Further data on a 9.1-kb insertion-deletion polymorphism: survey of Mediterranean populations

We report the distribution of a previously described 9.1-kb insertion-deletion polymorphism located on chromosome 22. We analyzed 1,844 individuals sampled from 26 Mediterranean populations in mainland Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Greece, and Albania. The 9.1 kb - allele is the prevalent allele in the North African (range, 0.53-0.56), Greek (0.51), and Albanian (0.66) populations, whereas the 9.1 kb + allele is most frequent in a mainland Italian town (0.55) and in all Sicilian and Sardinian towns and villages thus far tested, with marked fluctuation ranges of 0.53-0.78 and 0.56-0.80, respectively. In tests for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium the genotype frequencies observed in Athens and in four of the nine towns in Sicily (but in none of the towns in Sardinia) departed highly significantly from the expected values. Identical results were found in the same towns for a second insertion-deletion polymorphism located on chromosome 22ql13 at a distance compatible with a low incidence of recombination. The data, which are in good agreement with the different histories of the two islands (Sardinia and Sicily), are consistent with a west-east differentiation in Sicily and support the evidence for ancient gene flow from the Iberian peninsula to Sardinia.     

Ethnicity and malaria affect surname distribution in consenza Province (Italy)

Three samples of surnames reported in the telephone directory of Cosenza province, Italy, are used, singly and together, to detect the presence of genetic barriers and to analyze the genetic relationship between the Italian and the Italo-Albanian communities living in this area. The genetic structure of the population seems characterized by the distinction between the northern and southern regions of the province. The Sibari plain, endemic with malaria until recently, probably constituted a genetic barrier. In the southern region of the province, the valley along the Crati river (also occupied by malarial fenlands), constituted a genetic barrier between the northern Sila upland and the western coast. Surname similarities between Italians and Italo-Albanians could be the result of gene flow and/or an initial choice of similar surnames; the second possibility accords with the persistence of the Albanian cultural identity and the level of endogamy in Albanian communities. In fact, the coefficient of relationship by isonomy (Ri), which is significantly higher in Italo-Albanians than in Italians, may be the result of genetic isolation and endogamy.     

HLA class I and class II polymorphism in three Sicilian populations

Two human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I loci (HLA-A and HLA-B) and one class II locus (HLA-DR) were typed at the DNA level in the Sicilian population. Study participants were of Sicilian origin (183 for class I loci and 260 for class II loci) and live in three towns, chosen on the basis of geographic position and different historical events. These towns are Sciacca (southwest Sicily, located at sea level, conquered by Arabs in A.D. 814), Piana degli Albanesi (northwest Sicily, 720 m above sea level, has maintained religious, cultural, and linguistic peculiarities traced to Albanian settlement in 1488), and Troina (northeast Sicily, 1120 m above sea level, known as the first settlement of Normans). The assumptions underlying the study of genetic structure, based on HLA allele polymorphism, are that these three towns are located in areas that can be distinguished according to historical criteria and that they are likely to have contributed to cultural and probably genetic differences. As such, the high frequency of some alleles in Sciacca and Troina seems to be correlated with Greek, Phoenician, North African, and Arab influence. In accordance with different human settlements in Sicily, we found that the HLA allele frequencies support the existence of genetic differentiation between the western and eastern sides of Sicily. This separation is attributed to Greek colonization in the east and to Phoenician-Carthaginian-Arab influence in the west. Moreover, the comparisons of all allele frequencies between Mediterranean and AfrIcan populations show the same trend, highlighting in some cases European origin and in other cases non-European origin.     

Genetic structure of the population of Sicily.

Genetic heterogeneity within Sicily was investigated on the basis of ACP1, ADA, ESD, GLO1, PGD, PGM1, PGM2, SODA, ABO, and MN gene frequencies, and compared to those of other regions of Italy for which these same loci have been examined. Correspondence analysis revealed no differences within the island, at least at the provincial level, but showed genetic differentiation among Italian regions, distinctly clustering northern, central, and southern populations, respectively. These data indicate a close relationship between Sicily and southern Italy. In addition, the contribution of Middle Eastern populations to the gene pool of Sicily was evident.     

A relic wood of Juniperus turbinata Guss. (Cupressaceae) in Sicily: Structural and ecological features,conservation perspectives

Abstract

Juniperus turbinata Guss. (Cupressaceae) is a threatened tree species occurring in the Mediterranean area. It is listed as a vulnerable species in the Red Book of Italian plants and its various communities are included in Annex I of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC as a priority habitat for conservation. During field investigations carried out to analyse the plant biodiversity of coastal habitats in southern Sicily, a new interesting population was found. This study aims to characterize this relevant new finding with a marked focus on demography and synecology of the plant community in question in order to define its habitat, assess its conservation status and propose conservation measures. Our data highlight that the juniper is characterized by low turnover population dynamics. In order to understand the role of J. turbinata in sandy soil communities of south-eastern Sicily, comparisons of 21 plots (relevés) with 25 established plots in south-eastern Sicily were carried out using cluster analysis and canonical component analysis. This has allowed three different plant communities with different ecological features to be identified.     

