Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterised by progressive gait and limb ataxia, dysarthria, areflexia, loss of position sense and a progressive motor weakness of central origin. Some observations indicate that all symptoms of FRDA ataxia could be the manifestation of a thiamine deficiency because of enzymatic abnormalities. Two patients with FRDA were under rehabilitative treatment from February 2012 to February 2013. The scale for assessment and rating of ataxia was performed. The patient began an intramuscular therapy with 100 mg of thiamine every 3–5 days. Injection of high-dose thiamine was effective in reversing the motor failure. From this clinical observation, it is reasonable to infer that a thiamine deficiency due to enzymatic abnormalities could cause a selective neuronal damage in the centres that are typically affected by this disease.
The vegetation composition and landscape analysis of the Taormina region (Messina, Sicily) in relation to anthropogenic influences was investigated. A total of 183 phytosociological relevés were performed in the period 2009-2012. Despite strong human influences, the study area is characterized by the occurrence of several plant-communities, mainly represented by woods and shrubs vegetation (Quercetea ilicis), riparian woods and shrubs (Salici purpureae-Populetea nigrae, Rhamno-Prunetea), dry grasslands (Lygeo-Stipetea), hygrophilous communities (Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Phragmito-Magnocaricetea and Isoëto-Nanojuncetea), rupicolous communities (Asplenietea trichomanis, Parietarietea judaicae), rocky coast communities (Crithmo-Limonietea), pasture coenosis (Poetea bulbosae), spring-flowering meadows (Tuberarietea guttatae and Stipo-Trachynietea distachyae) and nitrophilous communities (Onopordetea acanthii). The vegetation analysis allowed the identification of 34 vegetation types, with 8 new associations and 4 new sub-associations, and also allowed the reconstruction of the vegetation series and landscape units (geosynphytosociology). The synphytosociological analysis of the plant communities allowed the identification of the main vegetation series: climatophilous acidophilous series of metamorphic substrates (Erico arboreae-Querco virgilianae sigmetum); climatophilous basophilous series of sedimentary substrates (Oleo-Querco virgilianae sigmetum); edaphomesophilous series of the cliffs (Bupleuro fruticosi-Querco ilicis sigmetum); edaphoxerophilous series of the semirupestrian maquis (Euphorbieto dendroidis permasigmetum); edafo-hygrophylous geoseries of the riparian wood (Platano-Salico gussonei geosigmetum); and chasmophilous permaseries of the cliffs (Erucastro virgati permasigmetum, Limonio ionici permasigmetum). Overall, this territory should be considered an area of remarkable geobotanical significance, which still shows interesting vestiges of natural vegetations deserving of preservation.
Abstracts -Colymbada tauromenitana (Guss.) Holub (Asteraceae) is a rare paleoendemic, chasmophyte species, occurring on calcareous cliffs in the eastern part of Sicily (Italy). The aim of this work is to analyze the structure and fl oristic composition of the C. tauromenitana community, in order to characterize the diversity of populations in relation to different ecological data. In all, 61 plots were examined. For each plot, the fl oristic composition and the cover of the species were determined using the standard relevé method. Three vegetation types emerged from canonical components analysis (CCA), correlated to a gradient of environmental conditions ranging from the coast to inland areas. The fi rst group with Lomelosia cretica and Dianthus rupicola subsp. rupicola was correlated to thermo-xerophilous conditions (lower thermo-Mediterranean belt), the second group with Silene fruticosa and Colymbada tauromenitana was linked to thermophilous conditions (upper thermo-Mediterranean belt) and the third with Dianthus siculus and Odontites bocconei was correlated to mesophilous conditions (meso-Mediterranean belt). Altitude is the main factor infl uencing both species richness and fl oristic composition. The density of C. tauromenitana is infl uenced mainly by rainfall. Finally, we propose a new risk status for this rare species.
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