Black hole scattering from Worldline Quantum Field Theory and the Classical Double Copy of Spinning particles

This PhD thesis focuses on studying the classical scattering of massive/massless particles toward black holes, and investigating double copy relations between classical observables in gauge theories and gravity. This is done in the Post-Minkowskian approximation i.e. a perturbative expansion of observables controlled by the gravitational coupling constant κ = 32πGN, with GN being the Newtonian coupling constant. The investigation is performed by using the Worldline Quantum Field Theory (WQFT), displaying a worldline path integral describing the scattering objects and a QFT path integral in the Born approximation, describing the intermediate bosons exchanged in the scattering event by the massive/massless particles. We introduce the WQFT, by deriving a relation between the Kosower- Maybee-O’Connell (KMOC) limit of amplitudes and worldline path integrals, then, we use that to study the classical Compton amplitude and higher point amplitudes. We also present a nice application of our formulation to the case of Hard Thermal Loops (HTL), by explicitly evaluating hard thermal currents in gauge theory and gravity. Next we move to the investigation of the classical double copy (CDC), which is a powerful tool to generate integrands for classical observables related to the binary inspiralling problem in General Relativity. In order to use a Bern-Carrasco-Johansson (BCJ) like prescription, straight at the classical level, one has to identify a double copy (DC) kernel, encoding the locality structure of the classical amplitude. Such kernel is evaluated by using a theory where scalar particles interacts through bi-adjoint scalars. We show here how to push forward the classical double copy so to account for spinning particles, in the framework of the WQFT. Here the quantization procedure on the worldline allows us to fully reconstruct the quantum theory on the gravitational side. Next we investigate how to describe the scattering of massless particles off black holes in the WQFT

EBV Type II latency relies on PARP1 activity and is essential for gastric epithelial cell transformation in EBV-associated Gastric Cancer (EBVaGC)

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) establishes a lifelong asymptomatic infection by replicating its chromatinized genome, called episome, together with the host genome. EBV exhibits different latency-associated transcriptional repertoires that mirror its three-dimensional structures of the genome. CTCF, Cohesin and PARP1 are involved in maintaining viral latency and establishing episome architecture. Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) represents almost 10% of all gastric cancers globally. EBVaGC exhibit an intermediate viral transcription profile known as "Latency II", expressing specific viral genes and non-coding RNAs. In this study, we investigated the impact of PARP1 inhibition on CTCF/Cohesin binding in Type II latency. We observed a destabilization of the binding of both factors, leading to a disrupted three-dimensional architecture of the episomes and consequently, an altered viral gene expression. Despite sharing the same CTCF binding profile, Type I, II, and III latencies display different 3D episomal structures that correlate with variations in viral gene expression. Additionally, our analysis of H3K27ac-enriched chromatin interactions revealed differences between Type II latency episomes and a link to cellular transformation through docking of the EBV episomes at specific sites of the Human genome, thus promoting oncogene expression. Overall, this work provides insights into the role of PARP1 in maintaining active latency and novel mechanisms of EBV-induced cellular transformation

Transatlantic regulatory divergence in pharmaceuticals: exploring economic and cultural explanations

The analysis delves into the regulatory divergence between the EU and the US in the pharmaceutical sector. Through law and economics, political science, and cultural theory perspectives, the study explores how collective preferences within each jurisdiction shape regulations. By identifying cultural orientations such as individualism in the US and hierarchy in the EU, the research suggests that underlying cultural factors play a significant role in regulatory decisions. Despite calls for regulatory harmonization, the recognition of legitimate differences in preferences due to cultural diversity emphasizes that uniformity may not always be the best solution, showcasing the importance of understanding cultural influences in shaping regulatory landscapes

