10081 research outputs found
Sort by
Development brokers: the world bank, economic expertise, and the reinvention of global economic governance in the 1960s
No full textThis doctoral dissertation offers a revisionist analysis of the political economy of the World Bank in the 1960s, during the so-called Development Decade. By focusing on the construction of economic expertise at the Bank, the thesis shows how the organization solidified its role as a foundational institution of the world economy with a noteworthy influence on the theory and practice of international development. Contrary to prevailing understandings of the World Bank as an agent of economic orthodoxy and later as an engine of the neoliberal agenda, my research demonstrates that the organization was much more open to considering alternative and heterodox proposals, usually associated with other international agencies such as UNCTAD, CEPAL, and later the New International Economic Order agenda. I analyze a number of these proposals – international buffer stock facilities, commodity price stabilization at artificially augmented levels, advocacy for larger capital requirements of the developing world, and multilateral coordination of financial aid programs – together with their institutional paths and the agency of their proponents like Irving Friedman, Andrew Kamarck and Dragoslav Avramović. Relying on newly declassified and previously untapped archival documents and oral history transcripts, my research revisits the complex trajectory of development institutions, economic ideas and specific policy proposals, and adds to our understanding of paths (not) taken during the first Development Decade.Cette thèse doctorale propose une relecture critique de l’économie politique de la Banque mondiale dans les années 1960, au cours de la première Décennie du développement. En s’attachant à la manière dont l’organisation a construit son expertise économique, elle met en lumière le processus par lequel la Banque a consolidé son rôle en tant qu’acteur central dans l’élaboration de l’économie mondiale, exerçant une influence durable sur les théories et pratiques du développement international. À rebours de l’idée reçue qui présente la Banque mondiale comme le vecteur d’une orthodoxie économique, puis comme un fer de lance du tournant néolibéral, cette recherche montre que l’institution s’est révélée, au contraire, réceptive à des propositions alternatives et hétérodoxes. Celles-ci étaient souvent portées par d’autres agences internationales telles que la CNUCED, la CEPAL, ou encore le programme du Nouvel ordre économique international. La thèse analyse plusieurs de ces propositions – notamment les mécanismes de stockage régulateur, la stabilisation des prix des matières premières à des niveaux artificiellement élevés, l’argument en faveur d’un accroissement substantiel des ressources financières destinées aux pays en développement, ainsi que la coordination multilatérale des aides – en retraçant leurs trajectoires institutionnelles et les actions de leurs principaux défenseurs, parmi lesquels Irving Friedman, Andrew Kamarck et Dragoslav Avramović. En s'appuyant sur l'exploration d’archives récemment déclassifiées et sur de transcriptions inédites d’histoire orale, cette recherche éclaire les dynamiques complexes qui ont façonné les institutions du développement, les idées économiques et les politiques envisagées. Elle contribue ainsi à une meilleure compréhension des voies empruntées – ou abandonnées – lors de cette période charnière qu’a constituée la première Décennie du développement
The legal and feasibility aspects of a new sustainable development model: the tension between market and environment in the case of the circular economy
No full textThis thesis aims to examine how the European Union has progressively integrated the concept of the Circular Economy into its legal framework, focusing on the interplay between environmental objectives and market integration aspirations that the policy entails. Tracing the concept of circularity back to its early theoretical roots, and linking it to sustainable development principles, the thesis examines the implications of introducing circularity objectives across three levels of legislation. In doing so, this thesis also focuses on the tracking of two major legislative processes in the field: the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. The thesis identifies recurring tensions around legal bases, subsidiarity, and stakeholder influence, and particularly, focuses on the constitutional dynamics that the passage to a Circular Economy might entail, discussing the tension between the choice of the market legal basis of Article 114 TFEU and the environmental legal basis of Article 192 TFEU. The thesis also discusses how technical requirements, delegated acts, and stakeholder consultations affect the final legislation, at times potentially changing the scope of the legislation reflecting the input from stakeholders in the field. Finally, this thesis concludes with a perspective on the future discussing what the forthcoming Circular Economy Act might look like. Identifying and addressing the tension between market and environment, the thesis ultimately concludes that the success of new circular practices within the EU will be decided on the balance struck between economic harmonization and robust environmental protection
