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Urbanismo tattico e strategie per l’abitare: nuovi strumenti per integrare la visione dei cittadini nei processi di trasformazione della città
Full text linkThe aim of the work is to find new tools to integrate citizen participation in urban transformation processes: this would mean working for a shared and truly democratic city project, based on a shared understanding - and not suffered or passive acceptance – of the administrative choices made through the involvement of the citizens in the choice processes, and on an the openness of public administrations to new bottom-up visions based on urban practices.
The work analyzes two themes: Tactical Urbanism (an approach to city project based on short-term, low-cost and small-scale actions, capable, thanks to the tactical aspect, of obtaining not only short-term results but also long-term benefits) and Social Housing strategy (an integrated model that provide not only housing but also services, becouse the key goal is the construction of a cohesive and supportive community, not the real estate project).
The themes have similar macro objectives: to show citizens centrality in urban transformations and to reactivate the legitimate role that they have as actors capable of supervising this type of process. For this reason the work developed a theoretical experimentation that, starting from an existing housing strategy (the “Piano integrato per la rigenerazione urbana del centro storico di Sassari”), want to hypothesize its application and development according to the Tactical Urbanism approach, analyzing possible effects and potential advantages of an integration of tactics and strategy
Ecological surveys for the valorization of spring environments of Sardinia: implications for their fruition and environmental protection.
Full text linkSprings are ecosystems with unique features and great ecological value. In the Mediterranean area they are more exposed to the risks of alteration of their structure and natural functioning because of direct and indirect human pressures and climate change. Despite this, springs remain poorly studied and specific approaches of management and protection are still missing. The main purpose of this PhD was to acquire knowledge on ecology of karst and thermo-mineral springs of Sardinia, traditionally neglected. The research activities focused on diatom microflora from different substrates in 17 springs of the Island. The results indicated a high diatom biodiversity, also highlighted by the presence of Sellaphora gologonica sp. nov. and Chamaepinnularia thermophila, the latter observed only in very few sites in the world so far. The analysis of the relationships between species and environmental variables, confirmed that diatoms can reflect the effects of important factors related to the vulnerability of these ecosystems, such as hydrological stability (flow permanence), discharge, climate change (extreme flash floods) and nutrient enrichment. This thesis offer food for thought on the importance of enhancing and preserving these environments so important from an ecological point of view and of so large interests for human uses. The information collected may represent a starting point for the development of strategies aimed at their proper management
Aspetti radiomici del tumore mammario: studio di associazione tra <i>signature</i> radiomica ed istotipo
Full text linkAim of this study is to assess the role of radiomics in breast cancer, focusing on its ability to predict histological phenotypes.
Methods: It was carried out a retrospective study including all breast cancer patients who referred to the Diagnostic Imaging 2 Institute to perform a breast MRI prior to surgery. Histologic confirmation on surgical specimen was obtained in all patients.
Results: All patients underwent a high-field (1,5 T) breast MRI (T2-weight sequences with fat suppression, T1-weight sequences and T1 after IV contrast administration). MRI enhanced sequences were contoured and first-order radiomics features were extracted through dedicated software, called 3DSlicer. Taking into account the current literature, three features were selected: entropy, 90° percentile and skewness. The association between the selected features and the histological patterns were explored.
