Search Results (329)

During a prolonged domestication and environmental selection, Brassica rapa has formed diverse morphological types during a cultivation process of up to 8000 years, such as root-type turnips (Brassica rapa var. rapa), leaf-type Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. pekinensis), oil-type rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.), and other rich types. China is one of the origins of Brassica rapa L., which is spread all over the east, west, south, and north of China. Studying its origin and evolution holds significant importance for unraveling the cultivation history of Chinese oilseed crops, intraspecific evolutionary relationships, and the utilization value of genetic resources. This article summarizes the cultivation history, evolution, classification research progress, and germplasm resource diversity of Brassica rapa var. oleifera in China. Combining karyotype analysis, genomic information, and wild relatives of Brassica rapa var. oleifera discovered on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, it is proposed that Brassica rapa var. oleifera has the characteristic of polycentric origin, and Gansu Province in China is one of the earliest regions for its cultivation. Brassica rapa var. oleifera, originating from the Mediterranean region, was diffused to the East Asian continent through two independent transmission paths (one via the Turkish Plateau and the other via Central Asia and Siberia). Analyzing the genetic diversity characteristics and evolutionary trajectories of these two transmission paths lays a foundation for clarifying the origin and evolutionary process of Brassica rapa var. oleifera and accelerating the breeding of Brassica rapa var. oleifera in China. Despite existing research on the origin of Brassica rapa L., the domestication process of this species remains unresolved. Future studies will employ whole-genome resequencing to address this fundamental question. Full article

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that diet can modify Parkinson’s disease (PD) outcomes, although there is disagreement about what should be included and excluded in such a diet. Existing evidence suggests that adherence to the MIND and Mediterranean (MEDI) diets are associated with reduced PD symptoms, but only a few variables from the adherence scales are responsible for the statistically observed improvement. Objectives: The goal was to use patient-reported outcomes in a large cohort to identify the foods and dietary patterns (PRO diet) most strongly associated with the fewest PD symptoms over time, and to develop a composite adherence scale to enable comparisons between MEDI, MIND, and PRO. Methods: Data were obtained from the prospective longitudinal natural history study and from Modifiable Variables in Parkinsonism (MVP)—a study designed to identify behaviors associated with patient-reported outcomes (PRO-PD). Upon the completion of the binary and food frequency data collection, using various predictive models and considering congruence with historical data, the PRO diet was created via an iterative process. Our goal was to create a new scale and compare its performance to the existing MIND and MEDI scores. The comparison was made at baseline, using the regression models for PRO-PD and the different scales as the predictors. The models were compared via the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). To examine whether baseline adherence levels predicted subsequent symptom trajectories, the baseline PRO diet adherence and subsequent slope of progression were evaluated. Results: Data from 2290 individuals with PD were available for this analysis. The Mediterranean and MIND diets showed almost identical effects. For both the diets, the effect they had on non-motor symptoms was about twice the effect on motor symptoms. The slopes for the total PRO-PD for MEDI, MIND, and PRO-21 were −64.20467, −64.04220, and −28.61995, respectively. The AIC value differences were substantial (>2), indicating meaningful improvements in the model fit for total PRO-PD, as follows: MEDI: 28,897.24, MIND: 28,793.08, and PRO-21: 27,500.71. The subset of individuals who were most adherent to the PRO-21 diet at baseline had the slowest subsequent progression, as measured by a 43% reduced PRO-PD slope, compared to the less adherent groups. Conclusions: The PRO-21 outperformed the MIND and MEDI diets in the model fit, overcoming the ceiling effects and showing orders of magnitude and superior explanatory power for variance in PD outcomes, despite the smaller per-unit effect sizes. However, its rigorous demands may introduce barriers related to cost, feasibility, and sustainability, underscoring the need for future intervention trials to assess real-world feasibility, adherence, side effects, and clinical impact. Full article

