Antibiotic resistance profiles in Helicobacter pylori strains isolated in Sicily (Italy)

Biofilm production in Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, isolated from the skin of hospitalized patients: genetic and phenotypic characteristics.

A major virulence factor of Staphylococcus epidermidis is its ability to form biofilms, permitting it to adhere to a surface and, in turn, to form a mucoid layer on polymer surfaces. Multiple factors have been found to influence bacterial attachment. Currently, this bacterium is commonly associated with hospital infections as a consequence of its ability to colonize, albeit accidentally, medical devices. This study investigated the genetic and phenotypic formation of biofilm in 105 S. epidermidis strains isolated from the skin of hospitalized patients. Fifty-eight of these patients were positive for the mecA gene (MRSE) and 47 were found to be negative (MSSE). Genetic characterizations were…

PLANT EXTRACTS AS GREEN POTENTIAL STRATEGIES TO CONTROL THE BIODETERIORATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

The biodeterioration of historic-artistic manufacts is related to several biological systems, including fungi and bacteria, whose metabolic activities and vegetative development have a direct consequence on the conservation of cultural assets. Generally, different chemical compounds are utilized as biocides in order to control biodeteriogens growth, but recently the attention has been focused on potential risks of their use towards human health (operators, visitors) and the environment. In order to develop alternative methods, various natural products have been tested, particularly to control the colonization by fungi and bacteria. In this study, antimicrobial activity of three different pl…

Microclimate and microbial monitoring, a case study: the Oratorio dei Falegnami in Palermo

The following study has been carried out during the restoration work of the polymateric sculpture “Immacolata Concezione” located inside the chapel of the Oratorio dei Falegnami in Palermo. The manufact, a typical example of Trapanese (Sicily) craftsmanship (18th century) made by pieces of fabric, soaked in animal glue, applied to an inner structure, finished with plaster and painted. The main damages were paint losses and flaking all over the surface on textile backing, due to the indoor microclimatic conditions. After the conservative restoration, in order to prevent such damages, the microclimate monitoring was performed in two steps. First, the presence of temporal and spatial gradients…

Non-invasive monitoring of microbial contamination on graphic collections preserved in museums, libraries and archives

Biological aerosol in indoor environments, such as museums, libraries and archives, can represent a hazard both for artworks, due to the presence of microorganisms, and for the health of operators and visitors, due to their potential infectious, allergenic or toxic effects. The detection of microbial colonization of air and surfaces, based on morphological and molecular analysis, is of fundamental importance for a correct preventive conservation and sustainable fruition. The results of the monitoring on both manufacts (prints, drawings), showing alterations potentially related to biological systems (foxing) and on furniture (metal cabinets, shelves, boxes) have been performed in the Central…

IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIAL TAXA IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATERLOGGED WOOD

Summary The microscopic and molecular techniques described in this study are aimed at understanding the degradation processes of the anatomical structure of submerged archaeological wood, correlating it to the degradation induced by bacteria. The SEM micrographs showed alterations of the wooden structure due to bacterial colonization, as well as the presence of pyrite framboids. The difficulty of extracting bacterial DNA from wooden fragments belonging to submerged finds is well-known, due to the presence of many inhibitors; this study describes some extraction and in vitro amplification protocols for wooden submerged finds. The results of the molecular investigations, based on the analysis…

ASPETTI BIO-TAFONOMICI IN AMBIENTE CARSICO COME INDICATORI DEL RITO DEL MEGARIZEIN

Il culto di Demetra e Kore era uno tra i più diffusi del mondo antico di cultura greca. Tuttavia, a causa della sua forte componente misterica, le modalità secondo le quali si articolavano alcuni riti ad esso connessi rimangono poco chiare e le fonti storiche ci forniscono poche e incerte informazioni in merito. Uno dei riti chiave avveniva durante le Tesmoforie, le principali feste in onore di Demetra e Kore, e consisteva nel rito del Megarizein. Il rituale prevedeva che dei maialini venissero gettati all’interno di cavità ipogee (megara) e che successivamente venissero recuperate le loro carcasse decomposte da offrire alle divinità. Qui presentiamo i risultati preliminari di un esperiment…