Latin fragments in the Estense Archives: considerations about the context of re-use and catalogue

La tesi che qui si presenta muove dall’osservazione della collezione dei Frammenti conservata presso l’Archivio di Stato di Modena, fornendo un'analisi dettagliata della sua storia archivistica fin dalle origini e dei percorsi di ricerca esplorati fino ad oggi. Un censimento condotto durante la ricerca ha inoltre rivelato circa 50 nuovi frammenti latini riutilizzati nei registri dell'Archivio Estense, che permangono in situ. Un notevole numero di frammenti dell'ASMo proviene dalle legature dei volumi del complesso archivistico estense, il quale, coprendo il periodo 1317-1797, costituisce il più ampio fondo dell'Archivio di Stato di Modena. Diversamente dalle ricerche precedenti dedicate a frammenti specifici, questa tesi adotta uno sguardo olistico, esplorando le testimonianze frammentarie legate a un medesimo contesto di riutilizzo. Il nucleo centrale si concentra sulla metodologia adoperata per ricostruire le 'provenienze archeologiche', con un focus sul riutilizzo nei registri dell'Archivio Estense. La tesi include frammenti documentari, spesso trascurati, offrendo nuove prospettive sullo studio del fenomeno del riuso, soprattutto nei domini estensi. Questo approccio sottolinea inoltre l’interdisciplinarietà intrinseca agli studi dedicati ai frammenti di manoscritti, già considerati prevalentemente secondo un’ottica paleografica e codicologica e qui sottoposti anche a un’indagine dal punto di vista dell’archivistica e della diplomatica. La tesi comprende un catalogo parziale dei frammenti pergamenacei latini provenienti dall'Archivio Estense, costruito adottando il modello di scheda descrittiva del database digitale Fragmentarium. L'analisi comprende identificazione, datazione, localizzazione dei frammenti, cui si aggiungono aspetti materiali e storico-contestuali del riuso, e il catalogo riferisce, in alcuni casi, la ricostruzione di membra disiecta. Parallelamente, si è avviato un progetto pilota per la digitalizzazione dei frammenti dell'ASMo in collaborazione con il Centro Studi ARCE dell'Università di Bologna. La tesi include una relazione sulle attività svolte, con riflessioni sulle metodologie adottate durante il progetto di digitalizzazione.Cette recherche porte sur les fragments de manuscrits des Archives d'État de Modène, en particulier tirés des reliures des registres de la Maison d'Este, qui constituent le plus grand fonds documentaire y conservé, datant de 1317 à 1797. Bien que diversifiée, cette documentation reste cohérente grâce à son origine institutionnelle unique. La thèse débute par une analyse approfondie de l'histoire archivistique de la collection, explorant ses origines et suggérant une expansion idéale avec environ 50 nouveaux fragments latins réutilisés dans les registres de l'Archivio Estense, découverts au cours de cette recherche doctorale. Ainsi, elle rende public une part significative de l'héritage médiéval manuscrit en fragments, jusqu'au present largement inédite. Contrairement aux recherches antérieures, cette thèse adopte une approche holistique, examinant les éléments fragmentaires liés au même contexte de réutilisation, avec un accent sur les témoins réutilisés dans les reliures des registres de l'Archivio Estense. La thèse inclut des fragments documentaires, souvent négligés, offrant de nouvelles perspectives sur l'étude du phénomène de réutilisation, notamment dans les domaines estensi. Cette approche souligne également l'interdisciplinarité inhérente aux études consacrées aux fragments de manuscrits, traditionnellement considérés principalement du point de vue paléographique et codicologique, et ici soumis à une enquête également du point de vue de l'archivistique et de la diplomatique. Un catalogue partiel des fragments de parchemin en latin des Archives de la Maison d'Este est présenté, suivant le modèle de Fragmentarium, incluant l'identification du contenu, la datation, l'origine, ainsi que des aspects matériels et historico-contextuels du remploi, permettant la reconstruction de membra disiecta. Parallèlement, un projet pilote de numérisation des fragments des Archives d'État de Modène a été mené avec le Centre d'études ARCE de l'Université de Bologne. Un rapport sur les activités du projet est inclus dans la thèse, avec des réflexions sur les méthodologies adoptées.This research explores manuscript fragments preserved at the State Archives of Modena, notably those originating from bindings within the House of Este's archival complex, the State Archives' largest collection spanning 1317 to 1797. Despite diverse document types, the archival complex maintains coherence due to its unified institutional origin. The thesis meticulously delves into the fragment collection's archival history, identifying origins and proposing expansion through a census, revealing around 50 new Latin fragments within Archivio Estense registers. This study pioneers the exploration of a significant segment of medieval manuscript heritage, preserved fragmentarily and largely unpublished. Diverging from previous studies focusing on individual fragments or specific groups, this thesis adopts a holistic approach, examining fragments linked by a common reuse context. The focal point is the development of a methodology for reconstructing 'archaeological' provenances, emphasizing witnesses repurposed in Archivio Estense register bindings. The thesis introduces documentary fragments, often overlooked in fragmentology studies, enabling comprehensive research and shedding light on systematic reuse within the Este family's domains. This approach underscores the interdisciplinary nature inherent in studies dedicated to manuscript fragments, traditionally approached from paleographical and codicological perspectives, now examined through archival and diplomatic studies. A partial catalog of Latin parchment fragments from the Estense Archives follows the Fragmentarium database's descriptive sheet model. Fragment analysis includes content, dating, location, as far as material and contextual aspects about reuse. Recognizing shared origins enables the reconstruction of membra disiecta. Simultaneously, a pilot project for digitizing fragments from the State Archives of Modena was carried out in collaboration with the ARCE Studies Center at the University of Bologna. A report on the project's activities is included in the thesis, along with reflections on the adopted methodologies

