Dihydrophenanthrenes from a sicilian accession of himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge showed antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities

The peculiar aspect that emerges from the study of Orchidaceae is the presence of various molecules, which are particularly interesting for pharmaceutical chemistry due to their wide range of biological resources. The aim of our study was to investigate the properties of two dihydrophenanthrenes, isolated, for the first time, from Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge (Orchidaceae) bulbs and roots. Chemical and spectroscopic study of the bulbs and roots of Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge resulted in the isolation of two known dihydrophenanthrenes—loroglossol and hircinol—never isolated from this plant species. The structures were evaluated based on1H-NMR,13C-NMR, and two-dimensional spectra, and by comparison with the literature. These two molecules have been tested for their possible antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and proapoptotic activities. In particular, it has been shown that these molecules cause an increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN); show antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and have anti-proliferative effects on gastric cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis effects. Therefore, these two molecules could be considered promising candidates for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical preparations

Tissue localization and the physiological effects induced by an environmentally relevant mix of heavy metals in the liverwort Conocephalum conicum L. Dum

Tissue accumulation, ultrastructural alterations, oxidative stress, and effects on photosynthesis were assessed in the liverwort Conocephalum conicom exposed in vitro to heavy metals (HM) concentrations in three sites of the Savone River, representative of different anthropic impacts. The uptake and accumulation of HM in the thallus of the liverwort was first studied, and the biological effects in relation to the different accumulation sites of HM along thallus, ribs and wings, were then investigated, considering: bioaccumulation (by atomic absorption spectrometry), localization (by X-ray scanning electron microscopy microanalysis), ultrastructural damage of photosynthetic parenchyma (by transmission electron microscopy), oxidative stress (by ROS contents and antioxidant enzymes activities determination), photosynthesis (by chlorophyll fluorescence). The results showed the HM bioaccumulation in C. conicom was dependent by their concentrations in the contaminated water. As for spatial localization, HM preferentially accumulated in the nerve of gametophytes respect to the wings. With respect to tissue localization, HM were mainly found in the hyaline and in the photosynthetic parenchyma. Essential metals (Cu and Zn) were accumulated at higher concentrations with respect to non-essential metals (Pb and Cd). At the ultrastructural level, HM caused alterations of the fine structure of the cells, most evident along the nerve, inducing marked alterations of the chloroplast structure and therefore of the photosynthetic capacity. Based on the results of the presented study, C.conicum can be used as a marker to indicate heavy metal pollution in water natural resources

Effects of heavy metals on ultrastructure and Hsp70 induction in Lemna minor L. exposed to water along the Sarno River, Italy

The effects of freshwater pollution in the highly contaminated river Sarno (Campania, Southern Italy) have been evaluated using bags containing the aquatic plant Lemna minor (Lemnacee, Arales), in order to determine morpho-physiological modifications as a response to pollutants. The exposition of Lemna bags for 7 days on three different sites along the river path showed alterations in chloroplasts and vacuoles shape and organization. Moreover, some specimens were exposed in vitro at the same heavy metal (HM) concentrations measured in the polluted sites of the river, and compared with data from the bag experiment; to verify the dose and time dependent effects, samples were exposed to HM in vitro at concentrations ranging from 106 to 104 M up to 7 days. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations on in vitro plants confirmed that ultrastructural alterations affected most of plastids and the shape of different subcellular structures, namely vacuoles; in in vitro stressed specimens, Heat Shock Proteins 70 (Hsp70) levels changed, in dependence of changing levels of HM measured in different sites along the river path. Thus L. minor exhibited a possible correlation between the levels of HM pollution and Hsp70 occurrence; interestingly, the data presented showed that copper specifically increased Hsp70 levels at concentrations detected in polluted river waters, whereas cadmium and lead did not; on the other side, the latter represent highly toxic elements when specimens were exposed to higher levels in vitro. The effects of specific elements in vitro are compared to those observed in bags exposed along the river path; thus results are examined in order to propose L. minor as an organism able to be utilized to monitor heavy metals pollution; the possibility of using Hsp70 s as specific markers of HM pollution is discussed

Antioxidant response to heavy metal pollution of regi lagni freshwater in Conocephalum conicum L. (Dum.)

