The growing spread of antibiotic resistance represents a significant challenge in the medical field, making the treatment of bacterial infections increasingly difficult. Therefore, current research is focused on studying new formulations containing natural antibacterial/antibiofilm agents that can act on both planktonic and sessile bacteria. In this study we developed a soluble formulation of the flavonoid baicalin (BA) by complexation with sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD), designed for the treatment of ocular infections. The inclusion complex, prepared by lyophilization, showed a significant increase in BA solubility (110-times higher than free BA) and fast dissolution. In solution studies and the deeper physical-chemical characterization performed at solid state evidenced the formation of a 1:1 inclusion complex with high association constant (about 6000 M^-1). Moreover, NMR spectroscopy and molecular docking simulations evidenced the deeper penetration of benzoyl and cinnamoyl moieties of BA within the macrocycle cavity, whilst the glucuronic residue remained out of the cavity but probably interacting with sulfobutyl groups of the CD. Biological in vitro studies were carried out to verify the activity of the free and complexed BA against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. High improvement of antibacterial and antibiofilm activity was observed for the inclusion complex respect to the free drug against both Gram + and Gram- bacteria strains assayed.

This work reports the findings of an investigation aimed at assessing, for the first time, the natural and anthropogenic radioactivity content of marine sediments collected from selected areas of Sicily, Southern Italy. In particular, it focused on evaluating the average activity concentration of detected radionuclides and the radiological hazard for humans, above all considering the use of this material for nourishing actual eroded beaches. To this aim, the quantification of the average specific activity of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K natural and ¹³⁷Cs anthropogenic radioisotopes was addressed through the employment of High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometry. Furthermore, the absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the annual effective dose equivalent outdoor (AEDE_out), the external hazard index (H_ex), and the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were also calculated to evaluate the radiological hazard for humans related to external exposure to ionizing radiations. Furthermore, the average specific activity of ¹³⁷Cs was found to be less than the lowest detectable activity in all cases, excluding anthropogenic radioactive contamination of the investigated samples. Finally, Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), i.e., multivariate statistics, were carried out by analyzing detected radioactivity and radiological characteristics to evaluate their relationship with the sampling locations.

This study evaluates the accuracy of ²²²Rn exhalation rates from building materials using two standard experimental protocols, thus addressing the increasing importance of rapid radon assessment due to health concerns and regulatory limits. In detail, six types of natural stones frequently employed for the construction of buildings of historical-artistic relevance were analyzed using the closed chamber method (CCM) combined with the Durridge Rad7 system, by using two experimental protocols that differed in the measurement duration: 10 days (Method 1) versus 24 h (Method 2). Obtained results revealed that the radon exhalation rates ranged from 0.004 to 0.072 Bq h⁻¹, which are moderate to low if compared to studies in other regions. Statistical comparison using the u-test confirmed equivalence between protocols (u-test ≤ 2), thus supporting the validity of the faster Method 2 for practical applications. Furthermore, to estimate the potential indoor radon levels and determine the associated radiological risks to human health, for the investigated natural stones, the Markkanen room model was employed. As a result, simulated indoor radon concentrations remained well below regulatory thresholds (maximum value: 37.3 Bq m⁻³), thus excluding any significant health concerns under typical indoor conditions.

In this work, a multi-technique diagnostic analysis integrating spectroscopic/spectrophotometric and 3D imaging methods was successfully applied for the characterization of a large eighteenth-century Vergine Assunta wooden statue by Filippo Colicci, located within the apse of the right aisle of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Novara di Sicilia, Italy. To this aim, an in situ, non-invasive survey, by applying X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, micro-Raman (μ-Raman) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance geometry (FTIR-ATR) and visible reflectance spectrometry (Vis-RS), was conducted to: (i) shed light on the nature of the raw materials and color palette used for the realization/decoration of the artwork; (ii) retrieve insights into execution technique; (iii) identify possible nondocumented interventions starting from the discrimination between original and modern constituents and (iv) evaluate potential degradation patterns associated to changes in microclimatic conditions and mechanical stress induced by liturgical handling and transportation. At the same time, a 3D LiDAR survey was implemented to assess damaged or weakened areas of the statue and to identify regions that may have undergone undocumented restoration handling. The achieved results represent useful and essential tools to address management issues of the artwork, providing valuable insights for planning and monitoring targeted and minimally invasive restoration strategies for its long-term safeguarding.

This work presents the results of a multi-technique comparative investigation aimed at assessing the mineralogical composition and radioactivity levels of two stone fragments from different areas of the archaeological site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy). The analysis employed an integrated approach combining μ-energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μ-EDXRF) spectroscopy, µ-Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography (IC), High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry, and E-PERM electret ion chamber methods. By examining the stone composition at both the elemental and molecular scales, with support from ion chromatography data, potential degradation patterns linked to post-depositional weathering and external decay agents were identified. Moreover, the specific activity of radionuclides (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K) and the ²²²Rn exhalation rates were measured, enabling the estimation of a set of radiological indices that assess potential health hazards associated with prolonged exposure to these lithic materials. The findings highlight how a multidisciplinary approach can foster the assessment of stone deterioration mechanisms, supporting the design of optimized conservation strategies aimed at preserving the archaeological heritage of Halaesa and ensuring the safety of both the public and onsite personnel.