First record of Capnobotrys dingleyae (Metacapnodiaceae) on Taxus baccata for southern Europe

Field investigations carried out in a mixed forest of Fagus sylvatica and Taxus baccata in the Nebrodi Natural Park (Sicily, southern Italy) allowed us to identify a very rare lignicolous ascomycete Capnobotrys dingleyae, a new species for southern Europe.     

Determinants of ethnic identification in the USSR: The soviet Jewish case

This article critically examines the generation of discourses on Greek identity following an episode that took place in northern Greece (2000/2003) when an Albanian student was elected flag-carrier in a commemorative parade. Three versions of Greek identity emerged in this context: the first was based on civic understandings of identity, promoting the current Europeanist project of citizenship as belonging. The second version drew upon the notion of “culture” as an all-encompassing concept to promote ideas of Greek cultural “purity” that have roots in Greek ethnogenesis. The third version adopted an understanding of the “nation” in terms of racial affiliation, transforming it thus into a natural category. The argument put forward is that in the context of the 2000/2003 episode (a) Greek self-perceptions are affected by the problematic economic and cultural position of Greece within Europe and (b) Greek discourses of identity are a form of resistance to processes of Europeanization that threaten traditional “imagined communities” embedded in history.     

Genetic structure of wildcat (Felis silvestris) populations in Italy

Severe climatic changes during the Pleistocene shaped the distributions of temperate‐adapted species. These species survived glaciations in classical southern refuges with more temperate climates, as well as in western and eastern peripheral Alpine temperate areas. We hypothesized that the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) populations currently distributed in Italy differentiated in, and expanded from two distinct glacial refuges, located in the southern Apennines and at the periphery of the eastern Alps. This hypothesis was tested by genotyping 235 presumed European wildcats using a panel of 35 domestic cat‐derived microsatellites. To provide support and controls for the analyses, 17 know wildcat x domestic cat hybrids and 17 Sardinian wildcats (F. s. libyca) were included. Results of Bayesian clustering and landscape genetic analyses showed that European wildcats in Italy are genetically subdivided into three well‐defined clusters corresponding to populations sampled in: (1) the eastern Alps, (2) the peninsular Apennines, and (3) the island of Sicily. Furthermore, the peninsular cluster is split into two subpopulations distributed on the eastern (Apennine mountains and hills) and western (Maremma hills and lowlands) sides of the Apennine ridge. Simulations indicated Alpine, peninsular, and Sicilian wildcats were isolated during the Last Glacial Maximum. Population subdivision in the peninsula cluster of central Italy arose as consequence of a more recent expansions of historically or ecologically distinct European wildcat subpopulations associated with distinct the Continental or Mediterranean habitats. This study identifies previously unknown European wildcat conservation units and supports a deep phylogeographical history for Italian wildcats.     

Lymphocutaneous Sporotrichosis in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report from Extreme Southern Italy

Sporotrichosis is a mycotic infection rarely encountered in European countries, including Italy. We describe lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis in an immunocompetent 64-year-old male Italian mason. The patient had linear nodules along the right upper arm with severe lymphadenopathy in the same arm. Sporothrix schenckii was identified by phenotypic and molecular methods. Treatment with itraconazole and methylprednisolone followed by administration of itraconazole alone successfully cured the infection. To our knowledge, this is the first documented report of sporotrichosis from Calabria and Sicily, extreme southern Italy.     

Italian Peninsula preserves an evolutionary lineage of the fat dormouse Glis glis L. (Rodentia: Gliridae)

The present study examines the population genetic structure of fifty‐nine specimens of Glis glis (Linneaus, 1766) from thirteen localities in central Europe, sequencing a 400‐bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene and a 673‐bp segment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The consensus tree obtained from Bayesian analysis revealed a robust dichotomy, showing two sister groups: one clade includes samples from a wide geographical area, extending from north‐central Europe to northern Italy (major branch sensu Bilton), and the other comprises samples collected in central and southern Italy and in Sicily (Italian branch). According to the Tajima–Nei model, the two phylogroups were separated by a sequence divergence of 0.8% (cyt b) – 2.6% (COI), showing the COI gene to be more informative than cyt b. On a smaller geographical scale, the Italian clade was further substructured, displaying geographical differentiation along the Peninsula. The gene pool in this area was patchy; whereas populations from Sicily Island demonstrated fixed cyt b and COI haplotypes, assuming processes of isolation and selection. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 102 , 11–21.     

