<i>Centaurea horrida</i> Badarò

Descrizione della specie Centaurea horrida Badarò

Studi demografici e genetici su specie vegetali di interesse per la conservazione in Sardegna

Il Bacino del Mediterraneo è uno degli hotspots di biodiversità a livello globale (Myers et al., 2000), infatti risulta terzo al mondo per l’abbondante presenza di piante endemiche (circa 13.000 specie esclusive che corrispondono al 4,3% di tutte le piante del mondo). All’interno dell’area mediterranea sono state individuate 10 aree cruciali per la conservazione e gestione della biodiversità (Médail, Quézel, 1999), hotspots che rappresentano il 22% (circa 515.000 Km2) della superficie totale dell’area mediterranea, includono circa 5.500 entità endemiche e presentano una ricchezza floristica superiore a 2.000 specie/15.000 Km2 (Médail, Quézel, 1999). In questo ambito il Dipartimento di Botanica ed Ecologia vegetale dell’Università degli Studi di Sassari ha intrapreso studi di tipo demografico e genetico sulla dinamica e vitalità delle popolazioni di entità incluse nell’All. II della Direttiva Habitat o che identificano habitat comunitari ai sensi dell’All. I della stessa Direttiva, finalizzati alla loro conservazione. In questa sede si riportano dati preliminari su Centaurea horrida Badarò (Pisanu, Filigheddu, 2005; Mameli et al., 2006), Anchusa crispa Viv. ed entità congeneriche (Farris et al., 2006) e Taxus baccata L. (Farris, Filigheddu, 2005)

Orientamenti per l'irrigazione del mirto

Preliminary observations on ecophysiology of Myrtus communis L. in cultural conditions are reported. Responses of plants to different moisture soil conditions were observed using the stem water potential methodology. Plants showed optimal ecophysiological behaviour under moderate stress condition. Stress symptoms appear only with very low soil moisture content. These first results show that this species requires only few water applications or regulated deficit irrigation

Gli Habitat terrestri costieri e litorali della Sardegna settentrionale: verifica della loro attribuzione sintassonomica ai sensi della Direttiva 43/92/CEE “Habitat”

In this work we talk about coastal and littoral terrestrial habitats and plant communities in Northern Sardinia. We check the right attribution of different plant communities to their habitat type, among those indicated in the Annexe I of the 43/92/EEC Habitat Directive, and the coherence between the Natura 2000 Network and the tested habitat presence in the study area. Finally, some critical examples, regarding either the interpretation or the application of the Habitat Directive, are discussed. In the study area 16 community habitats have been detected, and among them three are priority habitats (1510*, 2250* and 2270*). 15 habitats are confirmed, been mentioned in at least one Natura 2000 formulary, instead, habitat 2220 is here reported for the first time in Northern Sardinia. The presence in the study area of 5 habitats mentioned in Natura 2000 formularies (1310, 2110, 2120, 2240 and 5410) is not confirmed. The percentage of high threatened habitats in the study area (37.5%) is higher than the national one (24%). On the other hand the percentage of low risk habitats in coastal areas of Northern Sardinia (37.5%) is lower than the Italian one (48%). These considerations give priority to the conservation of the coastal and littoral areas in Northern Sardinia. Finally, the discussion of some critical applicative examples bring us to ask for a really needed Habitat Directive Annexe I revision

Un Nuovo paradigma per le “buone pratiche” di lotta alla desertificazione in Italia

Il concetto di desertificazione ha avuto varie e talvolta controverse interpretazioni, che hanno implicazioni sulle politiche e sulle pratiche di mitigazione (Herrmann e Hutchinson, 2005; Sivakumar, 2007; Lean, 2008). In una recente review sul tema, Reynolds et al. (2007) pongono l’accento sulla natura complessa dei processi di desertificazione e sulla necessità di sviluppare nuovi framework concettuali per affrontare il problema in maniera efficiente ed efficace. Questo lavoro riassume in sintesi un’indagine portata avanti nell’ambito di un accordo di programma tra il Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare e il Nucleo di Ricerca sulla Desertificazione dell’Università degli studi di Sassari con l’obiettivo di supportare l’adozione di “buone pratiche” per la lotta alla desertificazione a livello nazionale, partendo da situazioni esemplari di riferimento

Ricchezza floristica e diversità degli habitat umidi temporanei nella Sardegna nord-occidentale

