Il PPTR della Puglia, un piano per lo sviluppo locale autosostenibile

The paper deals with the Apulian PPTR contents presenting its principal aspects of originality. These aspects mainly consist on the patrimonialist approach to the landscape preservation, on the cooperative planning, on the strategic planning, all of them aiming at insure a sustainable development to the territorial patrimony. The presentation of the PPTR follows some of the most relevant themes/tools of the new operational framework established by the Code and the ELC: the cooperative planning, the strategic projects, the regulations efficacy, the guidelines. As a result the PPTR emerges as a tool directed to weigh on all the transformations tied to the landscape, handing itself as a discipline crossing all the territorial regional policies. Moreover the PPTR intends to overcome the regulatory discipline in favor of projects and plans spatially identified, so entrusting its efficacy above all on the capacity of stakeholders to implement actions of local development

Il caso del PTCP ligure, tra disciplina territoriale e progetti

The paper deals with the present reassessment of the Ligurian PTCP, starting with a partial reshaping confined to the coastal areas and framing the contents of the new plan established by the Code. The contents of the partial reshaping are explained in relation to their double goal: to protect the last coastal areas still not urbanized with more restrictive normative devices; to define some strategic projects corresponding to the reasons of both the landscape and the local development, able to amalgamate multiple interests, institutions, stakeholders and management tools. Still, the completion of PTCP reassessment remains underway and bears the difficulties typical of the present transition at national scale

Inerzie, divari e traiettorie possibili della cooperazione: il caso del Parco Agricolo Sud Milano

Nel contesto di progressiva moltiplicazione degli attori che intervengono nel disegno delle politiche, comprendere genealogia ed evoluzione delle forme di cooperazione in atto, leggerne potenziale trasformativo e capacità di adattamento ai mutamenti esterni rappresenta un modo per sondare le ricadute spaziali dei processi di governance e verificare gli esiti della pianificazione cooperativa nella gestione del territorio. Il Parco Agricolo Sud Milano è un caso di interesse sia per le sue connotazioni territoriali che per l’innovativa struttura istituzionale. Qui la cooperazione ha assunto nel tempo un duplice profilo. Il primo si riconduce alla sua organizzazione verticale e veicola una disciplina di uso del suolo basata sulla regolazione, volta a conformare i processi trasformativi alle istanze di conservazione del territorio agricolo. Il secondo livello emerge invece dal terreno delle pratiche e corrisponde al mosaico di iniziative e progettualità che riuniscono agricoltori e attori sociali, guidandoli verso pratiche di multifunzionalità che guardano alla città non più come presenza scomoda, ma come parte attiva con cui stabilire mutue relazioni. Obiettivo del contributo è interrogarsi sulle interazioni tra questi due livelli di cooperazione, cercando di comprendere se e come la pianificazione urbanistica sia capace di sviluppare sinergie utili a riavvicinare politiche e pratiche e a rafforzare le componenti politico-amministrative e imprenditoriali del parco

Thixotropic Hydrogels Based on Laponite® and Cucurbituril for Delivery of Lipophilic Drug Molecules

Nowadays the use of hydrogels for biomedical purposes is increasing because of their interesting features that allow the development of targeted drug delivery systems. Herein, hydrogel based on Laponite® (Lap) clay mineral as gelator and cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) molecules were synthetized for the delivery of flufenamic acid (FFA) for potential topical application. Firstly, the interaction between CB[6] and FFA was assessed by UV-vis spectroscopic measurements and molecular modeling calculations. Then, the obtained complex was used as filler for Lap hydrogel (Lap/CB[6]/FFA). The properties of the hydrogel in terms of viscosity and, self-repair abilities were investigated; its morphology was imaged by scanning electron and polarized optical microscopies. Furthermore, the changes in the hydrodynamic radii and in the colloidal stability of CB[6]/Lap mixture were investigated in terms of translational diffusion from dynamic light scattering and ζ-potential measurements. Finally, the kinetic in vitro release of FFA, from Lap/CB[6]/FFA hydrogel, was studied in a medium mimicking the pH of skin and the obtained results were discussed both by an experimental point of view and by molecular modeling calculations

Hectorite/Phenanthroline-Based Nanomaterial as Fluorescent Sensor for Zn Ion Detection: A Theoretical and Experimental Study

