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

Urban Journeys and Narrative Journeys: via Zamboni’s “tale of tales” in Bologna

La percezione dello spazio urbano, nella sua complessità, risente inevitabilmente dello stratificarsi, nel tempo, di significati storici, ideologie, archetipi e utopie attraverso i quali la società, nei suoi diversi stadi di sviluppo, ha consolidato l'idea di centro abitato. Nel mondo contemporaneo, la città narrata si sovrappone sempre di più a quella reale, organizzando e sintetizzando i processi interpretativi dei circuiti urbani: al cityscape, il panorama fisico della città, si antepone il suo mindscape, il panorama dell'anima e delle culture urbane. In sintonia con tali prospettive, la presente ricerca si propone di analizzare i processi comunicativi e i paradigmi mediatici che attraversano e ridefiniscono le dinamiche urbane, prendendo in esame gli strumenti e i linguaggi che concorrono a disegnare e raccontare l'immagine di una città. In tale contesto, il progetto prende in considerazione come case study la singolare situazione del distretto universitario intorno a via Zamboni a Bologna: un'arteria di straordinaria bellezza e vitalità, cui tuttavia non corrisponde un'immagine pubblica altrettanto positiva. La tesi ha analizzato in particolare l’immagine pubblica e la percezione di via Zamboni e di piazza Verdi dai primi del Novecento a oggi, in relazione ai principali eventi che le hanno viste come scenari privilegiati. Prendendo in considerazione un arco di tempo di oltre un secolo, sono stati selezionati alcuni momenti topici, occasioni culturali o accadimenti con una forte connotazione simbolica: dalla Liberazione alle manifestazioni del ’77, dalle storiche ‘prime’ del Teatro Comunale agli allestimenti della Pinacoteca, dalle lezioni di professori universitari di chiara fama alle più recenti contestazioni studentesche. Il risultato è un racconto stratificato che attraversa segni e immagini per ricostruire l’iconografia del quartiere attraverso testi, fotografie, filmati, opere d’arte o prodotti multimediali.The perception of urban space, in its whole complexity, is inevitably affected by the time-related stratification of historical meanings, ideologies, archetypes and utopias which have been used during the centuries by society to consolidate the idea of settlement. In the contemporary world, the city as a story to be told is often superimposed on the city as a real, material entity, organising and synthesising the interpretative processes of the urban circuits; therefore the city’s mindscape, a projection of its urban cultures and souls, becomes central in comparison with its cityscape, the architectural landscape. Taking this into consideration, our research analyses the communication processes and the media paradigms at work when sketching urban dynamics, examining the tools and codes used to design and narrate the story of a city. Our case study highlights the peculiar situation evolved around the University District in Via Zamboni, Bologna; at the very heart of the city, filled with architectural beauty and social vitality, nevertheless via Zamboni does not project a positive image among the public. The research looks at the public image and the social perception of Via Zamboni and Piazza Verdi during the period spanning from the years after the beginning of the century and today; in particular we will concentrate on the historical events which specifically took place in the two areas. Among the 100 years, specific and significative moments will be selected: the Liberation, the 77’ rallies, the first opening nights at the Teatro Comunale, the Pinacoteca’s exhibitions, university lessons held by famous professors and the more recent students’ rallies. As a result, we will show a multilayered tale of a city area, narrated with the aid of signs and images extracted from a wide array of media: written texts, photographs, paintings, films or social networks

Evaluation of the theranostic use of miRNAs in correlation to the radiopharmaceutical 64CuCl2 in glioblastoma

