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Laser Line Triangulation Sensors for Geometry Measurement in Hot Forging Industry: Design, Prototype and Inline Integration
No full textQuesta ricerca presenta un sistema di ispezione non distruttiva (NDI) basato sulla tecnologia di triangolazione laser (LLT) per la misurazione geometrica, applicato al controllo qualità in linea nell’industria della forgiatura a caldo per Zero-Defect-Manufacturing nell'ambito del progetto HE openZDM.
L'applicazione è sfidante poiché i sensori ottici devono essere implementati in condizioni industriali ostili e coprire un ampio campo di misura per misurare la rettilineità di barre di acciaio lunghe fino a 1 m, che vengono lavorate per forgiare sospensioni meccaniche. Visti i limiti delle soluzioni disponibili in commercio, questa ricerca presenta il prototipo di due repliche di sensori LLT ad alta risoluzione per un ampio campo di misura.
Uno dei sensori progettati è particolarmente innovativo in quanto consente l'ispezione di prodotti ad alta temperatura, fino a 1200 °C, che risulta critica visto il basso contrasto della linea laser rispetto alla superficie della barra calda incandescente. Questa ricerca propone soluzioni per migliorare il rapporto segnale/rumore, ottimizzando le prestazioni del sensore sia dal punto di vista hardware che software.
La tesi copre tutte le fasi dello sviluppo dei prototipi LLT, dal disegno CAD iniziale, all'assemblaggio, la calibrazione e infine l'installazione in linea di produzione. L'applicazione è completamente automatica, garantendo un'ispezione del 100% dei prodotti. Gli NDI sono completamente integrati nell’infrastruttura digitale dell’industria e comunicano tramite MQTT con il PLC e la piattaforma openZDM per la condivisione dei dati.
Pertanto, lo sviluppo del prototipo LLT si è rivelato un successo, poiché i sistemi sono pienamente operativi e integrati in linea di produzione, resistendo a condizioni ambientali difficili per più di un anno di installazione permanente e mantenendo al tempo stesso prestazioni stabili come è stato confermato dai risultati della Measurement System Analysis.This research presents a Non-Destructive-Inspection (NDI) system based on Laser Line Triangulation technology (LLT) for geometry measurement applied to inline quality control of a hot forging industrial use case for Zero-Defect-Manufacturing within the HE project openZDM.
The application proves challenging as the optical sensors have to be implemented in harsh industrial conditions while covering a wide measurement range, as they have to measure the straightness of steel bars, up to 1 m long, which are processed to form trailing arms. Addressing the limitations of the commercially available solutions, this research presents the prototype of two replicas of high-resolution LLT sensors for wide measurement range.
One of the LLT sensors designed is peculiarly innovative as it allows inspection on high-temperature products, up to 1200 °C which is critical given the low contrast of the laser line with respect to the glowing surface of the hot incandescent bar. This research proposes solutions to improve SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio), optimizing the sensor performances both hardware and software side.
This dissertation covers all the steps of the design and development of the LLT sensors prototype, from the initial CAD drawing, assembly, calibration and finally inline installation in production line. The application is fully automatic with 100% product inspection in less than 800 ms per product. The NDIs are fully integrated to the factory digital infrastructure, communicating through MQTT with the production line PLC and the openZDM platform for data sharing and error management.