Sensory analysis as a tool to improve the quality of aquaculture products

Sensory analysis is a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyse and interpret the responses to products that are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. This science is used to highlight the strengths and characteristics of a product, such as in the case of research and development products where alternative ingredients, food waste or by-products are used. It can also be used to evaluate the same characteristics over time, to highlight alterations in one of the sensory components at a given time or over time. This doctoral thesis deals with the valorisation, through characterisation, of various aquaculture fish products. In particular, the products covered by this study were analysed, depending on the objective pursued, with different sensory methods using trained judges and in one case consumers. Therefore, the sensory characterisation of the products was useful for investigating the foods considered in this doctoral research. In particular, specific research topics were taken: 1. The study of alternative ingredients, such as the outcomes of different levels of inclusion of insect larvae (Hermetia illucens) meal on the quality of sea bream (Sparus aurata) fillets. 2. The study of consumer expectations and perceptions on the use of insect meal as a feed for aquaculture products. In particular, this study was done after the characterisation by Quantitative Descriptive analysis (QDA) of the products to exclude sensory differences. 3. Development of a non-destructive and cheap device based on dielectric spectroscopy for assessing fish freshness. In particular in this study, the developed device was evaluated in correlation with a sensory method for assessing the freshness of fish product, the Quality Index Method (QIM

Toxicological effects related to a novel heated tobacco product

The tobacco epidemic is a public health burden. Nicotine-Delivery-Systems(NDS) are devices designed to help people replace conventional cigarette(CC) and among these devices we find electronic cigarettes(e-cig), which are classified as Electronic-NDS(ENDS). E-cigs use different technologies to vaporize a liquid or to heat the tobacco avoiding the combustion phenomenon(IQOS). The US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has labelled IQOS as modified risk tobacco products(MRTPs), indirectly encouraging the perception of safety in the consumers, but IQOS smoke, although to a lesser extent than conventional, still presents a great deal of harmful or potentially harmful compounds. My PhD thesis aims to study the toxic effects related to IQOS exposure. I sought to answer the question of whether the toxic compounds released by IQOS, albeit in reduced concentrations, could lead to genotoxicity and damage to the airways and liver in vivo. At the University of Nottingham, I have investigated in vitro the effects generated by the IQOS, e-cigs and CC exposure on PBMCs and human lung epithelial cell line. Finally, at University of Milano–Bicocca, I have developed a in vivo Positron Emission computed Tomography(PET) imaging procedure meant to be applied to the monitoring of ENDS toxicity, particularly in the brain. These results indicate that IQOS is not a low-risk product in vivo, for primary target organs but also for secondary organs, although we have observed a small impact in vitro. Labelling as MRTP may mislead consumers who interpret “a lower level of toxic compounds” as an indication of “harmlessness” when there is a health risk for users. In the last part, I set up a methodology for studying temporal fluctuations of regional brain metabolism and connectivity derived from mice of different ages allowing researchers to obtain normative values in investigations of the efficacy or toxicity of substances at the functional level of the CNS

