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Study and development of innovative seafood products through the application of emerging process technologies
No full textThe seafood industry is crucial to the global food sector, known for its significant nutritional and economic contributions. It is characterized by a diverse array of species and processing methods. Nonetheless, the industry encounters multiple challenges such as sustainability issues from overfishing and environmental degradation, maintaining quality and safety during processing and distribution, and adjusting to shifts in consumer preferences and market dynamics. These issues underscore the need for innovative processing technologies to sustain and expand the seafood sector. Traditional processing methods often fail to ensure optimal quality, safety, and sustainability, highlighting the necessity for improved techniques that enhance product shelf-life, preserve nutritional value, and guarantee safety while minimizing environmental impacts.
The core aim of this thesis is to explore and optimize novel technologies in seafood processing to boost product quality and safety. This research focuses on the efficacy of Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) and Cold Plasma treatments in improving the processing and shelf-life of various seafood products, including salted cod, smoked salmon, and sea bream fillets.
The findings from this PhD research indicate significant potential advancements in seafood processing through the application of innovative technologies. The results demonstrate that Pulsed Electric Fields and Cold Plasma treatments can significantly enhance the quality, safety, and shelf-life of seafood products. These technologies provide sustainable answers to contemporary industry challenges and align with consumer demands for superior, safer seafood. The research outcomes encourage further studies and practical implementations in the seafood industry, underscoring the critical role of technological innovation in food processing
PDEs for neural networks with internal states
No full textIn the context of mathematical neuroscience, the Integrate and Fire model undoubtedly enjoys great fame and a vast literature. Yet, its peculiar mathematical structure makes the study of this equation challenging and always open-ended. The classical model consists of an equation that describes the dynamics of a network of neurons based on the membrane potential of the cells. A network can be interconnected with excitatory or inhibitory linkages or disconnected, in which case the equation will be linear. We are interested in the asymptotic behaviour of such networks in the linear case, where mathematical tools such as the relative entropy, the integral method and Harris theory have been useful in proving the convergence towards the steady state. In the first extension of the classical Integrate and Fire model we propose, we replace the punctual boundary condition with a non-local term, introducing a randomness parameter. For this new system, we prove long-time convergence via Harris theory and relative entropy with Poincaré inequality independent of the random parameter. Furthermore, we study the asymptotic convergence of the solutions of this model to those of the classical one. In the second extension, we deal with the incorporation of a variable for the adaptation current. First, we study the dynamics of this last variable alone, analysing the regularity of the stationary solution in dependence on the parameters and the asymptotic behaviour by means of the different methods of relative entropy with compactness argument and integral method. We then investigate the dynamics of the two-dimensional model through numerical simulations and we make comparison with a similar Fokker-Planck equation with partial diffusion and non-linearity. A number of numerical simulations accompany the study of each analysed model, allowing its theoretical results to be supported or anticipated.Dans le contexte des neurosciences mathématiques, le modèle Intègre et Tire jouit sans aucun doute d'une grande renommée et d'une vaste littérature. Cependant, sa structure mathématique particulière rend l'étude de cette équation difficile et toujours ouvert. Le modèle classique consiste en une équation qui décrit la dynamique d'un réseau neuronal en fonction du potentiel de membrane des cellules. Un réseau peut être interconnecté par des liens excitateurs ou inhibiteurs, ou déconnecté, auquel cas l'équation sera linéaire. Nous nous intéressons au comportement asymptotique de ces réseaux dans le cas linéaire, où des outils mathématiques tels que l'entropie relative, la méthode integrale et la théorie de Harris ont été utiles pour démontrer la convergence vers l'état stationnaire. Dans la première extension du modèle classique d'Intègre et Tire que nous proposons, nous remplaçons la condition au bord ponctuelle par un terme non local, en introduisant un paramètre aléatoire. Pour ce nouveau système, nous prouvons la convergence en temps long au moyen de la théorie de Harris et de l'entropie relative avec une inégalité de Poincaré indépendante du paramètre aléatoire. De plus, nous étudions la convergence asymptotique des solutions de ce modèle vers celles du modèle classique. Dans la deuxième extension, nous traitons de l'ajout d'une variable