Monitoraggio dell'accumulo di idrocarburi policiclici aromatici (IPA) in specie spontanee

ItLa flora del Salento rappresenta una grande risorsa per le applicazioni biotecnologiche. Presso l’Orto Botanico del DiSTeBA sono state propagate e moltiplicate tre specie spontanee molto comuni come il cardo mariano Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner, il grespino Sonchus oleraceus L.e la cicoria selvatica Cichorium intybus L., al fine di verificare tecniche colturali che garantiscano un’adeguata produzione da destinare al settore alimentare, all’industria farmaceutica ed agli interventi di recupero ambientale. Nel presente lavoro si riportano i risultati relativi alla propagazione delle tre specie ed al monitoraggio dell’assorbimento che tali specie hanno evidenziato nei confronti degli Idrocarburi Policiclici Aromatici. Gli esiti delle attività hanno confermato una loro possibile applicazione nelle tecnologie riguardanti la fitodepurazione.EnThe Salentine flora represents a very rich source for biotechnological application. At the Botanic Garden of DiSTeBA, were propagated three wild species very common: Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertner, Sonchus oleraceus L. and Cichorium intybus L. We tried to evaluate the possibility of a “domestication” of these wild plants, to obtain an adequate production for the food industry, pharmaceutical industry and the environmental restoration measures. In this paper we report the results for the propagation of the three species and monitoring the absorption capacity that these species have shown towards Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. The results confirmed their possible application in technologies and to perform an action of phytoremediation in respect of such pollutants ubiquitous and highly damaging

Quercus x caroppoi Medagli, Turco, Albano & Accogli, a new oak's hybrid from the Salento

ItGli Autori descrivono una nuova entità del genere Quercus di probabile origine ibrida: Quercus x caroppoi, rinvenuta nel Salento (Carpignano Salentino, Lecce) che sembrerebbe originata dall'ibridazione tra cerro (Quercus cerris L.) e quercia spinosa (Quercus coccifera L. subsp. calliprinos Webb). Si tratta del primo ritrovamento in assoluto di tale ibrido. Il portamento dell'albero appare con chioma di forma slanciata (come in Q. cerris) e non globosa (come in Q. coccifera), la forma della lamina fogliare appare dentato-lobata come in Q. cerris, ma sempreverde come in Q. coccifera, inoltre le foglie sono meno coriacee e meno lucide di Q. calliprinos, con mucroni non pungenti. Le ghiande somigliano a quelle di Q. calliprinos, ma hanno cupule con squame meno rigide e non pungenti. Un caso che presenta molte analogie è quello del rinvenimento di Quercus thracica Stefanov & Nedjalkov in Bulgaria nel 1955, presunto ibrido tra Quercus coccifera L. subsp. calliprinos Webb e Q. trojana Webb., molto affine morfologicamente a Q. xcaroppoi, rinvenuto in un unico esemplare bicormico. Purtroppo, in questo caso, dopo la scomparsa dell'unico esemplare individuato avvenuta nel 2010, tale taxon è stato dichiarato estinto.EnAuthors describe a new taxon that belongs to genus Quercus L. probably of hybrid origin. Quercus x caroppoi was found in Salento (Carpignano Salentino, Lecce), it would seem to be originated from hybridization between Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) and Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L. subsp. calliprinos Webb). This is the first ever discovery of this hybrid. The discovery of the new hybrid took place 13th September 2012 along the provincial road S.P. 3, Carpignano Salentino-Borgagne (LE), near a dry-stone wall bordering an olive grove. Q. x caroppoi is an abundantly fruiting tree of about 8-8,5 m high (Fig. 1), with a slim canopy (as in Q. cerris) and not globular (as in Q. coccifera subsp. calliprinos). It has a greyish bark, smooth with slightly accentuated longitudinal striations (Fig. 2) and a bicormic appearance, as it has two distinct trunks about one meter apart, starting from the ground to canopy, apparently, two distinct and twin trees (main shoots) and numerous small basal suckers, which give it a densely bushy appearance (Fig. 3). Leaves have pubescent petioles, with a generally crinkled leaf blade, almost never flat, often asymmetrical in shape, lanceolate-acute as in Q. cerris (elliptical or obovate in Q. coccifera), evergreen, rather shiny and rough to the touch, (but less shiny than respect the leaves of Q. coccifera) (Fig. 4); coriaceous (but less than respect to Q. coccifera) with a glabrous and darker upper leaf page and a lighter lower leaf page (Fig. 5) with evident leaf veins (they are just noticeable in Q. coccifera) all with 4-6 toothed and mucronate lobes per side and an acute and mucronate apex as in Q. cerris, but with non-rigid and pungent mucrons as in the Q. coccifera subsp. calliprinos, with 4-6 dentate and unequal lobes per side. Leaf are flattened at the apex where they have an apical mucron. Cupule covers from half to one third of the acorn; they look similar to that of Q. coccifera calliprinos, but with stiff scales and pointed apex, arched towards the peduncle. The cupules are more delicate, slightly thinner, and less lignified if compared to those of Q. coccifera (Fig. 6). An interesting remark is the biennal fruiting cycle of Q. x caroppoi, as it presents simultaneously acorns at initial development associated with acorns close to maturity (Fig. 7). This biennality in the development of acorns is common to both Thorny oak and Turkey oak. During samplings at the base of the tree, numerous germinating acorns (Fig. 8) and several plants born spontaneously from germinated acorns were observed, which, however, due to the lack of suitable spaces and to interventions of weeding in the adjacent olive grove, they cannot develop undisturbed (Fig. 9). At the Botanical Garden of the University of Salento acorns where seeded and germinating power was analysed (Fig. 10). Acorns show a germinative power of about 52% (6 months after seeding), unlike experiences concerning Quercus coccifera subsp. calliprinos which showed a higher germination around 80-95% in Salento. The seedlings show a strong resemblance to the mother plant, highlighting strongly toothed and mucronate leaves (Fig. 11). It would seem that the specimen is predominantly self-pollinated, which promote conservation of the features that belong to the mother plant; this assumption is also due to the considerable distance of Q. caroppoi from spontaneous specimens of thorny oak. A case that has many similarities is related to the discovery of Q. thracica Stefanov & Nedjalkov, a presumed hybrid between Q. cerris e Q. trojana Webb. that was found in Bulgaria as a bicormic plant, with morphological characteristics very similar to Q. x caroppoi. Unfortunately, in this case, after the death of the only plant described in 2010, this taxon was declared extinct