Thus, the LLTs prototype development proves successful as the systems are fully operative and integrated in production line, withstanding harsh environmental conditions for more than one year of permanent inline installation, while maintaining stable performance as it has been confirmed by results of the Measurement System Analysis
Telecare and elderly mortality: Evidence from Italian municipalities
No full textThe growing ageing of the population in developed economies has necessitated the progressive use of advanced information and communication technologies for the home care of elderly individuals. The effect of these technologies on elderly health outcomes remains an open issue. This study analyzes the impact of telecare on the mortality rate of elderly people in Italy using data at the municipal level and a doubly robust difference-in-differences design. Our results show that telecare services significantly reduced the mortality rate of the elderly aged 65 and over by 1.7 individuals per 1000 inhabitants. This effect is sizeable, since it is a 4 % decrease in the elderly mortality rate relatively to the average elderly mortality rate in the treated municipalities. The effect was greater in municipalities with a large proportion of childless elderly people, suggesting that telecare may be particularly useful for the elderly who find it more difficult to rely on strong family ties. Moreover, it was larger in small municipalities, indicating that telecare may be more effective in areas where there is a greater need to compensate for a lower provision of traditional social and health care services
From ionic homeostasis modulation to oxidative stress: toxicity pathways of 4th-generation synthetic cathinones
No full textNew Psychoactive Substances (NPS), particularly synthetic cathinones, represent a growing toxicological concern due to their rapid emergence and poorly understood mechanisms of action. This study explores the neurotoxic and cytotoxic effects of two structurally related cathinones—3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC)—in differentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, used as an in-vitro neuronal model.
Through combined biochemical, electrophysiological, and imaging approaches, cell viability (MTT, LDH), intracellular calcium dynamics (Fura-2AM), ion current modulation (patch- and current-clamp), and stress responses (Western blot) were evaluated, alongside mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.
Results indicate distinct toxicity mechanisms. 3-MMC primarily induces functional neuronal alterations without immediate cytotoxicity. At sub-toxic doses, it causes sustained depolarization, enhanced sodium currents, reduced potassium currents, and selective inhibition of the reverse Na+/Ca2+ exchanger mode, leading to elevated intracellular Ca2+ and neuronal hyperexcitability. These alterations trigger endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activation of apoptotic signaling via BiP and caspase-9.
In contrast, 3-CMC shows a strongly cytotoxic profile, significantly reducing cell viability and increasing LDH release even at low concentrations. Its toxic action is linked to marked mitochondrial ROS accumulation, indicating that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are central to its mechanism.
In summary, while 3-MMC acts mainly as a neurofunctional disruptor, 3-CMC exerts direct oxidative cytotoxicity. These findings highlight how minor structural differences among synthetic cathinones profoundly influence their toxicological outcomes and emphasize the need for integrated functional and viability-based assessments in evaluating emerging NPS
A causal theory of suppositional reasoning
Full text linkSuppositions can be classified as indicative versus subjunctive and full versus partial. We propose a causal account of suppositional reasoning that naturally unifies all four types of reasoning based on this classification, provides a justification of the rather heterogenous canonical update rules, and gives rise to a new update rule for the partial subjunctive case in terms of generalized imaging
Wearable Sensors and Artificial Intelligence Approaches to Advance Type 1 Diabetes Management
No full textLe tecnologie indossabili stanno abilitando un passaggio dalle valutazioni episodiche in ambiente clinico al monitoraggio continuo e in tempo reale. In questo contesto, il diabete si distingue per la necessità di mantenere un controllo stretto della glicemia attraverso misure continuative e un aggiustamento dinamico della terapia mediante sistemi ibridi a ciclo chiuso, che integrano il monitoraggio continuo del glucosio con la somministrazione di insulina guidata da algoritmi. Sebbene tali sistemi abbiano migliorato la gestione glicemica, la loro efficacia rimane limitata dalla precisione dei sensori, dalla necessità di boli prandiali gestiti dall’utente e da fattori esterni quali stress e attività fisica.
La tesi sviluppa un approccio clinician-in-the-loop che combina tracciati CGM longitudinali e storia clinica del paziente per generare un profilo glicemico individualizzato, a supporto della personalizzazione della terapia insulinica. Vengono enfatizzati gli scenari pediatrici, attraverso una pipeline riproducibile per l’interpretazione dei dati glicemici, validata su dataset clinici indipendenti.
