From monitoring to modelling: harnessing pollen data for adapting to exposure risks in a changing climate

Increasing trends in allergic respiratory diseases may be linked to climate change affecting pollen levels and seasonality. Pollen data from monitoring stations are usually incomplete, and limited research has assessed the accuracy of imputation methods in aerobiological data. Moreover, monitoring networks have limited spatial coverage. Increasing the temporal and spatial resolution of the information on pollen levels will be useful from a public health perspective. In particular, implementin...

Unveiling the interplay between sensory attenuation and fatigue: insights from healthy population and neurological disorders

Fatigue is a pervasive yet poorly understood phenomenon that affects both healthy individuals and patients with neurological disorders. This thesis investigates the role of predictive sensory mechanisms—particularly sensory attenuation (SA)—in the emergence and perception of fatigue. Across two parts, the work combines behavioural and clinical studies to examine how internal predictions shape body perception, effort, and movement. In Part 1, sensory attenuation was assessed in clinical popul...

From evidence collection and evaluation to new evidence production: a psychological focus on vulnerable populations

L'ampia gamma di eventi potenzialmente traumatici che le popolazioni migranti possono sperimentare prima, durante e dopo il processo migratorio ha effetti potenzialmente dannosi sulla salute mentale, determinando un aumento del rischio di sviluppare condizioni cliniche come ansia, depressione e disturbo da stress post- traumatico. La salute mentale dei migranti si dovrebbe configurare come un problema di salute pubblica, e dovrebbe essere adeguatamente considerato e affrontato a causa delle s...

Monitoring the non-local surface response using microprofilometry techniques

In engineering, surface metrology is a codified tool employed to gain insight into the study of small-scale quantitative features of surface topography. While this information is valuable in complementing qualitative morphological inspection, it is not currently considered useful in heritage science and is not fully exploited. The objective of this thesis is to address some of the existing gaps in the utilization of the surface metrological approach in the field of cultural heritage. The u...

The impact of muscle-tendon degeneration on functional ability in healthy and pathological populations

Biotechnological approaches for the synthesis of natural iron (Fe) chelators and hormone-like molecules for a sustainable correction of chlorosis in agricultural crops

Iron (Fe) has been recognized as one of the limiting factors in crop production due to its involvement in essential biochemical processes in plants. However, notwithstanding its abundance in soil, the bioavailability of Fe for plants is extremely low and can result in significant nutritional imbalances. This phenomenon is principally due to the insolubility of Fe in conditions of high pH and mineral composition, where it tends to precipitate in insoluble forms that are not available for plant...

Stochastic Constrained Optimal Control and Planning via Monte Carlo Tree Search for Autonomous Aircraft Systems

Stochastic constrained control and planning of autonomous systems under uncertainty are key challenges in modern control theory, driven by the growing demand for reliable and efficient autonomy. This thesis addresses these challenges by proposing a novel hierarchical control architecture for the constrained optimal control and planning of stochastic systems, with a focus on complex physical platforms such as aircraft and coordinated fleets. The core innovation lies in the integration and e...

Advanced AI-driven cheminformatics models for characterizing air pollutants and predicting interactions with biological targets

Health and environmental risks linked to air pollution represent a major concern. According to the World Health Organization, 9 out of 10 people worldwide are exposed to elevated pollutant concentrations. This exposure has been associated with deleterious effects on vital organs, contributing to chronic respiratory diseases, oxidative stress, hypertension, and a decline in cognitive functions. However, to gain a deeper understanding of the role and impact of pollutant molecules on complex dis...

Prevention and treatment of dermatological diseases: optimizing the protective action and efficacy of phenylpropanoid glycosides delivered through the skin by inclusion in biodegradable nanovesicles

The skin, the human body’s largest organ, serves critical roles in defense and physiological regulation. Maintaining its integrity is essential, yet it is constantly challenged by environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR), extreme temperatures, and chemical pollutants. As a "complete carcinogen," UVR has the unique capacity to both initiate and promote tumor development, making it a significant contributor to skin cancer, with melanoma being the most aggressive and lethal form...