119 research outputs found

    L’ATTIVITÀ DELL’ORTO BOTANICO DI PALERMO E DELLE STRUTTURE COLLEGATE PER LA CONSERVAZIONE DEGLI ANTICHI FRUTTIFERI DELLA SICILIA

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    B6 = L’ATTIVITĂ€ DELL’ORTO BOTANICO DI PALERMO E DELLE STRUTTURE COLLEGATE PER LA CONSERVAZIONE DEGLI ANTICHI FRUTTIFERI DELLA SICILIA P. MARINO1, M. GERACI2, D. CRISĂ€2, F. M. RAIMONDO1, R. SCHICCHI1 1Dipartimento di Biologia ambientale e BiodiversitĂ  dell’UniversitĂ , Via Archirafi, 38 - 90123 Palermo. [email protected] 2Ente Parco dei Nebrodi, Piazza Duomo – 98076 Sant’Agata di Militello, Messina L’attivitĂ  di individuazione, valutazione e raccolta del germoplasma delle specie arboree da frutto di prevalente interesse negli agrosistemi tradizionali della Sicilia, iniziata nel 2005 (Schicchi et al., 2008a; Schicchi et al., 2008b) si protrae ancora oggi attraverso azioni volte alla conservazione ed alla diffusione delle risorse genetiche vegetali a rischio di erosione, tramite l’adesione ad iniziative a carattere pubblico previste dal PSR Sicilia 2007/2013 Reg. CE 1698/2005 Misura 214/2 - Azione A: Preservazione della biodiversitĂ . Al riguardo, l’Orto botanico di Palermo ha promosso tre progetti attivando collaborazioni con Enti di ricerca, Enti locali e territoriali. L’attivitĂ , finalizzata alla costituzione di un network regionale per la conservazione e diffusione della biodiversitĂ  degli antichi fruttiferi, si articola in piĂą fasi: a) individuazione, raccolta e caratterizzazione di ecotipi e varietĂ ; b) realizzazione di centri, ex situ, per la conservazione, caratterizzazione, propagazione e utilizzazione del germoplasma agrario, in vivo e in vitro; c) allestimento dei campi collezione; d) realizzazione di centri per la produzione di piante madri; e) attivitĂ  di diffusione sul territorio; f) predisposizione e implementazione di reti e azioni di accompagnamento. Per il raggiungimento dei suddetti obiettivi sono stati presentati e ammessi a finanziamento tre progetti. Il primo progetto (CenBioS), attivato dal Dipartimento di Biologia ambientale e BiodiversitĂ  dell’UniversitĂ  di Palermo, prende in considerazione il germoplasma del ciliegio (Prunus avium L.), melo (Malus domestica Bork.), pero (Pyrus communis L.) e fico (Ficus carica L.) a rischio di erosione genetica, di cui si propone la conservazione nell’ambito di due distinti campi collezione e la realizzazione di un campo di piante madri da realizzare rispettivamente a Montagnareale (Messina) e Cammarata (Agrigento). Il secondo progetto (MadBioS), di cui è soggetto proponente il Consorzio Universitario della Provincia di Palermo, prevede la realizzazione di tre distinti campi collezione. Il primo, nell’agro di Pollina (Palermo), ospiterĂ  il germoplasma delle antiche cultivar di frassini da manna afferenti a Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl e Fraxinus ornus L.; il secondo, nel territorio di Isnello, ospiterĂ  le cultivar locali di pero e melo; il terzo, da realizzare presso l’azienda dell’Istituto Professionale per l’Agricoltura e l’Ambiente di Castelbuono (Palermo), riguarda diverse cultivar di albicocco (Prunus armeniaca L.), pesco [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] e susino (Prunus domestica L.) presenti nell’area delle Madonie. Il terzo progetto, di cui è capofila l’Ente Parco dei Nebrodi, prevede l’implementazione dell’attuale “Banca vivente del germoplasma vegetale dei Nebrodi” attraverso l’allestimento e il potenziamento di campi collezione e di piante madri nella sede di Ucria (Messina) e presso l’Istituto Professionale per l’Agricoltura e l’Ambiente di Caronia (Messina). Tali campi ospiteranno le cultivar tradizionali e antiche dell’area nebroidea di melo, albicocco, pesco, susino e pero. Nel complesso, oltre all’accertamento della corrispondenza varietale e delle condizioni fitosanitarie di oltre 150 etnovarietĂ , è prevista la caratterizzazione pomologica e genetica e la propagazione delle stesse nel territorio regionale, nell’ambito delle aziende agricole che aderiscono alla Misura 214/2 az. B del PSR. Schicchi R., Marino P. & Raimondo F.M., 2008. Individuazione, valutazione e raccolta del germoplasma delle specie arboree da frutto di prevalente interesse negli agrosistemi tradizionali della Sicilia. Collana Sicilia Foreste, Palermo. Schicchi R., Marino P., Saporito L., Di Noto G. & Raimondo F.M., 2008. Catalogo pomologico degli Antichi fruttiferi di Sicilia. UniversitĂ  di Palermo, Dip. Scienze Botaniche, Palermo

