Gene differentiation at the ABO, MN and Rhesus loci among Albanians and their relation with other Balkanic populations

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Plants, people and traditions : ethnobotanical survey in the Lombard Stelvio National Park and neighbouring areas (Central Alps, Italy)

Ethnopharmacological relevance The value of ethnobotanical information is now increasingly acknowledged. Our investigation added new data to the traditional knowledge on the plant uses in Italian alpine areas, where only in recent years the awareness of losing such valuable heritage stimulated interest of the scientific community and land managers in its recovery and enhancement. To this end, the present study aimed to collect and analyse information on plant species employed in Northern Italy (Lombardy Region), particularly in Alta Valtellina, an area of high naturalistic interest, where ethnobotanical knowledge is at the risk of passing covering a secondary role compared to other aspects of the local culture. Materials and methods A total of 328 people from six municipalities were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Data were evaluated by quantitative parameters such as ethnobotanicity and ethnophytonomic indices, factor informant consensus (Fic), fidelity level (Fl). Abandoned and current uses were compared. Herbarium materials were prepared and conserved. Results Inhabitants of Alta Valtellina used 212 plant species, including 19 mushrooms and 1 lichen for medicinal, food and cosmetic purposes. Despite half of medicinal uses has fallen into disuse, the plant species of this category were still collected in largest number. Digestive, respiratory and skin systems were the most frequently treated. Fic and Fl values, in addition to simple percentage data confirmed this finding. Although 40% of the known uses is now abandoned, a considerable number of them was recorded for the first time in an alpine area. Conclusions The study revealed that the popular knowledge of plant species is still alive in the Alta Valtellina. The prerogatives of some species are now outdated, but they leave room for other uses of the plant resources that may provide new opportunities from the scientific, cultural and economic points of view

Gene variation within the Albanian and between the balkan human populations

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Allele Frequencies of D2ISll, FGA, THOI, and VWA ill Populations of the Balkans

This study is part of an extensive investigation of the genetic relationship between Balkan populations, especially the Aromuns. Allele frequencies of four STRs (D2ISII, FGA, THOI, VWA) from Macedonians (Skopje), Gramostian Aromuns from the Stip region (Macedonia), Moskopolian Aromuns from Krusevo (Macedonia), and Musequiar Aromuns from Dukasi (Albania) are presented

EFFECTS OF EXAVALENT CHROMIUM ON MAIZE, TOMATO, AND CAULIFLOWER PLANTS

The research presented in this paper was undertaken to study the short term response to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in seeds (caryopses), roots, and leaves of Zea mays, Lycopersicon esculentum, and Brassica oleracea, mainly in terms of ultrastructural alterations, Cr vacuole accumulation, and production of phytochelatins. Following a Cr(VI) treatment at concentrations of 5 and 10 mg l−1, the percentage of germination did not differ significantly between treated material and controls in all the species examined. However, Cr(VI) supply caused a decrease in the growth rate of the primary root and also a strong inhibition in the shoot growth. By means of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis, we observed several "ultrastructural alterations of the treated material and the presence of electron-opaque precipitates, containing Cr, in the leaf tissue. In tomato plants treated with Cr(VI), no production of phytochelatins was detected either in roots or in leaves. Conversely, glutathione levels ranged from about 30 nmol SH g−1 FW of root extracts to 300 nmol SH g−1 FW of leaf extracts

Effects of hexavalent chromium on maize, tomato and cauliflower plants.

none5noneSanità di Toppi L.; Fossati F.; MUSETTI, Rita; Mikerezi I.; Favali M. A.Sanità di Toppi, L.; Fossati, F.; Musetti, Rita; Mikerezi, I.; Favali, M. A

Maternal and paternal lineages in Albania and the genetic structure of Indo-European populations

Mitochondrial DNA HV1 sequences and Y chromosome haplotypes (DYS19 STR and YAP) were characterised in an Albanian sample and compared with those of several other Indo-European populations from the European continent. No significant difference was observed between Albanians and most other Europeans, despite the fact that Albanians are clearly different from all other Indo-Europeans linguistically. We observe a general lack of genetic structure among Indo-European populations for both maternal and paternal polymorphisms, as well as low levels of correlation between linguistics and genetics, even though slightly more significant for the Y chromosome than for mtDNA. Altogether, our results show that the linguistic structure of continental Indo-European populations is not reflected in the variability of the mitochondrial and Y chromosome markers. This discrepancy could be due to very recent differentiation of Indo-European populations in Europe and/or substantial amounts of gene flow among these populations

Surnames in Albania: a study of the population of Albania through isonymy.

In order to describe the isonymic structure of Albania, the distribution of 3,068,447 surnames was studied in the 12 prefectures and their administrative subdivisions: the 36 districts and 321 communes. The number of different surnames found was 37,184. Effective surname number for the entire country was 1327, the average for prefectures was 653.3 ± 84.3, for districts 365.9 ± 42.0 and for communes 122.6 ± 8.7. These values display a variation of inbreeding between administrative levels in the Albanian population, which can be attributed to the previously published “Prefecture effect”. Matrices of isonymic distances between units within administrative levels were tested for correlation with geographic distances. The correlations were highest for prefectures (r = 0.71 ± 0.06 for Euclidean distance) and lowest for communes (r = 0.37 ± 0.011 for Nei's distance). The multivariate analyses (Principal component analysis and Multidimensional Scaling) of prefectures identify three main clusters, one toward the North, the second in Central Albania, and the third in the South. This pattern is consistent with important subclusters from districts and communes, which point out that the country may have been colonised by diffusion of groups in the North-South direction, and from Macedonia in the East, over a pre-existing Illiryan population