Questa ricerca evidenzia come a scala regionale il network di aree protette sia inadeguato per la salvaguardia della biodiversità specifica ed ecosistemica, come dimostrato anche da gap analysis a livello globale (RODRIGUES et al., 2004): entità quali Callitriche brutia, Elatine alsinastrum, Eryngium barrelieri e Myosotis sicula, non sono incluse in nessuna delle aree protette attualmente presenti nella Sardegna settentrionale (Parco Nazionale dell'Asinara, Parco Nazionale della Maddalena, Parco Naturale Regionale di Porto Conte), mentre risultano presenti in aree non interessate da nessun programma di conservazione

in vitro activity of essential oils against pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from infected hip implants

Introduction: Essential oils have been used since ancient times and are known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-depressive, antiseptic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Methodology: in this study the antimicrobial activity of two essential oils from Melaleuca alternifolia and Thymus vulgaris–red thyme geraniol was tested against 16 multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains from infected hip implants as well as the "in vitro" cytotoxic activity on normal human Wong-Kilbourne derivative (WKD) cells. Results: Thymus vulgaris–red thyme geraniol showed lower antimicrobial activity when compared to Melaleuca alternifolia. All tested oils were cytotoxic at concentrations lower than 0.12%. Conclusion: Increase in drug resistance and lack of new antibiotics may encourage the development of natural treatments together with higher concern on environmental issues and natural lifestyle

Investigation of Genetic Variants Associated with Tryptophan Metabolite Levels via Serotonin and Kynurenine Pathways in Patients with Bipolar Disorder

The kynurenine pathway (KP) may play a role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD). We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variants associated with the plasma levels of the metabolites of tryptophan (TRP) via the serotonin (5-HT) and kynurenine (KYN) pathways in 44 patients with BD and 45 healthy controls. We assessed whether variants that were differentially associated with metabolite levels based on the diagnostic status improved the prediction accuracy of BD using penalized regression approaches. We identified several genetic variants that were significantly associated with metabolites (5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), TRP, and quinolinic acid (QA) or metabolite ratios (5-HTP/TRP and KYN/TRP) and for which the diagnostic status exerted a significant effect. The inclusion of genetic variants led to increased accuracy in the prediction of the BD diagnostic status. Specifically, we obtained an accuracy of 0.77 using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression. The predictors retained as informative in this model included body mass index (BMI), the levels of TRP, QA, and 5-HT, the 5-HTP/TRP ratio, and genetic variants associated with the levels of QA (rs6827515, rs715692, rs425094, rs4645874, and rs77048355) and TRP (rs292212) or the 5-HTP/TRP ratio (rs7902231). In conclusion, our study identified statistically significant associations between metabolites of TRP via the 5-HT and KYN pathways and genetic variants at the genome-wide level. The discriminative performance of penalized regression models incorporating clinical, genetic, and metabolic predictors warrants a follow-up analysis of this panel of determinants

Melatonin MT1 receptors as a target for the psychopharmacology of bipolar disorder: a translational study

The treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) still remains a challenge. Melatonin (MLT), acting through its two receptors MT1 and MT2, plays a key role in regulating circadian rhythms which are dysfunctional in BD. Using a translational approach, we examined the implication and potential of MT1 receptors in the pathophysiology and psychopharmacology of BD. We employed a murine model of the manic phase of BD (Clock mutant (ClockΔ19) mice) to study the activation of MT1 receptors by UCM871, a selective partial agonist, in behavioral pharmacology tests and in-vivo electrophysiology. We then performed a high-resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance study on isolated membranes to characterize the molecular mechanism of interaction of UCM871. Finally, in a cohort of BD patients, we investigated the link between clinical measures of BD and genetic variants located in the MT1 receptor and CLOCK genes. We demonstrated that: 1) UCM871 can revert behavioral and electrophysiological abnormalities of ClockΔ19 mice; 2) UCM871 promotes the activation state of MT1 receptors; 3) there is a significant association between the number of severe manic episodes and MLT levels, depending on the genetic configuration of the MT1 rs2165666 variant. Overall, this work lends support to the potentiality of MT1 receptors as target for the treatment of BD

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 10

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions for taxa in the genera Artemisia, Chaetonychia, Cirsium, Cynanchum, Genista, Hieracium, Iberis, Melica, Misopates, Myosotis, Thalictrum, Trifolium, Utricularia, Veronica, and Vicia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as supplementary material