Sulphur Isotopes, Trace Elements and Mineral Stability Diagrams of Waters from the Abandoned Fe–Cu Mines of Libiola and Vigonzano (Northern Apennines, Italy)

The geochemical characteristics of rills draining pyrite-chalcopyrite tailings impoundments and of bordering streams were investigated at the ophiolite-hosted Libiola and Vigonzano abandoned massive sulphide mines, northern Apennines Italy. Water samples were analysed for major and trace chemical composition, hydrogen and oxygen isotope composition, and sulphur isotope composition of aqueous sulphate. Sulphur isotope composition was determined also for some samples of ore sulphides. At Libiola, the newly acquired chemical results on waters corroborate those from previous investigations, thus providing additional support to existing geochemical models in terms of metal distribution, solid phases precipitation, reaction path modelling and mixing reaction paths, and environmental problems. At Vigonzano, the chemical characteristics of waters are similar to those at Libiola. In both localities, solution-secondary phase equilibria estimated using an updated thermodynamic dataset account for mineralogy in the field, including poorly crystalline phases like jurbanite and hydrowoodwardite. The hydrogen and oxygen isotope composition of waters at Libiola and Vigonzano agrees with their meteoric origin. Acid to neutral mine waters do not show any significant isotope shift with respect to the initial water, in spite of the oxidation of even large amounts of pyrite/chalcopyrite ore. The sulphur isotope composition of aqueous sulphate in mine rills at Libiola (δ ³⁴S?=?5.6 to 8.5‰; mean 6.5‰) matches that of massive sulphide ore (δ ³⁴S?=??0.5 to 6.7‰; mean 5.8‰), in keeping with the supergenic origin of the sulphate and related isotope effects in the sulphide oxidation process. Sulphate in mine waters at Vigonzano displays lower δ ³⁴S values in the range 0.6 to 1.5‰. The δ ³⁴S signature of massive ore specimens is within the range reported for most volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits, including Cyprus-type deposits.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Ferula glauca L. (F. communis L. subsp. glauca) growing in Marche (central Italy)

The essential oil obtained from different parts of Ferula glauca L. (formerly considered as a subspecies of F. communis) growing in Marche (central Italy), was analyzed for the first time by GC-FID and GC-MS. The major volatiles were (E)-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide in leaves, alpha-pinene, myrcene and germacrene D in flowers, alpha- and beta-pinene in fruits, (E)-beta-farnesene, myristicin and elemicin in roots, respectively. The differences in composition detected with respect to F. communis, made the volatile fraction a reliable marker to distinguish between them, and confirm the botanical data at the base of their discrimination. Furthermore, the oil was assayed for its antimicrobial activity by the broth microdilution method. B. subtilis was found to be the most sensitive microorganism, with the lowest MIC values.     

Pheromone detection of the introduced forest pest Megaplatypus mutatus (=Platypus mutatus) (Chapuis) (Platypodinae, Curculionidae) in Italy

Megaplatypus mutatus (Chapuis) (=Platypus mutatus), an ambrosia beetle native to South America, attacks standing live trees of a wide range of forest and fruit tree species, and it is particularly damaging to commercial poplar plantations. In 2000, M. mutatus was observed for the first time in Italy, in the province of Caserta, near Naples. The development of a pheromone-based monitoring system, for detecting the spread and for managing M. mutatus infestations, is an important goal for both European and South American control and surveillance programs. Using a three component pheromone blend developed in Argentina into commercial funnel traps we were able to asses the level of dispersion of this pest in the Italian Campania region. Insects were captured in all the plantations suspected of being infested based on the presence of active parental and larval galleries. We also provide the first report of the attack followed by completion of the life cycle of M. mutatus in European hazelnut, Corylus avellana L. (Betulaceae), an important nut species native to Europe and Western Asia.     

Effects of treatment with St. John's Wort on blood glucose levels and pain perceptions of streptozotocin-diabetic rats

This present study was undertaken to examine treating effects of St. John's Wort (SJW) extract on nociceptive perception of STZ-diabetic animals based on its potential antidiabetic and antinociceptive activities. One week administrations of SJW extract (125 and 250 mg/kg) induced significant decrease in high blood glucose levels of three weeks STZ-diabetic rats and improved their dysregulated metabolic parameters. In addition, SJW extract treatment caused restoration in the mechanical hyperalgesia of diabetic animals. These findings provide a rationale for the traditional use of SJW against diabetes and display the potential of this plant as a new drug candidate/source for the treatment of diabetic pain.     

