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A Multiclass Graph Neural Network-Based Framework for Predicting Post Engagement in Social Media
No full textIn this article, we present PostGage, a new framework that identifies the most suitable publishers of target content on social media, based on the level of user engagement they are expected to generate. PostGage uses a network-based data model that considers the characteristics of publishers, as well as the degree to which the semantic content and lifespan of the posts to be published overlap with those of the posts already published. Leveraging this data model, PostGage builds a multinomial classifier based on a graph neural network (GNN). The alignment between the graph-based data model and the GNN technology allows a precise classification of publishers based on their potential to generate user engagement for target content. This feature enables a more precise definition of publishing strategies on social media, as it allows the selection of the most promising publishers for a given post. The network-based model, the post ageing mechanism and the adoption of the GNN as a multiclass classifier represent PostGage’s key contributions. We also present a series of tests performed on X that demonstrate the high quality of PostGage’s results (e.g. 92% precision in predicting high-engagement posts), establishing it as an invaluable tool for various applications, including marketing and social media management
Tissue-specific mercury (Hg) content in mantis shrimp (Squilla mantis) from the Central Adriatic Sea (GSA 17): A reproductive stage perspective
No full textMercury (Hg) contamination in marine species is a critical environmental and public health issue, particularly for commercially important resources like mantis shrimp, Squilla mantis. This study assessed Hg levels in muscle and gonadal tissues of 64 female S. mantis from the Adriatic Sea, assessed into pre-spawning, spawning, and postspawning reproductive stages. Hg concentrations in S. mantis varied across reproductive stages, with the highest levels in muscle during spawning and the lowest during post-spawning. An opposite trend was found in gonadal tissue. Muscle consistently contained more Hg than gonads, and significant positive linear correlations between the two tissues were observed across reproductive stages. Hg accumulation in muscle was also related to carapace length and gonad weight in specific stages. Hg concentrations measured in muscle and gonad tissues (0.110 ± 0.006 and 0.035 ± 0.001 mg kg-1 wet weight, respectively) were below the maximum limits established by the European Union for seafood safety (0.5 mg kg-1)
Artificial light at night disrupts fertility in Drosophila melanogaster
No full textArtificial light at night (ALAN) can disrupt numerous biological processes, and is increasingly studied in animal models. Here, we evaluated the impact of red and blue ALAN on Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on fertility, development, circadian rhythms, and gene expression. All results were compared to those of a control group maintained under a 12 h white light/12 h dark cycle. Red ALAN exposure increased the number of eggs laid but reduced the hatching rate and shortened the larval period. Conversely, blue ALAN led to fewer eggs laid, fewer emerging adults, and lower hatching success. Significant alterations in circadian rhythm and the sleep–wake cycle were observed in flies exposed to both red and blue ALAN, including a reduction in mean locomotor activity over 24 h and during the daytime period, increased sleep duration during the day, and reduced sleep duration at night. Effects were more pronounced under blue ALAN, which disrupted circadian rhythm by eliminating morning and evening activity peaks and increasing nocturnal activity. Gene expression analyses revealed that red ALAN upregulated ecdysone-induced protein 74EF (E74) and the ecdysone receptor (EcR) expression in adults, while juvenile hormone binding protein 1 (Jhbp1) was elevated under both light conditions. In larvae, both ALAN spectra increased expression of E74 and Jhbp1. These findings demonstrate that red and blue ALAN can significantly disrupt fertility and development in Drosophila melanogaster. Given the rising prevalence of light pollution and night-shift work, further studies are needed to investigate ALAN-related reproductive impairments in other animals, including vertebrates and humans
Assessing the Environmental Sustainability of Water, Wastewater and Territorial Infrastructures through Life Cycle Assessment and Circularity Approaches
No full textRaggiungere la sostenibilità ambientale delle infrastrutture idriche, di trattamento delle acque reflue e territoriali è una sfida importante per la transizione dell’Europa verso la neutralità climatica e gli obiettivi di economia circolare. Ogni comunità vive all’interno di un territorio che ne sostiene i bisogni, ma che al contempo riceve gli impatti delle sue attività. In questo contesto, la gestione sostenibile dei servizi idrici, dei flussi di rifiuti e delle infrastrutture portuali svolge un ruolo centrale nel ridurre le emissioni, preservare le risorse naturali e supportare gli obiettivi del Green Deal europeo e delle iniziative politiche correlate. Tuttavia, valutare le reali prestazioni ambientali di questi sistemi richiede metodi integrati e comparabili, capaci di collegare le valutazioni a scala di progetto ai quadri regolatori, come la Tassonomia UE, e ai programmi nazionali di investimento, incluso il Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR).
