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Towards sustainable management of plastic waste: Selection of microbial degraders and enzymes for potential application in recycling and valorization
No full textPlastic (multilayer) packaging, which are poorly recyclable, represents most of the plastic waste that are incinerated or landfilled. Only a small fraction of plastic waste undergoes mechanical or chemical recycling, with very few studies based on enzymatic approaches.
This study aimed to identify microorganisms from the Sahara Desert and their enzymes able to hydrolyze tie-layers (PBSA, PCL, PPC and PLA) and polyurethanes (PU) used as bonding component in multilayer packaging to improve their recyclability. Additionally, the study focuses on the selection of marine bacteria able to degrade polyethylene (PE) and prove bacteria-mediated mineralization using a 13C marked PE.
Starting from 35 Sahara Desert isolates, three Bacillus sp. strains (L4, L81, and D.150) showed significant biodegradation, with weight losses up to 77.56±5.47% and 85.54±17.9% for PBSA and PES2b-PU, respectively. The isolate L81 exhibited the highest extracellular esterase activity (1.25±0.12 U/mL) under aerobic incubation with PBSA in rich liquid media after 48 hours incubation. L81 concentrated esterases degraded PBSA, PCL, and PUs films, with PBSA showing the highest weight loss (51.25±16.08%) and degradation rate (1.02±0.12 mg/day/cm²) within 18 hours. High 1,4-butanediol release (81.64±4.67%) was achieved after 7 days incubation with L81 indicating efficient PBSA monomerization.
Moreover, marine bacteria isolated from sea water and microplastics were tested for degrading untreated plasticizers-free linear low-density PE. Bacillus sp. and Vreelandella sp. showed notable weight losses (up to 2.597±0.971%) and biofilm formation, with chemical changes confirmed by ATR-FTIR (especially for Bacillus sp.) and surface erosion by SEM. Under 13C-PE biomineralization assays, Bacillus sp. MT9 exhibit a 13C-mass loss of the added 13C-PE up to 0.184% for UV-treated 13C-PE after 60 days of incubation in liquid media added with a co-carbon source. This proves for the first time the Bacillus sp. PE mineralization abilities under lab conditions and demonstrate that plastic photodegradation supports biotic PE attack
Slavery, normativity, and muslim-christian relations in early modern Genoa (1600-1800)
No full textHistorians of slavery in early modern Italy have primarily taken connected history as their paradigm, studying slavery as a form of forced mobility and labour in a Mediterranean and global context. Uncovering a large number of case studies, they have shown how economic and geopolitical factors such as corsairing and the ransom economy turned the Mediterranean into an interconnected field, whose inhabitants frequently crossed cultural, political, and confessional boundaries.
In this thesis, I take a different approach, studying slavery and cross-confessional relations from the perspective of normative regimes. I argue that slaves and slaveholders in the Mediterranean did not act spontaneously, but according to a relatively stabilized, local normative regime which they referred to as “the law”. Taking Genoa as my scale of analysis, I uncover a number of institutions—understood as the constructed forms of social life—which actors reproduced in their specific contexts. Although these institutions often went unspoken, I contend that they governed practices as diverse as concubinage, slaves’ ability to hold and trade goods, and the relationship between manumitted slaves and their former masters. Analysing a wide variety of sources such as deeds, petitions, and court records, I argue that documents were not only the result of these institutions, but the very tools through which they were constructed. It is my contention that these tools were not only used by slaveholders and legal practitioners, but by the enslaved themselves
Catastrophic realism. Aesthetics, ethics and politics of photography in the Anthropocene
No full textNegli ultimi due decenni, il discorso scientifico, politico e pubblico sulle trasformazioni planetarie indotte dall’attività umana (con particolare riferimento alle loro manifestazioni distruttive come il collasso ambientale e la crisi climatica) si è strutturato crescentemente sulla disponibilità di tracce evidenti dell’impatto dannoso dell’umanità sulla Terra, allo scopo di rendere inequivocabile e irrimandabile un’assunzione di responsabilità condivisa e l’implementazione di comportamenti più sostenibili. Sullo sfondo di una simile interrelazione degli aspetti epistemici, etici e politici della crisi attuale – raccolti sotto il termine ombrello di “Antropocene” nella sua doppia articolazione di “fatto scientifico” e “concetto critico” –, l’arte contemporanea ha assunto un’importanza sempre maggiore nel tentativo di sviluppare forme di visualizzazione, sensibilizzazione e risensibilizzazione dell’eco-catastrofe incombente. Il presente testo, dunque, si pone l’obiettivo di studiare la produzione estetica di alcuni fotografici attivi in contesto europeo e nordamericano (Edward Burtynsky, Justin Guariglia, Louis Helbig, Mishka Henner e David Thomas Smith) per dare evidenza a un comune approccio visivo incentrato su un utilizzo consapevole di dispositivi rappresentativi quali la prospettiva aerea, l’astrazione del paesaggio e il potere testimoniale dell’indice fotografico. Nell’ultima parte della tesi, questo paradigma operativo è sottoposto a revisione critica alla luce di alcune riflessioni teoriche (tra cui gli studi di Andrew Dewdney, Jonathan Beller e, a un livello più storicizzato, Allan Sekula) che hanno tentato una messa in discussione della presunta essenzialità ontologicamente