The power of absence: non-figurative decoration and visual culture in the longue durée of the ancient Mediterranean (4th Century BC–6th Century AD)
No full textIl presente studio indaga la decorazione non figurativa come un aspetto talvolta trascura-to del patrimonio visivo antico, con particolare riferimento ai mosaici pavimentali e parietali di ambito mediterraneo tra il IV secolo a.C. e il VI secolo d.C. L’analisi si concentra su tre specifici motivi ornamentali – onda corrente, meandro e losanga – esaminandone la persistenza, sondandone le funzioni eventuali e vagliandone la possibilità di veicolare significati all’interno di differenti contesti culturali e cronologici. L’approccio adottato, ispirato alla longue durée delle Annales e basato su metodi interdisciplinari, rifiuta letture puramente estetizzanti o positiviste, privilegiando invece un’indagine fenomenologica e semiotica, attenta ai processi cognitivi e vòlta alla comprensione della cultura visuale degli Antichi. I risultati evidenziano come gli stilemi indagati ebbero una qualche funzione cognitiva e possono essere riconosciuti come dispositivi visivi talvolta dotati di specifiche funzioni. In questa prospettiva, la losanga sarebbe da interpretare come segnale di direzione e azione; il meandro come dispositivo visivo in grado di comunicare il senso di unione e transizione fra spazi concettualmente distinti; l’onda corrente quale marcatore di separazione e liminalità. Nella consapevolezza della frammentarietà dei dati e con la volontà di una lettura precisa si giunge all’impossibilità di generalizzare o di concepire valori fissi. Così, la ricerca propone una rilettura della decorazione non figurativa antica come forma di comunicazione visiva codificata, radicata nella memoria e nella percezione collettiva, che contribuì alla costruzione di significati culturali complessi e dinamici.This study investigates non-figurative decoration as an often neglected aspect of the ancient visual heritage, with particular attention to floor and wall mosaics from the Mediterranean world between the 4th century BC and the 6th century AD. The analysis focuses on three specific ornamental motifs – the running wave, the meander, and the lozenge. It examines their persistence, explores their possible functions, and considers their capacity to convey meaning within different cultural and chronological contexts. The approach, inspired by the longue durée of the Annales and grounded in interdisciplinary methods, rejects purely aesthetic or positivist interpretations. Instead, it privileges a phenomenological and semiotic enquiry, attentive to cognitive processes and aimed at understanding the visual culture of the Ancients. The results indicate that the investigated motifs had a cognitive dimension and may be recognised as visual devices sometimes endowed with specific functions. In this perspective, the lozenge can be interpreted as a marker of direction and action; the meander as a visual device capable of expressing union and transition between conceptually distinct spaces; and the running wave as a sign of separation and liminality. Acknowledging the fragmentary nature of the evidence, and seeking interpretative precision, the study avoids generalisation and rejects fixed values. Ultimately, this research proposes a reinterpretation of ancient non-figurative decoration as a form of codified visual communication, rooted in memory and collective perception, and contributing to the construction of complex and dynamic cultural meanings
Development of new analytical methods for the characterization of organic components in art and archeological samples
No full textHeritage science is an interdisciplinary field focused on studying and preserving cultural heritage. It examines diverse materials, focusing on complex and heterogeneous materials—from textiles to ancient remains, to reconstruct the past. Indeed, environmental factors altered ancient materials through chemical, physical, and biological processes. The organic fraction, particularly proteins, crucial in paleoarchaeology, reveal past diets, health, and evolution, while in art, they aid restoration and historical analysis. Ancient protein studies recover, identify, and analyze proteins long after their natural lifespan has ended. Thereby, it requires methods that balance preservation with deeper insight into deterioration. These approaches advance conservation science, ensuring the longevity and integrity of archaeological and heritage materials.