Background/Objectives: The role of maternal diet in atopic dermatitis (AD) requires better understanding, as AD often manifests early in life and precedes other allergic diseases. We evaluated the association between maternal diet and AD up to 2 years of age. Methods: A total of 116 mother–child dyads from the CARE birth cohort study were included. Maternal diet during pregnancy was assessed with a validated self-administered 97-item food frequency questionnaire, and dietary scores were calculated. AD was evaluated at ages 4 months, 1 year, and 2 years. The associations between maternal dietary patterns and AD were examined by logistic regression analysis adjusting for total energy intake, gender of the child, maternal antibiotic therapy during pregnancy, and history of atopic disease among both parents. Results: Of the 116 children, 27 (23.3%) developed AD by 2 years, 11 of whom (40.7%) had persistent AD within the first 2 years. AD risk was reduced with a higher Mediterranean diet score during pregnancy (upper median > 3 points versus lower median: adjusted OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08–0.69, p = 0.009) and with greater dietary diversity, as measured by the number of items consumed (upper median > 53 items versus lower median: OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.06–0.58, p = 0.005). No association was found with macronutrients and micronutrients. Red meat consumption showed a positive association with the persistent AD phenotype (adjusted OR 5.04, 95% CI 1.47 to 31.36, p = 0.034). Conclusions: Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and a diverse diet during pregnancy may decrease the risk of developing early childhood AD. This highlights the synergistic role of nutrients in dietary patterns as they modulate immune development and disease susceptibility. Full article

Background: The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest and safest diets for preventing chronic diseases. The primary objective of this study was to assess the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the occurrence of prediabetes in a representative population of Bialystok, Poland. Prediabetes is a condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range, indicating an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Methods: The study participants were selected into healthy control (HC) and prediabetic (PreD) groups based on age and gender. Biochemical measurements included total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), fasting glucose (FG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6). Additionally, blood pressure, handgrip strength, anthropometric parameters, and body composition were measured. Information on patients’ social data, medical history, and lifestyle history was collected using questionnaires developed for this study. A standardized questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), was used to assess life satisfaction. Dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) and dietary total polyphenol intake (DTPI) were determined using a 3-day nutritional interview and appropriate databases containing information on polyphenols and the antioxidant potential of food products. To assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet recommendations, a 9-item Mediterranean Diet Index (MDI) was used. Results: It was found that the mean MDI for the entire group was low (3.98 ± 1.74), and the HC was characterized by a significantly higher MDI compared to the PreD. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between MDI and HDL-C, whereas a negative correlation was found between MDI and FG, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), IL-6, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference, visceral fat mass, android/gynoid fat ratio. Conclusions: Abdominal obesity was shown to significantly reduce life satisfaction. In model 3, after adjusting for age, sex, dietary energy intake, alcohol consumption, and smoking, each additional MDI point indicated a 10% lower risk of prediabetes. Full article

The small scale is recognized as a necessary rebuttal to macroscalar narratives of climate–society relationships in the past, and archeologists and historians have increasingly turned to advocating smaller and shorter scales of analysis and interpretation, from “microclimates” to interannual droughts and single settlement histories. Such provocations rightly caution against the dangers of oversimplification and determinism in recent planetary or Earth-systems approaches to human history, as well as push scholars to acknowledge human-scale experiences: weather, seasonality, landscape change. When it comes to smaller-scale remains, however, like those of household practices, we often consider them data or proxies that validate larger-scale arguments about societal persistence or economic vulnerability. Yet the material and ideational ways that people in premodern worlds made sense of their surroundings, especially via gendered and class-based rhythms of production and consumption, were deeply entwined in the politics of everyday household life. What would a household archeology of climate entail? In this paper I highlight how households themselves were critical sites of environmental construction, experience and history-making through a selection of examples of archeological work from the Mediterranean. I argue that archeologists can critically rethink themes of persistence and adaptation by taking seriously the scalar constructions and varied politics of domestic life. Full article