    Experimental investigation on cyclic response of RC elements repaired by CFRP external reinforcing systems

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    This paper deals with the experimental results of an investigation aimed at studying cyclic response of half scaled RC specimens previously damaged and then repaired with externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer sheets. The research involved the test of ten specimens. Two of them were tested without any external strengthening material in order to provide a reference for the response of repaired specimens. These latter were tested after a previous damaging procedure and a subsequent repair intervention with fiber reinforced polymer composites. The parameters under investigation were the level of initial damage, the strengthening configuration, and the level of axial load. Test results have pointed out effectiveness of the adopted strengthening systems, since repaired specimens exhibited better mechanical responses than the unstrengthened ones

    INFLAMMATION IN IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: MYTH OR NEW TREATMENT TARGET?

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    Low-grade intestinal inflammation plays a key role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and this role is likely to be multifactorial. The aim of this review was to summarize the evidence on the spectrum of mucosal inflammation in IBS, highlighting the relationship of this inflammation to the pathophysiology of IBS and its connection to clinical practice. We carried out a bibliographic search in Medline and the Cochrane Library for the period of January 1966 to December 2014, focusing on publications decribing an interaction between inflammation and IBS. Several evidences demonstrate microscopic and molecular abnormalities in IBS patients. Understanding the mechanism underlying low-grade inflammation in IBS may help to design clinical trials to test the efficacy and safety of drugs that target this pathophysiologic mechanism

    Ectopic expression of CXCL13, BAFF, APRIL and LT-Ăź is associated with artery tertiary lymphoid organs in giant cell arteritis

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    Objectives To investigate whether artery tertiary lymphoid organs (ATLOs) are present in giant cell arteritis (GCA) and that their formation is associated with the ectopic expression of constitutive lymphoid tissue-homing chemokines. Methods Reverse transcriptase PCR, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis were used to determine the presence of ectopic ATLOs in GCA and the expression of chemokines/chemokine receptors and cytokines involved in lymphoneogenesis in the temporal artery samples obtained from 50 patients with GCA and 30 controls. The presence of lymphatic conduits, of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) precursors and lymphoid tissue inducer cells was also investigated. Finally, expression of CXCL13, B cell activating factor (BAFF), a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) and CCL21 by isolated myofibroblasts was evaluated before and after stimulation with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) agonists and cytokines. Results ATLOs were observed in the media layer of 60% of patients with GCA in close proximity to high endothelial venules and independently by the age of patients and the presence of atherosclerosis. ATLO formation was also accompanied by the expression of CXCL13, BAFF, a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), lymphotoxin (LT)-Ăź, interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-7, the presence of FDC precursors and of lymphoid conduits. Stimulation of myofibroblasts with TLR agonists and cytokines resulted in the upregulation of BAFF and CXCL13. Conclusions ATLOs occur in the inflamed arteries of patients with GCA possibly representing the immune sites where immune responses towards unknown arterial wall-derived antigens may be organised

    Interleukin-9 Overexpression and Th9 Polarization Characterize the Inflamed Gut, the Synovial Tissue, and the Peripheral Blood of Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis

