opere in Cina. In questo modo, offre non solo un contributo teorico, ma anche un percorso di ricerca innovativo.In recent years, translation practices in China have witnessed important changes, and ‘from a foreign language to Chinese’ and ‘from Chinese to a foreign language’ are definitely on the rise. The study of literary translation has always been important research area in translation studies. In this context, when looking back at the introduction and translation of foreign literature in China almost a hundred years ago, we recognize Luigi Pirandello as a representative case. Pirandello, a great Italian writer from the 19th - 20th centuries, won the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is also one of the few contemporary Italian writers to gain international fame, not just because of the Nobel Prize but due to the numerous theater companies staging his plays worldwide. His works seem to embody Leopardi's words in Zibaldone: «Il vero poeta è anche filosofo e il vero filosofo è anche poeta». Both his works and research on them have received significant global attention. Thus, their translation, reception, and interpretation in China merit in - depth study. This thesis attempts to break the traditional research framework centered on the translation methods of Pirandello's works in China. It focuses on two main aspects: first, Pirandello's translation and reception in China will be considered within a complex system integrating factors like history, culture, political environment, and ideology. Second, the translation production and the life - course of literary texts will be analyzed. Based on these, this study aims to explore the open and interconnected world of the discovery, translation, reception, dissemination, and interpretation of Pirandello's works in China, using theories such as medio - translatology, communication theory, and reception aesthetics to examine this process. In this sense, this study is not only a theoretical exploration but also a pioneering research journey
Experimental and numerical study of tuned liquid dampers for vibration reduction in building structures
No full textA thorough study on Tuned Liquid Dampers (TLDs) for mitigating horizontal vibrations in building structures is presented in this PhD dissertation.
TLDs are dissipative devices that rely on the relative movement of a fluid inside a container with respect to a structure. A lack of comprehensive studies of the possibilities, configurations, materials and limitations for their practical application has been detected and addressed, and potential economic methods for enhancing their efficiency have been studied.
A comparative experimental campaign for the two main geometrical variations of TLDs applied to a scaled-down frame has been developed, considering the effect of diverse viscosities and excitation amplitudes. The advantages and limitations of each combination have been expounded.
A numerical analysis has been carried out for the corroboration of the precision of the existing formulation compared with a numerically optimised response. A lack of accuracy has been detected in some key regards, such as frequency, effective mass or damping ratio, and a more accurate definition has been obtained.
A set of guidelines is presented, consisting of a design-chart with the steps to identify the necessary structural parameters and variables of the two main TLD geometries, based on requirements and baseline conditions. It includes highlights and recommendations throughout the flow. Cards that identify key aspects of TLDs and classify them into categories of practical interest have been created to provide with the fundamental features of the variations presented in this work. These procedures have been applied to a case study through the numerical definition and analysis of a residential building, which illustrates the design process and analysis of TLDs and proves its efficiency in the suppression of horizontal multidirectional accelerations in an already existing structure.
Finally, key remarks, contributions and future lines of research for the application of TLDs in building structures are presented
Green approaches for the development of highly bioavailable oral drug delivery systems
No full textPoor oral bioavailability of APIs is a significant cause of drug failure in clinical development. Consequently, designing and developing effective oral formulations remains one of the primary challenges for the pharmaceutical industry. During my Ph.D. research, I explored new strategies involving the application of liquid eutectic mixtures, specifically NaDES and TheDES, to enhance the oral bioavailability of drugs with poor solubility and/or low gastrointestinal permeability.
In Case Study I, various NaDES formulations were investigated to understand the mechanisms responsible for enhancing the solubility of poorly water-soluble APIs. NMR studies revealed the formation of an API-NaDES supramolecular assembly, characterized by a balanced network of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Hard gelatin capsules filled with NaDES maintained their structural integrity for six months. Then, the behavior of NaDES composed of choline chloride and malic acid, loaded with BCS Class II drugs with varying physicochemical properties, was evaluated upon dilution with gastrointestinal fluids (Case Study II). The results demonstrated that NaDES not only enhanced the solubility of these drugs but also formed supersaturated solutions, which potentially could drive in vitro drug absorption. In vitro permeability studies supported the findings from the in vitro dilution tests. As a further step (Case Study III), benznidazole, a BCS class IV drug used for the treatment of Chagas disease in pediatric patients, was selected and loaded in different eutectogel formulations. After their oral administration to rats, drug bioavailability increases by 2.6-fold. The correlation between the in vitro release profile and the in vivo results is noteworthy. Finally, various TheDES formulations were screened in Case Study IV. The most promising formulation, based on proline and ketoprofen, was found unsuitable for oral delivery but showed interesting results for cutaneous administration.