Riconoscendo lo stress come determinante chiave della variabilità glicemica, il lavoro esplora biomarcatori misurabili (ad esempio PPG, attività elettrodermica, dinamiche della frequenza cardiaca) e propone pipeline computazionalmente efficienti per la denoising e la segmentazione di segnali contaminati dal movimento, includendo reti neurali leggere per la segmentazione in tempo reale degli artefatti nel PPG. Per contestualizzare l’andamento fisiologico, viene implementato un modulo di riconoscimento dell’attività in tempo reale, basato su sensori inerziali ed eseguito su piattaforme di intelligenza artificiale embedded, che dimostra inferenza affidabile e a bassa latenza in condizioni di risorse limitate.
Oltre agli algoritmi, la tesi analizza come il posizionamento dei sensori e la progettazione del dispositivo influenzino la qualità dei dati e l’usabilità. Acquisizioni multi-sito quantificano i compromessi tra fedeltà del segnale, comfort e aderenza, fornendo linee guida per una implementazione pratica. Infine, viene delineata un’architettura di sistema indossabile che integra CGM, PPG e IMU con front-end analogici a basso consumo, comunicazione wireless e gestione dell’energia, affiancata a considerazioni elettromeccaniche quali biocompatibilità, progettazione dell’involucro e robustezza. Nel complesso, il lavoro colma il divario tra dati grezzi raccolti nel mondo reale e un’ottimizzazione della terapia insulinica specifica per il paziente, delineando un percorso dal sensing al supporto decisionale clinico che sia trasparente, sicuro e concretamente implementabile.Wearable technologies are enabling a shift from episodic, clinic-based assessments to continuous, real-time physiology monitoring. Within this landscape, diabetes stands out for its need to balance glucose tightly through ongoing measurement and therapy adjustment using hybrid closed-loop systems that integrate continuous glucose monitoring with algorithm-guided insulin delivery. While these systems have advanced glycaemic management, their effectiveness remains constrained by sensor accuracy, user-managed meal boluses, and external influences such as stress and physical activity.
The thesis develops a clinician-in-the-loop approach that fuses longitudinal CGM traces and patient history to generate an individualised glycemic profile for therapy personalisation. Pediatric use cases are emphasised through a reproducible pipeline for glucose data interpretation, validated on independent clinical datasets.
Recognizing stress as a key determinant of glycaemic variability, the work investigates measurable biomarkers (e.g., PPG, electrodermal activity, heart-rate dynamics). It proposes computationally efficient pipelines for denoising and segmenting signals corrupted by motion, including lightweight neural networks for real-time artefact segmentation in PPG. To contextualize physiology, a real-time activity-recognition module based on inertial sensors is implemented on embedded AI platforms, demonstrating reliable, low-latency inference under resource constraints.
Beyond algorithms, the thesis addresses how sensor placement and device conception shape data quality and usability. Multi-site acquisitions quantify trade-offs between signal fidelity, comfort, and adherence, informing guidelines for practical deployment. Finally, a wearable system architecture is outlined that integrates CGM, PPG, and IMU sensing with low-power analogue front-ends, wireless communication, and power management, alongside electromechanical considerations such as biocompatibility, enclosure design, and robustness. Overall, the work bridges raw, real-world data and actionable, patient-specific insulin therapy optimisation, advancing a pathway from sensing to clinical decision support that is transparent, safe, and deployable
Public Health and Forensic Toxicology: the role in preventing and managing risks of New Psychoactive Substances.
No full textNew Psychoactive Substances (NPS) represent a rapidly evolving class of synthetic compounds designed to mimic the effects of controlled drugs while evading regulatory frameworks. Their increasing chemical diversity, high potency, and unpredictable toxicity pose major challenges for public health and forensic toxicology. NPS are associated with severe clinical outcomes, including neuropsychiatric disturbances, cardiotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity, often driven by reactive metabolites, oxidative stress, and cytochrome P450 interactions. Detection and identification remain difficult due to the constant emergence of new analogues, limited availability of reference standards, and rapid metabolic transformation leading to low parent-drug detectability in biological matrices.
