Floristic survey of the former royal hunting reserve of Renda, near Palermo (Sicily, Italy)

A mountainous area in western Sicily, where relic wood vegetation is still preserved notwithstanding past and present human pressure, is here analysed in order to prepare a checklist of its vascular flora. Field investigations allowed to compile a floristic inventory including 601 infrageneric taxa belonging to 304 genera and 80 families. Some remarks on the biological and chorological spectra are presented, and some measures to protect flora and vegetation are suggested, too.

Efficacy of Rapamycin as Inducer of Hb F in Primary Erythroid Cultures from Sickle Cell Disease and β-Thalassemia Patients.

Phenotypic improvement of hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia (β-thal) has been shown in patients with high levels of Hb F. Among the drugs proposed to increase Hb F production, hydroxyurea (HU) is currently the only one proven to improve the clinical course of these diseases. However, Hb F increase and patient's response are highly variable, indicating that new pharmacological agents could be useful for patients not responding to HU or showing a reduction of response during long-term therapy. In this study we evaluated the efficacy of rapamycin, a lypophilic macrolide used for the prevention of acute rejection in renal transplant recipients, as an inducer of Hb…

Study on the efficacy of Rapamicin as an inducer of fetal hemoglobin in primary erythroid cultures from patientes with hemoglobinopathies

Calendula maritima

Study on the efficacy of Rapamicin as an inducer of fetal hemoglobin in primary erythroid cultures from patientes with hemoglobinopathies

Reports (1838-1839), in: Kamari G, Blanché C, Silijak-Yakovlev S (eds.) Mediterranean chromosome number reports - 24

The unnoticed northward expansion of Najas marina subsp. armata (Hydrocharitaceae) in the Mediterranean area: an effect of climate change?

Recent reports of Najas marina L. (Hydrocharitaceae) from Sicily have been interpreted as a confirmation of its presence on the island, where it was earlier mentioned in the 1800s. However the recent finds do not represent “N. marina” (currently N. major All.) but N. marina subsp. armata Horn (= N. delilei Rouy), a different taxon, previously not recorded from Sicily. According to those reports and several new finds presented here, it appears to be invading reservoirs and lakes in southern Sicily and seems to be naturally expanding its range. Climate change is suggested as possible cause of this shift. The same trend appears to be taking place across the whole N Mediterranean area, from Por…

Atti del Convegno internazionale "La Calendula di Trapani, espressione emblematica dell'endemismo mediterraneo minacciato" / Proceedings of the International Meeting "The Calendula of Trapani, an emblematic threatened Mediterranean endemic", Trapani, 20 febbraio 2010