Solid waste production and management in urban centre: An innovative approach

Solid urban waste management is a problem of increasing difficulty in the context of planning and can generate a serious threat to urban environment. This work aims to implement a KDD (Knowledge Discovery in Databases) analysis performed with Data Mining Tools able to find some relationships between quantity and quality of produced waste and different characteristics of population, that can be useful to help public and private waste managers to individualize to the best the educational actions previously quoted and specifically focused on every category of population

The Fortress of Ripafratta, Tuscany. A research project for its conservation and enhancement

[EN] The fortress of San Paolino in Ripafratta (San Giuliano Terme, Tuscany, Italy), represents the main structure of the ancient Pisan Republic defensive system towards Lucca. The fortress is the product of several stratifications dating back to the tenth century. It was built in the years between 1162-1164; later on, starting from 1504, significant interventions of modernization were realized by the Florentine Government, probably following a project by Giuliano da San Gallo. Since the early seventeenth century, the fortress lost its military function and passed to private property. Nowadays, the fortress is in a deep state of degradation, even if since 2008 several initiatives has followed for its recovery, unfortunately without success. The paper aims to show the results of an interdisciplinary project for the enhancement of the fortress and its territory. Based on a careful territorial analysis and in-depth historical study, a mix of compatible functions was identified in order to maximize the use of the fortress in all the seasons. A feasibility study was also developed for verifying the economic sustainability of the whole project and identifying possible intervention phases.Bevilacqua, M.; Karwaca, E.; Mininno, V.; Perrone, M.; Santini, L. (2020). The Fortress of Ripafratta, Tuscany. A research project for its conservation and enhancement. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 835-842. https://doi.org/10.4995/FORTMED2020.2020.11494OCS83584

Revamping of the Mantova Chemical District as short-chain lignocellulosic biorefinery

The Mantova Chemical District is a Site of National (and European) Interest (SIN). It comprises an oil refinery specialized in gasoline owned by Mol and Ies societies, a petrochemical plant (olefins) owned by Eni Versalis, an air separation unit and a reformer plant owned by Sapio and a series of industries working in the area of chipboard. Nowadays the oil refinery is off and the industrial network is deeply suffering from it; authorities at all levels (town, province, region, and ministry) are moving fast to convert the old facility into a biorefinery. This paper illustrates the studies and partial results of the funded project BioMAN for the conversion of the old refinery into a lignocellulosic biorefinery. A process framework was proposed for the establishment of an integrated biorefinery based on stablished and emerging technologies. In future works, a further elaboration of such scheme will allow determining optimal operating conditions through optimization algorithms. A preliminary economical assessment of methanol production showed potential for revenue production: accumulated net income was 61 mi £ in five years. Methanol production was 50 kt per year; the yearly amount of biomass required, approximately 160 kt, is in agreement with current reports of local availability

Digital detection of exosomes by interferometric imaging

Exosomes, which are membranous nanovesicles, are actively released by cells and have been attributed to roles in cell-cell communication, cancer metastasis, and early disease diagnostics. The small size (30–100 nm) along with low refractive index contrast of exosomes makes direct characterization and phenotypical classification very difficult. In this work we present a method based on Single Particle Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (SP-IRIS) that allows multiplexed phenotyping and digital counting of various populations of individual exosomes (>50 nm) captured on a microarray-based solid phase chip. We demonstrate these characterization concepts using purified exosomes from a HEK 293 cell culture. As a demonstration of clinical utility, we characterize exosomes directly from human cerebrospinal fluid (hCSF). Our interferometric imaging method could capture, from a very small hCSF volume (20 uL), nanoparticles that have a size compatible with exosomes, using antibodies directed against tetraspanins. With this unprecedented capability, we foresee revolutionary implications in the clinical field with improvements in diagnosis and stratification of patients affected by different disorders.This work was supported by Regione Lombardia and Fondazione Cariplo through POR-FESR, project MINER (ID 46875467); Italian Ministry of Health, Ricerca Corrente. This work was partially supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (grant #113E643). (Regione Lombardia; 46875467 - Fondazione Cariplo through POR-FESR, project MINER; Italian Ministry of Health, Ricerca Corrente; 113E643 - Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)Published versio

Messa a punto di un metodo per l'individuazione di β-1,3- glucanasi e chitinasi attraverso Native PAGE su estratti di piante di Prunus avium L. inoculate con Phytophthora spp.

Tecnique to detect on ß-1,3- glucanase and chitinasi by native PAGE, in Prunus avium (L.)clones inoculated with Phytophthora spp. ß-1,3-glucanase and chitinase activities have been detected by native PAGE (poliacrylamide gel electrophoresis) on leaf extracts of wild cherry (P. avium) inoculated with different species of Phytophthora spp.. These pathogens are aggressive in wild cherry and they can cause wiltings and death of the plant. These two PR (pathogen-related) proteins are normally produced by plants as first resistance strategy towards pathogens. The PR activities are involved in ifal cell wall degradation and growth. Usually, the techniques to detect them are based on colorimetric assay performed with the total protein extracts or in the poliacrylamide gels, through expensive procedures. In this work a direct colorimetric detection on a Carboximetil (cm)-Curdlan RBB (Remazol Brilliant Blu) and Glycol Chitosan substrate, is used to reveal ß-1,3-glucanase and chitinasi respectively. This protocol resulted to be very sensible in detecting the two proteins, very simply, reliable and cheap

Messa a punto di un metodo per l'individuazione di β-1,3- glucanasi e chitinasi attraverso Native PAGE su estratti di piante di Prunus avium L. inoculate con Phytophthora spp.

Tecnique to detect on ß-1,3- glucanase and chitinasi by native PAGE, in Prunus avium (L.)clones inoculated with Phytophthora spp. ß-1,3-glucanase and chitinase activities have been detected by native PAGE (poliacrylamide gel electrophoresis) on leaf extracts of wild cherry (P. avium) inoculated with different species of Phytophthora spp.. These pathogens are aggressive in wild cherry and they can cause wiltings and death of the plant. These two PR (pathogen-related) proteins are normally produced by plants as first resistance strategy towards pathogens. The PR activities are involved in ifal cell wall degradation and growth. Usually, the techniques to detect them are based on colorimetric assay performed with the total protein extracts or in the poliacrylamide gels, through expensive procedures. In this work a direct colorimetric detection on a Carboximetil (cm)-Curdlan RBB (Remazol Brilliant Blu) and Glycol Chitosan substrate, is used to reveal ß-1,3-glucanase and chitinasi respectively. This protocol resulted to be very sensible in detecting the two proteins, very simply, reliable and cheap