Association between High Normal TSH Levels and Obesity in Women with Anti-Thyroid Autoantibodies (ATAs)

A positive correlation between Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Body Mass Index (BMI) has been reported in many studies, but data on this topic remain controversial, especially when TSH values are in the normal range. Moreover, few studies have evaluated the co-existence of thyroid autoimmunity. This study investigated the role of thyroid autoimmunity in the interconnection between TSH, BMI, and waist circumference (WC) in euthyroid patients with overweight or obesity. We enrolled 902 patients (213 males; mean age +/- SD: 45 +/- 14 years; mean BMI +/- SD: 35.8 +/- 6.5 kg/m(2)), with normal serum TSH concentration; anti-thyroid autoantibodies (ATAs) were evaluated in 752 patients (186 males). Patients were divided into four BMI classes, based on WHO criteria, and the relationship between BMI, WC, and TSH was evaluated in the whole sample and compared to ATAs positivity, observed in 235 patients (44 males). No significant difference was found between TSH levels in the BMI classes. A statistically significant correlation between TSH and BMI was found only in ATAs-positive females (N = 191, Spearman rho: 0.149; p-value: 0.040). However, this finding was not confirmed when considering the WC. Our study shows a positive correlation only between TSH and BMI in obese women with positive ATAs, suggesting that in these patients, the high normal levels of TSH could be attributed to a mild thyroid failure with a possible worsening obesity-related effect, and both need a careful evaluation

Innovative In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation Strategies of the Madonie Fir Abies nebrodensis

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei is an endemic species of the north-west of Sicily located in an 84 ha area in the Madonie Regional park. The current population is limited to 30 relic adult trees and a fluctuating number of juveniles of natural regeneration. The species is defined as “Critically Endangered” in the Italian list of threatened plants and is classified as CR-D in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This article reports the key action undertaken by the LIFE4FIR project aimed at preserving A. nebrodensis, and the results obtained so far in three years of activity. OpenArrays SNPs genotyping revealed a high rate of inbreeding in the natural population and that the adult trees are genetically related. Controlled cross-pollination was consequently performed to increase the genetic variability of the progeny. Outbred offspring are currently being grown in the nursery. Reforestation has been planned by using 4000 selected outbred seedlings in 10 areas within Madonie Park to create re-diffusion cores. Support and protection of the relic population have been implemented through regular phytosanitary surveys, as well as new fencing and video surveillance systems against grazing and wild herbivores. A seedbank and cryobank for the long-term germplasm conservation have been established.European Union LIFE18/NAT/IT/00016

Linee guida di buone pratiche per l'identificazione ed il controllo di alcune malattie comuni dei boschi mediterranei

55 páginas, 54 figurasNell’attuale contesto di cambiamento climatico che stiamo vivendo da alcuni anni, le foreste mediterranee sono minacciate da un’ampia varietà di fattori di stress di origine biotica e abiotica. Periodi di siccità prolungata, temperature elevate e incendi boschivi stanno diventando sempre più frequenti nelle nostre foreste. Questi fattori di rischio abiotico sono stati accentuati a causa dell’abbandono rurale, poiché lo spopolamento porta a una diminuzione della pratica della selvicoltura tradizionale che storicamente ha contribuito a mitigare il rischio di incendi e altre minacce per la foresta. Le nostre foreste sono inoltre soggette ad agenti di stress di origine biotica: parassiti e patogeni in grado di indebolire e persino distruggere le masse forestali, che, se colpite dall’azione di insetti e/o microrganismi patogeni, sono più suscettibili a loro volta ad ulteriori elementi di stress. La combinazione di questi elementi nocivi, mette in pericolo la salute e l’esistenza dell’intero ecosistema forestale. Il progetto LIFE MycoRestore nasce con l’obiettivo di implementare diverse strategie per ottenere una gestione sostenibile delle foreste mediterranee e delle loro risorse. A tal fine, vengono utilizzate varie risorse micologiche innovative e pratiche di gestione forestale che consentono un migliore risultato economico, contribuendo nel contempo ad aumentare la resilienza e l’adattamento ai cambiamenti climatici delle foreste mediterranee in Spagna, Italia e Portogallo.LIFE MYCORESTORE. Innovative use of mycological resources for resilient and productive Mediterranean forests threatened by climate change (LIFE18 CCA/ES/1110)Peer reviewe

Innovative In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation Strategies of the Madonie Fir Abies nebrodensis

