Enrico Greco

University of Trieste | UNITS · Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Kodjadermen-Gumelnița-Karonovo VI human group (KGK VI) reached its maximal extension around 4500 BC, covering a large area comprised between southern Ukraine and northern Greece. Afterward, its distribution gradually receded, before vanishing altogether at the end of the fifth – early fourth millenniums BC. This study seeks to investigate the r...

This study presents a comprehensive multimodal analytical study of an Egyptian ritual Bes-vase, of the 2nd century BCE employing cutting-edge proteomics, metabolomics, genetics techniques, and synchrotron radiation-based Fourier Transformed Infrared microSpectroscopy (SR µ-FTIR) to characterize organic residues of its content. We successfully ident...

This study presents an in-depth archaeometric investigation of Iron Age ceramic assemblage dating from 950 to 750 BCE from the sanctuary at Polizzello Mountain, Sicily. The site, a key sanctuary utilized by indigenous communities for ritual activities, is examined for its strategic location, structural developments, pottery assemblages, and evidenc...

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the surveillance and safety measures of indoor Cultural Heritage sites have become a paramount concern due to the unique challenges posed by their enclosed environments and high visitor volumes. This communication explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing epidemiological surveillance...

The escalation of the COVID-19 outbreak has significantly increased research into the transmission of airborne infectious diseases in indoor settings, underscoring the urgent necessity for affordable and efficient methods of air disinfection. The aim of the present work is the development of a complete framework based on designed experiments for ex...

In this study, electrospun scaffolds were fabricated using polycaprolactone (PCL) loaded with varying concentrations of β-carotene (1.2%, 2.4%, and 3.6%) via the electrospinning technique. The electrospinning process involved the melting of PCL in acetic acid, followed by the incorporation of β-carotene powder under constant stirring. Raman spectro...

Studies on bioaerosol bacterial biodiversity have relevance in both ecological and health contexts, and molecular methods, such as 16S rRNA gene-based barcoded sequencing, provide efficient tools for the analysis of airborne bacterial communities. Standardized methods for sampling and analysis of bioaerosol DNA are lacking, thus hampering the compa...

The primary objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges involved in detecting ancient ayahuasca, a traditional hallucinogenic drink from the Amazon region, which is prepared using Banisteriopsis caapi liana and other plants, by utilizing advanced analytical techniques. The presence of harmine and harmaline in A...

Background and Objectives: Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) include basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as a wide range of rare skin tumors. NMSCs is the most frequently diagnosed type of tumor among Caucasians. We aimed at estimating the incidence and mortality of NMSCs in the Salento area (Lecce province, Southe...

The global healthcare industry plays a crucial role in preserving human health and well-being [...]

Background: Prevention of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in healthcare workers (HCWs) to ensure the “Right to Occupational Safety” is a special challenge globally, as HCWs have a higher risk of acquiring the infection in hospital settings because of frequent close exposure to patients suffering from tuberculosis (TB). Methods: Aretrospective...

Background Med-Index is a one-health front-of-pack (FOP) label, based on Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) principles, developed to summarize information about the nutritional properties and related-health benefits of any food as well as its sustainable production processes, and the associated food company’s social responsibility parameters in a new “Pl...

Fish and fish products are considered important sources of nutrition due to their high protein, fat, and fat-soluble vitamin content. These food items have been extensively discussed and celebrated in various genres of Greek literature. However, there is a discrepancy between the rich textual evidence of fish cooking and consumption and the limited...

The catacombs of Santa Lucia were built during the 3rd century CE in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy, as a burial site for members of the local Christian community until the early 8th century CE. This site is an important cemeterial context of the Late Roman and Byzantine periods. The tombs and artifacts found suggest that individuals of varying wealth wer...

In encyclopaedic dictionaries published until 1955, the word “tumour” was defined as an “occupational disease suffered by the workers of chemical industries”, thus referring to a very specific cause [...]

This study presents a comprehensive multimodal analytical study of an Egyptian ritual Bes-vase, of the 2 nd century BCE employing cutting-edge proteomics, metabolomics, genetics techniques, and synchrotron radiation-based Fourier Transformed Infrared microSpectroscopy (SR µ-FTIR) to characterize organic residues of its content. We successfully iden...

Background: Standardized methods for testing Viral Filtration Efficiency (VFE) of tissues and devices are lacking and few studies are available on aerosolizing, sampling and assessing infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in controlled laboratory settings. NanoAg-coated endonasal filters appear a promising aid for lowering viable virus inhalation in both adul...

Our work intends to show that: (1) Quantum Neural Networks (QNNs) can be mapped onto spin-networks, with the consequence that the level of analysis of their operation can be carried out on the side of Topological Quantum Field Theory (TQFT); (2) A number of Machine Learning (ML) key-concepts can be rephrased by using the terminology of TQFT. Our fr...

The airborne route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed by the World Health Organization in April 2021. There is an urge to establish standardized protocols for assessing the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples to support risk assessment, especially in indoor environments. Debates on the airborne transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 h...

Organic residues were extracted from thirty-three different types of Roman and Late Antique amphorae retrieved from underwater contexts in the custody of the Archaeological Museum “Baglio Anselmi” of Marsala in Sicily. The samples were analysed using GC-MS and ¹H NMR, finding biomarkers of plant oils (including saturated and unsaturated fatty acids...

