Morphometric analysis of the shells of the Genus Bolivina from the Gulf of Gela (Sicilian Channel, Italy): a valid classification instrument?

Preliminary results on the distribution of benthic foraminifera in the lagoon like coastal basin Stagnone di Marsala (Trapani, Italy)

BIO-PULITURA: PROTEASI DA ORGANISMI MARINI.

3D Collagen matrix improves islets of Langerhans differentiation and function

The importance of preserve cell-cell contact and cell-matrix interaction are both fundamental for maintain the differentiation state. We use both standardized method of isolation and culture in 3D matrix which improves islet cell survival and function for more than one week in colture.

COLLAGENASI RICOMBINANTI DI C. HISTOLYTICUM E METODO PER LA LORO PRODUZIONE.

La presente descrizione si riferisce alla produzione di collagenasi ricombinanti, in particolare è qui descritto un metodo per la produzione di collagenasi Col ricombinante di Clostridium histolyticum caratterizzato da una resa maggiore a circa 140mg/l di coltura di detta collagenasi in forma biologicamente attiva, collagenasi prodotte mediante detto metodo, composizioni che le comprendono e loro uso.

SOURCE RECOGNITION OF INHALED ATMOSPHERIC PARTICLES ACCORDING TO GEOCHEMICAL AND STATISTICAL EVALUATIONS OF TRACE ELEMENT SIGNATURES

During 2001 the Mount Etna had a large eruption producing a large amount of pyroclastic products consisting of a mixture of glass, minerals and soluble salt materials (SAF) encrusting solid particles. Inhalation of the finest of these materials induced pulmonary diseases in people living in subjected areas and gave us the possibility to collect bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) from people in care in Catania hospitals. Concentrations of several trace elements measured in these BAL fluids (BALF) evidence strong enrichments in several trace elements compared to reference values. Related enrichments factors, calculated with respect to composition of volcanic ejecta (EFASH), show similar values in …

How trace element distributions can be used to probe human exposure to atmospheric fallout

Medical literature recognised several effects of human exposure to inhalation of air dispersed particles that could induce pulmonary diseases, but the hypothesis that reactions occurring between inhaled particles and human respiratory fluids could involve trace element leaching was poorly understood and only a scarce literature about in-vitro experiments suggested it. The present research was carried out on a group of volunteer patients exposed to the natural inhalation of atmospheric particles in a highly anthropized area close to Mt. Etna under explosive volcanic eruption in Summer 2001. Collected data shoed, for the first time, that the dissolution of inhaled solids influenced the chemis…

C. HYSTOLITICUM RECOMBINANT COLLAGENASES AND METHOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF

The present invention relates to the production of recombinant collagenases, and in particular describes a method for the production of recombinant clostridium histolyticum collagenases Col characterized by a yield higher than approximately 140 mg/l of culture of said collagenases in soluble, biologically active form, collagenases produced by this method, compositions comprising these collagenases and the use thereof.

Study of benthic foraminifera in the Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Gela (Sicilian Channel) and their possible use as bioindicators

Parametri sierologici e cellulari della specie alloctona Procambarus clarckii

Procambarus clarkii è un animale d’acqua dolce originario del Centro-Sud degli Stati Uniti e del Nord-Est del Messico. Questa specie rientra nella lista delle 100 specie invasive più pericolose al mondo (Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe) in quanto presenta una serie di caratteristiche biologiche, che la rendono una minaccia per la biodiversità. In Sicilia la sua presenza è stata registrata per la prima volta nel 2003 nella riserva naturale “Lago Preola e Gorghi Tondi”, Mazara del Vallo (TP). Allo scopo di conoscere meglio la biologia di questa specie, su esemplari di P. clarkii provenienti dalla riserva di Trapani, abbiamo esaminato i tipi emocitari ed alcune attivit…

Fatty Acids Profile as a Tool for Traceability of Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Canned Products

Effect of pyroclastic atmospheric fallout on YREE distribution in human bronchial washing solutions

Studio delle tanatocenosi a foraminiferi bentonici nel Golfo di Gela

THE EFFECT OF HEAVY METALS ON BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN THE GULF OF GELA (SICILIAN CHANNEL)

Benthic foraminifera are very sensitive to oceanographic parameter variations, to which they rapidly response through changes in the abundance and/or richness of their associations and in morphological variations of their shell. Many studies have used benthic foraminifera as bioindicators. We investigated recent benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the Gulf of Gela (Sicilian Channel, Mediterranean Sea), examining their relative abundance, specific richness and morphological abnormalities, to highlight a possible correlation with oceanographic features and the concentration of heavy metals in sediments. Sediment was sampled in summer 2006 using box corers in four stations at increasing dista…

Identification of proteolytic enzymes from Eriphia verrucosa and Palinurus elephas capable to degrade gliadin

In small intestinal disease, coeliac sprue, proline-rich gluten peptides from wheat, rye and barley are relatively resistant to gastrointestinal digestion, and therefore remain in the intestinal lumen to elicit immunopathology in genetically susceptible individuals. Since most serine endopeptidases are unable to hydrolyse proline residues, proline specific proteases may be therapeutic keys in digestive diseases. Partial hydrolysis reduces the risk of allergenic sensitization while total hydrolysis ensures the elimination of the allergenicity of whey protein (Villad´oniga and others 2007). Kimoto and others (1998) reported that 18-, 31-, 37- and 58-kDa wheat allergens were recognized by the …

Lo stato dell’ambiente marino nell’area del Canale di Sicilia in prossimità del SIN di Gela.

Viene illustrata in questa nota l’attuale condizione in cui si trova lo stato dell’ambiente marino nell’area del Canale di Sicilia immediatamente a ridosso della costa merdionale delle Sicilia dal Golfo di Gela alla costa iblea. Lo stato dell’ambiente in oggetto viene valutato in base alla distribuzione di alcuni metalli in tracce normalmente ritenuti fra i più significativi per gli scopi prefissati, esaminati lungo la colonna d’acqua e nei sedimenti superficiali di fondale. I risultati ottenuti, illustrati anche attraverso un’indagine statistica multivariata, indicano un arricchimento superficiale della colonna d’acqua in lantanio che può essere ascritto tanto ad un’origine litogenica, qua…

Linking air–sea energy fluxes and European anchovy potential spawning ground.

The physical and chemical processes of the sea greatly affect the reproductive biology of fishes, mainly influencing both the numbers of spawned eggs and the survivorship of early stages up to the recruitment period. In the central Mediterranean, the European anchovy constitutes one of the most important fishery resource. Because of its short living nature and of its recruitment variability, associated to high environmental variability, this small pelagic species undergo high interannual fluctuation in the biomass levels. Despite several efforts were addressed to characterize fishes spawning habitat from the oceanographic point of view, very few studies analyze the air-sea exchanges effects…

A new method to value efficiency of enzyme blends for pancreas tissue digestion

In pancreatic islets isolation for cell therapy the major enzymes used are obtained from Clostridium hystoliticum: class I and class II collagenases. They are used in a defined tissue dissociation enzyme mixture together with neutral protease (Dispase) or thermolysin (Thermostable Neutral Protease). However, just to now, people working in islets production found variable outcomes in isolation procedures mainly due to large variability in enzymatic blend composition and efficacy. Using electrophoresis and gelatin zymography approaches together with densitometry evaluation assays we compared the composition, stability and auto-digestion processes of C. hystoliticum collagenases, Neutral prote…