Migratory flows in apulia: Preliminary studies on some samples

The aim of this study is to analyse the structural characteristics, educational level, professed religion, composition of the family nucleus in Italy and in the home country, and work conditions in Italy and in the home country, in order to describe the anthropological stress of the sample of immigrants examined. A series of questions was given to Albanian population immigrating to the province of Bari after 1991, Albanian refugees of 1997, Chinese population resident in Bari, and a sample of immigrants in Metaponto, regarding their specific motives for immigration.     

Late Pleistocene human evolution in Sicily: comparative morphometric analysis of Grotta di San Teodoro craniofacial remains

The paleoanthropological remains from Grotta di San Teodoro near Acquedolci (province of Messina, Italy) represent the oldest and largest skeletal collection yet found documenting human settlement of Sicily. The sample, attributed to the Late Epigravettian (between 14,000 and 10,000 years B.P.), consists of seven variously complete adult individuals (San Teodoro 1–7). We compare the cranial sample to an array of both prehistoric and recent samples using multivariate techniques including D² distance analysis, canonical variate analysis, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling. Overall, the San Teodoro cranial sample displays a morphometric pattern close to Western European groups of similar antiquity, in particular those from Central and Southern Italy. The morphometric affinities indicate that these people probably came from peninsular Italy by sea during the Late Epigravettian epoch. An alternative hypothesis is that they descended from immigrants that arrived by land during a low sea level episode corresponding to the maximum Würmian regression, about 18,000 years B.P, with gene flow accounting for the morphological homogeneity with the populations of peninsular Italy. The San Teodoro skeletal sample provides the first reliable evidence for human settlement of Sicily.     

The origin of a novel form of Senecio (Asteraceae) restricted to sand dunes in southern Sicily

The taxonomy of diploid Mediterranean Senecio sect. Senecio (Asteraceae) is complex, owing to a recent species radiation, high morphological plasticity and occasional interspecific hybridization. A study was conducted to resolve the origin of a novel form of Senecio restricted to sand dunes in southern Sicily, Italy. This has been described previously as morphologically intermediate to Senecio gallicus and Senecio glaucus ssp. coronopifolius, indicating a possible hybrid origin, or as a variant of Senecio leucanthemifolius. Plants of this form grown in a glasshouse were morphologically intermediate to S. glaucus and S. leucanthemifolius, but were also similar to some cultivated individuals of S. gallicus. No evidence for a hybrid origin was obtained from a survey of random amplified polymorphic DNA variation; instead the plants surveyed were most closely allied to Tunisian S. glaucus. They were also polymorphic for the same set of cpDNA haplotypes present in Tunisian S. glaucus. We conclude that the Sicilian Senecio is a variant form of North African S. glaucus ssp. coronopifolius, which most probably dispersed to sand dunes in southern Sicily in the relatively recent past. The presence of several cpDNA haplotypes in this material indicates that there have been multiple introductions of the species to Sicily.     

Phosphoglucomutase-1 subtypes in the Albanian ethnic minority of the province of Cosenza (Calabria-Southern Italy): Presence of a new variant

Allele frequencies of the phosphoglucomutase-1 (PGM1), in the Albanian ethnic minority of province of Cosenza (Calabria-Southern Italy) were compared with the corresponding data from neighbouring non-Albanian sample groups. The isoelectrofocusing evaluation in the two populations revealed the presence of a new variant PGM1^*W31 in Albanian sample group. Furthermore, a significant heterogeneity was observed between Albanian allele frequencies and those of the surrounding groups.     

The Astronomical Orientation of Ancient Greek Temples

Despite its appearing to be a simple question to answer, there has been no consensus as to whether or not the alignments of ancient Greek temples reflect astronomical intentions. Here I present the results of a survey of archaic and classical Greek temples in Sicily and compare them with temples in Greece. Using a binomial test I show strong evidence that there is a preference for solar orientations. I then speculate that differences in alignment patterns between Sicily and Greece reflect differing pressures in the expression of ethnic identity.     

Genetic structure of western Sicily

The distribution of AB0, RH, KELL, ADA, GLO1, AK, 6PGD, ESD, ACP, G6PD, C3, GC and APOB markers were studied in a sample coming from the province of Trapani (western Sicily, Italy). The results were discussed in the contest of the Mediterranean populations. Our analysis confirms the existence of a certain genetic differentiation within Sicily and suggests a strong heterogeneity between our sample and the North African populations. Moreover our data point out the genetic affinity among Sicily, Southern Italy and Greece.     