e tecnologicamente motivata dello statuto indicale della traccia fotografica, aprendo così a una ricontestualizzazione sia delle pratiche fotografiche presentate sia della più ampia nozione di “Antropocene” attraverso il prisma discorsivo delle narrazioni apocalittiche.Over the last two decades, the scientific, political, and public discourses on human-induced planetary transformations (with particular reference to their destructive manifestations such as environmental collapse and the climate crisis) have increasingly been structured around the availability of legible evidence of human detrimental impact on the Earth, so as to enable a shared assumption of responsibility and the implementation of more sustainable attitudes. Against the backdrop of such epistemic, ethical, and political interpretation of the current crisisgathered under the umbrella term of ‘Anthropocene’ in its double articulation of ‘scientific fact’ and ‘critical concept,’ contemporary art has gained growing importance in the attempt to develop forms of visualisation, awareness, and re-sensitisation around the impending eco-catastrophe. The aim of this text, therefore, is to study the aesthetic production of some photographers active in the European and North American contexts (namely, Edward Burtynsky, Justin Guariglia, Louis Helbig, Mishka Henner and David Thomas Smith) to highlight a common visual approach centred on a deliberate use of representational devices such as aerial perspective, landscape abstraction, and the testimonial power of the photographic index. In the last part of the thesis, this operational paradigm undergoes a critical review in the light of some theoretical reflections (including the studies of Andrew Dewdney, Jonathan Beller and, at a more historicised level, Allan Sekula) that have attempted a questioning of the presumed ontologically and technologically motivated essentiality of the indexical status of the photographic trace, thus opening up a recontextualisation of both the photographic practices presented and the broader notion of the ‘Anthropocene’ through the discursive lens of apocalyptic narratives
Achieving governance for sustainable food system: exploring urban food governance network through a mix-method approach
No full textThe current food system faces challenges that require innovative solutions. Cities worldwide have a crucial role in addressing these challenges and need to redesign their local food system and its management. Implementing collaborative forms of governance through multi-actor and sectoral partnerships can help build sustainable systems. In this context, food movements and alternative food networks claim a new role in governance, guiding and influencing food policy implementation and governance mechanisms. The literature on governance leading to more inclusive and horizontal governance structures is still at an early stage. In addition, the role of the food movement, using power to scale up governance, needs attention. Among the various approaches used to study the governance, the network approach emerges as a comprehensive method that reveals how interactions among actors shape the social system. Therefore, this research aims to contribute to the understanding of governance transition by studying urban governance networks. This doctoral thesis achieved the following objectives: 1) to contribute to the study of power dynamics between food movements and governmental actors in the food policy process; and 2) to contribute to the analysis of what relational patterns strengthen or hinder governance transitions. The study is divided into three parts: a review of the literature on alternative food networks, a qualitative analysis of food movement mobilization and power negotiation in the food governance space of Rome and Barcelona, and an examination of collaboration between government and nongovernmental organizations in Rome using the technique of social network analysis. The findings reveal that cities are moving beyond traditional governance, promoting horizontal collaborations, a more balanced power that increases opportunities to scale food movement governance. The research provides a set of findings and approaches to help scholars and policymakers improve their understanding of multifaceted governance dynamics and develop effective strategies to achieve sustainable food governance
Development of textile wearable chemical sensors
No full textIn this elaborate, a textile-based Organic Electrochemical Transistor (OECT) was first developed for the determination of uric acid in wound exudate based on the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), which was then coupled to an electrochemically gated textile transistor consisting of a composite of iridium oxide particles and PEDOT:PSS for pH monitoring in wound exudate. In that way a sensor for multiparameter monitoring of wound health status was assembled, including the ability to differentiate between a wet-dry status of the smart bandage by implementing impedance measurements exploiting the OECT architecture. Afterwards, for both wound management as well as generic health status tracking applications, a glass-based calcium sensor was developed employing polymeric ion-selective membranes on a novel architecture inspired by the Wrighton OECT configuration, which was later converted to a Proof-of-Concept textile prototype for wearable applications. Lastly, in collaboration with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia) under the supervision of Prof. Sahika Inal, different types of ion-selective thiophene-based monomers were used to develop ion-selective conductive polymers to detect sodium ion by different methods, involving standard potentiometry and OECT-based approaches.