Translational relevance of liquid biopsy approaches in advanced melanoma

of five patients treated with anti-PD-1 as first line treatment. Our results, although still exploratory, suggest the predictive potential of baseline testing of circulating miR-155-5p as biomarker of response to immunotherapy. With the aim of enhance melanoma CTCs detection we tested the feasibility of the microfluidic system EPISPOT in a DROP (EPIDROP). Using the EPIDROP assay, we developed a panel of markers specific for melanoma CTCs (MCAM, MCSP, MART-1). The 6 use of this panel could improve the identification of CTCs in melanoma patients, thus providing better prognostic information. Finally, we provided a comprehensive analysis of ccfDNA mutations in a metastatic patient who had an exceptional response to immunotherapy. We found several mutated genes associated with response to immunotherapy. In conclusion, we demonstrated the feasibility and usefulness of liquid biopsy in the personalized management of advanced melanoma patients who experience relapse and develop resistance to immunotherapy

Gene expression and genome-wide association studies analysis to select heavy pigs for protected designation of origin cured meats production

The high quality of protected designation of origin (PDO) dry-cured pork products depends largely on the chemical and physical parameters of the fresh meat and their variation during the production process of the final product. The discovery of the mechanisms that regulate the variability of these parameters was aided by the reference genome of swine adjuvant to genetic analysis methods. This thesis can contribute to the discovery of genetic mechanisms that regulate the variability of some quality parameters of fresh meat for PDO dry-cured pork production. The first study is of gene expression and showed that between low and high glycolytic potential (GP) samples of Semimembranosus muscle of Italian Large White (ILW) pigs in early postmortem, the differentially expressed genes were all but one over expressed in low GP. These were involved in ATP biosynthesis processes, calcium homeostasis, and lipid metabolism including the potential master regulator gene Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha (PPARA). The second is a study in commercial hybrid pigs to evaluate correlations between carcass and fresh ham traits, including carcass and fresh ham lean meat percentages, the former, a potential predictor of the latter. In addition, a genome-wide association study allowed the identification of chromosome-wide associations with phenotypic traits for 19 SNPs, and genome-wide associations for 14 SNPs for ferrochelatase activity. The latter could be a determinant for color variation in nitrite-free dry-cured ham. The third study showed gene expression differences in the Longissimus thoracis muscle of ILW pigs by feeding diets with extruded linseed (source of polyunsaturated fatty acids) and vitamin E and selenium (diet three) or natural (diet four) antioxidants. The diet three promoted a more rapid and massive immune system response possibly determined by improvement in muscle tissue function, while the diet four promoted oxidative stability and increased the anti-inflammatory potential of muscle tissue

Bio-ecological studies on Penaeus kerathurus (Forskål, 1775) in North-Central Adriatic Sea toward an assessment of the status of the resource