Conclusion: A possible integration of quantitative data, provided by a radiomics analysis, with clinical and histological data could enable clinicians to provide an early and accurate diagnosis as well as personalized treatments for breast cancer patients. Current limitations of a routinely application of radiomics seem both the limited knowledge among physicians of this quantitative radiological tool and the lack of standardized systems of feature extraction and data sharing
Deledda antimoderna: prospettive del religioso per una rilettura critica
No full textThis dissertation, entitled “Deledda antimoderna. Prospettive del religioso per una rilettura critica”, starts from the difficulty to achieve a critical judgment on Deledda's literary work. This Sardinian writer has often been related to the most diverse literary trends. Here, we focus on the comprehension of the religious element as a key point for a critical rereading of Deledda's literary work. The metaphysical element constitutes an essential component of her distinctive "fault-expiation" path. The interpretation of this element paves the way to different critical approaches. Among these, one points toward a nihilistic direction, whereas a second, being our starting hypothesis, leads to a more religious understanding. The critical rereading of Deledda's work from a religious standpoint, as presented here, unveils deep and significant relationships with the European existentialist literature, putting Deledda closer to Russian writers in an anti-modern directio
Sviluppo di strategie per nuovi approcci terapeutici nelle malattie neurodegenerative
Full text linkDevelopment of strategies for new therapeutic approaches in neurodegenerative diseases
Nowadays the causes of the onset of neurodegenerative diseases are not completely yet known, but it is confirmed that environmental, metabolic and nutritional factors contribute to their development. Among the involved mechanisms in neurodegeneration, the oxidative stress has been extensively studied in recent decades. In this regard in the present work, various drug delivery systems have been tested, as such or containing drugs, to evaluate their pharmacological effect in different cell models. Molecules of different nature, loaded to transferosomes or chitosan particles, protected PC12 cells from oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide and from parkinsonism induced by the neurotoxin MPTP. A further study on MPTP damage was performed to measure glucose and lactate levels involved in the energy metabolism of cells using enzymatic biosensors. The cells were exposed to insulin, hormone known in literature to promote glucose internalization, which was able to restore aerobic metabolism interrupted by the damage induced by neurotoxin. The promising results obtained in this research allows to hypothesize new therapeutic approaches, based on drug delivery systems and drugs already known in several roles, able to protect as co-therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson
Aggiornamenti sulle infezioni da protozoi negli ovini della Sardegna
Full text linkThe aim of the present study was to deepened knowledge on epidemiology and taxonomy of Cryptosporidiosis, Sarcocystosis and Giardiosis in Sardinian dairy sheep.
Cryptosporidiosis was evaluated with microscopical and biomolecular methods in faecal samples from three different categories of sheep (lambs, pregnant sheep, post-partum sheep). Oocysts were found in 10.1% of examined animals, in 16.4% of lambs, in 7.2% of pregnant sheep and in 6.6% of post-partum sheep. Molecular characterization revealed the presence of two different species, Cryptosporidium parvum and C. ubiquitum. Within C. parvum were found the subtypes IIaA15G2R1 and IIdA20G1 while the subtype XIIa was isolated for C. ubiquitum.
Giardiosis was evaluated in the same sheep population, and Giardia cyst were microscopically detected in 6.6% of monitored farms, only in lambs. Molecular characterization of samples allow to identify the Assemblage AI of Giardia duodenalis.
Sarcosporidiosis was investigated with a cross sectional study on macroscopic and microscopic sarcocysts in Sardinian sheep at abattoirs. Macroscopic Sarcocystis spp. were found in 23.3% of examined muscles. Two different morphotypes were identified: large oval cysts, identified as Sarcocystis gigantea by molecular characterization, and slender fusiform cysts, identified as S. medusiformis. Microscopic cysts were detected in 77.7% of examined heart samples, molecular analysis allow to identify the species S. tenella (95.5%) and S. arieticanis (17.8%)
Partenariato pubblico-privato e patrimonio culturale
Full text linkThe role of private citizens in fostering the development of culture has been encouraged by the most recent legislative reforms with the introduction of tax credits for those who make donations, known under the name of Art bonus, and by streamlining the sponsorship procedure. However, such grant cannot remain confined to a mere financial support; only by allowing the enterprises and local communities to actively participate in the management and enhancement of cultural heritage, will it be possible to bridge organisational and functional deficiencies of the administrative machinery, with the effect of ensuring an adequate response to the needs of the society, as concerns a satisfactory fruition of cultural heritage. Greater accessibility and availability of such assets constitutes, therefore, in the light of the evolutionary interpretation of Art. 9 Italian Constitution, a means of growth and development of each individual's personality. Also supranational sources encourage the participation of the local communities in the design and implementation of the cultural policies, also as regards the intangible heritage. With respect to the latter, emphasis is placed on the fact that Italian legislation is incomplete, which inevitably affects the effective use of the instruments of public-private partnership, whose object is intangible heritage. The implementation laws of international conventions - excessively general - do not at present provide certainties in terms of application