This thesis aims to improve the analytical and toxicological understanding of NPS through two complementary studies. The first focuses on the development and validation of an HPLC–MS/MS chiral method capable of simultaneous chemo-selective and enantio-selective separation of the positional isomers 2-, 3-, and 4-CMC. The method was successfully applied to authentic oral fluid samples, demonstrating its relevance for forensic casework. The second study investigates the in vitro and in vivo metabolism of MDPiHP using HPLC-QToF-MS, supported by in silico prediction tools. A comprehensive panel of phase I and phase II metabolites was identified, enabling the proposal of specific biomarkers suitable for forensic and clinical detection. Together, these findings contribute to enhanced early warning, toxicological interpretation, and analytical monitoring of emerging NPS
Donne e medicina nelle Marche: storie di ostacoli e riconoscimenti dall’età liberale al secondo dopoguerra
No full textLa tesi propone una ricostruzione della presenza femminile all’interno della professione medica, dal 1877 al 1960, nella regione Marche, in rapporto con quanto già noto a livello nazionale e internazionale dalla bibliografia riccamente prodotta negli ultimi decenni.
Seguendo un ordine cronologico, la tesi raccoglie le storie biografiche e professionali di mediche, alcune note, altre finora mai segnalate, che attraverso il loro impegno hanno lasciato un’impronta più o meno significativa nell’ambito del mondo medico, di volta in volta collocandole nel loro ambiente di lavoro.
La ricostruzione di queste figure femminili è avvenuta attraverso il recupero delle testimonianze familiari e soprattutto attraverso una ricerca archivistica molteplice che ha riguardato archivi pubblici e privati, nazionali e regionali (universitari, familiari, fondi ospedalieri, anagrafi).
In linea con la tendenza nazionale, emerge una presenza femminile ancora circoscritta nelle Marche, distribuita nelle provincie di Ancona (la più numerosa), Pesaro e Ascoli Piceno, con caratteristiche specifiche legate alla comunità ebraica di Ancona. Le mediche si sono distinte in differenti specialità, con una particolare predilizione per la pediatria, e hanno operato in importanti strutture del territorio, considerate allora all’avanguardia, come l’ospedale pediatrico Salesi, il manicomio provinciale e l’ospedale civico Umberto I di Ancona, e il manicomio provinciale di Pesaro.
Non ci sono precedenti di ricerche riguardanti le donne mediche in un certo territorio, e la presente tesi può quindi fornire un esempio di metodo che possa essere di stimolo per altre indagini di microstoria al fine di arricchire il quadro già noto.The thesis proposes a reconstruction of the presence of women in the medical profession in the Marche region from 1877 to 1960, in relation to what is already known at a national and international level, as evidenced by the extensive bibliography produced in recent decades.
Organised chronologically, the thesis recounts the biographical and professional stories of female doctors, some well-known and others previously unmentioned, who, through their dedication, have made a significant or lesser-known impact on the medical world.
These women have been brought to life through the collection of family testimonies and, above all, extensive archival research involving public and private national and regional archives (including university, family, hospital and registry archives).
In line with the national trend, women were still underrepresented in the Marche region, with the largest number found in the province of Ancona, followed by Pesaro and Ascoli Piceno. A notable feature was the significant presence of Jewish women in the Ancona area. Female doctors specialised in various fields, particularly paediatrics, and worked in prominent local facilities considered to be at the forefront of their field at the time, such as the Salesi paediatric hospital, the asylum and the Umberto I civic hospital in Ancona, and the asylum in Pesaro.
