Acknowledgments First and foremost I offer my sincere gratitude to Prof. Alessandra Aprile who has supported me throughout my thesis with her patience and knowledge, and also gave me the opportunity to do this memorable experience abroad. I would like to thank also Prof. Francesco Pilla for all the valuable advice and help he gave me during my stay at the Trinity College Dublin. I gratefully acknowledge Prof. Riccardo Dalla Negra and staff members of the LABO.R.A Unife Prof. Marco Zuppiroli and Ph.D. Francesco Guidi for collecting and making available all data necessary for the development of the work, along with their support and suggestions. Last but not least, I thank my parents Rita and Renzo, and above all my grandfather Alfredo for their constant love and unrelenting encouragement, at all times and in all possible ways. I couldn’t have done it without you. I hope I will make you proud.
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