B:Glioblastoma multiforme(GBM) is one of the most prevalent and aggressive malignant primary brain tumors in adult patients. 64CuCl2 is an innovative radiopharmaceutical investigated as theranostic agent in GBM patients. The therapeutic scheme is still under evaluation, therefore the research focused on the possibility of radioresistance development. The actors responsible for modulating radioresistance could be miRNAs, thus their potential use was investigated both in radioresistant cell lines and in GBM patients plasma samples. M:Radioresistant cell lines were generated by exposing U87MG, U373MG lines to increasing doses of radiation for 32 weeks. Cell membrane permeability alterations and DNA damage were assessed to characterize the lines. Moreover, 64Cu cell incorporation and subcellular distribution were investigated measuring gamma-radiation emission. miRNA expression was evaluated: in parental and radioresistant cell lines, both in cell pellet and media exosomes; in plasma samples of GBM patients using TaqMan Array MicroRNA Cards. R:Radioresistant lines exhibited reduction in membrane permeability and in DNA DSBs indicating the capability to skip the drug killing effect. Cell uptake assays showed internalization of 64Cu both in the sensitive and radioresistant lines. Radioresistant lines showed a different miRNA expression profile compared to the parental lines. 5 miRNAs were selected as possible biomarkers of response to treatment (miR-339-3p, miR-133b, miR-103a-3p, miR-32-5p, miR-335-5p) and 6 miRNAs as possible predictive biomarkers of response to treatment (let-7e-5p, miR-15a-5p, miR-29c-3p, miR-495, miR-146b-5p, miR-199a-5p). miR-32-5p was selected as possible molecule to be used to restore 64CuCl2 responsiveness in the radioresistant cell lines. C: This is the first study describing the development and characterization of 64CuCl2 radioresistant cell lines useful to implement the approach for dosimetric analysis to avoid radioresistance uprising. miRNAs could bring to a better understanding of 64CuCl2 treatment, becoming a useful tool both in detection of treatment response and both as molecule that could restore responsiveness to 64CuCl2 treatment

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

Molecular mechanisms controlling physiological plasticity in marine mussels under the influence of natural and anthropogenic stress factors

Marine mussels are exceptionally well-adapted to live in transitional habitats where they are exposed to fluctuating environmental parameters and elevated levels of natural and anthropogenic stressors throughout their lifecycle. However, there is a dearth of information about the molecular mechanisms that assist in dealing with environmental changes. This project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing acclimatory and stress responses of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) by addressing relevant life stages and environmental stressors of emerging concern. The experimental approach consisted of two phases to explore (i) the physiological processes at early life history and the consequences of plastic pollution and (ii) the adult physiology processes under natural habitats. As the first phase, I employed a plastic leachate (styrene monomer), and polystyrene microplastics to understand the modulation of cytoprotective mechanisms during the early embryo stages. Results revealed the onset of transcriptional impairments of genes involved in MXR-related transporters and other physiological processes induced by styrene and PS-MPs. In the second phase, as a preliminary analysis, microbiota profile of adult mussels at the tissue scale and its surrounding water was explored to understand microbiota structures that may reflect peculiar adaptations to the respective tissue functions. The broader experiment has been implemented to understand the variability of transcriptional profiles in the mussel digestive glands in the natural setting. All the genes employed in this study have shown possibilities to use as molecular biomarker responses throughout the year for monitoring the physiology of mussels living in a particular environment and, in turn, more properly detecting changes in the environment. As a whole, my studies provide insights into the interactions between environmental parameters, and intrinsic characters, and physiology of marine bivalves, and it could help to interpretation of responses correctly under stress conditions and climate change scenarios

Optoelectronic investigation of defects in hybrid metal halide perovskites

The growing demand for flexible and low-cost electronics has driven research towards the study of novel semiconducting materials to replace traditional semiconductors like silicon and germanium, which are limited by mechanical rigidity and high production cost. Some of the most promising semiconductors in this sense are metal halide perovskites (MHPs), which combine low-cost fabrication and solution processability with exceptional optoelectronic properties like high absorption coefficient, long charge carrier lifetime, and high mobility. These properties, combined with an impressive effort by many research groups around the world, have enabled the fabrication of solar cells with record-breaking efficiencies, and photodetectors with better performance than commercial ones. However, MHP devices are still affected by issues that are hindering their commercialization, such as degradation under humidity and illumination, ion migration, electronic defects, and limited resistance to mechanical stress. The aim of this thesis work is the experimental characterization of these phenomena. We investigated the effects of several factors, such as X-ray irradiation, exposure to environmental gases, and atmosphere during synthesis, on the optoelectronic properties of MHP single crystals. We achieved this by means of optical spectroscopy, electrical measurements, and chemical analyses. We identified the cause of mechanical delamination in MHP/silicon tandem solar cells by atomic force microscopy measurements. We characterized electronic defects and ion migration in MHP single crystals by applying for the first time the photo-induced current transient spectroscopy technique to this class of materials. This research allowed to gain insight into both intrinsic defects, like ion migration and electron trapping, and extrinsic defects, induced by X-ray irradiation, mechanical stress, and exposure to humidity. This research paves the way to the development of methods that heal and passivate these defects, enabling improved performance and stability of MHP optoelectronic devices