Questa tesi contribuisce a tale obiettivo sviluppando e applicando un quadro complessivo di valutazione della sostenibilità ambientale in molteplici settori: infrastrutture per l’acqua potabile e le acque reflue, valorizzazione di fanghi e rifiuti bio-based, percolato di discarica, porti e sedimenti di dragaggio. La ricerca combina Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Material Flow Analysis (MFA) e verifica del principio Do No Significant Harm (DNSH), adattandone l’applicazione in funzione del tipo e della scala dell’intervento. Pur non adottando tutti i casi studio l’intero set metodologico, l’approccio si basa in modo coerente sul “life-cycle thinking” per individuare trade-off ambientali e potenziali miglioramenti.
I casi analizzati possono essere raggruppati in quattro categorie principali:
(i) infrastrutture idriche e di trattamento delle acque reflue, inclusi la riabilitazione delle reti di distribuzione idrica e la centralizzazione e/o il revamping degli impianti di depurazione;
(ii) valorizzazione di rifiuti bio-based in hub di trattamento centralizzati e bioraffinerie;
(iii) trattamenti innovativi in sito per percolati di discarica contaminati da PFAS; e
(iv) sistemi portuali, inclusi il cold ironing e la gestione circolare dei sedimenti di dragaggio.
Il contributo innovativo di questa ricerca risiede nel collegare le metodologie di valutazione ambientale a contesti reali di investimento, fornendo evidenze utili e basate sui dati per la pianificazione di infrastrutture sostenibili e rafforzando la replicabilità in contesti differenti. Applicando un quadro armonizzato a sistemi eterogenei, la tesi dimostra come gli approcci basati sul ciclo di vita possano supportare la transizione verso infrastrutture a basso impatto, efficienti nell’uso delle risorse e resilienti, allineando la valutazione scientifica con le emergenti politiche europee in materia di sostenibilità.Achieving environmental sustainability in water, wastewater and territorial infrastructures is a key challenge for Europe’s transition toward climate neutrality and circular economy objectives. Every community lives within a territory that sustains its needs but also receives the impacts of its activities. In this context, the sustainable management of water services, waste streams and port infrastructures plays a central role in reducing emissions, preserving natural resources, and supporting the goals of the European Green Deal and related policy initiatives. However, assessing the actual environmental performance of these systems requires integrated and comparable methods capable of linking project-level evaluations to regulatory frameworks such as the EU Taxonomy and national investment programmes, including the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
This thesis contributes to this goal by developing and applying a comprehensive framework for environmental sustainability assessment across multiple sectors: drinking water and wastewater infrastructures, sludge and bio-based waste valorisation, landfill leachate, ports and dredged sediments. The research combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Material Flow Analysis (MFA), and Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) verification, adapting their use according to the type and scale of intervention. While not all case studies adopt the full methodological set, the approach consistently relies on life-cycle thinking to identify environmental trade-offs and improvement potentials.
The cases investigated can be grouped into four main categories:
(i) water and wastewater infrastructures, including water distribution system rehabilitation and the centralisation and revamping of wastewater treatment plants;
(ii) bio-based waste valorisation in centralised treatment hubs and biorefineries;
(iii) innovative onsite treatments for PFAS-contaminated landfill leachate; and
(iv) port systems, including cold ironing and circular management of dredged sediments.
