Probiotic mixture supplementation in the preventive management of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced inflammation in a murine model

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by inflammatory conditions of the intestine. Probiotic bacteria (PB) can have beneficial effects in several gastrointestinal disorders. The objectives of this study were: (i) to provide an acute experimental IBD model induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in CD-1 mice, and (ii) to assess the preventive effects of Citogenex (Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterum lactis) supplementation on intestinal tissues and microbiota. Mice were inoculated intrarectally with saline, ethanol or different TNBS solutions. 1%TNBS induced clinical signs of colitis (P less than 0.01) and histological damage (P less than 0.01). Based on these r…

Analisi dei cambiamenti dell’uso del suolo nei siti Natura 2000 “Bosco S. Adriano” e “Vendicari”

Population and the economic activities increases, are the main and most important causes of the impoverishment of land and marine ecosystems of the planet. Within this context, the land use and vegetation cover data, and those on the transition between the different land use categories, are among the most required information necessary for the individuation of the sustainable management strategies of environmental and landscape resources. The same information is also necessary to control the efficacy of the environmental politics and the environmental integration instances of specific field politics (agriculture, industry, tourism, ect). In fact, one of the main themes is landscape transfor…

Interventi di rinaturalizzazione dei rimboschimenti e utilizzo delle biomasse a fini energetici nei Monti Sicani (Sicilia occidentale)

In Sicilia, secondo i dati del nuovo Inventario Forestale Regionale, i rimboschimenti occupano una superficie di 96.000 ha pari a circa il 36% dei boschi regionali. L’area dei Monti Sicani costituisce uno dei comprensori in cui è stata realizzata, a partire dalla meta del secolo scorso, la maggiore estensione di rimboschimenti a conifere della Sicilia occidentale, nell’ambito della politica di salvaguardia del territorio dal dissesto idrogeologico intrapresa prima dallo Stato e poi proseguita dalla Regione. In questo comprensorio, corrispondente al territorio designato per il costituendo Parco dei Monti Sicani, i rimboschimenti, quasi tutti di proprietà pubblica e gestiti dall’ARFDS (Aziend…

Intestinal microbiota mutualism and gastrointestinal diseases

The purpose of this work is to investigate the link between an altered intestinal mcro-biota or dysbiosis and chronic inflammatory disorders, in particular inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Along with probiotics, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) opts to be a promising therapeutic treatment for restoring the bacterial homeostasis of the hu-man intestine and reducing the risk of colorectal carcinogenesis. Microbiota is the com-plex microbial flora that resides in the gut establishing a mutually beneficial relation-ship. Alteration of the microbiota’s composition, termed as dysbiosis, may lead to pathological conditions. Treatment with probiotics can restore the normal commensal flora i…

Boschi vetusti

Inventario e monitoraggio delle risorse forestali del sito Natura 2000 “Bosco di S. Adriano”

The WP5 (Action 5.4) of the ManagMED project foresees measurement, evaluation, and estimation of the parameters that have a negative impact on the sites, throughout the use of innovative inventory methods (A5.4). The preliminary studies (WP2) carried out on the chosen Nature 2000 sites, contributed in recognising phenomena and activities which have a negative impact on the protection state of the sites. Mapping, inventories, and forest monitoring constitute the support base allowing acknowledging of environments, and of conservation and evaluation methods of the natural resources, therefore permitting planning of ideal methods for the realisation of a non- passive integration between man an…

Problematiche conservative. Indagini di diagnostica e interventi di pulitura

Rimboschimenti e uso energetico della biomassa forestale nei Monti Sicani (Sicilia occidentale)

Nell’ottica di un utilizzo energetico sostenibile delle biomasse provenienti dalle utilizzazioni forestali è di fondamentale importanza conoscere la consistenza e le esigenze ecologiche delle formazioni forestali che caratterizzano il territorio regionale. In questo lavoro è illustrato uno studio sulla consistenza e sulle caratteristiche ecologiche e strutturali dei rimboschimenti presenti nel territorio dei Monti Sicani. L’analisi è finalizzata a quantificare la disponibilità di biomassa forestale residuale ottenibile dalla gestione sostenibile di tali popolamenti e valutare il possibile uso energetico. L’analisi è stata condotta sulla base dei dati disponibili per l’area di studio presso …

Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium lactis supplementation reduces tissue damage of intestinal mucosa and liver after 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid treatment in mice

Probiotics (PB) are living microorganisms that act as a commensal population in normal intestines and confer numerous beneficial effects on the host. The introduction of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) prolongs remission. The aim of this study was to investigate the intestinal and hepatic effects of PB supplementation in an experimental IBD model in mice induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). In the first step of the experimental procedure, CD-1 male mice, 5 to 6 weeks old, were randomly divided into 3 groups and inoculated intrarectally with, respectively, saline, alcohol, or TNBS to assess the experimental IBD model. In the second step, mice…

Assessment of forest biomass derivable from the sustainable mana-gement of Mediterranean plantations in the Sicani mountains (Sicily)

In view of an ecological and environmentally use of the biomass drew from forest operations, it is utterly important to well know the forest ecosystems characterizing the regional territory and in particular the pilot area of the Proforbiomed project. In this way it was possible to acquire specific information on the forest types in the area, its ecological and structural characteristics and the evolutionary dynamics. The information gathered have been fundamental in order to detect the most suitable forest management policies and interventions, able to put together the use of biomass and an increased of forest ecosystems stability.The studies carried out in the pilot area of the Proforbiom…

On MR Differential with Limited Slip

Design of a magnetorheological (MR) sports car differential is presented in this paper, with the aim of the total mass reduction and the torque maintenance. The torque output is controlled by adjusting the applied magnetic field. The nominal output torque of the differential is derived by using Bingham plastic constitutive model; the choice of the materials occurs to minimize the thickness of the circuit, but preliminary sizing based on electromagnetic theory does not lead to satisfactory results. Electromagnetic finite element analysis (FEA) is performed to estimate the effective distribution of the magnetic field. The shear stress distribution in MR Fluid is theoretically predicted using …