This PhD research focused on developing a fast, non-destructive in-situ approach for prescreening organic materials across various applications, including collagen conservation in archaeological bones, diagenesis studies, and thermal degradation assessment. By integrating Near-Infrared (NIR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, valuable ancient remains were analyzed without direct damage. While pFTIR and microNIR individually provided incomplete data, their combination improved collagen detection. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) further enhanced data interpretation. Additionally, analyzing free amino acids (FAAs) in dental enamel from fossil and modern samples offered new insights into FAA behaviour in a closed system. This method detected FAAs in all samples using only ~1 mg of enamel powder, advancing amino acid preservation studies. From an art diagnostic perspective, integrating non-destructive and micro-destructive techniques effectively identified materials in two artworks: The Byzantine textile Velo di Classe and the contemporary mural Angry Christ. This approach preserved artefact integrity while enhancing material characterization, historical understanding, and conservation strategies
Exploring the influence of redox chemistry as driver in precision winemaking
No full textThe overall objective of PhD thesis was to understand redox reactions involved in wine oxidation and their applications. The four main factors (polyphenols, oxygen, metals, and sulfur dioxide) influencing the initial stages of non-enzymatic oxidation in wine were summarized, highlighting their mechanisms and effects in redox chemistry. The following investigations were carried out based on the understanding of the initial stages of non-enzymatic oxidation of wine. The synergy between the metals (Fe and Cu) on the oxidative reaction was first demonstrated; also, the concentration of ethanol was negatively related to the rate of oxidative browning. Additionally, the mechanism of SO2 reaction in the antioxidant capacity assay (FRAP) was explored, which is related to the presence, type, and concentration of polyphenols; and in the last the antioxidant properties of selected food additive was evaluated, especially in terms of the effect on oxidative color development. The findings of this study contributed valuable insights for managing wine oxidation and identifying potential new antioxidants
Hydrogen transport in semicrystalline polymers: experimental characterization and modelling
No full textSemicrystalline polymers are nowadays substituting steels as liner materials for compressed gas pipelines and storage vessels, due to low gas permeability, low weight, high durability and good mechanical properties. This work is aimed at providing new experimental data on hydrogen permeation, diffusion, and sorption in polyethylenes and polyamides pointing out, where present, the disparity of the results coming from different test methods and different samples of the same material. All the results obtained are elaborated in order to give a comprehensive description of hydrogen permeation in semicrystalline polymers, highlighting the difference among the different polymers tested, as well as the effect of crystallinity, pressure and temperature. Moreover, the results are analyzed pointing out the differences on the transport coefficients measured, related to different experimental setups and different samples of the same material. Considering the variation of gas transport coefficient with crystallinity, this effect is investigated more in detail, through a modeling analysis based on the tortuosity. In this work, the microstructure of semicrystalline polymers is reproduced through ordered and disordered arrays made by impermeable crystallites, with different shape, disposition, aspect ratio and orientation. The preliminary analysis, focused on systems made by dispersed crystallites with low aspect ratio and crystallinity, is then extended to highly crystalline materials. The results obtained are then compared with the outcomes of existing analytical models mainly derived from effective medium approaches, to study their applicability also to these systems and possibly suggesting modifications to improve their description of tortuosity in semicrystalline materials
Sustainability of integrated technologies for energy transition
No full textThe present PhD thesis addresses the critical challenge of climate change and the pressing need for the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Despite the efforts to limit climate change, including key international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to rise, contributing to a global temperature increase of 1.2°C between 1900 and 2024. Renewable energy technologies are crucial components to facilitate the energy transition. However, they pose challenges such as intermittency in power supply, grid stability concerns and the need for energy storage solutions. This work presents a comprehensive sustainability assessment tool designed to optimize the integration of renewable energy production systems and energy storage systems, considering technical, economic, and environmental factors. The developed tool simulates a wide range of configurations to identify optimal solutions for renewable energy systems at different scales, from local to grid-level. The thesis also explores the challenges of transporting renewable energy from remote production sites, addressing the need for efficient energy vectors and transmission infrastructure. The environmental impacts of energy transmission systems (such as HVDC and HVAC) are assessed, proposing an automated methodology for their evaluation. Additionally, the environmental, technical, and economic aspects of transmission systems are integrated into the design and decision-making processes to ensure the most sustainable solutions. By comparing different transmission systems the study identifies breakeven points and optimal configurations based on these sustainability criteria. Case studies, including offshore renewable energy production and transmission, demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodologies. In conclusion, this thesis provides novel tools and methodologies for the sustainability-driven optimization of renewable energy production and transmission. It emphasizes the importance of integrating environmental assessments with technical and economic analyses to guide the energy transition towards a more sustainable future
Advance traction analysis for enhancing tractor performance in sustainable agriculture