Fungal pathogens associated with twig canker of shrub species in Tunisia: Considering the effect of the factors correlated

Decline phenomena of shrub species such as Quercus coccifera and Retama raetam have occurred throughout Tunisian forests since 2012. These evergreen shrubs have long been regarded for their medicinal and ecological interests. Therefore, their preservation as valuable forest resources is of great interest. However, information regarding aetiology of this disease is still scarce. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify and characterize the causal agents associated with disease symptoms in two Tunisian forests. Thirty-eight isolates were obtained from symptomatic Q. coccifera and R. raetam twigs. Morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene cluster and partial sequence of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1-α) allowed the identification of three Diplodia species namely Diplodia africana, D. seriata and D. pseudoseriata. Our findings revealed that the incidence of Diplodia species was significantly correlated to the altitude, the temperature and the rainfall. Pathogenicity test showed that all Diplodia isolates are pathogenic. However, D. africana revealed to be the most aggressive species toward R. raetam. These findings were the first record of D. seriata as fungal pathogen associated with Q. coccifera dieback and D. pseudoseriata and D. africana on R. raetam in Tunisia.     

Characterization of a flint maize (Zea mays var. indurata) Italian landrace, II. Genetic diversity and relatedness assessed by SSR and Inter-SSR molecular markers

A comparative characterization of 10 field populations of the maize (Zea mays var. indurata) landrace Nostrano di Storo was carried out using different types of PCR-based markers. The inbred line B73 and three synthetics (VA143, VA154 and VA157) selected from as many landraces were also used. Genetic diversity and relatedness were evaluated over 84 SSR and 53 I-SSR marker alleles using a total of 253 individual DNAs. Up to 23 alleles per SSR locus were scored while the average effective number of alleles per population was 6.99. Nei's total genetic diversity as assessed with SSR markers was H_T = 0.851 while the average diversity within populations was H_S = 0.795. The overall Wright's fixation index F_ST was as low as 0.066. Thus, more than 93% of the total variation was within population. Unique alleles over all SSR loci were found for six populations. An average of 17.7 marker alleles per I-SSR primer were scored with an effective number of marker alleles per locus of 1.34. The Shannon's diversity information index over all populations and I-SSR loci was 0.332, varying from 0.286 to 0.391. The extent of differentiation between populations was as low as G_ST = 0.091. Dice's genetic similarity matrices were estimated for both SSR and I-SSR markers. The mean genetic similarity coefficients within and between populations were respectively 0.269 and 0.217, for SSR markers, and 0.591 and 0.564, for I-SSR markers. UPGMA dendrograms displayed all field populations but one clustered into a distinct group, in which the synthetic VA154, selected from the Marano Vicentino landrace, was also included. One field population and the other two synthetics were clustered separately as well B73. The matrix correlation assayed by the Mantel's correspondence test was as high as 0.908. Findings suggest that, although a high variability can be found among plants, most plant genotypes belong to the same landrace called Nostrano di Storo. Although gene flow from commercial hybrids might have occurred, the large number of polymorphisms and the presence of both unique alleles and alleles unshared with B73 and synthetics are the main factors underlying the value of this flint maize landrace as a source of genetic variation and peculiar germplasm traits. Because of its exclusive utilization for human consumption, such a molecular marker characterization will be a key step for obtaining the IGP mark and so promote the in situ conservation and protection of the landrace Nostrano di Storo.     

DNA fingerprinting sheds light on the origin of introduced mulberry (Morus spp.) accessions in Italy

Mulberries are members of the genus Morus L., a taxonomic group showing a great genetic variability and adaptability to different environmental conditions. This study deals with the use of AFLP-based fingerprints as a tool for estimating genetic variability within as well as among three different mulberry species (i.e., M. alba L., M. latifolia Poir. and M. bombycis Koidz.). A high level of polymorphism (72.2) was found over all the 48 accessions analyzed. Genetic similarity (GS) within single Morus species ranged from 0.845 (M. bombycis) to 0.884 (M. alba) being intermediate in M. latifolia (0.869). The between-species mean genetic similarity estimates based on pair-wise AFLP marker fingerprint comparison were very similar ranging from 0.861 to 0.874. The partition of the genetic variation over the three Morus species was unexpected a proportion of the among-species genetic diversity as low as GST= 0.084 pointed out that about 92% of the total genetic diversity found among Morus accessions is due to DNA polymorphisms within a species, while only 8% of the total variation was highlighted among species. Our data indicate that some of the introduced accessions showing distinctive phenotypes, clearly differentiated from those revealed in the original habitat where they have been selected and adapted, hide an identical genotype.     

Effect of extended aging of parma dry-cured ham on the content of oligopeptides and free amino acids

The effect of the dry-curing processing time on the release of oligopeptides and amino acids was evaluated with 158 Parma hams subdivided into three groups: (1) traditional processing (450 days); (2) extended processing (570 days); and (3) extended aging (690 days). Most of the oligopeptides and free amino acids detected increased up to the last deadline (690 days); a sharp increase of peptides below 400 Da was the main change in most aged hams. In particular, gamma-glutamyl dipeptides showed a remarkable increase during ham extended aging, acting like permanent taste-active compounds, being unsuitable for further enzymatic breakdown. The pH of fresh hams showed negative relationships (P < 0.001) with most peptides. With regard to free amino acids, the pattern was modified by different processing lengths, together with their taste categories, so that the amino acids having monosodium glutamate-like and bitter tastes were enhanced in more aged hams.