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Small-scale and high-resolution in geobotanical mapping: the case study of Sicily.

The new "Vegetation map of Sicily (Italy)", recently published (Gianguzzi, Papini & Cusimano, 2015), shows also a synthetic overview of the distribution of European habitats in the territory; the study area has been extended to small islands circum-Sicilian (archipelago of the Aeolian; Aegadian, Pelagie Ustica and Pantelleria islands), for a total area of 25,703 km2. Our work allowed to resume the knowledge status of the phytosociological studies on vegetation carried out and to identify the actual plant landscape of the region; the map was compiled in a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) environment, in order to produce a cartographic representation in 1:10,000 scale (reduced to a 1:250,000 scale). At the reference scale 36 phytocoenotic types are represented, 16 of which related to European habitats of zonal vegetation (Mediterranean maquis, Quercus ilex woods, Quercus suber woods, Castanea sativa woods, Quercus pubescens deciduous woods, mesophilous deciduous woods, Fagus sylvatica woods, Betula aetnensis woods, woods dominated by woody gymnosperms, forest edge shrubs, orophilous pulvinate shrubs, shrublands and garrigues on substrates of carbonate nature and on substrates of siliceous nature, Ampelodesmos mauritanicus grasslands, mesophilous and sub-hygrophilous grasslands and pastures), 11 related to azonal vegetation (riparian vegetation, psammophilous herbaceous vegetation, chasmo-halophitic vegetation, etc.) and 9 related to anthropogenic vegetation (arable lands and extensive herbaceous crops, vineyards, olive groves and dry cultivation mosaics, hazelnut groves, irrigated citrus groves and orchards, greenhouses, built-up areas). Gianguzzi L., Papini F., Cusimano D., 2015 – Phytosociological survey vegetation map of Sicily (Mediterranean region). – Journal of Maps:1-7 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2015.1094969).

Recently, studies on inositol supplementation during in vitro fertilization program (IVF) have gained particular importance due to the effect of this molecule on reducing insulin resistance improving ovarian function, oocyte quality, and embryo and pregnancy rates and reducing gonadotropin amount during stimulation. Inositol and its isoforms, especially myoinositol (MYO), are often used as prestimulation therapy in infertile patients undergoing IVF cycle. Inositol supplementation started three months before ovarian stimulation, resulting in significant improvements in hormonal responses, reducing the amount of FSH necessary for optimal follicle development and serum levels of 17beta-estradiol measured the day of hCG injection. As shown by growing number of trials, MYO supplementation improves oocyte quality by reducing the number of degenerated and immature oocytes, in this way increasing the quality of embryos produced. Inositol can also improve the quality of sperm parameters in those patients affected by oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

The use of probiotics in the form of whole bacteria to achieve health benefits in humans is evolving by the development of recombinant probiotic bacteria as carriers of specific genes achieving a probiotic effect. Studies have demonstrated that bacteria carrying either the gene for IL-10 or for trefoil factors when given in an animal model or as part of a human trial can ameliorate inflammatory conditions of the colon. Such an approach has the advantages of a long-term delivery, the potential for fewer side effects and utility in many other conditions including other autoimmune diseases, dental caries, candidiasis and allergies. Other health benefits are also under investigation in relation to altering the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue by colonizing the intestine with a bacterium carrying the gene involved in fatty acid metabolism. Not only is the lean body mass advantageously affected but the enzyme is active in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Benefits may also be obtained not only by adding a gene but deletion of a gene from a bacterium which modulates the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or may make the probiotic bacterium act as a more effective delivery system by enhancing colonization

I batteri probiotici hanno dimostrato di avere effetti terapeutici nelle infezioni, nelle malattie infiammatorie e in quelle allergiche. I probiotici sono comunemente definiti come microrganismi vivi preferibilmente di origine umana che, se ingeriti in un numero sufficiente, esercitano specifici benefici per la salute; tuttavia le vie impiegate da questi batteri sono poco conosciute e i dettagli molecolari alla base di questi percorsi rimangono in gran parte ignoti. Capire come i probiotici esercitino i loro effetti benefici è fondamentale per la definizione di criteri di selezione per le strategie farmacobiotiche in specifiche condizioni cliniche.