pour le courant d'adaptation. Nous étudions d'abord la dynamique de cette variable seule, en analysant la régularité de la solution stationnaire en fonction des paramètres et le comportement asymptotique à l'aide des différentes méthodes de l'entropie relative avec argument de compacité et de la méthode intégrale. Nous étudions ensuite la dynamique du modèle bidimensionnel au moyen de simulations numériques et nous proposons des comparaisons avec une équation de Fokker-Planck similaire avec diffusion partielle et non-linéarité. Un certain nombre de simulations numériques accompagnent l'étude de chaque modèle analysé, ce qui permet d'étayer ou d'anticiper les résultats théoriques.Nel contesto delle neuroscienze matematiche, il modello di Integrate and Fire gode indubbiamente di grande fama e di una vasta letteratura. Eppure, la sua peculiare struttura matematica rende lo studio di questa equazione stimolante e sempre aperto. Il modello classico consiste in un'equazione che descrive la dinamica di una rete di neuroni in funzione del potenziale di membrana delle cellule. Una rete può essere interconnessa con legami eccitatori o inibitori o disconnessa, nel qual caso l'equazione sarà lineare. Noi siamo interessati al comportamento asintotico di tali reti nel caso lineare, dove strumenti matematici come l'entropia relativa, il metodo integrale e la teoria di Harris si sono rivelati utili per dimostrare la convergenza verso lo stato stazionario. Nella prima estensione del modello classico di Integrate and Fire che proponiamo, sostituiamo la condizione al bordo puntuale con un termine non locale, inserendo un parametro di casualità. Per questo nuovo sistema, dimostriamo la convergenza allo stato stazionario tramite la teoria di Harris e dell'entropia relativa con disuguaglianza di Poincaré indipendente dal parametro casuale. Inoltre, studiamo la convergenza asintotica delle soluzioni di questo modello a quelle del classico. Nella seconda estensione ci occupiamo di incorporare una variabile per la corrente di adattazione. In primo luogo, studiamo la dinamica di quest'ultima variabile sola, analizzando la regolarità della soluzione stazionaria in dipendenza dai parametri e studiando il comportamento asintotico tramite i differenti metodi dell'entropia relativa con argomento di compattezza e metodo integrale. Indaghiamo poi la dinamica del modello bidimensionale tramite delle simulazioni numeriche e lo confrontiamo con un'equazione di Fokker-Planck similare con diffusione parziale e nonlinearità. Alcune simulazioni numeriche accompagnano lo studio di ogni modello analizzato, permettendo così di supportarne o anticiparne i risultati teorici
Catalytic reduction of levulinic acid derivatives to bio-fuel components
No full textLevulinic Acid and its esters are polyfunctional molecules obtained by biomass conversion. The most investigated strategy for the valorization of LA is its hydrogenation towards fuel additives, solvents and other added-value bio-based chemicals and, in this context, heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts are widely used. Most commonly, it is typically performed with molecular hydrogen (H2) in batch systems, with high H2 pressures and noble metal catalysts. Several works reported the batch liquid-phase hydrogenation of LA and its esters by heterogenous catalysts which contained support with Brønsted acidity in order to obtain valeric acid and its esters. Furthermore, bimetallic and monometallic systems composed by both a metal for hydrogen activation and a promoter were demonstrated to be suitable catalysts for reduction of carboxylic group. However, there were no studies in the literature reporting the hydrogenation of alkyl levulinates to 1-pentanol (1-PAO). Therefore, bimetallic and monometallic catalysts were tested for one-pot hydrogenation of methyl levulinate to 1-PAO. Re-based catalysts were investigated, this way proving the crucial role of the support for promoting the ring-opening of GVL and its consecutive reduction to valeric compounds. All the reactions were performed in neat without the need of any additional solvents. In these conditions, bimetallic Re-Ru-O/HZSM-5 afforded methyl valerate and valeric acid (VA) with a productivity of 512 mmol gmetal-1 h-1, one of the highest reported in literature to date. Rhenium can also promote the reduction of valeric acid/esters to PV through the formation of 1-pentanol and its efficient esterification/transesterification with the starting material. However, it was proved that Re-based catalysts may undergo leaching of active phase in presence of carboxylic acids, especially by working in neat with VA. Furthermore, the over-reduction of rhenium affects catalytic performance, suggesting not only that a pre-reduction step is unnecessary but also that it could be detrimental for catalyst’s activity
3D Printing and bioprinting of osteomimetic materials for 3D in vitro models and tissue repair applications
No full textBone disorders have severe impact on body functions and quality life, and no satisfying therapies exist yet. The current models for bone disease study are scarcely predictive and the options existing for therapy fail for complex systems. To mimic and/or restore bone, 3D printing/bioprinting allows the creation of 3D structures with different materials compositions, properties, and designs.