The innovative contribution of this research lies in bridging environmental assessment methodologies with real-world investment contexts, providing evidence-based insights for sustainable infrastructure planning and enhancing replicability across different contexts. By applying a harmonised framework across heterogeneous systems, this thesis demonstrates how life-cycle–based approaches can support the transition toward low-impact, resource-efficient, and resilient infrastructures, while aligning scientific evaluation with emerging EU sustainability policies
Exploring the Role of Food and Food-Related Compounds in Parkinson’s Disease
No full textParkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms that significantly impact patients’ quality of life. Beyond pharmacological treatments, nutrition plays a crucial role in the prevention and management of the disease. Nutritional interventions represent a pivotal strategy for improving clinical outcomes and quality of life in PD patients, addressing issues such as delayed gastric emptying, constipation, weight loss, malnutrition, and chewing or swallowing difficulties. A plant-based diet is particularly suitable for such patients, due to its high fiber content which can enhance gastrointestinal motility, thereby improving levodopa bioavailability, and potentially ameliorateing PD symptoms. For this reason, alongside neurological support, PD patients should receive nutritional counseling. Moreover, food choices can influence the risk of developing the disease: a high consumption of dairy products has been associated with an increased risk of PD; conversely, many plant foods could elicit neuroprotective effects thanks to beneficial phytochemicals such as flavonoids, especially anthocyanins. Furthermore, a moderate coffee consumption could reduce PD risk and progression. The aim of this review is to explore the impact of dietary factors on the risk and progression of PD, evaluate the therapeutic potential of specific foods and dietary patterns in disease management, and highlight the clinical significance of nutritional interventions, specifically focusing on plant-based diets
Community structures and taphonomic controls on benthic foraminiferal community from an Antarctic Fjord (Edisto Inlet, Victoria Land)
No full textBenthic foraminiferal assemblages are key indicators for reconstructing past environmental conditions due to their ecological preference and preservation potential. This study investigates the hard-shelled benthic foraminifera of Edisto Inlet; an Antarctic fjord located on the Northern Victoria Land Coast (Ross Sea). The Inlet is characterized by a well-preserved Holocene laminated sedimentary sequence, providing an invaluable tool to reconstruct local and regional environmental changes. Living and fossil assemblages from the upper 5 cm of sediment were analysed across five sites along an inner-to-outer fjord transect to assess their ecological preferences and preservation patterns. Sites located on the inner fjord are characterized by high accumulation rates, low dry densities, fine grain sizes, and elevated content of organic carbon, indicative of high phytodetrital input and anoxic, reducing conditions probably derived by the burial of fresh organic matter. The surface sediments at these sites host low-diversity low-densities living assemblages but are abundant in dead specimens, suggesting substantial mortality events probably linked to post-sea-ice breakup, high organic matter flux to the bottom, and oxygen depletion associated with low current activity. Total assemblages are characterised by calcareous (Globocassidulina biora, G. subglobosa) and agglutinated (Paratrochammina bartrami, Portatrochammina antarctica) taxa, reflecting sluggish circulation along with a high input of fresh organic matter. A sharp decline in calcareous forms points to intense carbonate dissolution caused by the low redox potential within the sediment that develops during the year. In contrast, transitional and outer sites show more diverse and better-preserved assemblages, including Trifarina angulosa, Nodulina dentaliniformis, Reophax scorpiurus and Globocassidulina spp. among others, consistent with stronger bottom currents and more oxygenated conditions of the outer bay in respect to the inner fjord sites. The site located at the fjord mouth reveals distinct fossil faunas, likely shaped by ecological succession and/or dissolution, highlighting the high environmental variability of this setting. Resistant agglutinated species (Pseudobolivina antarctica, Paratrochammina bipolaris, Miliammina arenacea) dominate these areas, underscoring their potential value for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Comparison with the succession of the palaeocommunity collected in a nearby marine sediment core (TR17-08) suggests recent improvements in bottom conditions and organic matter content, though key taxa have not recovered to Late Holocene (3600-1500 years BP) levels. These findings highlight the sensitivity of benthic foraminiferal communities to sea-ice dynamics, organic matter input, and hydrographic conditions in Antarctic fjord systems
