462 research outputs found

    Assessment and selection of geomorphosites and trails in the Miage Glacier Area (Western Italian Alps)

    Get PDF
    Glacial environments are considered geomorphosites because they exhibit all of the features that characterise sites of geomorphological interest. The Miage Glacier, in particular, is the most important debris-covered glacier of the Italian Alps, and it has been extensively studied since the 18th century because of its scientific features. In this area, the geomorphological and geological attributes are evaluated at 11 sites that have been individuated along the three main touristic trails, which allow an exploration of the surroundings of the glacial tongue and its two main lobes. Using a methodology previously tested in a fluvial environment, single sites and trails are quantitatively assessed to determine the most suitable trail for educational purposes. Hazards that could potentially affect the trails are considered in terms of both risk education and final selection of the most suitable trails for the various possible user groups. The richness of scientific data in this area should increase its importance as a geomorphosite by increasing the educational value of the Miage Glacier and the Veny Valley

    Geoheritage and sport climbing activities : using the Montestrutto cliff (Austroalpine domain, Western Alps) as an example of scientific and educational representativeness

    Get PDF
    Numerous sites of geological and geomorphological interest (i.e., geosites or geomorphosites) have been recently individuated around the Alps, testifying to the great geodiversity that chara - cterises this mountain range. Some rock cliffs that have been locally equipped as sport climbing sites may also be considered as sites of geological and geomorphological interest: The combination of features such as educational exemplarity and geohistorical importance increase the scientific value of these sites. Progression along climbing routes is intimately connected with the geological and geomorphological features of the cliff; thus, it may be possible to interest typical climbers in the area of the Earth Sciences. A research study was conducted at the Montestrutto climbing wall (Western Alps, Italy), which is located in the Eclogitic Mica - schist Complex of the Austroalpine Domain, with the following objectives: i) to reconstruct the deformation stages at local scales along the sport climbing wall and in the surroundings; ii) to analyse how geological elements are related to the physical elements needed for vertical progression to strengthen the link among geology, morphology and the grade of the routes, and finally iii) to use previous results to evaluate the potential of Montestrutto as a geosite. The detailed study consisted of the quantitative analysis of five routes of varying degrees of difficulty, which produced an interesting relationship among the level of difficulty of the routes and the geological and geomorphological features of the sport climbing wall. The Montestrutto cliff is considered to be a valuable geosite because of the scientific importance (e.g., representativeness, educational exemplarity and geohistorical importance) associated with its high cultural and socio-economic value and high potential for use. Sport climbing in sites such as Montestrutto, which are both scientifically significant and accessible, also in terms of the level of climbing difficulty, could be considered as a possible vehicle for stimulating public interest in the Earth Sciences

    Phycobiliproteins from Arthrospira Platensis (Spirulina): A New Source of Peptides with Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV Inhibitory Activity

    Get PDF
    Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) is a cyanobacterium, which contains mainly two phycobiliproteins (PBP), i.e., C-phycocyanin (C-PC) and allophycocyanin (APC). In this study, PBP were hydrolyzed using trypsin, and the composition of the hydrolysate was characterized by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Furthermore, the potential anti-diabetic activity was assessed by using either biochemical or cellular techniques. Findings suggest that PBP peptides inhibit DPP-IV activity in vitro with a dose-response trend and an IC50 value falling in the range between 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL. A lower inhibition of the DPP-IV activity expressed by Caco-2 cells was observed, which was explained by a secondary metabolic degradation exerted by the same cells

    Antifeedant and Toxic Effect of Crude Extract from Flourensia oolepis and their Impact on Nutritional Parameters of Helicoverpa gelotopoeon