In this study, 3D printing/bioprinting has been explored for (i) 3D in vitro tumor models and (ii) regenerative medicine. Tumor models have been developed by investigating different bioinks (i.e., alginate, modified gelatin) enriched by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles to increase printing fidelity and increase biomimicry level, thus mimicking the organic and inorganic phase of bone. High Saos-2 cell viability was obtained, and the promotion of spheroids clusters as occurring in vivo was observed.
To develop new syntethic bone grafts, two approaches have been explored.
In the first, novel magnesium-phosphate scaffolds have been investigated by extrusion-based 3D printing for spinal fusion. 3D printing process and parameters have been optimized to obtain custom-shaped structures, with competent mechanical properties. The 3D printed structures have been combined to alginate porous structures created by a novel ice-templating technique, to be loaded by antibiotic drug to address infection prevention. Promising results in terms of planktonic growth inhibition was obtained.
In the second strategy, marine waste precursors have been considered for the conversion in biogenic HA by using a mild-wet conversion method with different parameters. The HA/carbonate ratio conversion efficacy was analysed for each precursor (by FTIR and SEM), and the best conditions were combined to alginate to develop a composite structure. The composite paste was successfully employed in custom-modified 3D printer for the obtainment of 3D printed stable scaffolds.
In conclusion, the osteomimetic materials developed in this study for bone models and synthetic grafts are promising in bone field
Synthesis and characterization of prussian blue analogue materials for post-Li ion batteries
No full textEnergy issues have always been a subject of concern to people. During the past 30 years, rechargeable Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used in portable electronic devices and power tools because of their high energy density and efficiency among practical secondary batteries. While the unevenly distribution of Lithium sources and the increasing cost of lithium-raw material can not satisfy the requirement for further cost reduction, especially for the grid-scale energy storage.
Post-lithium ion batteries as promising replacement for LIBs have attracted wide attention, owing to their high abundant resources and adequate insertion potential. Similar with Li-ion batteries, finding a suitable electrode material is the key for the research and application of the post-Li ion batteries. In our project, we focus our study on Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), with formula AxM[M’(CN)6]1-y□y•zH2O (0≤x≤2, 0<y<1), where A is alkali-metal ion, M and M’ are transition metal ions, □ represents the M’(CN)6 vacancy, which are archetype of metal-organic framework, with 3D frameworks which allow for a facile insertion/ extraction of ions with negligible lattice strain. By substituting the metal sites with different transition metals, we can get a series of compounds that can be used as both cathode and anode material for both Li-ion and post-Li batteries. The most commonly studied PBAs are metal haxacyanoferrate, with the carbon-sites of -CN- ligands fix connected with Fe. Here, we synthesized three different PBAs: manganese hexacynoferrate (MnHCF), zinc hexacynoferrate (ZnHCF) and titanium hexacynoferrate (TiHCF), using co-precipitation method, and their electrochemical properties were tested in both aqueous Na+, K+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and organic Li+, Na+ electrolytes. Various X-ray techniques were employed to study their electronic and structural properties of electrodes and electrochemical reaction mechanism during cycling
Traditional risk factors and lifetime risk of acute coronary events
No full textObjective: To investigate the association between the four traditional coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors (hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes) and outcomes of first ACS.
Methods: Data were drawn from the ISACS Archives. The study participants consisted of 70953 patients with first ACS, but without prior CHD. Primary outcomes were patient’ age at hospital presentation and 30-day all-cause mortality. The risk ratios for mortality among subgroups were calculated using a balancing strategy by inverse probability weighting. Trends were evaluated by Pearson's correlation coefficient (r).
Results: For fatal ACS (n=6097), exposure to at least one traditional CHD-risk factor ranged from 77.6% in women to 74.5% in men. The presence of all four CHD-risk factors significantly decreased the age at time of ACS event and death by nearly half a decade compared with the absence of any traditional risk factors in both women (from 67.1±12.0 to 61.9±10.3 years; r=-0.089, P<0.001) and men (from 62.8±12.2 to 58.9±9.9 years; r=-0.096, P<0.001). By contrast, there was an inverse association between the number of traditional CHD-risk factors and 30-day mortality. The mortality rates in women ranged from 7.7% with four traditional CHD-risk factors to 16.3% with no traditional risk factors (r=0.073, P<0.001). The corresponding rates in men were 4.8% and 11.5% (r=0.078, P<0.001), respectively. The risk ratios among individuals with at least one CHD-risk factors vs. those with no traditional risk factors were 0.72 (95%CI:0.65-0.79) in women and 0.64 (95%CI:0.59-0.70) in men. This association was consistent among patient subgroups managed with guideline-recommended therapeutic options.