An exploration of evaluation approaches for community based interventions for people living with HIV (PLHIV) with results applied to the ‘HOPE’ programme in Ghana

Background: The increase in the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV), especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is a major public health concern. To date, most attention has been paid to prevention strategies and clinical trials of therapy. In comparison, there have been very few studies of care and support programmes. The ‘HOPE’ programme is a major community-based care and support programme in Ghana. ‘HOPE’ provides nutritional support, skills training for employment, health education and psychological support for PLHIV and for those orphaned through AIDS. Therefore, it was seen by policy makers in the country as desirable that it should be evaluated. A PhD scholarship was funded and the researcher presenting this thesis was appointed. Broad Aims The overall aim was to carry out an evaluation of the ‘HOPE’ programme in Ghana in order to make wider recommendations for evaluation of community-based interventions (CBIs) in Ghana and Africa generally. The timing was less than ideal as many of the major decisions about the intervention had already been made and baseline data had been collected. Therefore, the preliminary aim was to explore a range of possible evaluation methods so that the most suitable approach could be selected. Thereafter, a range of more specific aims, objectives and research questions was identified. Methods: A ‘mixed methods’ approach was adopted. The first component was a desk-based analysis of the literature on the various evaluation approaches that might, at least in theory, be applied to an HIV/AIDS intervention like ‘HOPE’. From this, a decision was made to evaluate ‘HOPE’ in terms of structure, process and outcome. The second component operationalised this decision by reviewing HOPE’s working documents and conducting two pieces of field work: a quantitative and a qualitative study. The quantitative study was a structured questionnaire administered to 200 PLHIV on the ‘HOPE’ programme. The qualitative study consisted of 14 interviews with stakeholders directly involved in the programme implementation and 8 focus group discussions with the programme beneficiaries. Results: The desk-based analysis achieved three main outcomes. First, it set out in a systematic manner the different approaches to evaluation that could in theory have been applied to ‘HOPE’. It identified strengths and weaknesses and the perspectives behind each approach. Second, it set out and then summarised a detailed description of the ‘HOPE’ programme and the national context in which it operated. Third, it set the above within the context of global literature on HIV, community-based interventions and nutritional support programmes. The analysis of the quantitative data showed that beneficiaries were being provided with soy-fortified wheat and vegetable fortified oil at the time of the evaluation. On average, beneficiaries gained weight (Mean difference in weight was 2kg with 95% CI (1.1, 2.9), p-value < 0.001) and increased Body Mass Index (BMI) (Mean difference in BMI was 0.8units with 95% CI (0.4, 1.2), P-value < 0.001). Over a third of the beneficiaries (37.5%) was currently unemployed and only one in five of the beneficiaries had been trained in a skill that might have been useful to find employment: this, despite skills training for all being a programme goal. Multivariate analysis showed that the support group to which the beneficiary belonged was the most important determinant of a positive outcome. Qualitative components demonstrated perceived successes and challenges. Beneficiaries indicated that the anti-retroviral drugs were making them hungry and the food helped to alleviate that effect. They further indicated that the food was nutritious and contributed to their weight gain. Support groups have been sustained and membership increased. Some indicated that food should be more varied and some mentioned selling food to earn money to pay for their medications. Most of the beneficiaries indicated they were unemployed having