1,354,205 research outputs found
Mostra internazionale dell'artigianato - Fortezza da basso - Firenze. Progetto e allestimento dello stand del DESIGNCAMPUS (Università di Firenze – Dipartimento DIDA)-
No full textProgetto e allestimento dello stand del DESIGNCAMPUS (Università di Firenze – Dipartimento DIDA), con A. Spennat
Infrastrutture-attive: Ripensare il design urbano per una mobilità sostenibile e città rinaturalizzate
No full textIn the contemporary era, cities face complex urbanisation, climate change, and environmental impact reduction challenges. In this context, conventional urban infrastructures evolve into ‘active infrastructures,’ designed to dynamically interact with the environment, improve quality of life, and promote sustainability. Unlike traditional, active infrastructures adapt to environmental, social, and economic changes through advanced technologies, innovative materials, and ecological design. A key example is sustainable mobility, which includes electric and hybrid public transport, bright bike lanes, and sharing systems integrated with IoT and artificial intelligence. These solutions reduce the environmental impact of urban transport and promote accessibility.
Another essential dimension is urban renaturation, which reintegrates natural elements into city spaces, creating hybrid ecosystems and improving climate resilience. Interventions such as linear parks, waterway rehabilitation, and green roofs support biodiversity and promote social and psychological well-being. The synergy between sustainable mobility and urban renaturation represents an opportunity to design multifunctional infrastructures that meet complex needs in densely populated contexts. Despite the challenges of cost and technical complexity, the long-term benefits of urban resilience, reduced emissions, and quality of life make these solutions a strategic investment. This article analyses how active infrastructure, combining sustainable mobility and renaturation, can transform cities into more liveable, resilient, and inclusive spaces, defining a new frontier for future urban design
A survey to discover current food choice behaviors
No full textFood choices are complex functions of several elements that could change over time. Nowadays consumers appear careful about sustainable food consumption: the behavior of “food citizenship”, as the practice to support a sustainable food system during the consumption actions,arises. This study aims to recognize the existence of food choice behaviors in the contemporary scenario and to investigate the relation between the food choice factors and the behaviors recognized. Following a quantitative research method, a sample of 380 participants, recruited from a traditional Italian food and wine event, completed a questionnaire in order to detect their attitude about food. Four current food choice behaviors were recognized: The Individualist, The Foodie, The Environmentalist and The Health enthusiast. The relation between food choice factors and food choice behaviors was explained. Several stakeholders could benefit from the study results, in order to better understand how to adapt products and marketing strategies to satisfy the emerging customer’s needs and awareness. Even if a person can identify themselves within a single food choice behavior, they become aware of other choice models expanding their personal point of view. Finally, new research scenarios arose for the researchers
Predicting the Consumer's Purchase Intention of Food Products
No full textAn important aspect of health monitoring is effective knowledge of food consumed. In this regard, a methodology of analysis is proposed in order to know in advance the food choices of the final consumers. This can give added value to the agricultural productions of the territory and of the farmers, facilitating the direct relationship between agriculture and the final consumer. To build a prediction model, web monitoring and traditional marketing analysis will be performed. The results of analysis can be used to sensitize the consumers towards a greater alimentary awareness, helping to manage of diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes, and even cardiovascular diseases
INTEGRAZIONE DELLA CHIMICA E DELLA BIOTECNOLOGIA PER LA VALORIZZAZIONE SOSTENIBILE DELLA BIOMASSA
No full textThis PhD work is part of a national project CARDIGAN (CARDoon valorisation by InteGrAted biorefinery), which was focused on the valorization of cardoons. a typical biomass of Mediterranean area. The first activity was the optimization of supercritical CO2 extraction (scCO2) applied on the cardoon leaves. Extracts (CLEs) were analysed by means of NMR and GC-MS to identify the most important bioactive molecules and to compare the composition of extracts obtained by different technologies by other partners in the project. The characterization indicated that scCO2 method extracts preferentially hydrophobic components whereas the Naviglio® technology allows to obtain extracts rich in cynaropicrin, a bioactive molecule with hepato-protectant activity. A first manuscript was published in collaboration with the Univ. of Naples and CNR-IPCB dealing with the formulation of bio-based polymeric films enriched with CLEs, which demonstrated increased the mechanical and barrier properties. The biological properties of CLEs were also investigated in collaboration with the neurobiology research group at the University of Trieste. The biological tests indicated that the CLE obtained by scCO2 from plants harvested in spring was able to induce a significant rescue of neuronal atrophy in an in vitro model of Rett syndrome neurons. RTT neurons whereas the more hydrophilic extracts, rich in cynaropicrin, exerted a toxic effect.