The response of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings from two Italian populations to drought and recovery

The response of gas exchange, leaf chlorophyll content, relative fluorescence to decreasing water potential and recovery was followed in European beech seedlings from two Italian populations, differing in their native precipitation amounts. A population from Sicily (southern Italy) was selected as representative of a xeric population while a population from central Italy, Abetone, represented a mesic one. Dry-matter partitioning, leaf area, hydraulic sufficiency and xylem embolism were evaluated in both well-watered control plants as well as in plants subjected to drought. With the onset of water stress, values of water potential, leaf relative water content, net photosynthesis, leaf conductance and leaf chlorophyll concentration decreased concurrently while relative fluorescence remained unchanged. The population from Sicily showed a delay in effects of the imposed drought. Within 5 days of rewatering, leaf conductance was not fully recovered while all of the other parameters recovered to control levels, in both populations. Total, shoot, stem and root dry weight tended to be higher in seedlings from Abetone, even though both populations had similar photosynthetic rates. The population from Sicily exhibited about 3% greater (even if not significant) allocation to roots than the population from Abetone. Seedlings from Abetone had higher, but not significant, leaf specific conductivity and per cent loss in hydraulic conductivity than seedlings from Sicily. Drought resulted in a reduction of hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic sufficiency in seedlings from both populations. Photosynthesis of water stressed plants from both populations appeared to be reduced primarily by carbon dioxide diffusion through stomata and perhaps secondarily by changes in chlorophyll concentration rather than by efficiency of photosystem II. The effect of hydraulic factors on gas exchange during drought and recovery was not clearly evident.     

The conceptualization of an Albanian nation

The communist era of the mid‐twentieth century was a pivotal period for the coalescence of many national identities. Often Communism provided the first modern, stable, state governments and infrastructures upon which overarching ideas of identity, such as nationalism, could readily grow. The communist era was certainly a crucial one for Albanian national ideology and thus it is important to reevaluate Albanian nationalism in the light of the recent ebb of communist hegemony in Eastern Europe. Placing the current issues confronting Albanian ideas of self in perspective by tracing their historical background, we find that the situation of Albanian‐identifying communities, divided among three or more states and caught between Eastern and Western influences, is forcing upon Albanian ideas of self an extreme change from a decidedly introverted to an extroverted ideal. Such forces are counterpoised by prior ideology regarding Albanian nationalism and the history of the Albanian people, as well as by the perennial Albanian insecurity over issues of religion. It is from this interplay that the Albanian character will evolve and endure.     

An Ancient Mediterranean Melting Pot: Investigating the Uniparental Genetic Structure and Population History of Sicily and Southern Italy

Due to their strategic geographic location between three different continents, Sicily and Southern Italy have long represented a major Mediterranean crossroad where different peoples and cultures came together over time. However, its multi-layered history of migration pathways and cultural exchanges, has made the reconstruction of its genetic history and population structure extremely controversial and widely debated. To address this debate, we surveyed the genetic variability of 326 accurately selected individuals from 8 different provinces of Sicily and Southern Italy, through a comprehensive evaluation of both Y-chromosome and mtDNA genomes. The main goal was to investigate the structuring of maternal and paternal genetic pools within Sicily and Southern Italy, and to examine their degrees of interaction with other Mediterranean populations. Our findings show high levels of within-population variability, coupled with the lack of significant genetic sub-structures both within Sicily, as well as between Sicily and Southern Italy. When Sicilian and Southern Italian populations were contextualized within the Euro-Mediterranean genetic space, we observed different historical dynamics for maternal and paternal inheritances. Y-chromosome results highlight a significant genetic differentiation between the North-Western and South-Eastern part of the Mediterranean, the Italian Peninsula occupying an intermediate position therein. In particular, Sicily and Southern Italy reveal a shared paternal genetic background with the Balkan Peninsula and the time estimates of main Y-chromosome lineages signal paternal genetic traces of Neolithic and post-Neolithic migration events. On the contrary, despite showing some correspondence with its paternal counterpart, mtDNA reveals a substantially homogeneous genetic landscape, which may reflect older population events or different demographic dynamics between males and females. Overall, both uniparental genetic structures and TMRCA estimates confirm the role of Sicily and Southern Italy as an ancient Mediterranean melting pot for genes and cultures.     

Disjunct distribution of the Mediterranean freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile—natural expansion or human introduction?

Human mediated biological invasions are seen as an increasing danger for biodiversity. On the other hand, range expansions are natural processes. It is often practically not possible to tell these processes apart, like in the case of the freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile. This species has a disjunct distribution on the Balkan Peninsula, Italy, Sicily and Malta. An innovative analysis framework involving phylogeographic model selection and temporal coalescent analyses on a mitochondrial dataset (COI and NADH1) could clarify that the origin of the species was on the Balkans and the colonisation of Italy proceeded from the northern Balkans via southern Italy in the Otranto Strait region. The population expansion associated with this invasion was estimated to have taken place 15,000 years before present (95% c.f. 10,000–24,000 years BP). An anthropogenic introduction is therefore implausible and a natural expansion likely. We argue that the species should thus be included in the national conservation management in Italy.