Conclusions: The vast majority of patients who die for ACS have traditional CHD-risk factor exposure. Patients with CHD-risk factors die much earlier in life, but they have a lower relative risk of 30-day mortality than those with no traditional CHD-risk factors, even in the context of equitable evidence‐based treatments after hospital admission
Access to climate justice: the main procedural hurdles, and possible solutions, within the italian legal framework and the IBA Model Statute
No full textThe thesis deals with standing and justiciability in climate litigation against governments and the private sector.
The first part addresses the impacts of climate change on human rights, the major developments in international climate law, and the historical reasons for climate litigation.
The second part analyses several cases, divided into categories. It then draws to a comparative conclusion with regard to each category.
The third part deals with the Italian legal tradition on standing and justiciability – starting from the historical roots of such rules.
The fourth part introduces the ‘Model Statute’ drafted by the International Bar Association, arguing that the 'ratio legis' of this proposal could be implemented in Italy or the EU.
The thesis develops arguments, based on the existing legal framework, to help plaintiffs establish standing and justiciability in proceedings pending before Italian courts. It further proposes the idea that 'citizen suits' are consistent with the Italian and EU legal tradition and that the EU could rely on citizen suits to privately enforce its climate law and policies under the ‘European Green Deal.
The codification of environmental damage. The challenge of private law between individual and collective interests
No full textLa tesi ha ad oggetto la tutela dell’ambiente e il ruolo svolto dal diritto privato. In particolare, si affrontano gli aspetti che caratterizzano il danno all’ambiente e, ancor più nel dettaglio, si fa emergere la dimensione plurioffensiva. Si risolvono alcuni nodi e alcune problematiche che si manifestano in relazione alla legittimazione ad agire per danno all’ambiente e, di conseguenza, si focalizza l’attenzione sull’individuazione delle situazioni giuridiche soggettive ad esso correlate: termini come diritto soggettivo, interessi collettivi, interessi diffusi, legittimazione soggettiva e legittimazione oggettiva costituiscono il leitmotiv dell’indagine.
Al fine di poter inquadrare sistematicamente il tema ambientale nella sfera del diritto privato, si analizzano i fondamenti del costituzionalismo e del diritto privato moderno, le ragioni dell’esistenza della dicotomia pubblico-privato e della separazione di interessi ad essa corrispondente. Quest’indagine, contenuta nel primo capitolo della tesi, è necessaria per cogliere le motivazioni della tendenziale estromissione (soprattutto nell’ambito delle categorie civilistiche) degli interessi superindividuali, degli interessi collettivi e dei corpi intermedi che ne sono portatori.
Nel secondo capitolo si ripercorre, nell’intervallo temporale che va dagli anni ’70 sino alla fine degli anni ’90, l’evoluzione normativa e le principali teorie relative al danno all’ambiente. L’analisi di questi stessi temi, nel periodo intercorrente tra l’inizio del nuovo Millennio e i giorni nostri, è oggetto di indagine anche del terzo ed ultimo capitolo, in cui l’attenzione si sposta inevitabilmente sulla legislazione europea e sulla tutela multilivello dei diritti.
Nelle conclusioni del lavoro, infine, ci si interroga sulla funzione giudiziaria e sulla separazione dei poteri nella gestione del problema ambientale, nonché sulla valenza attuale dei diritti soggettivi e dei diritti fondamentali dell’uomo nel costituzionalismo democratico. In questa sede, si illustra e si propone una dimensione istituzionale del diritto soggettivo, declinato in termini di partecipazione democratica.This thesis deals with environmental protection and the role played by private law. In particular, the thesis studies the aspects that characterize environmental damage and, even more in detail, the multi-offensive dimension.The research addresses some of the issues that arise in relation to the legal standing for environmental damage and, after that, the focus is on identifying the subjective legal situations related to it. Some terms such as subjective right, collective interests, diffuse interests, subjective standing and objective standing form the leitmotif of the survey.