The second part of the project was focused on the valorization of cardoon seed oil to obtain epoxidized fatty acids as precursors in the synthesis of biolubricants and bioplasticizers. After the characterization of the cardoon seed oil, two lipases were used for its hydrolysis, up to 2L scale. The chemoenzymatic epoxidation was then carried out on oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in solvent-less conditions at 50°C.
To improve the sustainability of the enzymatic process, the covalent immobilization of lipases on a renewable bio-composite material, rice husk, was investigated. The cellulosic fraction of rice husk was oxidized using laccase enzymes in the presence of TEMPO radical. The process leads to the oxidation of the primary hydroxyl groups of the glucose units of cellulose to aldehyde groups, which were exploited for the direct anchoring of the enzymes via formation of imine bonds with the superficial lysin residues of the proteins. These sustainable formulations were tested in various reaction media and under mechanical stress. The last part of this research was focused on the delignification of rice husk with the objective of improving its accessibility to oxidizing reagents and enzymes, while decreasing the hydrophobicity of this composite material.This PhD work is part of a national project CARDIGAN (CARDoon valorisation by InteGrAted biorefinery), which was focused on the valorization of cardoons. a typical biomass of Mediterranean area. The first activity was the optimization of supercritical CO2 extraction (scCO2) applied on the cardoon leaves. Extracts (CLEs) were analysed by means of NMR and GC-MS to identify the most important bioactive molecules and to compare the composition of extracts obtained by different technologies by other partners in the project. The characterization indicated that scCO2 method extracts preferentially hydrophobic components whereas the Naviglio® technology allows to obtain extracts rich in cynaropicrin, a bioactive molecule with hepato-protectant activity. A first manuscript was published in collaboration with the Univ. of Naples and CNR-IPCB dealing with the formulation of bio-based polymeric films enriched with CLEs, which demonstrated increased the mechanical and barrier properties. The biological properties of CLEs were also investigated in collaboration with the neurobiology research group at the University of Trieste. The biological tests indicated that the CLE obtained by scCO2 from plants harvested in spring was able to induce a significant rescue of neuronal atrophy in an in vitro model of Rett syndrome neurons. RTT neurons whereas the more hydrophilic extracts, rich in cynaropicrin, exerted a toxic effect.
The second part of the project was focused on the valorization of cardoon seed oil to obtain epoxidized fatty acids as precursors in the synthesis of biolubricants and bioplasticizers. After the characterization of the cardoon seed oil, two lipases were used for its hydrolysis, up to 2L scale. The chemoenzymatic epoxidation was then carried out on oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in solvent-less conditions at 50°C.
To improve the sustainability of the enzymatic process, the covalent immobilization of lipases on a renewable bio-composite material, rice husk, was investigated. The cellulosic fraction of rice husk was oxidized using laccase enzymes in the presence of TEMPO radical. The process leads to the oxidation of the primary hydroxyl groups of the glucose units of cellulose to aldehyde groups, which were exploited for the direct anchoring of the enzymes via formation of imine bonds with the superficial lysin residues of the proteins. These sustainable formulations were tested in various reaction media and under mechanical stress. The last part of this research was focused on the delignification of rice husk with the objective of improving its accessibility to oxidizing reagents and enzymes, while decreasing the hydrophobicity of this composite material
Radon Risk Analysis Through Geostatistical Tools Implemented in a WebGIS
No full textRadon (Rn) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, inert radioactive gas, and derives from the decay
of uranium, which is a radioactive element that is found in small quantities in all sediments
and rocks.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and theWorld Health Organization
(WHO) classify Rn pollution as the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Since Rn is present, in the depths of the Earth, in gaseous phase, it reaches the surface because
it interacts with other natural elements, such as uranium, thorium and radio (precursor
elements); moreover other geo-lithological features, such as the mineralogical composition of
the rocks, the underground permeability levels, the presence of faults, fractures and cavities,
affect the transport of the Rn on the surface.