Overall, eutectic mixtures represent sustainable and versatile drug delivery platforms to improve the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble/permeable drugs
Toward 6G sidelink communication
No full textIn many countries, next-generation connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) will rely on short-range C-V2X sidelink communication. NR-V2X, based on the 5G NR air interface, introduces several enhancements over LTE-V2X to support advanced vehicular use cases. In the 5G NR-V2X autonomous mode (Mode 2), vehicles independently select radio resources for transmissions using a distributed sensing mechanism. Despite improvements in Releases 16 and 17, such as feedback mechanisms, resource coordination, and resource re-evaluation, collisions persist due to decentralized sensing, a dynamic channel environment, and half-duplex constraints. Incorrect resource selections can lead to persistent collisions, especially in periodic traffic scheduled via semi-persistent scheduling (SPS). The introduction of aperiodic traffic, essential for advanced use cases, further increases instability and collision risk. This thesis explores resource allocation improvements at the MAC and PHY layers to meet stringent vehicular network demands. Specifically, it investigates full-duplex (FD) and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) in NR-V2X Mode 2. FD transceivers enable vehicles to detect resource collisions in real-time, facilitating adaptive resource allocation, while NOMA, through successive interference cancellation (SIC), allows decoding of overlapping transmissions, reducing packet loss and improving spectral efficiency. The study evaluates these technologies across periodic and aperiodic broadcast traffic using semi-persistent (SB-SPS) and dynamic scheduling (SB-DS), along with blind retransmissions. Extensive simulations show that FD improves short-range reliability, while SIC-based NOMA enhances mid-range performance. Notable gains are observed even with practical, non-ideal SIC implementations, demonstrating that receiver-based interference management can outperform complex allocation protocols. These findings highlight the potential of FD and NOMA integration to enhance V2X scalability and robustness, paving the way for future 6G vehicular communication systems capable of supporting increasingly complex autonomous driving requirements
‘From Handlung to Leistung. On the processuality of thought in Edmund Husserl's phenomenology'
No full textIl presente lavoro sviluppa uno studio sulla processualità del pensiero produttivo nella fenomenologia di Edmund Husserl a partire dalla riformulazione delle nozioni di apriori analitico e sintetico. Il primo è compreso in relazione alla filosofia husserliana della matematica e come riproposizione di una forma di eidetica platonica quale scienza del movimento delle forme. Il secondo è invece declinato in uno studio sistematico e storico-concettuale ancora intentato del concetto fenomenologico e pre-fenomenologico di Leistung.This thesis develops a study of the processuality of productive thought in Edmund Husserl's phenomenology, starting from the reformulation of the notions of analytical and synthetic apriori. The former is understood in relation to Husserlian philosophy of mathematics and as a restatement of a Platonic eidetics as the science of the movement of forms. The second is instead declined in a ssystematic and conceptual-historical study of the phenomenological and pre-phenomenological concept of Leistung
Liquid biopsy in ovarian cancer: from clinical optimization to development of innovative eco-friendly technologies
No full textHigh Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) management represents a significant clinical challenge. Liquid biopsy, in terms of searching for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in peripheral blood, has emerged as a promising, minimally invasive, and more sustainable strategy for detecting and monitoring neoplastic diseases. However, standardization and optimization are needed to enhance its clinical utility in ovarian cancer (OC). The aim of this study was to lay the groundwork for an efficient liquid biopsy for HGSOC through (i) clinical optimization of OC CTC and ctDNA detection and (ii) the development of sustainable technologies for liquid biopsy workflows. For the first task, CTC detection was assessed using marker agnostic enrichment and downstream WT1-GPX8-AGR2 gene expression analysis, demonstrating high specificity and high sensitivity of the assay. However, clinical validation on liquid biopsies from HGSOC patients (N=15) resulted in low disease detection rate (13%). In parallel, ctDNA analysis via deep Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of TP53 coding region in plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) provided a 0.45% variant allele frequency (VAF) threshold for cancer-specific variant calling, achieving 53% disease detection rate. Importantly, for the first time in the context of OC, applying TP53 deep sequencing to both CTC fractions and plasma cfDNA in an additional cohort (N=6) raised disease detection to 83%, confirming the complementarity of the two approaches and addressing false positives from clonal hematopoiesis. To enhance sustainability a label-free CTC identification system using single cell tomography flow cytometry was evaluated, achieving 97.4% accuracy in distinguishing OC cells from monocyte models. Additionally, in collaboration with Cyanagen s.r.l., an efficient eco-friendly prototype kit for cfDNA extraction was developed, reducing plastic use by 50% without compromising performance. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of a tandem CTC/ctDNA liquid biopsy strategy for HGSOC and introduces sustainable innovations for clinical and research applications