    Get PDF
    Botanical insecticides are one of the environmentally acceptable options for pest management. Extract of Flourensia oolepis (known as chilca), a plant endemic to the province of Córdoba, Argentina, has shown insecticidal activity. The aim of this work was to study the effect of crude extract of this F. oolepis on the nutritional parameters of Helicoverpa gelotopoeon, a polyphagous species recently reported as one of the most serious pests of chickpea. Choice tests were conducted using different doses of extract (1 to 10%) and acetone (control), and no-choice tests, feeding larvae for 10 days with chickpea leaves treated with extract (1 to 5%), with controls (water and acetone). We used three third instar larvae per replica and 8 repetitions of each. The variables measured were: consumption, fresh and dry weight of larvae, of feces and of the leaves given every 48 hours. We calculated the feeding inhibition and nutrition indices, and survival. In choice bioassays using the 10% dose, larvae preferred the control leaves, with the extract acting as a feeding inhibitor (92%). In the nochoice test, leaf consumption was markedly reduced with extract, affecting larval growth in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05), as well as feed utilization and lepidoptera survival. © JASEMKeywords: Helicoverpa gelotopoeon; Flourensia oolepis; Botanical insecticides; Pest; Food utilizatio

    Fieldtrips and Virtual Tours as Geotourism Resources: Examples from the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (NW Italy)

    Get PDF
    In the 20th anniversary year of the European Geopark Network, and 5 years on from the receipt of the UNESCO label for the geoparks, this research focuses on geotourism contents and solutions within one of the most recently designated geoparks, admitted for membership in 2013: the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (Western Italian Alps). The main aim of this paper is to corroborate the use of fieldtrips and virtual tours as resources for geotourism. The analysis is developed according to: i) geodiversity and geoheritage of the geopark territory; ii) different approaches for planning fieldtrip and virtual tours. The lists of 18 geotrails, 68 geosites and 13 off-site geoheritage elements (e.g., museums, geolabs) are provided. Then, seven trails were selected as a mirror of the geodiversity and as container of on-site and off-site geoheritage within the geopark. They were described to highlight the different approaches that were implemented for their valorization. Most of the geotrails are equipped with panels, and supported by the presence of thematic laboratories or sections in museums. A multidisciplinary approach (e.g., history, ecology) is applied to some geotrails, and a few of them are translated into virtual tours. The variety of geosciences contents of the geopark territory is hence viewed as richness, in term of high geodiversity, but also in term of diversification for its valorization

    Phenolic extracts from extra virgin olive oils inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase iv activity: In vitro, cellular, and in silico molecular modeling investigations

    Get PDF
    Two extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenolic extracts (BUO and OMN) modulate DPP-IV activity. The in vitro DPP-IV activity assay was performed at the concentrations of 1, 10, 100, 500, and 1000 μg/mL, showing a dose-dependent inhibition by 6.8 ± 1.9, 17.4 ± 6.1, 37.9 ± 2.4, 57.8 ± 2.9, and 81 ± 1.4% for BUO and by 5.4 ± 1.7, 8.9 ± 0.4, 28.4 ± 7.2, 52 ± 1.3, and 77.5 ± 3.5% for OMN. Moreover, both BUO and OMN reduced the DPP-IV activity expressed by Caco-2 cells by 2.9 ± 0.7, 44.4 ± 0.7, 61.2 ± 1.8, and 85 ± 4.2% and by 3 ± 1.9, 35 ± 9.4, 60 ± 7.2, and 82 ± 2.8%, respectively, at the same doses. The concentration of the most abundant and representative secoiridoids within both extracts was analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR). Oleuropein, oleacein, oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, tested alone, reduced the DPP-IV activity, with IC(50) of 472.3 ± 21.7, 187 ± 11.4, 354.5 ± 12.7, 741.6 ± 35.7, and 1112 ± 55.6 µM, respectively. Finally, in silico molecular docking simulations permitted the study of the binding mode of these compounds

    Virgin olive oil extracts reduce oxidative stress and modulate cholesterol metabolism: Comparison between oils obtained with traditional and innovative processes