An architecture for network acceleration as a service in the cloud continuum

The pervasive availability of connected devices in any industrial and societal sector is pushing for an evolution of the well-established cloud computing model. The emerging paradigm of the cloud continuum embraces this decentralization trend and envisions virtualized computing resources physically located between traditional datacenters and data sources. By totally or partially executing closer to the network edge, applications can have quicker reactions to events, thus enabling advanced forms of automation and intelligence. However, these applications also induce new data-intensive workloads with low-latency constraints that require the adoption of specialized resources, such as high-performance communication options (e.g., RDMA, DPDK, XDP, etc.). Unfortunately, cloud providers still struggle to integrate these options into their infrastructures. That risks undermining the principle of generality that underlies the cloud computing scale economy by forcing developers to tailor their code to low-level APIs, non-standard programming models, and static execution environments. This thesis proposes a novel system architecture to empower cloud platforms across the whole cloud continuum with Network Acceleration as a Service (NAaaS). To provide commodity yet efficient access to acceleration, this architecture defines a layer of agnostic high-performance I/O APIs, exposed to applications and clearly separated from the heterogeneous protocols, interfaces, and hardware devices that implement it. A novel system component embodies this decoupling by offering a set of agnostic OS features to applications: memory management for zero-copy transfers, asynchronous I/O processing, and efficient packet scheduling. This thesis also explores the design space of the possible implementations of this architecture by proposing two reference middleware systems and by adopting them to support interactive use cases in the cloud continuum: a serverless platform and an Industry 4.0 scenario. A detailed discussion and a thorough performance evaluation demonstrate that the proposed architecture is suitable to enable the easy-to-use, flexible integration of modern network acceleration into next-generation cloud platforms

Fluorogenic hyaluronan-based probe: characterization and use in advanced microscopy

Among all, the application of nanomaterials in biomedical research and most recently in the environmental one has opened the fields of nanomedicine and nanoremediation. Sensing methods based on fluorescence optical probe are generally requested for their selectivity, sensitivity. However, most imaging methods in literature rely on a fluorescent covalent labelling of the system. Therefore, the main aim of this project was to synthetise a biocompatible fluorogenic hyaluronan probe (HA) polymer functionalised with a rhomadine B (RB) moieties and study its behaviour as an optical probe with different materials with microscopy techniques. A derivatization of HA with RB (HA-RB) was successfully obtained providing a photophysical characterization showing a particular fluorescence mechanism of the probe. Firstly, we tested the interaction with different lab-grade micro and nanoplastics in water. Thanks to the peculiar photophysical behaviour of the probe nanoplastics can be detected with confocal microscopy and more interestingly their nature can be discriminated based on the fluorescence lifetime decay with FLIM microscopy. After, the interaction of a model plant derived metabolic enzyme GAPC1 undergoing oxidative-triggered aggregation was explored with the HA-RB. We highlighted the probe interaction with the protein even at early stage of the kinetic. Moreover, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) experiment demonstrates that the probe is in fact able to interact with the small pre-aggregates in the early stage of the aggregation kinetic. Ultimately, we focused on the possibility to apply the probe in a super resolution microscopy technique, PALM, exploiting its aspecific interaction to characterize the surface topography of PTFE polydisperse microplastics. Optimal conditions were reached at high concentration of the probe (70 nM) where 0.5-5 nM is always advisable for this technique. Thanks to the polymeric nature and fluorescence mechanism of the probe, this technique was able to reveal features of PTFE surface under the diffraction limit (< 250 nm)

Bridging the gap:exploring the cognitive impact of InterpretBank on Chinese interpreting trainees

This exploratory research project developed a cognitive situated approach to studying aspects of simultaneous interpreting with quantitative, confirmatory methods. To do so, it explored how to determine the potential benefits of using a computer-assisted interpreting tool, InterpretBank, among 22 Chinese interpreting trainees with Chinese L1 and English L2. The informants were mostly 2nd-year female students with an average age of 24.7 enrolled in Chinese MA interpreting programs. The study adopted a pretest and posttest design with three cycles. The independent variable was using Excel or InterpretBank. After Cycle I (pre-test), the sample split into control (Excel) and experimental (InterpretBank) groups. Tool choice was compulsory in Cycle II but not Cycle III. The source materials for each cycle were pairs of matching transcripts from popular science podcasts. Informants compiled glossaries out of one transcript, while the other one was edited for simultaneous interpreting, with 39 terms as potential problem triggers. Quantitative profiling results showed that InterpretBank informants spent less time on glossary compilation, generated more terms faster than Excel informants, but their glossaries were less diverse (personal) and longer. The booth tasks yielded no significant differences in fluency indicators except for more bumps (200-600ms silent time gaps) for InterpretBank in Cycle II. InterpretBank informants had more correct renditions in Cycles II and III but there was no statistically significant difference among accuracy indicators per cycle. Holistic quality assessments by PhD raters showed InterpretBank consistently outperforming Excel, suggesting a positive InterpretBank impact on SI quality. However, some InterpretBank implementations raised cognitive ergonomic concerns for Chinese, potentially undermining its utility. Overall, results were mixed regarding InterpretBank benefits for Chinese trainees, but the project was successful in developing cognitive situated interpreting study methods, constructs and indicators

RNA interference technology as a potential control method for fruit and horticultural crops pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Plasmopara viticola