There are no previous studies concerning female doctors in a specific territory, and this thesis can therefore provide an example of a method that could stimulate other microhistory investigations with the aim of enriching the already known picture
Profili immunologici e dinamiche delle popolazioni cellulari nelle sindromi mielodisplastiche
No full textLe sindromi mielodisplastiche (MDS) sono neoplasie ematologiche eterogenee caratterizzate da displasia midollare, citopenie periferiche e rischio variabile di progressione a leucemia mieloide acuta. In questo lavoro è stata condotta un’ampia caratterizzazione immunologica in pazienti sottoposti a trapianto allogenico, focalizzandosi su diverse popolazioni cellulari dell’immunità adattativa, tra cui cellule T e Treg, in una coorte in cui le MDS rappresentavano la principale patologia di base. Questa analisi ha permesso di delineare le dinamiche di ricostituzione immunitaria post-trapianto e di identificare potenziali correlati immunologici di outcome clinico.
Parallelamente, abbiamo esaminato il ruolo dell’immunità innata in differenti sottotipi di MDS, evidenziando che i pazienti con mutazione SF3B1 presentano una marcata riduzione dell’espressione di HLA-DR, suggerendo un’alterazione dei meccanismi di presentazione dell’antigene e possibili strategie di evasione immunitaria associate a questa mutazione.
Nell’ambito del consorzio i4MDS, sono stati inoltre sviluppati e ottimizzati due pannelli di citofluorimetria spettrale dedicati allo studio approfondito di monociti e cellule dendritiche, con l’obiettivo di fornire strumenti standardizzati e ad alta risoluzione per lo studio multicentrico dell’immunobiologia delle MDS.Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematologic neoplasms characterized by bone marrow dysplasia, peripheral cytopenias, and a variable risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. In this work, we performed an extensive immunological characterization of patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation, focusing on multiple adaptive immune cell subsets, including T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), in a cohort in which MDS represented the predominant underlying disease. This analysis allowed us to delineate post-transplant immune reconstitution dynamics and to identify potential immunological correlates of clinical outcomes.
In parallel, we investigated the role of innate immunity across different MDS subtypes and observed that patients harboring SF3B1 mutations exhibit a marked reduction of HLA-DR expression, suggesting impaired antigen presentation and potential mutation-associated mechanisms of immune evasion.
Within the i4MDS consortium, we also developed and optimized two spectral flow cytometry panels dedicated to the high-resolution analysis of monocytes and dendritic cells, with the aim of providing standardized tools for multicenter studies on MDS immunobiolog
Evaluation of probiotic properties and genome analysis of the new Pediococcus acidilactici strain 46A isolated from Chinese young adults: in vitro and in vivo studies
Full text linkBackground: The human gut microbiota plays a key role in intestinal homeostasis and inflammatory diseases, prompting the search for novel probiotic strains with strain-specific functional properties. Dierences in dietary habits and cultural backgrounds represent a valuable source for isolating previously uncharacterized gut bacteria. Given the increasing use of probiotics, rigorous safety assessment, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) evaluation, is required, and the integration of whole-genome sequencing with phenotypic characterization is recommended. Objectives: This study evaluated the probiotic potential of Pediococcus acidilactici strain 46A, isolated from fecal samples of healthy Chinese student volunteers, through whole-genome analysis and in vitro and in vivo functional assessments. Methods: Strain identification was performed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In vitro assays assessed tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, bile salt resistance, antimicrobial activity, and adhesion to HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells. Whole-genome sequencing was used to evaluate safety- and functionality-related genetic traits. The protective eect of P. acidilactici 46A was investigated in a dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced murine model of colitis, including histological evaluation, inflammatory marker analysis, and gut microbiota profiling. Results: P. acidilactici 46A showed high survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and bile exposure, antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts, and strong adhesion to HT-29 cells compared with other tested strains. Genomic analysis confirmed the absence of virulence factors and clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes. In DSS-treated mice, oral administration of P. acidilactici 46A significantly reduced colitis severity, preserved colonic mucosal architecture, and decreased inflammatory markers, including IL-1β and IL-6. Conclusion: Pediococcus acidilactici 46A is a safe and functionally active probiotic candidate that attenuates intestinal inflammation and preserves mucosal integrity in a murine model of colitis, supporting its potential application in the prevention or adjunctive treatment of inflammatory gut disorders
Three Essays on Regime-Switching DSGE Models
No full textNegli ultimi anni l’instabilità dell’ambiente macroeconomico e geopolitico ha mostrato la necessità di modelli divesi e capaci di garantire la flessibilità richiesta. In questo senso, l’integrazione di parametri Regime Switching nei modelli DSGE si rivela una direzione particolarmente promettente per la ricerca Macroeconomica. L’ampia letteratura prodotta sia per la soluzione che per la stima di questo tipo di modelli, insieme alla nascita di strumenti user-friendly capaci di gestirli, dimostra il rinnovato interesse verso tali approcci.