In this paper, the spatial distribution of the Rn concentrations in soil gas over a survey area
located in the South of Apulian Region (Italy) and its prediction at unsampled points have
been discussed. In particular, Ordinary Kriging (OK), Log-Normal Kriging (LK), Cokriging
with indicator variable (ICK) and Kriging with Varying Means (KVM) have
been used to predict Rn concentrations over the study area.
In this context, the integration of a Geographical Information System (GIS) and geostatistical
tools can certainly support the evaluation of alternative scenarios, possible strategies for a
sustainable development
Design(ing). The multiscalar project
No full textThe term ‘design(ing)’ moves on a play on words in which the noun ‘design’ becomes a verb, synthesizing in one word two terms, defining a multiscalar and transdisciplinary conceptual dynamism. Designing as a transversal disciplinary bridge, but with a wider cultural meaning, wanting to emphasize that often in the art of composing there are no fences, belonging as the Italian language does with design: a cultural and methodological synthesis between being and doing. The term design, therefore, takes on an important cultural value because it goes beyond the disciplinary fences by combining art, architecture and design in a single concept, capable of designing vertically in the different scales of definition and horizontally from discipline to discipline. Many virtuous examples testify to this cultural attitude in the history of design and architecture
Factor analysis and structural equation modeling in oncology research
No full textThe aim of this paper is to investigate the service quality provided to the patients and the relationship
between doctors and long-term cancer patients. Data have been collected during a survey conducted
to long-term cancer patients, who follow a therapy at the Hospital Vito Fazzi, in Province of Lecce
(located in the Southern region of Puglia, Italy). In particular, factor analysis and structural equation
model are used to measure the relations among latent variables related to two aspects of the
analyzed issue, such as service quality provided to the patient and the relationship between doctors
and long-term cancer patients. The first model describes the perceived service quality provided to
the patient, which is influenced by four important factors such as the tangible aspects, the reliability,
the empathy (doctor-patient human relations) and the hospital organization. The second model
describes the relationship between doctors and long-term cancer patients, which is influenced by
three factors, such as the reliability, the empathy (doctor-patient human relations) and the hospital
organization. The results are useful to investigate the strategies used to improve the quality service.
Moreover, the analysis focuses on highlighting some empirical evidences in health risk through the
use of a Geographical Information System (GIS). The advantages of implementing a GIS are related
to the possibility to include different demographic databases, relate and analyze them as well as to
detect and represent the areas in which there are high mortality rates. This tool, called GIS Cancer
Screening, allows to process thematic maps using health data and support public health policies
Quality Assessment of the Oncology Health Service in a Public Hospital
No full textQuality assessment is a crucial issue in the strategic management of the public health sector. The objective of this study is to investigate the patients’ perception of the health system quality and explore the relationships between doctors and long-term cancer patients. The data under study have been collected during a survey conducted with long-term cancer patients who follow an oncological therapy in a Public Hospital. In the study, exploratory factorial analysis is developed and two structural equation models are proposed. The first model describes the service quality as perceived by the patients, which is influenced by four important factors, namely tangible aspects, reliability, empathy (doctor–patient human relations) and hospital organization. The second model describes the relationship between doctors and long-term cancer patients, which is influenced by three factors, that is reliability, empathy and hospital organization. The discussion highlights the contribution that the results of the study may make to the investigation of the possible strategies for improving health care service quality
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