    Get PDF
    This study was aimed at demonstrating the substantial equivalence of two extra virgin olive oil samples extracted from the same batch of Coratina olives with (OMU) or without (OMN) using ultrasound technology, by performing chemical, biochemical, and cellular investigations. The volatile organic compounds compositions and phenolic profiles were very similar, showing that, while increasing the extraction yields, the innovative process does not change these features. The antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic activities of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenol extracts were also preserved, since OMU and OMN had equivalent abilities to scavenge the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radicals in vitro and to protect HepG2 cells from oxidative stress induced by H2 O2, reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation levels. In addition, by inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme a reductase, both samples modulated the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) pathway leading to increased LDLR protein levels and activity

    Extra virgin olive oil phenol extracts exert hypocholesterolemic effects through the modulation of the LDLR pathway: In vitro and cellular mechanism of action elucidation

    Get PDF
    This study was aimed at investigating the hypocholesterolemic effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenols and the mechanisms behind the effect. Two phenolic extracts were prepared from EVOO of different cultivars and analyzed using the International Olive Council (IOC) official method for total phenols, a recently validated hydrolytic procedure for total hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, and 1H-NMR analysis in order to assess their secoiridoid profiles. Both of the extracts inhibited in vitro the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl co-enzyme A reductase (HMGCoAR) activity in a dose-dependent manner. After the treatment of human hepatic HepG2 cells (25 µg/mL), they increased the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor protein levels through the activation of the sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBP)-2 transcription factor, leading to a better ability of HepG2 cells to uptake extracellular LDL molecules with a final hypocholesterolemic effect. Moreover, both of the extracts regulated the intracellular HMGCoAR activity through the increase of its phosphorylation by the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-pathways. Unlike pravastatin, they did not produce any unfavorable effect on proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) protein level. Finally, the fact that extracts with different secoiridoid profiles induce practically the same biological effects suggests that the hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol derivatives may have similar roles in hypocholesterolemic activity

    Extra virgin olive oil phenol extracts exert hypocholesterolemic effects through the modulation of the LDLR pathway: In vitro and cellular mechanism of action elucidation

    Get PDF
    This study was aimed at investigating the hypocholesterolemic effects of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenols and the mechanisms behind the effect. Two phenolic extracts were prepared from EVOO of different cultivars and analyzed using the International Olive Council (IOC) official method for total phenols, a recently validated hydrolytic procedure for total hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, and1 H-NMR analysis in order to assess their secoiridoid profiles. Both of the extracts inhibited in vitro the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl co-enzyme A reductase (HMGCoAR) activity in a dose-dependent manner. After the treatment of human hepatic HepG2 cells (25 µg/mL), they increased the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor protein levels through the activation of the sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBP)-2 transcription factor, leading to a better ability of HepG2 cells to uptake extracellular LDL molecules with a final hypocholesterolemic effect. Moreover, both of the extracts regulated the intracellular HMGCoAR activity through the increase of its phosphorylation by the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-pathways. Unlike pravastatin, they did not produce any unfavorable effect on proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) protein level. Finally, the fact that extracts with different secoiridoid profiles induce practically the same biological effects suggests that the hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol derivatives may have similar roles in hypocholesterolemic activity

    Virgin Olive Oil Extracts Reduce Oxidative Stress and Modulate Cholesterol Metabolism: Comparison between Oils Obtained with Traditional and Innovative Processes

    Get PDF
    This study was aimed at demonstrating the substantial equivalence of two extra virgin olive oil samples extracted from the same batch of Coratina olives with (OMU) or without (OMN) using ultrasound technology, by performing chemical, biochemical, and cellular investigations. The volatile organic compounds compositions and phenolic profiles were very similar, showing that, while increasing the extraction yields, the innovative process does not change these features. The antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic activities of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenol extracts were also preserved, since OMU and OMN had equivalent abilities to scavenge the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radicals in vitro and to protect HepG2 cells from oxidative stress induced by H2O2, reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation levels. In addition, by inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme a reductase, both samples modulated the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) pathway leading to increased LDLR protein levels and activity
    • …
    corecore