Questa tesi mira a supportare la transizione verso l’approccio Regime Switching con tre contributi. Il primo capitolo propone una rassegna delle principali applicazioni di perturbazioni per la soluzione di questi modelli. La rassegna è costruita attorno ai metodi ordinari utilizzati per i Modelli a Parametri Costanti, al fine di facilitare il confronto e l’adozione da parte di nuovi utilizzatori.
Il secondo capitolo cerca di sfruttare le basi gettate nel primo utilizzando il RISE Toolbox (Junior Maih 2015) per replicare due contributi esistenti: Karadi e Nakov (2021) e Foerster (2015). Questi esercizi di replica non solo contribuiscono a sviluppare e rafforzare la letteratura esistente sulle repliche di per sé, ma fungono anche da laboratorio per approfondire il funzionamento interno dei modelli Markov-Switching. Inoltre, in questo capitolo intendiamo mostrare il potenziale del RISE Toolbox. Questo software condivide molte somiglianze con Dynare, un punto di riferimento consolidato nella modellizzazione macroeconomica, e può rappresentare uno strumento valido per permettere a molti economisti di avvicinarsi in modo meno oneroso alla modellazione RS-DSGE.
Infine, nel terzo capitolo utilizziamo il RISE Toolbox e i parametri Markov-Switching per modificare il modo in cui i vincoli con disuguaglianza vengono trattati in modelli dinamici come quello di Karadi e Nakov (2021). Questo contributo mira a mostrare come i parametri con switching possano essere utilizzati non solo come un nuovo modo per modellare l’economia, ma anche come uno strumento per ripensare modelli e strategie di modellazione già esistenti.In recent years the unstable Macroeconomic and Geopolitical environment has shown the need for different modelling strategies, capable of handling the required flexibility. In this sense the embedding of Regime Switching parameters in standard DSGE models proves to be an attractive avenue for research. The large body of literature produced both for the solution and the estimation of this type of model and the birth of user-friendly instruments to handle them all goes to show the renewed interest in them. This thesis aims to support the transition towards the Regime Switching approach with three main contributions. The first chapter proposes a survey of the main contributions in the applications of Perturbation Methods for solving this type of models. The survey is built around the ordinary methods used for Constant Parameter Models in order to ease the comparison and the adoption for newcomers. The second chapter tries to exploit the foundations built with the first one by employing the RISE Toolbox (Junior Maih 2015) to perform the replication of two existing contributions in Karadi and Nakov 2021 and Foerster 2015. This replication works are done, not only to further develop and strengthen the existing literature of replication exercises, but they also serve as a laboratory to break down the way Markov-Switching models inner working. Moreover, in this chapter we aim at showing the potential of the RISE Toolbox. This software shares many similarities with Dynare, an established benchmark in Macroeconomic modelling, and can be a valid way for many economist to safely approach the RS-DSGE modelling avenue. Finally, in the third chapter we employ the RISE Toolbox and Markov-Switching parameters to change the way occasionally binding constraints are handled in models like the Karadi and Nakov (2021). This contribution aims at showing how the switching parameters can be used, not only, as new way model to model the economy but also as an instrument to re-think already existing models and modelling strategies