Notes on the status and the current spread of Viburnum tinus L. (Viburnaceae) in Sicily (Italy)

The authors carried out a multi-disciplinary research in order to clarify the native status of Viburnum tinus in Sicily and update the knowledge about its current regional distribution. With this purpose, a large amount of scientific papers on forestry, botany and palaeo- and archaeobotany was consulted; more useful data issued from papers focused on local historical gardens, from archives and from herbarium specimens. The available data suggest that most of the extant nuclei may issue from the recent colonization of plants introduced just few centuries ago. Although the status of the stands found in some warm and humid sites in the surroundings of the city of Palermo and on the Sicani Mountain Range remains uncertain, with no doubt the majority of the other populations, including the seven new ones mentioned for the first time in this paper, issue from the recent spread of this species in several coastal and inland areas, a process which has been facilitated by its efficient seed dispersal strategy and its massive use as an ornamental plant in the green areas of the island

Primi segnali di spontaneizzazione di Schinus molle L. (Anacardiaceae) in Sicilia.

Si riportano i primi casi di naturalizzazione di Schinus molle L. (Anacardiaceae) osservati in Sicilia

PLUMBAGO AURICULATA LAM. (Plumbaginaceae) IN SICILIA OCCIDENTALE: NUOVI DATI SULLA SUA DIFFUSIONE COME ESOTICA CASUALE

Plumbago auriculata Lam. (Plumbaginaceae) in western Sicily: new data on its spread as casual alien. In questa nota si fornisce un quadro aggiornato sui casi di naturalizzazione di Plumbago auriculata Lam. (Plumbaginaceae) nella Sicilia occidentale e sul suo status invasivo a livello nazionale ed internazionale. Questa xenofita viene segnalata per la prima volta in diverse aree delle province di Agrigento, Palermo e Trapani, dopo essere stata segnalata per la prima volta presso l'isola di Linosa, nell'arcipelago delle Pelagie

On the left ventricular remodeling of patients with stenotic aortic valve: A statistical shape analysis

The left ventricle (LV) constantly changes its shape and function as a response to patho-logical conditions, and this process is known as remodeling. In the presence of aortic stenosis (AS), the degenerative process is not limited to the aortic valve but also involves the remodeling of LV. Statistical shape analysis (SSA) offers a powerful tool for the visualization and quantification of the geometrical and functional patterns of any anatomic changes. In this paper, a SSA method was devel-oped to determine shape descriptors of the LV under different degrees of AS and thus to shed light on the mechanistic link between shape and function. A total of n = 86 patients underwent computed tomography (CT) for the evaluation of valvulopathy were segmented to obtain the LV surface and then were automatically aligned to a reference template by rigid registrations and transformations. Shape modes of the anatomical LV variation induced by the degree of AS were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA). The first shape mode represented nearly 50% of the total variance of LV shape in our patient population and was mainly associated to a spherical LV geometry. At Pearson’s analysis, the first shape mode was positively correlated to both the end-diastolic volume (p < 0.01, R = 0.814) and end-systolic volume (p < 0.01, and R = 0.922), suggesting LV impairment in patients with severe AS. A predictive model built with PCA-related shape modes achieved better perfor-mance in stratifying the occurrence of adverse events with respect to a baseline model using clinical demographic data as risk predictors. This study demonstrated the potential of SSA approaches to detect the association of complex 3D shape features with functional LV parameters

On the Finite Element Modeling of the Lumbar Spine: A Schematic Review

Finite element modelling of the lumbar spine is a challenging problem. Lower back pain is among the most common pathologies in the global populations, owing to which the patient may need to undergo surgery. The latter may differ in nature and complexity because of spinal disease and patient contraindications (i.e., aging). Today, the understanding of spinal column biomechanics may lead to better comprehension of the disease progression as well as to the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Better insight into the spine’s biomechanics would certainly guarantee an evolution of current device-based treatments. In this setting, the computational approach appears to be a remarkable tool for simulating physiological and pathological spinal conditions, as well as for various aspects of surgery. Patient-specific computational simulations are constantly evolving, and require a number of validation and verification challenges to be overcome before they can achieve true and accurate results. The aim of the present schematic review is to provide an overview of the evolution and recent advances involved in computational finite element modelling (FEM) of spinal biomechanics and of the fundamental knowledge necessary to develop the best modeling approach in terms of trustworthiness and reliability

Sambucus nigra L. (fam. Viburnaceae) in Sicily: Distribution, Ecology, Traditional Use and Therapeutic Properties

Sambucus nigra, the elderberry, has long been used for its medicinal properties in treating numerous diseases. Based on this traditional knowledge, its different pharmacological activities have been the focus of active research. All parts of the tree have long been used in traditional medicine, that is, the bark, the leaves, the flowers and the fruit. This study, carried out in Sicily (Italy), concerns the traditional uses of elder against human diseases. In order to trace the history of man's interaction with elder on the island, multidisciplinary research was carried out, aiming at (1) presenting a comprehensive overview of elderberry's applications and activities and (2) bridging traditional knowledge (uses and beliefs) with modern science, i.e., the most recent scientific findings in the biomedical and pharmacological fields. A rigorous literature review of scientific (and other local) reports on the elderberry tree and its application in food, health and household applications was undertaken. This article also provides a synthetic and updated picture of the ecology and distribution of S. nigra in Sicily. The elderberry is quite widespread in Sicily, yet its distribution is discontinuous. It prefers hedges, riparian woodlands, forest margins and clearings and is rather common along the watercourses flowing in the canyons of the Hyblaean Plateau, in the Madonie Mts. and in Enna province. Indeed, many old plants are often found near sacred places and rural houses, suggesting that in the past, it was extensively planted on purpose for its multiple uses. The complementary data obtained from multidisciplinary research confirm the usefulness of this approach in building a comprehensive and correct picture of the distribution of the most common woody species, for which the available knowledge is often fragmentary and imprecise

Measuring the quality of teacher-child interaction in autistic disorder

The teacher-child relationship fulfils critical functions for the well being of the child, affecting emotive development, academic achievements, behavioral conducts and relationships with peers. The goal of the presented study is to compare the perceptions of the class teacher and of the support teacher concerning their relationship with subjects with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD; N=14; Mean age =90.07 months; SD=19.36) and with children of the control group (4 classmates per every subject of the experimental group, for a total of 56 pupils, Mean age = 80.36 months; SD=18.33). The perception by the teacher of the class, concerning the relationship with children with ASD, is characterized by higher levels of Conflict, and lower levels of Closeness, if compared with perceptions about the relationship with children of the control group (Conflict: t=-3.317; df= 14.931; p<0.01; Closeness: t= 5.638; df = 65; p < 0.001). The perception of the two teachers only correlates with regards to the Conflict dimension (r=0.769; p < 0.01). In reference to the child's adaptive skills only the social skills scale correlates with the Closeness. This is true in the perception of the support teacher (r=0.598; p<0.05). Finally, we take into account how the perception of the relationship relates with the socio-personal and professional data of the teachers and with the social features of the children