We show that a generalized version of the holographic principle can be derived from the Hamiltonian description of information flow within a quantum system that maintains a separable state. We then show that this generalized holographic principle entails a general principle of gauge invariance. When this is realized in an ambient Lorentzian space-t...

Mass spectrometry-based approaches have been successfully applied for identifying ancient proteins in bones and other tissues. On the contrary, there are relatively few examples of the successful recovery and identification of archeological protein residues from ceramic artifacts; this is because ceramics contain much lower levels of proteins which...

Our work intends to show that: (1) Quantum Neural Networks (QNN) can be mapped onto spin-networks, with the consequence that the level of analysis of their operation can be carried out on the side of Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFT); (2) Deep Neural Networks (DNN) are a subcase of QNN, in the sense that they emerge as the semiclassical lim...

A simple sol-gel synthesis method has been developed to synthesize uniform nanospheres of gold lithium-doped titanium dioxide in anatase phase (Au/Li-TiO2) with a well-defined core-shell structure with the Li-doped titania as shell and Au nanoparticles as core. The resulting core-shell nanoparticles have a high surface area (~494 m2/g) and uniform...

We show that a generalized version of the holographic principle can be derived from the Hamiltonian description of information flow within a quantum system that maintains a separable state. We then show that this generalized holographic principle entails a general principle of gauge invariance. When this is realized in an ambient Lorentzian space-t...

In this study a multi-analytical approach has been performed to characterise the constitutive materials of an ancient painted barkcloth or Tapa. Originating from Wallis Island, Polynesia, this cloth likely served utilitarian or ceremonial purposes and is part of the Felice Junck collection at the Pigorini, Muciv museum of Rome. During a recent cons...

In this figure, one of the most iconic buildings of the modern district of Beijing represents a graphene-based aerogel bonded with an intrinsically conductive copolymer and its great electrical conductivity. InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun at Topwin Center by courtesy of HOK.

A graphene-based or carbon-based aerogel is a three-dimensional (3D) solid material in which the carbon atoms are arranged in a sheet-like nanostructure. In this study, we report the synthesis of low-density polymer-modified aerogel monoliths by 3D macroassemblies of graphene oxide sheets that exhibit significant internal surface areas (982 m²/g) a...

p>A graphene-based or carbon-based aerogel is a three-dimensional (3D) solid material in which the carbon atoms are arranged in a sheet-like nanostructure. In this study, we report the synthesis of low-density polymer-modified aerogel monoliths by 3D macro-assemblies of graphene oxide sheets that exhibit significant internal surface areas (982 m<su...

The material analyzed in this study is probably the most ancient archaeological solid residue of cheese ever found to date. The sample was collected during the Saqqara Cairo University excavations in the tomb of Ptahmes dated to XIX dynasty. Our biomolecular proteomic characterization of this archaeological sample shows that the constituting materi...

The development of analytical research in recent decades, at the edge between analytical chemistry and archaeology, provides new methods for the study of organic residues that are usually highly sensitive to natural decay. Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), it is now possible to chemically ide...

A major objective of all conservation treatments is to increase the physical and chemical stability of the objects being treated. Given that photographic gelatin emulsions are highly susceptible to different forms of damage such as flaking, cracking, and powdering, consolidation treatments often form an important part of the stabilization process....

The use of nanotechnology in conservation is a relatively new concept. Usually, classical cleanup methods take into account the use of other chemicals: On the one hand they help the environment destroying pollutants, but on the other hand they often become new pollutants. Among the new oxidation methods called advanced oxidation processes, heteroge...

The production of the cement is a highly energy-intensive process and contributes to the release of pollutants into the atmosphere due to both the chemical reactions occurring in the kiln and, in most cases, the burning of fossil fuels for power production. So, the reduction of the cement content in a concrete would be indirectly useful to decrease...

Paper-based photographic collections are an essential part of the Egyptian cultural heritage both for their artistic and documentary value and as a record of the history of photography, as a technique as well as a form of artistic expression. Due to their significance, the interest in photographs is growing worldwide and institutions are making gre...

In literature the most studied organ degradation processes are related to instruments located in Northen Europe where the ageing of metal alloys is influenced by the environment and the climate typical of those regions. This paper focuses on some examples of degraded organ pipes coming from several parts of Sicily (the biggest island of the Mediter...

In the last decade, the use of 3D reconstructions of antiquities has become a well established trend that is now widely applied to increase the value of cultural heritage. Only recently 3D computer graphics have been interpreted also as a cognitive tool for the archaeological research, especially with regards to the great monuments of classical civ...

Plaster and stone samples coming from the 19 th century Palazzo Fragapane in Grammichele (CT) were collected and characterized by using several microanalytical techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The Analytical inve...

The conservation work on the pilgrim's flask from Casale del Fosso necropolis is a part of more comprehensive study project, which aims to examine issues that are connected to archaeological metals and its conservation problems. From the conservative point of view the main interest is directed toward the testing of new molecules, already developed...

To plan an exhibition of cultural heritage in a museum it's necessary to consider different aspects, firstly the safe conservation of the exposed objects, secondly the optimal vision offered to visitors for their satisfactions and enjoyment. With regard to conservation aspects it's necessary to consider both the possible deterioration due to the ra...

Over the last ten years, the high-resolution marine geophysical survey field has witnessed significant advances in survey investigation equipment. New equipments are addressed towards the use of quantitative acoustic methods for the high-resolution mapping of the seafloor for archaeological heritage management. In particular, side-scan sonar and su...