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)

Advanced electrospun nanofibrous mats for hindering delamination, improving damping and for sensing of composite laminates

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs) display high specific mechanical properties, allowing the creation of lightweight components and products by metals replacement. To reach outstanding mechanical performances, the use of stiff thermoset matrices, like epoxy, is preferred. Laminated composites are commonly used for their ease of manipulation during object manufacturing. However, the natural anisotropic structure of laminates makes them vulnerable toward delamination. Moreover, epoxy-based CFRPs are very stiff materials, thus showing low damping capacity, which results in unwanted vibrations and structure-borne noise that may contribute to delamination triggering. Hence, searching for systems able to limit these drawbacks is of primary importance for safety reasons, as well as for economic ones. In this experimental thesis, the production and integration of innovative rubbery nanofibrous mats into CFRP laminates are presented. A smart approach, based on single-needle electrospinning of rubber-containing blends, is proposed for producing dimensionally stable rubbery nanofibers without the need for rubber crosslinking. Nano-modified laminates aim at obtaining structural composites with improved delamination resistance and enhanced damping capacity, without significantly lowering other relevant mechanical properties. The possibility of producing nanofibers nano-reinforced with graphene to be applied for reinforcing composite laminates is also investigated. Moreover, the use of piezoelectric nanofibrous mats in hybrid composite laminates for achieving self-sensing capability is presented too as a different approach to prevent the catastrophic consequences of possible structural laminate failure. Finally, an accurate, systematic, and critical study concerning tensile testing of nonwovens, using electrospun Nylon 66 random nanofibrous mats as a case study, is proposed. Nanofibers diameter and specimen geometry were investigated to thoroughly describe the nanomat tensile behaviour, also considering the polymer thermal properties, and the number of nanofibers crossings as a function of the nanofibers diameter. Stress-strain data were also analysed using a phenomenological data fitting model to interpret the tensile behaviour better

Study of new Catalysts for the Selective Oxidation of n-Butane to Maleic Anhydride: The Role of Catalysts Thermal Treatment

Maleic anhydride (MA) is a very versatile molecule, indeed, with three functional groups (two carbonyl groups and one double bond C=C) it is an excellent joining and cross-linking material. It is obtained via selective oxidation of n-butane, using vanadyl pyrophosphate as a catalyst. The catalytic system has been largely studied over the years and it is normally used in the industrial production of MA, but the main open problem is to completely control its preparation. This thesis reports the effect of different preparation parameters employed during the calcination procedure for the transformation of precursor into the active catalyst. The thermal treatment is already known to be favoured in the presence of water, hence the first study was on the role of different amount of water co-fed with air, leading to obtain catalysts with an higher crystallinity. This is not the only parameter to control: the molar ratio of oxygen has also an important role, to obtain an active and selective catalyst. Some tests decreasing the “oxidizing power” of the mixture were carried out and it was observed a progressive development of VPP phase instead of oxidized V/P/O systems. Established the role of water and oxygen, the optimal conditions have been found when a mixture composed of air, water and nitrogen was used for the calcination, in the molar ratio of 30:10:60% respectively. Also at the lower temperature tested, i.e. 400°C, the catalyst presents the higher conversion of n-butane and MA yield compared to all other samples. The important conclusion we have reached is that not higher amount of water is necessary to obtain the most performing catalyst, thus leading to economic savings. Performing the same experiments on two different precursors, give catalysts with different activity but the mixture previously descripted is always the one that leads to the best performance

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