Impact of sampling frequency and signal quantization on myoelectric-based hand gesture recognition
No full textThe rapid advancement of wearable technologies has facilitated the acquisition of myoelectric signals, which are increasingly used as input for machine learning (ML) architectures to recognize human motion. However, the technical specifications of sensors and the experimental setup can significantly affect signal quality, potentially reducing the reliability of motor command recognition. This study investigates how signal quantization (ADC resolution) and sampling frequency influence the performance of myoelectric hand gesture recognition. Surface EMG was recorded with an armband during 20 gestures performed by 10 healthy subjects. Three acquisition settings were tested: 8-bit/500 Hz, 8-bit/1000 Hz, and 12-bit/500 Hz. A time-domain feature set was extracted and used to train three classifiers: linear discriminant analysis (LDA), linear support vector machine (SVM), and quadratic SVM (SVMQ). Results show that higher sampling frequency consistently improved classification accuracy, both with the full armband configuration and with a reduced sensor setup (4 channels). The linear SVM trained with the complete feature set achieved the best performance, with accuracy up to 90% using all sensors and around 80% with the minimal configuration. Even when trained with a single feature, such as mean absolute value or waveform length, the full configuration yielded accuracy above 80% across conditions. In contrast, ADC resolution had only a marginal impact on performance. Overall, the findings indicate that appropriate feature selection and sensor configuration can mitigate the effects of lower sampling rates, offering practical trade-offs between recognition accuracy and computational efficiency in wearable EMG-based systems
La valutazione delle App
No full textLa rapida diffusione delle App e le sue implicazioni coinvolgono numerosi tipi di imprese, che hanno intrapreso progetti di trasformazione digitale e sviluppato applicazioni specifiche per collegare clienti e/o fornitori e facilitare le transazioni. Pertanto, le App, oggi, rappresentano veri e propri asset economici, con la conseguenza che la loro valutazione economica è divenuta particolarmente rilevante per comprendere il loro valore per una pluralità di soggetti (manager, sviluppatori, investitori, etc.)
DEVELOPMENT OF FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS USING BYPRODUCTS FROM AGRO-INDUSTRIAL PROCESS
No full textFrutta e verdura rappresentano un comparto importante nell’industria alimentare. Purtroppo, durante la loro lavorazione si generano ingenti quantità di sottoprodotti, e le aziende devono affrontare considerevoli sforzi gestionali e costi di smaltimento. I sottoprodotti di frutta e verdura sono preziose fonti di nutrienti e composti bioattivi; pertanto, la loro valorizzazione è indispensabile per raggiungere una produzione e un consumo alimentare sostenibili (SDG12). L’obiettivo generale di questo progetto è stato esplorare diverse soluzioni per valorizzare i sottoprodotti agro-industriali che hanno un impatto rilevante sullo spreco alimentare, tra cui Brassicaceae, legumi e pomodori, trasformandoli in ingredienti funzionali per la formulazione alimentare. Questo obiettivo generale è stato raggiunto in due modi: 1) sviluppando prodotti da forno (biscotti, muffin, pane) con diversi livelli di arricchimento a base di sottoprodotti vegetali e valutandone le caratteristiche reologiche, nutrizionali e sensoriali; 2) esplorando la fermentazione lattica come strategia per ottenere potenziali ingredienti funzionali per successive formulazioni alimentari. I sottoprodotti del broccolo sono stati trasformati sia in polvere integrale sia in estratti idroetanolici ricchi di composti bioattivi, tra cui glucosinolati, polifenoli, carotenoidi e tocoferoli, e inseriti nella formulazione di biscotti. La polvere integrale di broccolo (10%) ha dato luogo alla migliore formulazione sia in termini di lavorabilità dell’impasto sia di ritenzione dei composti bioattivi (glucosinolati, fenoli, luteina e β-carotene) nei biscotti finali. Tra le specie di Brassica, sono stati investigati anche i sottoprodotti del cavolfiore in combinazione con quelli del pomodoro per lo sviluppo di muffin salati. La combinazione del 20% di cavolfiore e del 30% di pomodoro ha portato a un prodotto con proprietà nutrizionali migliorate, fonte di vitamina A ed E, apprezzato dai consumatori. I legumi, in particolare piselli e fagioli borlotti, utilizzati rispettivamente al 10% e al 15% in sostituzione della farina di frumento, hanno permesso di ottenere un