The textile OECTs for uric acid detection performances were optimized by investigating the geometry effect on the instrumental response and the properties of the different textile materials involved in their production, with a special focus on the final application that implies the operativity in flow conditions to simulate the wound environment. The same testing route was followed for the multiparameter sensor and the calcium sensor prototype, with a particular care towards the ion-selective membrane composition and electrode conditioning protocol optimization. The sodium-selective polymer electrosynthesis was optimized in non-aqueous environments and was characterized by means of potentiostatic and potentiodynamic techniques coupled with Quartz Crystal Microbalance and spectrophotometric measurements
Risultati clinici e caratterizzazione del tessuto adiposo autologo raccolto con metodo di iniezione di tessuto adiposo superficiale fluidificato e potenziato per il trattamento di amputazioni minori eseguite per ulcera del piede diabetico (Studio Seffidifa)
No full textObjectives: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are severe complications of diabetes that often lead to major amputations. Despite care advancements, approximately 50% of minor amputations do not heal, resulting in major amputations and increased mortality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) obtained through superficial enhanced fluid fat injection (SEFFI) in improving healing rates after minor amputations in DFUs.
Methods: The SEFFIDiFA trial (SEFFI for Diabetic Foot Amputation) was a prospective, single-arm, observational cohort study. The inclusion criteria were diabetes mellitus, age > 18 years, irreversible digital/forefoot ulcer/gangrene, and adequate perfusion. Patients who had undergone previous oncological treatments and/or neoplastic lesions and/or had received corticosteroid therapy were excluded. The patients were monitored for over 200 days using monthly assessments. The primary endpoint was the healing rate of the amputation stumps. Secondary endpoints included safety, feasibility, adverse events, and analysis of variables associated with healing including the characterization of the injected mesenchymal and adipose stem cell populations, and its influence on healing.
Results: Of the 256 screened patients, 40 were enrolled. At six months, 55% of the treated stumps had healed completely. The median healing time was 69 days. Technical success was achieved in all cases without device-related complications. Multivariable Cox models identified hemodialysis, opioid use, and the injected number of CD45-positive cells as risk factors for healing failure. Conversely, CD73 expression was positively associated with healing.
Conclusion: The SEFFIDiFA trial demonstrated a promising 69% healing probability at six months post-amputation. This minimally invasive approach showed a higher healing rate with fewer complications. This study supports the potential of ASCs in enhancing wound healing in DFUs and highlights the importance of CD73 expression for successful outcomes. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and optimize the technique.Obiettivi: Le ulcere del piede diabetico (DFU) sono gravi complicazioni che spesso portano ad amputazioni maggiori. Nonostante i progressi tecnologici, circa il 50% delle amputazioni minori non guarisce, con conseguenti amputazioni maggiori e aumento della mortalità. Questo studio ha valutato l'efficacia delle cellule staminali derivate dal tessuto adiposo (ASC) ottenute tramite iniezione superficiale di tessuto adiposo fluidificato (SEFFI) nel migliorare i tassi di guarigione dopo amputazioni minori di DFU.
Metodi: SEFFIDiFA (SEFFI per amputazione del piede diabetico) è uno studio di coorte osservazionale prospettico a braccio singolo. Includente pazienti con diabete mellito, età >18 anni, ulcera/gangrena digitale/avampiede irreversibile e perfusione adeguata. Sono stati esclusi i pazienti che avevano subito precedenti trattamenti oncologici e/o avevano ricevuto terapia corticosteroidea. I pazienti sono stati monitorati per oltre 200 giorni con valutazioni mensili. L'endpoint primario era il tasso di guarigione dei monconi di amputazione. Gli endpoint secondari includevano sicurezza, fattibilità, eventi avversi e analisi delle variabili associate alla guarigione, tra cui la caratterizzazione delle popolazioni di cellule staminali mesenchimali.