This study analyses for the first time the genetic diversity, connectivity, and evolutionary dynamics of the small red scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata) in the Balearic Islands, using two mitochondrial DNA markers: Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the Control Region (CR). Nucleotide diversity of the COI gene was found to be low compared to other commercial fish species, suggesting that fishing may be impacting the population despite being a by-catch species. In contrast, the CR showed higher genetic variability. Demographic history analyses suggest that S. notata underwent a population expansion during the Pleistocene, possibly driven by sea-level changes. Genetic structure analyses (F_st and AMOVA) indicated genetic homogeneity and high connectivity among the Balearic Islands’ population, likely facilitated by its passive dispersion via pelagic eggs and larvae and the oceanographic conditions of the region. Our results suggest that the entire Balearic Islands could be considered as a unique Management Unit, although its potential relation to other nearby areas, such as the Iberian Peninsula, along with the analysis of additional genetic markers, should be addressed in future studies. Full article

Olive oil (OO) has longstanding significance in human history, particularly in the Mediterranean region, where it has been a cornerstone of diet, economy, and culture. This history adds to modern evidence-based knowledge. Background: The Mediterranean diet (MD), rich in plant-based foods and OO, has been extensively associated with improved cardiometabolic and cognitive health. Recent interest has emerged in understanding how intermittent fasting protocols may enhance these effects. Still, the quality of OO does not only lie in the extraction process; it is also dependent on the tree variety, the soil, and the agricultural practices, ending with the way in which the finished product is stored and consumed. Objectives: This review explores the synergistic potential between OO consumption and intermittent fasting, focusing on their combined impact on metabolic health, oxidative stress, and inflammatory pathways. Methods: A literature search was conducted using multiple databases to identify studies addressing the health effects of OO, fasting, and the MD. Both human and relevant preclinical studies were considered, with emphasis on those evaluating inflammatory markers, lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and neuroprotective mechanisms. Results: Evidence suggests that the bioactive compounds in EVOO may potentiate the benefits of fasting by enhancing antioxidant capacity, reducing postprandial inflammation, and modulating gene expression related to cellular metabolism. Combined, these factors may support improved insulin sensitivity, reduced oxidative damage, and delayed onset of age-related diseases. Conclusions: Understanding the integrative role of OO and fasting within the MD framework could offer valuable insights for nutritional strategies aimed at preventing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegeneration. These findings also support the need for future clinical trials exploring the timing, dosage, and dietary context in which these interventions are most effective. Full article