Chapter 1, a general introduction on Botrytis cinerea and its threat to crop production is presented. What Botrytis looks like, its life cycle, why it is a threat to agricultural production, its worldwide pest status, and its current state of management is further elaborated on. Chapter 2, a general introduction on Plasmopara viticola, its threat to grape production and management strategies presented. Chapter 3, titled " RNA Interference Strategies for Future Management of Plant Pathogenic Fungi: Prospects and Challenges ", presents the rapid improvement and extensive implementation of RNA interference (RNAi) technology for the management of fungal pathogens. In this chapter, we describe the application of exogenous RNAi involved in plant pathogenic fungi and discuss dsRNA production, formulation, and RNAi delivery methods. Chapter 4, titled " Exogenous dsRNAs against chitin synthase and glucan synthase genes suppress the growth of the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea " addresses two important questions: Is RNAi technology functional for B. cinerea control ? And which target genes can be exploited for RNAi-based B.cinerea disease control ? Upon target genes selections, an exogenous RNAi protocol was set up and we could effectively deliver a known dose of bacterially produced double stranded RNA (dsRNA) to induce RNAi in B. cinerea. Chapter 5, titled " Double-Stranded RNA Targeting Dicer-Like Genes Compromises the Pathogenicity of Plasmopara viticola on Grapevine “, which deals mainly on RNAi induction against Plasmopara viticola. This chapter addresses two main questions: Is RNAi technology functional in contrasting Plasmopara viticola? And which target genes can be exploited for RNAi-based disease control in Plasmopara viticola?. In the last Chapter (Chapter 6) titled “General discussions and perspectives for future research”, the major research findings from this thesis are discussed together with perspectives for future research

Il conte di Carmagnola from the last autograph draft to the printing: a new critical edition and a model for a digital edition

A seguito degli studi condotti sul manoscritto inedito della copia per la censura della tragedia manzoniana Il Conte di Carmagnola, conservato presso la Houghton Library dell’Università di Harvard (MS Ital 72), il presente lavoro propone una nuova edizione critica delle ultime fasi elaborative dell’opera, dall’ultima redazione autografa (manoscritti Manz.V.S.XI.4 e Manz.B.X.2) alla prima edizione a stampa (1820), muovendosi negli ambiti, ancora scarsamente dialoganti ma complementari, della filologia d’autore e dell’editoria critica digitale. L’edizione, grazie al rinvenimento documentale – già segnalato nel 1990 (Severino 1990), ma ignorato dalla critica fino alla recente menzione di Giulia Raboni (Raboni 2017) – corregge la precedente ricostruzione filologica, sanando alcune erronee interpretazioni causate dalla lacuna testimoniale e rendendo possibile una più precisa ricostruzione delle fasi redazionali dell’opera. La connessa indagine critica degli interventi correttori ascrivibili alle ultime revisioni precedenti la pubblicazione permette inoltre di proporre spunti esegetici più esattamente rispondenti alla progressiva elaborazione del progetto manzoniano, consentendo anche di riassegnare all’autore la quasi totalità delle correzioni intercorse tra autografi e stampa, prima di impossibile o dubbia attribuzione. Lo studio del testo e dei manoscritti, condotto mediante un approccio interdisciplinare volto a misurare le possibilità di integrazione reciproca di filologia tradizionale e digitale, è infine punto di partenza per la realizzazione di un modello di annotazione XML/TEI. Tale schema si offre sia come caso di studio concreto per la rappresentazione del processo genetico della tragedia, anche attraverso la proposta di mockup per la visualizzazione, sia come occasione di riflessione generale sulle possibilità applicative del vocabolario TEI a obiettivi specifici della filologia d’autore, attualmente quasi del tutto esclusa dalle edizioni critiche digitali realizzate.Based on the study of the unpublished manuscript of the censorship copy of Manzoni’s tragedy Il conte di Carmagnola, housed in the Houghton Library of Harvard University (MS Ital 72), this work provides a new critical edition of the last redactions of the tragedy, from the last autograph draft (manuscripts Manz. V.S.XI.4 and Manz.B.X.2) to the first printed edition (1820). The edition – thanks to the analysis of the document, discovered in 1990 (Severino 1990), but ignored by the critics until the recent mention by Giulia Raboni (Raboni 2017) – intends to correct the previous philological reconstruction, by rectifying some misinterpretations due to the witness gap and by presenting a more accurate reconstruction of the editorial phases of the text. Linked to this, a critical investigation of the corrections dating back to the last revisions before the publishing lead me to exegetical observations which respond more likely to the progressive elaboration of the manzonian project and helped me reassigning the author almost the totality of the corrections between autographs and printing which were before of impossible or questionable attribution. The study of the text and the manuscripts – carried out following a multidisciplinary approach which integrates both traditional and digital philology, between which there is a scarce and yet increasingly necessary dialogue – is the starting point for the creation of a XML/TEI encoding model. This scheme offers itself for different purposes. The first is being a concrete case of study for the representation of the genetic process of the tragedy, also through mockup for the visualization. The second is that of being an opportunity for general reflection on application possibilities of TEI vocabulary on specific targets of authorial philology, which is currently underrepresented among digital critical editions