Risultati: Dei 256 pazienti sottoposti a screening, 40 sono stati arruolati. A sei mesi, il 55% dei monconi trattati era guarito completamente con un tempo mediano di 69 giorni. Il successo tecnico è stato ottenuto in tutti i casi senza complicazioni correlate al dispositivo. I modelli di Cox hanno identificato l'emodialisi, l'uso di oppioidi e il numero iniettato di cellule CD45-positive come fattori di rischio per il fallimento. Al contrario, l'espressione di CD73 è stata associata positivamente alla guarigione.
Conclusione: Lo studio SEFFIDiFA ha dimostrato una promettente probabilità di guarigione del 69% a sei mesi dall'amputazione. Questo approccio minimamente invasivo ha mostrato un tasso di guarigione elevato con meno complicazioni. Questo studio supporta il potenziale delle ASC nel migliorare la guarigione delle ferite nelle DFU e sottolinea l'importanza dell'espressione di CD73 per risultati positivi
Exploiting natural and synthetic torpor for therapeutic hypothermia in humans - A study on central neural control of arousal and pathophysiological and genetic aspects
No full textTorpor is a hypometabolic state characterised by reduced metabolic rate and body temperature, that enables some species to survive harsh environmental conditions. The occurrence, in some species, of a sequence of several long torpor bouts is called hibernation. Torpor expression involves extreme physiological adaptations, such as tolerance to hypoxia and metabolic depression. In particular, the heart of hibernators is a model of resilience to such extreme conditions, maintaining functionality despite prolonged periods of hypothermia and bradycardia. Humans cannot hibernate, but synthetic torpor – a state resembling natural torpor, artificially induced in non-hibernators like rats - offers translational potential for medical applications (ischaemia protection) or space travel. The capacity of a non-hibernator to survive a synthetic torpor procedure suggests shared genetic mechanisms between natural and synthetic torpor, allowing to speculate that hypometabolism may be accessible across species, with even some reports of human survival in extreme hypothermia.
This thesis aimed to: (1) assess cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury in synthetic torpor (rats); (2) identify cardiac gene expression overlaps between animals in hibernation (bears, squirrels) and animals in synthetic torpor (rats); and (3) map neuronal networks driving arousal from torpor (mice).
For aim 1, isolated Langendorff hearts from synthetic torpor and euthermic rats underwent a ischemia-reperfusion protocol. Torpid hearts exhibited smaller infarct sizes, indicating cardioprotection. For aim 2, RNAseq analysis revealed nine cardiac genes differentially expressed in both synthetic torpor and natural hibernation compared to euthermia, suggesting shared adaptive pathways. For aim 3, cFos mapping and retrograde tracing from Raphe Pallidus in mice showed that arousal involves coordinated activity in medial preoptic and dorsomedial hypothalamic regions, with sustained brain activity during torpor implying active regulatory control.
These findings advance the understanding of torpor's regulatory mechanisms, providing a translational foundation for precision medicine approaches aimed at harnessing torpor-induced adaptations to improve human clinical outcomes
Green porous pavements for the mitigation of environmental criticalities in urban areas
No full textThe rapid growth of urbanisation has intensified the demand for resilient road infrastructure while exacerbating environmental challenges such as the Urban Heat Island effect and urban flooding. Conventional impervious road surfaces contribute to these issues by preventing water infiltration, generating runoff, and consuming vast natural resources. In response, there is increasing interest in sustainable road construction, particularly porous asphalt mixtures incorporating high quantities of recycled materials to create green and blue infrastructure.
Porous asphalt is recognised for mitigating surface runoff, reducing flooding, and lowering urban heat effects due to its structure. This thesis investigates the role of porous asphalt concrete as a sustainable pavement solution to address urban challenges, focusing on the incorporation of recycled materials, including Construction and Demolition Waste, Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement, industrial by-products, and biowaste. These materials align with circular economy principles by reducing virgin resource consumption and minimising waste.