Background: Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. While it is endemic in the Mediterranean Basin and the Balkans, Romania remains a non-endemic country. However, climate change, increased international travel, and the documented presence of competent vectors (Phlebotomus spp.) have raised concerns about the potential emergence of autochthonous cases. Case Presentation: We report two cases of imported cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) diagnosed in central Romania, a region without previously confirmed human or animal cases. The first case involved a 31-year-old male with a recent travel history to Spain, presenting with erythematous papules and plaques that evolved into ulcerated lesions. The diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically and by a PCR. Treatment with miltefosine was effective, with minimal hepatic toxicity and a sustained response at a six-month follow-up. The second case concerned an 11-year-old boy who had traveled to Elba, Italy. He developed ulcerative lesions that progressed rapidly and were complicated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa superinfection. Despite an initially negative smear, PCR testing of the skin lesion confirmed the presence of CL. Antifungal therapy with fluconazole led to clinical improvement; treatment was ongoing at the time of publication. Discussion: These cases highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with CL in non-endemic settings. The varied clinical evolution underscores the importance of considering leishmaniasis in the differential diagnosis of chronic, non-healing cutaneous lesions, particularly in patients with a travel history to endemic regions. Conclusions: Increased awareness among clinicians, supported by accurate diagnostic tools and public health surveillance, is essential to identify and manage imported leishmaniasis. Given the absence of a licensed vaccine and the growing risk of vector expansion in Eastern Europe, these cases support the WHO’s inclusion of leishmaniasis among the priority neglected tropical diseases targeted for intensified global control efforts by 2030. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia and frailty are interrelated conditions and have a high incidence in older adults. They contribute to increased morbidity and mortality and poor quality of life. There is emerging evidence that healthy diets such as the Mediterranean diet could delay the onset of sarcopenia and frailty. This review aims to evaluate the role of the MD in preventing these conditions. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed (MEDLINE, NCBI) for English-language articles published within the last 10 years (2014–2024) using the search terms “Mediterranean diet”, “frailty”, “sarcopenia”, and “old people”. A total of 111 articles were identified, of which 36 were excluded during the initial screening. Subsequently, 75 manuscripts were assessed for eligibility. Subsequently, a further 62 articles were excluded (narrative reviews, articles not focused on the elderly population, or articles with different outcomes). Finally, 13 articles were included in the review. Results: The 13 selected studies comprised seven observational studies, three systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and three clinical trials. The findings suggest that adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), particularly when combined with physical activity, may improve body composition and cardiometabolic health and reduce indicators of sarcopenia in obese older adults. Furthermore, MD-based nutritional interventions were associated with improved physical functions such as balance, gait, fall risk, flexibility, and muscle strength (p < 0.05, all). The MD also demonstrated a preventive effect against frailty, particularly in pre-frail individuals. Conclusions: High adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) may delay the onset of sarcopenia and improve muscle function in older adults. However, the available scientific evidence is of low to moderate quality. Well-designed prospective intervention studies are needed to confirm whether the MD can modify the natural history of sarcopenia and/or frailty in older adults. Full article

Capparis spinosa is an edible plant with a long history in the Mediterranean region since antiquity. Its flower buds and leaves are mostly consumed salted or fermented (in vinegar) and are rarely eaten raw or dried. For the first time, caper samples subjected to different preservation processes (dried, salted, and desalted) were studied, foraged from the most producing Cycladic islands in Greece (Sifnos, Serifos, and Tinos). The quantitative determination of the flavonoids rutin and quercetin was carried out using high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), revealing the abundance of rutin in the buds and leaves (9.26–76.85 mg/g dry extract). Only one sample of desalted buds from Serifos showed a sufficient amount of quercetin (2.88 mg/g dry extract). The determination of total phenolic content (TPC) showed a decrease during brine (salted) preservation (11.7–37.7 mg GAE/g extract) compared to air-dried samples (50.9–62.4 mg GAE/g extract). The DPPH evaluation (8.0–35.2% inhibition at 200 μg/mL) was in agreement with the TPC results. All extracts showed stronger activity against Gram positive bacteria and the human pathogenic fungi C. glabrata. The samples from Sifnos exerted better bioactivities, with air-drying being the most effective preservation process in terms of antioxidant properties and phenolic content, although it resulted in a more bitter taste. Due to its high economic value, the caper holds great potential for further exploitation through better established and optimized processes in the food industry. Full article

This study presents the first detailed investigation of the petrography, mineralogy, and depositional environment of Messinian gypsum lithofacies outcropping on the western side of the Crati Basin (Calabria, Southern Italy), focusing on three sections: Castelluccio, Striscioli, and Piretto. The different localities preserve in situ gypsum accumulation (laminar gypsum and gypsiferous mudstone) and clastic gypsum deposits (nodular, gypsarenite and gypsrudite) formed during the second stage (5.60–5.55 Ma) of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC). Observation and analyses of macro-, meso- and nanoscale reveal a complex climatic variability and depositional history that reflect different environmental conditions, from shallow-water evaporitic environments to deep basin settings affected by slope failures. The data highlights the influence of tectonic activity on facies distribution within the basin. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of climatic and geological controls on gypsum deposition, offering a detailed interpretation of the Crati Basin’s evaporitic history and contributing to the broader understanding of Mediterranean Messinian evaporites. Full article