pane gustoso e di alta qualità, con un profilo nutrizionale migliorato (proteine, composti fenolici). Lo studio esplorativo sulla fermentazione delle matrici sopra menzionate da parte di batteri lattici (LAB) ha fornito nuove prospettive sulla produzione di ingredienti funzionali con potenziali benefici per la salute. La scelta del microrganismo adeguato è cruciale per ottenere il prodotto desiderato poiché, a seconda del ceppo selezionato, il profilo fitochimico può risultare completamente diverso. Ulteriori studi sono necessari per valutare la bioattività di questi ingredienti e per ottimizzare il processo su scala più ampia in vista dello sviluppo di alimenti funzionali. In conclusione, questo progetto di ricerca dimostra come un approccio integrato e multidisciplinare possa supportare efficacemente la ricerca e le aziende alimentari nello sviluppo di applicazioni innovative derivate dai sottoprodotti agro-industriali, migliorando così la sostenibilità delle produzioni alimentari.Fruits and vegetables represent an important business in the food industry. Unfortunately, huge amounts of by-products are generated during their processing and companies must face considerable management efforts and disposal costs. Fruits and vegetables by-products are valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds; thus, their valorization is indispensable to achieve sustainable food processing and consumption (SDG12). The overall objective of this project was to explore different solutions to valorize agro-industrial by-products mostly impacting on food waste, including Brassica species, legumes and tomatoes transforming them into functional ingredients for food formulation. This overall objective was achieved in 2 different ways: 1) developing bakery products (biscuits, muffins, bread) at different enrichment levels of plant by-products and evaluating their rheological, nutritional and sensory characteristics; 2) exploring lactic acid fermentation as strategy to obtain potential functional ingredients for further food formulation. Broccoli by-products were transformed either into whole powder or hydroethanolic extracts rich in bioactive compounds, including glucosinolates, polyphenols, carotenoids and tocopherols, and included into biscuit formulation. The whole broccoli powder (10%) resulted in the best formulation both in terms of dough workability and bioactive compound retention (glucosinolates, phenols, lutein and β-carotene) in the final biscuits. Among Brassica species, also cauliflower by-products were investigated in combination with tomato by-products for the development of salted muffins. The combination of both 20% whole cauliflower and 30% whole tomato by-products resulted in a product with improved nutritional properties, source of vitamin A and E, appreciated by consumers. Legumes, specifically pea and borlotti beans, used in 10% and 15% respectively of substitution with wheat flour led to obtaining high-quality and tasty bread, with improved nutritional profile (proteins, phenolic compounds). The exploratory study on fermentation of the abovementioned matrices by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) provided new perspective on the production of functional ingredients with potential health benefits. The choice of the proper microorganism is crucial to obtaining the desired product, as depending on the strain the phytochemical profile could be totally different. Further studies are necessary to assess the bioactivity of these ingredients and to optimize the process at larger scale for functional food development. In conclusion, this research project demonstrates how an integrated and cross-disciplinary approach can effectively support research and food companies in developing innovative food applications derived from agro-industrial by-products, thus improving the sustainability of food productions
Pro-Oxidant and Antiproliferative Effects of Strawberry Extracts on A549 Lung Cancer Cells
No full textIl cancro ai polmoni è la principale causa di morte correlata al cancro a livello mondiale. Ogni anno si registrano milioni di casi confermati di cancro ai polmoni, tra i quali il carcinoma polmonare non a piccole cellule rappresenta circa l’85%. I tradizionali approcci terapeutici, come la chemioterapia e la radioterapia, impongono ai pazienti oncologici pesanti sfide fisiche e psicologiche. Pertanto, è di grande importanza scoprire farmaci terapeutici sicuri ed efficaci ed elucidarne i meccanismi molecolari. Le fragole (Fragaria × ananassa) hanno attirato molta attenzione grazie al loro ricco contenuto di composti fenolici, che svolgono un ruolo significativo negli effetti antinfiammatori, antiossidanti e antitumorali. I principali contenuti della ricerca sono i seguenti:
Il primo obiettivo di questo studio è valutare le qualità nutrizionali e fitochimiche dell’estratto del frutto della cultivar di fragole Francesca.