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) aims to ensure sustainable fish stock exploitation and socio-economic balance. However, Mediterranean stocks often exceed CFP targets. In the North Adriatic Sea, the Caramote prawn has seen a significant increase in catches, yet information on this species is lacking. This PhD thesis addresses data gaps in the North Adriatic Sea, focusing on survey data, growth performance, and historical catches to develop a new stock assessment model. A statistical and machine learning-based model is developed to estimate species abundance trends by filling gaps in survey data. Additionally, the study distinguishes the Caramote prawn from a similar species, Penaeus aztecus. Growth analysis reveals sexual dimorphism, with females growing faster. Historical catch data are reconstructed to evaluate stock status, indicating potential overexploitation. Management measures are proposed using the DISPLACE model to assess their impact on fisheries. Integrating this data into the SS3 stock assessment model highlights potential overexploitation of the Caramote prawn. The study underscores the importance of using quantitative tools to predict the impact of management measures on fishing activities and fish stocks. Future research directions and potential improvements are discussed

Making community. For an anthropology of primary health care

Questo studio affronta il tema della partecipazione comunitaria e del suo ruolo nella riorganizzazione dei servizi socio-sanitari della Regione Emilia-Romagna in una prospettiva antropologica. La partecipazione comunitaria è considerata ormai diffusamente un elemento importante per l’organizzazione dei servizi e in particolare nell’ambito delle cure primarie: si tratta infatti del comparto dell’assistenza più prossimo ai territori di vita delle persone, sebbene sia fortemente indebolito, a causa di un progressivo definanziamento e di una profonda svalutazione culturale. Nel contesto italiano, il tema della partecipazione comunitaria in salute ha informato l’istituzione del Servizio Sanitario Nazionale. Tuttavia, numerosi contributi hanno messo in luce come la partecipazione delle comunità nell’ambito della sanità sia un proposito rimasto da allora irrealizzato; altri hanno evidenziato come, in un’epoca in cui i nostri sistemi di welfare sono in crisi, la partecipazione venga talvolta strumentalizzata per esternalizzare i costi del lavoro di cura sulle comunità, anziché per promuovere la salute delle persone. Adottando i quadri teorici della Primary Health Care e della Salute Collettiva, il lavoro di ricerca si basa su un’etnografia multisituata e realizzata in tre diversi contesti: un progetto di cooperazione internazionale volto a sviluppare strumenti gestionali e organizzativi per la costruzione degli Ospedali di Comunità nella Regione Emilia-Romagna; un progetto inter-istituzionale che mira ad affrontare le disuguaglianze sociali nella città di Bologna; un progetto promosso da un ambulatorio di Medicina Generale di Ferrara che, sulla base di una proposta di riforma delle cure primarie avanzata da una gruppo di giovani professionisti/e della salute, ha avviato un percorso di partecipazione comunitaria. Questo studio mette in luce come la partecipazione possa contribuire alla costruzione di una “comunità di cura”, capace di negoziare affettivamente i percorsi di assistenza, co-gestire le risorse per la produzione di beni comuni e rigenerare la fiducia nei confronti delle cure primarie.This thesis addresses the issue of community participation and its role in the reorganization of healthcare services in the Emilia-Romagna Region from an anthropological perspective. Despite the recognized importance of community participation in primary health care – the healthcare sector closest to people's living environments – it is severely weakened due to progressive defunding and cultural devaluation. Community participation in health was a key aspect of the establishment of the National Health Service in Italy. Nevertheless, several contributions have highlighted how community participation in health has remained an unfulfilled purpose. In a time of welfare systems in crisis, participation is sometimes exploited to externalize the costs of care work onto communities, rather than promoting people's health. Community participation is also challenged by the weakening of social ties: increasing inequalities and transformations of the labor market have produced forms of loneliness and isolation, which represent an ideal terrain for illness and seem likely to limit the possibility of people taking part in participatory processes. Adopting the theoretical frameworks of Primary Health Care and Collective Health, the research is based on a multi-sited ethnography carried out in three different contexts: an international cooperation project aimed at developing management and organizational tools for the construction of Community Hospitals in the Emilia-Romagna Region; an inter-institutional project that aims to address social inequalities in the city of Bologna; and a project promoted by a General Practitioners outpatient clinic in Ferrara, which, based on a primary health care reform proposal advanced by a group of young health professionals, has initiated a community participation process. This study highlights how participation can contribute to constructing a “community of care” capable of affectively negotiating care pathways, co-managing resources for the production of common goods, and regenerating trust in primary health care