The development of fluorescent materials that can act as sensors for the determination of metal ions in biological fluids is important since they show, among others, high sensitivity and specificity. However, most of the molecules that are used for these purposes possess a very low solubility in aqueous media, and, thus, it is necessary to adopt some derivation strategies. Clay minerals, for example, hectorite, as natural materials, are biocompatible and available in large amounts at a very low cost that have been extensively used as carrier systems for the delivery of different hydrophobic species. In the present work, we report the synthesis and characterization of a hectorite/phenanthroline nanomaterial as a potential fluorescent sensor for Zn ion detection in water. The interaction of phenanthroline with the Ht interlaminar space was thoroughly investigated, via both theoretical and experimental studies (i.e., thermogravimetry, FT-IR, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies and XRD measurements), while its morphology was imaged by scanning electron microscopy. Afterwards, the possibility to use it as sensor for the detection of Zn2+ ions, in comparison to other metal ions, was investigated through fluorescent measurements, and the stability of the solid Ht/Phe/Zn complex was assessed by different experimental and theoretical measurements

CVD-graphene/graphene flakes dual-films as advanced DSSC counter electrodes

The use of graphene-based electrodes is burgeoning in a wide range of applications, including solar cells, light emitting diodes, touch screens, field-effect transistors, photodetectors, sensors and energy storage systems. The success of such electrodes strongly depends on the implementation of effective production and processing methods for graphene. In this work, we take advantage of two different graphene production methods to design an advanced, conductive oxide- and platinum-free, graphene-based counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In particular, we exploit the combination of a graphene film, produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) (CVD-graphene), with few-layer graphene (FLG) flakes, produced by liquid phase exfoliation. The CVD-graphene is used as charge collector, while the FLG flakes, deposited atop by spray coating, act as catalyst for the reduction of the electrolyte redox couple (i.e., I3-/I-- and Co+2/+3). The as-produced counter electrodes are tested in both I3-/I-- and Co+2/+3-based semitransparent DSSCs, showing power conversion efficiencies of 2.1% and 5.09%, respectively, under 1 SUN illumination. At 0.1 SUN, Co+2/+3-based DSSCs achieve a power conversion efficiency as high as 6.87%. Our results demonstrate that the electrical, optical, chemical and catalytic properties of graphene-based dual films, designed by combining CVD-graphene and FLG flakes, are effective alternatives to FTO/Pt counter electrodes for DSSCs for both outdoor and indoor applications

Supporting Information Hectorite/phenanthroline based nanomaterial as fluorescent sensor for Zn ions detection: a theoretical and experimental study

Figure S1. Change in fluorescence spectra of phenanthroline upon addition of different metal ionsPeer reviewe

A planning & design approach for the rehabilitation of historic centres in Iraq

The paper deals with the proposal of a methodology for the Iraqi historical centres. Of course the paper assumes that the current war will end one day and outlines a project totally related to the heritage preservation in times of ideological and armed conflict. The paper starts by describing how in Iraq the revitalisation of historic centres is developing in a frame of great uncertainty, marked by a controversial notion of identity and by strong market-oriented operations. The paper argues that in a city under reconstruction like Baghdad principles and methods adopted in Western world are often of limited value when adopted in countries of late modernisation. Consequently, the proposed strategy is based on the implementation of two integrated operating modes. The first is centred on the definition of a technical and regulatory planning, oriented to organize the multiple operations to carry out in the ordinary urban fabric. The second deals with the design of five central places providing the spatial and functional focuses of Adhamiya neighborhood. As such, the proposed strategy rests on the design of a ‘planning process’ and the design of five ‘urban projects’ mainly addressed to developers. These two levels, although developing at different speed, are intended to help each other facilitating the meeting of public and private interests

The commercial preservation of Chinese heritage: a poisoned panacea for city modernisation

Book of proceedings: Annual AESOP Congress, Definite Space – Fuzzy Responsibility, Prague, 13-16th July, 2015In China the entertainment and tourism industry, united to heritage preservation, offers today an unmissable opportunity to increase the living standard of cities. To this end a systematic use of the demolition and reconstruction of vast historical areas became both the keystone of a development policy and the paradigm of a rudimentary culture of conservation at political and technical level. This paper proposes a reflection on the multiple causes of this phenomenon, from the most obvious (the strength of the housing market, the collusion between private and public interests) to the less evident: the opaqueness of land market, the subordination to political power, the conceptualization of heritage in the Chinese tradition. To properly focus on the operational context of the demolition and reconstruction works in historic districts, the text compares some relevant aspects of the political system, the existing legislative framework and the technical tools adopted. Also, with reference to some significant operations the paper highlights how the demolition remains totally controlled by the real estate market and needs to be rethought as a political tool in order to target effective strategies of rehabilitation. In conclusion, the text highlights as in the process of preservation the field of action of the planners is extremely reduced, as operating within public boards strongly affected by a marked oriented policy and scarcely interacting with stakeholders external to the institutional power.Published Versio