No full textFuture main challenges will be focused on enhancing agricultural sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of tillage operations. Indeed, up to one-third of the energy required to perform these agricultural practices consists of direct energy sources, such as diesel fuel. Therefore, optimising tractor performance during real on-field use is crucial for lowering fuel consumption and boosting productivity. This study aims to provide a global overview of traction analysis by performing tests with the most recent tractor and sensor technologies evaluating the impact of tyre technology and test conditions to enhance sustainable farming practices. Firstly, to assess the effects of the testing procedures on the data collected through traction tests two main traction test procedures, transient and steady-state, were analysed. These two procedures were not formerly compared using a full tractor. Results indicate that power delivery efficiency varies while both procedures generate similar maximum drawbar forces. However, the steady-state procedure shows more consistent results but requires more land. Employing the most suitable traction test procedure, an extensive field campaign was conducted using a modern tractor equipped with continuously variable transmission and various tyre technologies. Thus, the impact of tyre technologies, tyre pressure, total tractor mass, tyre dimensions, weight distribution and soil type on traction and efficiency were examined. Findings highlight the significant influence of the first three factors on tractor fuel consumption and efficiency. Subsequently, a further field campaign was conducted to analyse the draft force required by different tillage implements on various soil textures. The goal was to use the traction test results to identify the most convenient total tractor mass during tillage operations maximising efficiency and productivity. The study’s results offer valuable insights for developing specific on-board traction control strategies
A tetraploid wheat core collection (tcc) assessed for resilience traits including root system architecture, response to root microbial interaction, spike and grain traits
No full textThis dissertation focuses on the tetraploid core collection (TCC) of wheat, examining the genetic, environmental, and microbial factors that influence root and shoot traits, thereby informing breeding strategies for enhancing resilience and yield. A genetic diversity analysis of the Global Durum Genomic Resource of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp) accessions utilizing a 90k SNP array identified clearly distinct genetic clusters shaped by geographic origins and breeding programs. Within this collection, Triticum turgidum landraces (TDL) exhibited higher genetic diversity and localized adaptations, especially in root growth angle (RGA), a trait with high heritability impacted by population structure. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and haplotype analyses pinpointed significant QTL associated with RGA on chromosomes 2A, 6A, and 7A, suggesting adaptive haplotypes that could enhance extensive lateral root systems. The second part of the thesis investigated root development in TCC of 45 genotypes. Microbial treatments (unpublished) with Bacillus ssp. s50, Enterobacter ssp, and Pseudomonas syringae GR12-2. Results revealed genotype-specific responses affecting root stability and elongation: Bacillus reduced root length across genotypes with a few noticeable exceptions, whereas Enterobacter and GR12-2 promoted moderate root elongation in more genotypes, potentially linked to stress resilience. Broad-sense heritability estimates confirmed substantial genetic variation in root trait response, with some genotypes, including the durum cultivar KOFA (a Desert Durum) identified as genotypes for breeding robust root systems under varying conditions. The final part of the thesis evaluated key agronomic traits—spike length, fertile spikelet counts per spike, grain area, and thousand-grain weight (TGW)—across two years of field trials. Analysis demonstrated stable expression in traits such as spike length and seed area, both of which are polygenic. Heritability estimates revealed significant genetic contributions to variability in TGW and grain area, highlighting the potential for breeding high-yield genotypes capable of adapting to diverse environmental challenges
Investigation of PRDM12 locus role in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells
No full textPRDM12 is not usually expressed in adult normal tissues; however, a pan-cancer meta-analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) reveals that the PRDM12 gene is upregulated in several cancer types. These data may suggest a putative oncogenic role for PRDM12. We decided to investigate the molecular and biological roles of PRDM12 in colorectal adenocarcinoma, where its expression seems more disrupted. First, we investigated its expression in colon carcinoma cell line (SW620, SW48) and found, with our surprise, that the PRDM12 gene is not transcribed from the canonical TSS due to the presence of a highly methylated CpG island before the promoter. PRDM12 transcriptional repression is so tight that neither inhibitors of DNA methylation (5-Azacytidine) PRC2-mediated histone methylation (EED226) nor histone deacetylation (Panobinostat), can restore its transcription. The only way we could succeed in re-expressing the gene was by forcing its transcription through a dCas9-VPR complex positioned nearby the putative TSS.
Notwithstanding that, thorough analyses of the entire PRDM12 locus have, however, revealed the existence of another TSS located in the 3’UTR PRDM12 region. By modulating expression from this new putative promoter (dCas9-Krab-MeCP2 KD-system), we detected and characterized a new transcript in the “canonical” 3’UTR region. Interestingly, the transcript and the epigenetic marks (acetylation of H3K27) that are associated with the region suggest that the 3’UTR region of PRDM12 carries a new transcribed enhancer. Functional studies demonstrate that the enhancer up-regulates the expression of a nearby gene ABL1, a well-known oncogene.
In conclusion our results show that PRDM12 is not per se involved in cancer development. However, the PRDM12 locus harbors a new transcribed enhancer in its 3’UTR that controls expression of the EXOSC2 and ABL1 genes. We propose that this 3’ UTR PRDM12 DNA element and not the PRDM12 product could be crucial for cancer arising and/or progression