Chirality, the property characterized by broken mirror symmetry, is a widespread
trait of nature, manifested in the twist of galaxies to the handedness of molecules.
Enantiomers, the two mirror counterparts of a chiral molecule, exhibit distinct biochemical
properties, making chiral sensing crucial in pharmaceutical and biomedical
industries. Current state-of-the-art techniques are effective for macroscopic operational
volume; however, they lack real-time compatibility and are inefficient for...
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a leading neurodegenerative disorder and the primary cause of dementia among the elderly (Citron, 2010). Chronic neuroinflammation has emerged as a critical factor in neuronal loss in AD, with microglial cells playing a central role. This exacerbated pro-inflammatory environment may be influenced by microglial senescence, characterized by a persistent activation state and the adoption of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which amplifies neuroinfla...
The ever-increasing urgency of addressing the growing phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance is driving the scientific community to explore new strategies to combat what could soon represent the greatest threat to human health. The synthesis of new pharmacologically active molecules is not the most viable path due to the need for rapid intervention and the tendency of microorganisms to quickly develop resistance. Searching for alternative microbial targets distinct from those targeted by trad...
Alternative splicing of the NTRK1/TrkA gene leads to the expression of the oncogenic TrkAIII variant, first identified in pediatric neuroblastoma, where it is linked to post-therapeutic relapse and metastasis. TrkAIII mRNA skips exons 6 and 7, preventing cell surface expression and causing accumulation in pre-Golgi membranes, centrosomes, and mitochondria, where it undergoes stress-regulated, ligand-independent activation. Its oncogenic activity involves PI3K-AKT signaling, chromosomal instab...
During the three-years doctorate, my duty as Ph.D. candidate was to be involved in research and training activities. The main research topic is ‘Development of new materials, models and intervention techniques for the reinforcement and the retrofitting of historical masonries in seismic areas’. Particularly, the research aim is dual: (i) developing an advanced lattice discrete numerical model for a better understanding of the quasi-brittle behavior of masonries, (ii) providing experimental ca...
Questa tesi affronta il ruolo della catalisi omogenea nel contesto della chimica verde, con particolare attenzione alla progettazione, sintesi e applicazione di complessi organometallici per trasformazioni chimiche sostenibili. Strutturato in quattro sezioni, il lavoro analizza diversi sistemi catalitici, ciascuno mirato a risolvere specifiche sfide nella chimica sintetica e industriale. Si studiano: complessi di ossovanadio(IV) per l’ossidazione selettiva di composti solforati; complessi din...
Predictive maintenance (PdM) is one of the key points in the Industry 4.0 revolution, and its characteristics of increased resilience, sustainability, control, and human safety are of key importance for Industry 5.0.
PdM was already established in most industry scenarios, but the advent of Machine Learning (ML) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has completely revolutionized the sector. Degradation processes are very complex and dependent on external factors, so constant and sparse da...
From 2030, emissions from new passenger cars in the European Union will have to be below 49,5 gCO2/km and those from new light commercial vehicles 90,6 gCO2/km. Although electrification is the best way to decarbonize road transport, improving conventional engine technologies is also useful in the transition process. One technology that can improve efficiency and reduce fuel consumption of a conventional thermal engine is the recovery of thermal energy usually lost and its transformation into ...
The word “trauma” derives from the Greek τραῦμα (-ατος) and literally means “wound”, “damage”, “injury” or “breakage”. In the 19th century, first Charcot and then Janet and Freud, defined trauma in a psychological sense. Relational trauma leads to severe outcomes than natural disasters because it has a greater “destructive” effect on trust and attachment, and is typically experienced as intentional. Interpersonal violence, which stands for acts of violence inflicted by an individual or a smal...
The research work addresses the challenge of energy decarbonisation through the development of processes for upgrading biogas/biosyngas to green hydrogen with simultaneous capture and separation of CO2. The work focuses on the Sorption-Enhanced Water-Gas Shift (SEWGS) process, an innovative approach that combines the water-gas shift reaction with in-situ CO2 capture, thereby achieving improved hydrogen yield and facilitating carbon dioxide separation in a single step.
The study pursued three ...