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    Objective. To investigate the expression and tis- sue distribution of Th9-related cytokines in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods. Quantitative gene expression analysis of Th1, Th17, and Th9 cytokines was performed in intestinal biopsy samples obtained from patients with PsA, HLA2B272positive patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), and healthy controls. Expression and tissue distribu- tion of interleukin-23 (IL-23), IL-17, IL-22, IL-9, and IL-9 receptor (IL-9R) were evaluated by immunohisto- chemistry and confocal microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to study the frequency of Th9 cells among periph- eral blood, lamina propria, and synovial fluid mononuclear cells. The functional relevance of IL-9R expression on epithelial cells was assessed in functional in vitro studies. Th9 cells in synovial tissue from patients with PsA were also studied. Results. Subclinical gut inflammation in PsA patients was characterized by a clear Th17 and Th22, but not Th1, polarized immune response. Unlike AS and CD, a strong and significant up-regulation of IL-9 was observed in PsA gut, especially among infiltrating mononuclear cells, high endothelial venules, and Pan- eth cells. IL-92positive mononuclear cells were demon- strated to be in large part Th9 cells. IL-9 overexpression was accompanied by significant Paneth cell hyperplasia. Paneth cells strongly overexpressed IL-9R, and stimula- tion of epithelial cells, isolated from PsA patients, with IL-9 resulted in overexpression of a-defensin 5 and IL-23p19. Peripheral and synovial expansion of a4b71 Th9 cells was also observed in patients with PsA. Increased expression of IL-9 and IL-9R was also found in synovial tissue. Conclusion. Strong IL-9/Th9 polarization seems to be the predominant immunologic signature in patients in PsA

    NUTRITION, MALNUTRITION AND DIETARY INTERVENTIONS IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

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    Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes both Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Diet, as a source of luminal antigens, is thought to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of IBD. often the nutritional status of patients is significantly compromised, particularly in CD. several factors, including drug-nutrient interactions, disease location, symptoms, and dietary restriction can lead to protein energy malnutrition and specific nutritional deficiencies. solid evidence regarding the accountability of certain dietary components in the etiology of IBD are lacking. With regard to malnutrition, its consequence are growth failure, weight loss, bone disease, and/or micronutrient deficiencies, although micronutrient deficiency in IBD in most cases does not tend to have any evident clinical manifestation, except with regardo of iron, folic acid, and vitamin B. Nutritional supplemantation is essential for patients with evidence of malnutrition to increase calorie, and protein intake. Nutritional supplementation can also have efficacy in the induction and maintenance of remission in adults with CD, however it does not replace other treatments. Aim of this review is to discuss the role of nutrition and nutrients' deficiencies in the clinical setting of IBD, and to analyze efficacy and safety of the dietary interventions in patients with IBD

    The politicisation of evaluation: constructing and contesting EU policy performance

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    Although systematic policy evaluation has been conducted for decades and has been growing strongly within the European Union (EU) institutions and in the member states, it remains largely underexplored in political science literatures. Extant work in political science and public policy typically focuses on elements such as agenda setting, policy shaping, decision making, or implementation rather than evaluation. Although individual pieces of research on evaluation in the EU have started to emerge, most often regarding policy “effectiveness” (one criterion among many in evaluation), a more structured approach is currently missing. This special issue aims to address this gap in political science by focusing on four key focal points: evaluation institutions (including rules and cultures), evaluation actors and interests (including competencies, power, roles and tasks), evaluation design (including research methods and theories, and their impact on policy design and legislation), and finally, evaluation purpose and use (including the relationships between discourse and scientific evidence, political attitudes and strategic use). The special issue considers how each of these elements contributes to an evolving governance system in the EU, where evaluation is playing an increasingly important role in decision making

    VizieR Online Data Catalog: VEGAS-SSS photometry of NGC3115 (Cantiello+, 2015)

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    We present g and i band photometry for ~47000 extended and point-like objects in the ~0.8 square degree area centred on NGC3115. For ~30000 object in the catalogue, structural parameters are also available. For each object equatorial coordinates, galactocentric distance from the photometric center of NGC3115, magnitudes in g and i bands (SDSS calibrated), colour, local extinction and sctructural parameters. (1 data file). <P /
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