lost their jobs as a result of stigmatisation. Only a few benefited from skills training leading to employment because of inadequate budgeting. Some who had been trained could not use their newly acquired skills because of lack of capital to start a business. To compound these weaknesses, most reported that they preferred petty trading to the skills offered. The monthly education and the training workshops generated hope, and improved knowledge of HIV/AIDS, promoted drug adherence and helped to reduce stigmatisation. The training of the PLHIV as peer educators is an effective method for HIV education and counselling since PLHIV listen to their peers more than health workers. Respondees predicted dissolution of the support groups when the programme ends. This is because they were not adequately involved in the decision making. Beneficiaries identified participation and cooperation as key prerequisites for sustainability but they also identified important weaknesses in ‘HOPE’ with respect to these criteria. Discussion: Despite the challenges presented by the timing and context of this study, it has been possible to carry out an evaluation that provides important learning. A mixed methods approach was appropriate and is likely to be useful in many similar evaluations. Beneficial outcomes were identified but these cannot be attributed, without qualification, to the intervention. Nonetheless, the findings indicated that participants were highly satisfied with the food support and monthly education. They were dissatisfied with the numbers trained in new skills and in other aspects of the skills training components. Also, the sustainability of the food component when the funding stops was a concern. However, the educational component could be sustained because peer educators could continue at very low cost. Most importantly, community involvement, using locally available resources, inter-sectoral collaboration and harnessing the motivation of local people were seen as key but underutilised ingredients. So, the results of the evaluation are encouraging but not conclusive. Nonetheless, care for people living with HIV is such an important problem that the desirability of conducting a cluster randomised controlled trial among a large number of support groups to assess the programme effectiveness on health, nutrition and economic status should be seriously considered despite the practical and ethical challenges implicit in such a recommendation.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Clinical, neuroradiological, and molecular characterization of mitochondrial threonyl-tRNA-synthetase (TARS2)-related disorder

PURPOSE: Biallelic variants in TARS2, encoding the mitochondrial threonyl-tRNA-synthetase, have been reported in a small group of individuals displaying a neurodevelopmental phenotype, but with limited neuroradiological data and insufficient evidence for causality of the variants. METHODS: Exome or genome sequencing was carried out in 15 families. Clinical and neuroradiological evaluation was performed for all affected individuals, including review of 10 previously reported individuals. The pathogenicity of TARS2 variants was evaluated using in vitro assays, and a zebrafish model. RESULTS: We report 18 new individuals harboring biallelic TARS2 variants. Phenotypically, these individuals show developmental delay/intellectual disability, regression, cerebellar and cerebral atrophy, basal ganglia signal alterations, hypotonia, cerebellar signs and increased blood lactate. In vitro studies showed that variants within the TARS2301-381 region had decreased binding to Rag GTPases, likely impairing mTORC1 activity. The zebrafish model recapitulated key features of the human phenotype and unraveled dysregulation of downstream targets of mTORC1 signaling. Functional testing of the variants confirmed the pathogenicity in a zebrafish model. CONCLUSION: We define the clinico-radiological spectrum of TARS2-related mitochondrial disease, unveil the likely involvement of the mTORC1 signaling pathway as a distinct molecular mechanism, and establish a TARS2 zebrafish model as an important tool to study variant pathogenicity