To evaluate the feasibility of these materials, extensive laboratory investigations assessed their mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Additionally, a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) quantified the environmental impact. Results showed that recycled materials did not compromise the mechanical properties of porous asphalt. CDW as Recycled Concrete Aggregates (RCAs) enhanced strength and reduced environmental impact. The combination of RAP and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel slags improved mechanical performance in both hot and warm mix asphalt, reducing environmental impacts by 20–40%. A fully recycled cold porous asphalt mix also showed promising results. Furthermore, bivalve shells proved effective as a filler replacement.
This research supports the integration of LCA into urban pavement design and aligns with Italy’s Criteri Ambientali Minimi (CAM) guidelines. The findings contribute to the advancement of sustainable urban infrastructure, recommending further studies on durability and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA)
Pharmacy and paracelsian chemistry in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany: between private interests and public health
No full textQuesta tesi si occupa di indagare la diffusione della medicina chimica paracelsiana nel Granducato di Toscana dal tempo di Cosimo I de’ Medici a quello di Ferdinando II. Attraverso l’analisi della letteratura a stampa e delle fonti manoscritte riconducibili agli interessi granducali, alle attività della fonderia medicea e delle spezierie fiorentine, si è cercato di mostrare per quali ragioni e in che modo è cambiata la pratica medico-farmaceutica nel Cinquecento e nel Seicento fiorentino. In questa indagine è stata rivolta una particolare attenzione al ruolo della medicina e della farmacia nella politica granducale nonché alle iniziative che portarono alla diffusione della medicina chimica non solo nella sfera privata ma anche in quella pubblica. Da questo punto di vista sono state fondamentali le riforme della farmacopea ufficiale fiorentina, l’istituzione del corso di medicina chimica presso l’Orto Botanico dell’Università di Pisa e le iniziative di Don Antonio de’ Medici nella raccolta di segreti medico chimici e nelle traduzioni di opere paracelsiane. All’interno di questo contesto, è stata altrettanto importante la riforma seicentesca della fonderia granducale che ha reso questa officina un vero e proprio luogo di rappresentanza di corte dove venivano realizzati rimedi chimici paracelsiani e speciali cassette medicinali. Attraverso questo studio si è dunque cercato di mettere in evidenza come questo fenomeno storico scientifico sia stato il frutto di una stretta relazione tra interessi politici, iniziative a carattere privato e pubblico, forme di sapere e abilità manuali di alchimisti, speziali, medici e fonditori.This thesis examines the spread of Paracelsian chemical medicine in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany from the time of Cosimo I de’ Medici to that of Ferdinand II. Through the analysis of printed literature and manuscript sources traceable to Grand Ducal interests, the activities of the Medici foundry and the Florentine apothecaries, it has been attempted to show why and how medical-pharmaceutical practice changed in 16th and 17th century Florence. Particular attention was paid to the role of medicine and pharmacy in grand ducal politics and to the initiatives that led to the spread of chemical medicine in both the private and public sphere. Fundamental in this respect were the reforms of the official Florentine pharmacopoeia, the establishment of the course in chemical medicine at the Botanical Garden of the University of Pisa, and Don Antonio de’ Medici’s initiatives in collecting medical-chemical secrets and translating Paracelsian works. In this context, the 17th century reform of the grand ducal foundry was equally significant, transforming the workshop into a true courtly venue where Paracelsian chemical remedies and special medicinal boxes were produced. This study has therefore attempted to show how this historical scientific phenomenon was the result of a close relationship between political interests, private and public initiatives, forms of knowledge and the manual skills of alchemists, apothecaries, doctors and foundry workers
The pollination service for environmental sustainability: citizen science and scientific monitoring
No full textThe work done within the framework of my PhD project was carried out between January 2022 and January 2025 at the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna, under the supervision of Prof. Marta Galloni and Ph.D. Marta Barberis and Gherardo Bogo. A period of six months was spent at the CSIC-IMEDEA advanced research center, under the supervision of the researcher Anna Traveset. The main aim of the thesis was to assess the effectiveness of participatory projects in pollinator conservation, focusing on the integration of Citizen Science and ecological monitoring. This was achieved through field studies, questionnaire-based assessments, and biodiversity data collection. The project highlighted how public engagement can enhance pollinator-friendly practices and biodiversity awareness. The results show that citizen science initiatives, when combined with targeted conservation measures, significantly improve knowledge acquisition and the adoption of pollinator-friendly behaviours. Additionally, the work underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and follow-up to ensure long-term behavioural change and conservation success. This integrated approach provides a scalable model for promoting pollinator conservation across different socio-ecological contexts