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei is an endemic species of the north-west of Sicily located in an 84 ha area in the Madonie Regional park. The current population is limited to 30 relic adult trees and a fluctuating number of juveniles of natural regeneration. The species is defined as “Critically Endangered” in the Italian list of threatened plants and is classified as CR-D in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This article reports the key action undertaken by the LIFE4FIR project aimed at preserving A. nebrodensis, and the results obtained so far in three years of activity. OpenArrays SNPs genotyping revealed a high rate of inbreeding in the natural population and that the adult trees are genetically related. Controlled cross-pollination was consequently performed to increase the genetic variability of the progeny. Outbred offspring are currently being grown in the nursery. Reforestation has been planned by using 4000 selected outbred seedlings in 10 areas within Madonie Park to create re-diffusion cores. Support and protection of the relic population have been implemented through regular phytosanitary surveys, as well as new fencing and video surveillance systems against grazing and wild herbivores. A seedbank and cryobank for the long-term germplasm conservation have been established

Guía de buenas prácticas de identificación y control de algunas enfermedades comunes de los bosques mediterráneos

55 páginas, 54 figurasEn la situación de cambio climático que vivimos desde hace algunos años, los bosques mediterráneos se encuentran amenazados por una gran variedad de factores estresantes de origen biótico y abiótico. Los periodos de sequías prolongadas, las altas temperaturas y los incendios forestales son cada vez más frecuentes en nuestros bosques. Estos factores abióticos de riesgo se han acentuado debido al abandono rural, ya que la despoblación conlleva una disminución de la práctica de la silvicultura tradicional que históricamente ayudaba a mitigar el riesgo de incendios y otras amenazas para el bosque. Nuestros bosques también se ven perjudicados por agentes de origen biótico: las plagas y los patógenos que son capaces de debilitar e incluso destruir las masas forestales, que cuando se ven afectadas por la acción de insectos y/o microorganismos patógenos son más susceptibles a incurrir en diversos factores estresantes. Al combinar estos elementos nocivos, se pone en peligro la salud y la existencia de todo el ecosistema forestal. El proyecto LIFE MycoRestore surge con la finalidad de implementar distintas estrategias para lograr una gestión sostenible de los bosques mediterráneos y sus recursos. Para ello, se están utilizando diversos recursos micológicos innovadores y prácticas de manejo forestal que permitan un mejor aprovechamiento económico, ayudando al mismo tiempo a aumentar la resistencia y adaptación al cambio climático de los bosques mediterráneos en España, Italia y Portugal.LIFE MYCORESTORE. Innovative use of mycological resources for resilient and productive Mediterranean forests threatened by climate change (LIFE18 CCA/ES/1110)Peer reviewe

Prediction of type 1 diabetes in Sardinian schoolchildren using islet cell autoantibodies: 10-year follow-up of the Sardinian schoolchildren type 1 diabetes prediction study

Aims: Stable genetic background makes individuals from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia ideal to define the predictive power of islet-related autoantibodies (IRAs): glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA), tyrosine phosphatase-like antibodies (IA-2A), islet cell antibodies (ICA) to identify T1DM progressors. The aims of the present study were: (1) determination of IRAs reference limits in healthy non-diabetic Sardinian schoolchildren (SSc). (2) Predictive power evaluation of IRAs as single or combined determination to identify islet to identify T1DM progressors. Methods: Between 1986 and 1994, 8448 SSc were tested for IRAs. All were followed up for 10 years. The predictive power of single or combination of IRAs was determined as hazard ratio (HR), sensitivity, specificity, area under the ROC curve, negative and positive predictive value (NPV, PPV). Results: All 43 progressors to T1DM, but three showed at least one autoantibody positivity. HR for any single-autoantibody positivity was 55.3 times greater when compared to SSc negative for all IRAs. Any single autoantibody performed at least 64.9 % sensitivity with PPV always lower than 16 %. The best performing combination was ICA, plus IA-2A (showing 52.6 % sensitivity, 99.8 % specificity, 0.76 area under the ROC curve, 51.3 % PPV and 99.8 % NPV. Conclusions: Determination of IRAs reference limits in healthy SSc by standard statistical methods is crucial to establish the power of IRAs as progression markers to T1DM. Our data offer a solid rationale for future testing of ICA and IA-2A as routine laboratory markers to identify individuals at high risk of T1DM in the general population