Recenti evidenze indicano che i batteri filamentosi segmentati (BFS), Candidatus arthromitus, svolgono un ruolo peculiare in diversi aspetti della maturazione del sistema immunitario, tra cui le risposte delle cellule T; risulta dunque particolarmente rilevante rivedere le conoscenze su questi batteri e sul loro rapporto con il sistema immunitario e indagare i loro aspetti morfologici. In questi organismi si possono distinguere una forma proliferativa e una forma vegetativa. Queste diverse forme hanno ruoli differenti nel ciclo vitale: la forma proliferativa permette una rapida crescita degli organismi, mentre la forma vegetativa consente l’adesione dei BFS all’epitelio follicolare. Abbiamo inoltre posto particolare attenzione alle modalità di interazione tra i BFS e le cellule epiteliali dell’ileo terminale, al fine di comprendere meglio la relazione unica tra questi batteri e il sistema immunitario.

Helicobacter pylori is the primary cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer desease and it is linked to gastric low-grade lymphomas and gastric cancer; the clinical efficacy of a not very expensive therapy such as the eradication demonstrates that the eradication therapy of this bacteria, considered a class 1 carcinogen, represents an efficient use of the economical resources. The eradication therapy has infact a favourable cost-efficacy ratio compared to the absence of therapy or to the acid-suppressive therapy alone. Moreover, the introduction of the "Teast and treat" strategy, which is able to establish the presence of Helicobacter pylori with a noninvasive test such as the 13C-UBT or stool testing, it was significantly reduced the Endoscopy Unit work and becoming therefore more cost-effective than either endoscopy or empirical therapy and allowing you to go directly to the most appropriate treatment.

In questo articolo viene illustrata la possibilità di generazione di ceppi probiotici ricombinanti in grado di esprimere molecole con vantaggiose proprietà farmacologiche. Attraverso studi effettuati su modelli murini prima e su esseri umani poi è stato sperimentato l’uso di batteri geneticamente modificati per il rilascio di proteine terapeutiche nel trattamento continuativo delle malattie croniche intestinali a partire dal trattamento, con ceppi ricombinanti di Lactobacillus lactis, del morbo di Crohn, di malattie croniche intestinali, coliti acute e croniche. Sono altresì stati indagati gli effetti di molecole bioattive quali allergeni, enzimi digestivi e anticorpi a singola catena ottenuti usando batteri produttori di acido lattico in candidosi vaginali, carie dentali, allergie, malattie autoimmuni, tumori indotti da HPV e insufficienza pancreatica. La superficie cellulare del Lactobacillus acidophilus è infine stata utilizzata come potenziale strategia per il trattamento di patologie infiammatorie intestinali.

The polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) includes a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms and signs. Three different diagnostic classifications have been proposed to define this disease. The first one, published in 1990, known as the "NIH criteria" requires the simultaneous presence of hyperandrogenism and menstrual dysfunction in order to diagnose PCOS. Later on, in 2003, an expert panel met in Rotterdam and added to the previous criteria the presence of polycystic ovarian morphology detected by transvaginal ultrasonography. The later classification broadened the spectrum of PCOS and also included women with oligomenorrhea and PCO without hyperandrogenism or hyperandrogenism and PCO without menstrual dysfunction. Finally, the Androgen Excess Society, published in 2006 new diagnostic criteria which required the presence of clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, with either PCO or menstrual dysfunction to diagnose PCOS. This review focuses on the diagnostic techniques and methods of treatment for PCOS patients. Special attention is given to the role of insulin resistance and the potential utility of insulin sensitizers in management of the syndrome. The benefit and utmost importance of lifestyle modification for the long-term health of these women is stressed as well. It is hoped that some clarity in this regard will allow more women to not only be diagnosed and managed properly for their presenting symptoms (hirsutism, irregular menses, etc.), but also to be educated and managed for the continuing health risk of insulin resistance throughout their lives.