Conocephalum conicum L. is a cosmopolitan liverwort species able to respond to local environmental pollution by changing its biological features. In the present study, we assessed the different biological responses in C. conicum to heavy metal contamination of Regi Lagni channels, a highly polluted freshwater body. As for the in field experiment, we set up moss bags containing collected samples of the local wild growing C. conicum, from the upstream site (non-polluted area), and we exposed them in the three selected sites characterized by different and extreme conditions of heavy metal pollution. In addition, to better understand the contribution of heavy metals to the alterations and response of the liverwort, we performed in vitro tests, using the same concentration of heavy metals measured in the sites at the moment of the exposition. In both experimental settings, bioaccumulation, ultrastructural damage, reactive oxygen species production and localization, antioxidant enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferases), glutathione (reduced and oxidized) levels, localization of compounds presenting thiol groups and phenolic content were investigated. The results showed that the samples from different sites and conditions (for in vitro tests) showed significant differences. In particular, the ultrastructural alterations show a trend correlated to the different exposure situations; ROS contents, glutathione, antioxidant enzyme activities, and phenolic contents were increased showing an enhancement of the antioxidant defense both by the enzymatic way and by using the synthesis of antioxidant phenolic compounds. This study confirms the ability of C. conicum to respond to heavy metal pollution and the responses studied are, at least partially, correlated to the presence of heavy metals. All the responses considered respond consistently with the pollution trend and they can be proposed as pollution biomarkers. Therefore, we suggest the use of C. conicum to identify local hot spots of pollution in further investigation

Biological responses to heavy metal stress in the moss Leptodictyum riparium (Hedw.) Warnst

Leptodictyum riparium, a widely distributed aquatic moss, can both tolerate and accumulate very high concentrations of toxic heavy metals, with only slight apparent damage. Here we report the effects on photosynthetic yield, glutathione (GSH), phytochelatin (PCn) synthesis, nitrogen metabolism and cellular localization of molecules rich in SH groups in L. riparium exposed in vitro to heavy metals. We simulated the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb detected in Regi Lagni, Italy, one of the most contaminated freshwater sites in Southern Europe, in the laboratory to test how the moss responds to heavy metal contamination. There was a steady decrease of photosynthetic efficiency correlated with the heavy metal concentrations and ultrastructural organization. All PCn levels increased significantly as the concentration of heavy metals increased, while the GSH levels did not appear to be particularly affected. A significant increase of GDH and NADH-GOGAT activities increased with increasing heavy metal concentration. Immunoblotting analysis revealed an increase of the chl-GS2 while no significant increase was detected in the cyt-GS1. These results give insight into the molecular events underlying the metal-tolerance of the aquatic moss L. riparium exposed to environmental heavy metal concentrations

Nascimento de outra ruralidade The birth of another rurality

ESTE ARTIGO procura mostrar que Lefebvre (1970) e Kayser (1972, 1990) estavam errados sobre o destino da ruralidade. Evidências empíricas sobre o caso da Itália não confirmam as conjeturas extremas sobre "completa urbanização" ou "renascimento rural". E uma espécie de hermenêutica dessas duas hipóteses ajuda a fundamentar a terceira, que pretende superá-las.<br>THIS ARTICLE argues that Lefebvre (1970) and Kayser (1972, 1990) were both mistaken about the destiny of rurality. Empirical evidences from Italy do not confirm extreme conjectures on "complete urbanization" or "rural renaissance". And a kind of hermeneutics of these two hypothesis helps to build upon a third which intends to surpass them

Believing is seeing: Laypeople's views of future socio-economic and climate change in England and in Italy

Cross-cultural studies are particularly relevant in the context of climate change, given its pervasive character and the growing demand for climate change mitigation at both global and local levels. This paper reports on findings from comparative cross-cultural mixed-methods research eliciting perceptions of the future among citizens in Norwich (UK) and Rome (Italy). The paper explores how individuals at the two locations interpret socio-economic and climate scenarios, and how they relate environmental change to human behavior. Attitude segmentation was found to be similar in both localities. Although most participants in both locations realized the benefits of a future centered on sustainable resource use and societal welfare, individuals' attitudes and considerations about the future were not largely influenced by the scenarios. Discussions revealed that the credibility of the projections depended on individuals' prior beliefs and their trust in the science portrayed

Bonifica dei Terreni Contaminati. Osservazioni critiche, linee guida e proposte normative.

Una delle tematiche legate alla tutela dell'ambiente che oggi richiede maggiore attenzione è quella dei terreni contaminati per la quale è da tutti sentita la necessità di un aggiornamento del quadro normativo. Il Tavolo di Roma, un think tank costituitosi alcuni anni fa per una gestione sostenibile dei rifiuti e delle risorse, composto da figure professionali non portatrici di interessi, in rappresentanza di diversi ambiti disciplinari e funzionali, si è fatto interprete di questa esigenza, promuovendo la costituzione del Comitato Tecnico Terreni Contaminati (CTTC). L'apporto dei diversi ambiti disciplinari ha determinato, grazie anche a un intenso e franco confronto sempre condotto con logiche tecnico-scientifiche, un fermento di idee e una varietà di osservazioni che costituiranno il migliore viatico per una revisione della normativa fondata saldamente su un elevato grado di accettazione e di condivisione da parte della comunità coinvolta nella sua applicazione