The Passepartout Archive: Global Narratives and Perspectives in the Mezzofanti Manuscript Collection (1774-1849)

La tesi combina le prospettive di microstoria, storia globale e storia intellettuale per provare a tracciare un profilo dell’intellettuale della provincia italiana nelle sue connessioni globali, attraverso il caso studio del Cardinale poliglotta Giuseppe Mezzofanti (1774-1849). Organizzata attorno a tre assi concettuali (singolarità, interazione ed elaborazione) la tesi esplora la biografia di Mezzofanti e il relativo processo di mitizzazione come uomo della globalità; la sua partecipazione alla circolazione del sapere nella comunità intellettuale e nell’ambiente universalistico cattolico; e la sua produzione intellettuale, attraverso l’analisi del Fondo Manoscritti della Biblioteca dell’Archiginnasio, come piattaforma su cui si dispiega la riflessione intellettuale individuale nel sistema di interrelazione globale. L’obiettivo della ricerca è dunque considerare le peculiarità dell’esperienza di Mezzofanti che lo differenziano dalle microstorie globali presenti in letteratura scientifica, provando a riflettere su alcune questioni di carattere metodologico generale e storiografico sull’interpretazione che la comunità intellettuale preunitaria italiana di XIX secolo diede dei fenomeni di cosmopolitismo e di dinamiche di dialogo transnazionale, nel quadro delle tensioni proto-nazionaliste.The thesis combines the methodologies of the Microhistory, the Global History and the Intellectual history in order to investigate the case of the polyglot Cardinal Giuseppe Mezzofanti (1774-1849), producing an outline of an intellectual of the Italian periphery and its global connections. The dissertation is organized in three branches (singularity, interaction and elaboration) focusing on: the mythologising of Mezzofanti's biography as a global actor; his participation in the circulation of knowledge both in the broader intellectual community and in the scope of Catholic universalism; his intellectual production, by analysing the documents of the Manuscript Collection of the Archiginnasio Library, as a platform projecting his scholarship in a global intellectual network. The aim of the thesis is to consider the global microhistorical case of Mezzofanti and its peculiarities and to address some methodological and historiographical matters regarding the Italian intellectual community’s interpretations of cosmopolitanism and of transnational dialogue, during the 19th century context of pre-unification proto-nationalis

Plutarch's chemistry of stones and metals: conceptions and explanations. With an appendix on the TheSu XML annotation scheme

This dissertation presents a systematic and analytic overview of most of the information related to stones, minerals, and stone masonry which is found in the corpus of Plutarch of Chaeronea, combined with most of the information on metals and metalworking which is connected to the former. This survey is intended as a first step in the reconstruction of the full landscape of ‘chemical’ ideas occurring in Plutarch’s writings; accordingly, the exposition of the relevant passages, the assessment of their possible interpretations, the discussion on their implications, and their contextualization in the ancient traditions have been conducted with a special interest in the ‘mineralogical’ and ‘metallurgic’ themes developed in the frame of natural philosophy and meteorology. Although in this perspective physical etiology could have come to acquire central prominence, non-etiological information on Plutarch’s ideas on the nature and behaviour of stones and metals has been treated as equally relevant to reach a fuller understanding of how Plutarch conceptualized and visualized them in general, in- and outside the frame of philosophical explanation. Such extensive outline of Plutarch’s ideas on stones and metals is a prerequisite for an accurate inquiry into his use of the two in analogies, metaphors, and symbols: to predispose this kind of research was another aim of the present survey, and this aim has contributed to shape it; moreover, a special attention has been paid to the analysis of analogical and figurative speaking due to the nature itself of a large part of Plutarch’s references to stones and metals, which are either metaphorical, presented in close association with metaphors, or framed in analogies. Much of the information used for the present overview has been extracted —always with supporting argumentation— from the implications of such metaphors and analogies