Contribution to the characterization of the toxicity of plastic microparticles/nanoparticles (MP/NP) and benzo[a]pyrene in the seaworm Hediste diversicolor

The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) in marine ecosystems poses significant threats to marine organisms due to their potential for ingestion, accumulation, and acting as vectors for harmful pollutants like Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). This thesis explores the toxicological effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of MPs (10 and 50 mg/kg sediment) and B[a]P (1 µg/kg sediment), both individually and in combination, on the marine polychaete Hediste diversicolor over exposure perio...

Commissioning and Calibration of the Upgraded Inner Tracking System of ALICE at the LHC

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is one of the four main experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Its primary goal is to study the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP), a state of matter that existed shortly after the Big Bang which can be recreated in Pb--Pb collisions at the LHC, at center-of-mass energies up to √s_{NN} = 5.36 TeV. In addition, ALICE investigates a wide range of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) phenomena, like for example strangeness production in proton--proton collisio...

Contribution to the Understanding of the Optoelectronic Properties of New Low-Gap Organic Materials for Organic Electronics

My thesis work was conducted jointly at the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials (LR01ES19, FSM) and at the University of Messina, Italy, as part of a co-tutelle agreement. The thesis aims to extend the understanding of the relationships between the structure and physical properties of fluorescent, low-gap organic materials through molecular modeling based on Density Functional Theory (DFT). The first part of this thesis focuses on validating the structural and optical proper...

L’influenza dell'adattamento prismatico sull'elaborazione affettiva

La ricerca esplora gli effetti dell’adattamento prismatico (AP) sull’elaborazione affettiva, con particolare attenzione alla modulazione dell’alessitimia e all’apprendimento e all'estinzione della paura. L’AP, una tecnica di neuromodulazione non invasiva, è nota per la sua capacità di riequilibrare l’attenzione visuospaziale, ma il suo impatto sui processi emotivi rimane poco studiato. Attraverso una serie di esperimenti condotti su soggetti sani, è stato valutato se l’AP possa influenzare l'...

Dual orexin receptor antagonists for the treatment of insomnia disorder: Real-world safety evidence analysis and comparison with established therapeutic options

Insomnia disorder (ID) is a widespread and debilitating condition characterised by persistent difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, often resulting in impaired daytime functioning and marked distress. Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) have recently emerged as a promising therapeutic option. By modulating the orexin system (a key regulator of wakefulness) they reduce the drive to remain awake, facilitating both the onset and maintenance of sleep. However, much of the current safet...

Ideologie linguistiche e metalinguaggio metaforico. Uno studio micro-diacronico sulle cronache linguistiche italiane dagli anni Cinquanta a oggi

Monitoring brain activity using Pediatric Sedation State Scale, Patient State Index and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy during procedural sedoanalgesia in pediatric patients

Pediatric patients frequently require painful and invasive procedures as part of their diagnostic and therapeutic treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate different scales to monitor cerebral activity, namely Pediatric Sedation State Scale (PSSS), Patient State Index (PSI) and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to identify their usefulness and reliability during sedoanalgesia in pediatric patients. Thirty-five patients were included in our study and underwent 77 sedo-analgesia sessio...

Toward Sustainable Energy: Molecular Complexes and Organized Architectures for Solar Harvesting and Conversion

The global energy crisis is one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, with the increasing demand for energy exacerbating concerns about the environmental impact of fossil fuels. Solar energy, with its abundance and clean nature, emerges as a promising solution to address this issue. However, the efficient conversion of solar energy into usable forms, particularly chemical energy, remains a critical challenge. This research emphasizes solar-to-chemical energy conversion, a cutti...

Screening of Nutraceuticals for Bone Regeneration

Bone has the inherent ability to regenerate naturally, from the phase of early skeletal development through continuous remodeling during adult life, and especially as part of the repair process in response to injury. Nutritional factors have a strong influence on bone tissue regeneration and bone metabolism, as these are critical for achieving bone renovation and optimizing osseointegration processes. Therefore, this research project aims to exploit some bioactive substances obtained from foo...