Nanotechnology: development of nanotools to counteract human diseases
Full text linkRecent advances in technology and engineering have led to the application of nanotechnology in medicine with the development of new nanoscale biomedical systems. Despite the still limited results on the non-toxic effect of nanomaterials, the main step before any biological application is represented by their safety assessment. For these reasons, scientists are researching new less toxic nanotools for new diagnostic strategies. In this context, the research work consists of three parts that include several innovative nanotechnology applications to counteract three types of serious human diseases. At first, a critical review has been performed to understand how nanotechnology has helped the fight of breast cancer in the last nine years. It was highlighted that the purpose of scientists is to identify new nanomaterials that can be tolerated by biological environments displaying no toxic effects and their biocompatibility on cells. Moreover, in the first part of this work, a novel material with nano-mineralization is presented as a bone regeneration application to counteract the bone loss dysfunction under microgravity simulation. In the second part, a novel nanomaterial is presented as an anti-malarial application in order to evaluate its anti-protozoal activity. Data collected in vitro open a new path for further studies to investigate the potential of these nanomaterials as a possible new nanotechnological strategy against bone loss dysfunction and malaria diseases
Safety aspects and beneficial features of lactobacilli isolated from Lebanese Baladi goat milk
Full text linkThe microbiological and physicochemical parameters of Lebanese goat milk from the “Baladi” breed were evaluated and twenty-eight lactobacilli were isolated and examined in vitro for their probiotic potential. Initially, Lactobacillus isolates were examined for safety issues and exhibited diverse susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics while none was hemolytic. Subsequently, Isolates showed variable antimicrobial activity towards a range of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Regarding their performance in conditions simulating the human gastrointestinal tract, all isolates remained unaffected at pH 3 and in the presence of bile salts (0.5% (w/v)) for 3 hours. Based on their survival at pH 2.5 for 3 hours, 10 isolates were selected for the adhesion assay. Low adhesion was observed to HT-29 and Caco-2 cells. Co-cultivation of THP-1 cells with specific isolates indicated a tendency for anti-inflammatory modulation shown by an increase in IL10 mRNA levels. Further analysis for probiotic properties indicated partial bile salt hydrolase activity for all isolates (n=28). Isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequence and were affiliated to the Lactobacillus casei group. Overall, by applying in vitro tests, a select number of presumptive Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains showed promising probiotic features from the Lebanese Baladi goat milk. This is the first report about safety and beneficial characterization of Lactobacillus strains isolated from Baladi goat milk from Lebanon
Detection of trace elements in the bivalve Ruditapes decussatus from Sardinian coastal lagoons: effects on food safety and pathological findings in target organs
Full text linkShellfish can bioaccumulate toxic metals due to their ability to concentrate inorganic contaminants. Since biomonitoring by using bivalve molluscs is currently considered one of the most effective approaches for assessing the degree of pollution of brackish
environments, the aims of this PhD thesis were: a) to detect the content of trace elements in the Grooved carpet shell Ruditapes decussatus collected in Sardinian coastal lagoons (Italy) and their effects on food safety; b) to evaluate the pathological findings in its target
organs. The concentration of 16 trace elements (Al, Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, Tl and Zn) was quantified. The legal limits set by European Regulations for Cd, Hg and Pb were never exceeded. Unexpectedly high values for Al and Fe were found. A total of six histopathological alterations were analysed in the digestive gland, gills and kidney following a weighted condition indices approach. Gills show the highest prevalence of lesions than digestive gland, followed by kidney. The clam R. decussatus confirmed the capacity of bivalves as suitable bioindicators of trace elements pollution.
The determination of trace elements combined with histopathological analysis, should be a powerful tool in environmental monitoring plans. It is useful for understanding directly the health status of the marine organisms and indirectly the impact which different
anthropogenic activities have on shellfish harvested in coastal environments