In order to be able to systematically frame the environmental issue in the sphere of private law, the study analyzes the foundations of constitutionalism and modern private law, the reasons for the existence of the public-private dichotomy and the corresponding separation of interests. This investigation, contained in the first chapter of the thesis, is necessary to grasp the reasons for the expulsion (especially within the civil law categories) of super-individual interests, collective interests and intermediate bodies .
The second chapter traces, in the time interval from the 1970s until the late 1990s, the normative evolution and the main theories related to environmental damage. The analysis of these same issues, in the period between the beginning of the new Millennium and the present day, is also investigated in the third and final chapter, in which the focus inevitably shifts to European legislation and multilevel protection of rights.
Finally, in the conclusion of the paper, the thesis analyzes the judicial function and separation of powers in dealing with the environmental problem, as well as on the current significance of subjective rights and fundamental human rights in democratic constitutionalism. Here, the thesis illustrates and proposes an institutional dimension of the subjective right, declined in terms of democratic participation
Audience attitudes towards simil sync: a pilot study
No full textThis thesis is based on a pilot investigation which explores the attitudes of a sample of Italian viewers towards the simil sync technique which in Italy is used for the dub of non-fictional television contents. The thesis seeks to analyse and define the characteristics of this dubbing modality which is often considered by scholars and professionals in the dubbing industry a hybrid modality of standard synchronised dubbing and voice-over. In order to investigate viewers’ attitudes, I organised 4 focus groups sessions which, due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, were carried out online. The online recruitment of participants, which was a difficult task, resulted in a small sample of eighteen participants (and two interviewees). The four online focus groups revealed that participants were aware of the simil sync technique. They recognised that the clips were dubbed in a different modality from standard synchronised dubbing. The characteristic that was mostly mentioned for detecting simil sync was the original soundtrack that was audible below the dub, followed by the identification of the genre of the programme in the clip and the absence of lip sync. Moreover, while simil sync with a barely audible original soundtrack received neutral or positive attitudes, simil sync with a more audible original soundtrack, instead, was tolerated or considered annoying. Simil sync passed unnoticed in the in-depth interviews in which the discussion about dubbing was not focused on the distinction between two dubbing modalities, for instance simil sync versus standard synchronised dubbing, but rather on the distinction between programmes that originated in Italian and those that were translated into Italian from another language and then dubbed
Intestinal microbiome in chronic intestinal failure and associations with intestinal failure associated liver disease
No full textBackground and Aims: Intestinal dysbiosis has been described in children with chronic intestinal failure (CIF) and in adults with short bowel syndrome (SBS), mostly with jejunocolic anastomosis (SBS-2) and jejuno-ileal anastomosis (SBS-3), linked to generic data with the pathogenesis of Intestinal Failure Associated Liver Disease (IFALD). Little is known about gut microbiome of adults with end-jejunostomy (SBS-1) and in CIF other than SBS and any specific associations with the onset of IFALD. We aimed to describe the fecal microbiome of adult patients with different mechanisms of CIF and any possible associations with the development of IFALD.
Material and methods: Fecal samples from 61 patients with benign CIF. Phylogenetic characterization of the microbiome by amplification of the hypervariable regions V3 and V4 of the bacterial gene encoding 16S rRNA, and subsequent grouping of sequences in amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Patient samples comparison to microbiome sequences from 61 healthy subjects, matched for sex and age, selected from the healthy subjects library of the Laboratory of the Microbial Ecology of Health Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, of the University of Bologna. IFALD was assessed by the diagnostic criteria of IFALD-cholestasis, IFALD-steatosis, IFALD-fibrosis.
Results: Decreased bacterial α-diversity in CIF patients (increase of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria and decrease in Bacteroidetes). Identification of microbial family-level signatures specific for CIF mechanisms (increase in Actinomycetaceae and Streptococcaceae in SBS-1, Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae in SBS-2, Bacteroidaceae and Porphyromonadaceae in dysmotility). Abundance of Lactobacillus and Lactobacillaceae strongly associated with IFALD-cholestasis and IFALD–fibrosis for SBS-1; Peptostreptococcus, Prevotellaceae (Prevotella) and Pasteurellaceae (Haemophilus) significantly increased in IFALD-fibrosis for other CIF mechanisms.
Conclusions: CIF patients had a marked intestinal dysbiosis with microbial family-level signatures specific to the pathophysiological mechanism. Specific characteristics of microbiome may contribute to the pathogenesis of IFALD. Intestinal microbiome could become a therapeutic target in patients with CIF