Sono stati determinati la capacità antiossidante totale, l’abilità di scavenging dei radicali liberi, il contenuto totale di polifenoli, flavonoidi e antociani delle fragole. I composti polifenolici dell’estratto metanolico delle fragole sono stati identificati mediante UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. I risultati hanno mostrato che i composti polifenolici presenti nelle fragole includono principalmente antociani, flavanoli e acidi fenolici.
Il secondo obiettivo di questo studio è valutare l’effetto antiproliferativo dell’estratto metanolico della cultivar Francesca sulle cellule di carcinoma polmonare non a piccole cellule umane A549 e indagare i potenziali meccanismi molecolari alla base di questo effetto.
Sono stati valutati la vitalità cellulare, la produzione intracellulare di specie reattive dell’ossigeno (ROS), il tasso di apoptosi, i cambiamenti nel ciclo cellulare, la velocità di migrazione e la formazione di colonie delle cellule A549 trattate con estratto metanolico di fragole essiccate (DSME). Inoltre, sono stati analizzati i livelli di espressione di mRNA e proteine per elucidare le principali vie molecolari coinvolte nell’inibizione della proliferazione delle cellule A549 da parte del DSME. I risultati hanno mostrato che il DSME aumenta i livelli di ROS e promuove l’apoptosi, inibendo così l’attività delle cellule A549. Il DSME ha inoltre inibito la proliferazione cellulare attivando il pathway P53-P21-Rb, causando arresto del ciclo cellulare. Allo stesso tempo, il tasso di migrazione e la capacità di formare colonie delle cellule A549, così come l’espressione della via EGFR/HER2, sono stati tutti inibiti dopo il trattamento con DSME, suggerendo che il DSME ha il potenziale per migliorare la prognosi del cancro ai polmoni.
I risultati sopra descritti indicano che le fragole contengono una varietà di componenti bioattivi polifenolici e possiedono proprietà antiossidanti. Il DSME ha inibito la proliferazione delle cellule di carcinoma polmonare non a piccole cellule attraverso molteplici vie di segnalazione diverse e le loro interazioni.Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Every year, there are millions of confirmed cases of lung cancer, among which non-small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 85%. Traditional therapeutic approaches such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy have burdened cancer patients with onerous physical and psychological challenges. Therefore, it is of great significance to discover safe and effective therapeutic drugs and elucidate their molecular mechanisms. Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) have attracted much attention due to their rich content of phenolic compounds, which play a significant role in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer effects. The main research contents are as follows:
1. The first aim of this study is to evaluate the nutritional and phytochemical qualities of the fruit extract from the Francesca cultivar strawberries. This study determined the total antioxidant capacity, free radical scavenging ability, total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins content of strawberries. The polyphenolic compounds in the methanol extract of strawberries were identified by UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. The results showed that the polyphenolic compounds in strawberries mainly include anthocyanins, flavanols and phenolic acids.
2. The second aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-proliferative effect of the methanol extract of the Francesca cultivar on human non-small cell lung cancer cells A549, as well as to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms underlying this effect. The cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis rate, changes in cell cycle, cell migration rate and colony formation assay of A549 cells treated with dried strawberry methanol extract (DSME) were evaluated. Additionally, the expression levels of mRNA and proteins were assessed to analyze and elucidate the main molecular pathways involved in the inhibition of A549 cell proliferation by DSME. The results showed that DSME increased ROS levels and promoted apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the activity of A549 cells. DSME also inhibited cell proliferation by activating the P53-P21-Rb pathway, which causes cell cycle arrest. At the same time, the cell migration rate and clony formation ability of A549 cells, as well as the expression of the EGFR/HER2 pathway, were all inhibited after treatment with DSME, suggesting that DSME has the potential to improve the prognosis of lung cancer.
The above results indicated that strawberries contain a variety of polyphenol bioactive components and possess antioxidant properties. DSME inhibited the proliferation of human non-small cell lung cancer cells through multiple different signaling pathways and their interactions