Unraveling the evolutionary history of Brassica L. crops and their wild relatives remains a key challenge in plant evolutionary biology. Brassica cretica is considered the closest living relative of the cultivated B. oleracea. It is mainly distributed in the Aegean Islands and the neighboring mainland regions of Greece and Anatolia, and exhibits extensive phenotypic variability, obscuring its infraspecific classification. In this study, we analyzed five Greek populations of B. cretica and one B. oleracea botanical variety using SSR markers to assess genetic diversity and differentiation. High genetic diversity was detected within natural populations, with a mean of 21.9 alleles per locus and an expected heterozygosity of 0.647. Significant genetic differentiation (Fst = 0.812) revealed the presence of four distinct gene pools, partly supporting the current infraspecific classification of B. cretica. The cultivated plants cluster closely with B. cretica subsp. cretica, supporting the hypothesis of an Eastern Mediterranean origin. Our findings suggest that B. cretica subsp. cretica may have been introduced to suitable habitats or that cultivated plants may have reverted to a feral state in the Peloponnese, given the genetic similarity between populations from Crete and northern Peloponnese. The identified genetic diversity underscores the importance of B. cretica as a genetic resource for breeding programs and highlights the need for conservation, particularly for populations exhibited unique genetic traits. Full article

Wildfires serve a paradoxical role in landscapes—supporting biodiversity and nutrient cycling while also threatening ecosystems and economies, especially as climate change intensifies their frequency and severity. This study investigates the impact of wildfires and vegetation recovery in the Bosco Difesa Grande forest in southern Italy, focusing on the 2017 and 2021 fire events. Using Google Earth Engine (GEE) accessed in January 2025, we applied remote sensing techniques to assess burn severity and post-fire regrowth. Sentinel-2 imagery was used to compute the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); burn severity was derived from differenced NBR (dNBR), and vegetation recovery was monitored via differenced NDVI (dNDVI) and multi-year NDVI time series. We uniquely compare recovery across four zones with different fire histories—unburned, single-burn (2017 or 2021), and repeated-burn (2017 and 2021)—providing a novel perspective on post-fire dynamics in Mediterranean ecosystems. Results show that low-severity zones recovered more quickly than high-severity areas. Repeated-burn zones experienced the slowest and least complete recovery, while unburned areas remained stable. These findings suggest that repeated fires may shift vegetation from forest to shrubland. This study highlights the importance of remote sensing for post-fire assessment and supports adaptive land management to enhance long-term ecological resilience. Full article

The forest ecosystems of large Mediterranean islands are critical hubs of evolutionary diversity with unique floristic composition and distinctive vegetation patterns reflecting long-term population dynamics and ecological legacies. Mediterranean islands provide invaluable natural archives, preserving crucial insights into the resilience of past forest ecosystems and their responses to climate variability. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the Holocene vegetation history of major western Mediterranean islands, with the twofold aim of examining the timing, extent, and rates of vegetation changes over the last few thousand years, and evaluating the influence of Rapid Climate Changes (RCCs) on forest ecosystems. The rate of change analysis allowed the identification of a distinct pattern of rapid shifts in forest composition, corresponding to periods of climate instability. These shifts align with the periodicity of Bond events, suggesting synchronicity between changes in forest ecosystems and centennial-scale climatic oscillations at a supra-regional scale. A REDFIT spectral analysis applied to palynological proxies of forest cover changes identified prominent periodicities suggesting a direct influence of solar activity and/or a relation with complex ocean–atmosphere circulation mechanisms triggered by global climate forcings. Full article

Hypericum hircinum L., commonly known as goat St. John’s wort or stinking tutsan, is a medicinal plant native to the Mediterranean basin and widespread across Europe and parts of the Middle East. It has a long history of traditional uses in folk medicine to treat respiratory diseases, wounds, and burns and to relieve migraine, rheumatism, and muscular pains. Despite numerous scientific studies shading light on the phytochemical profile and on the beneficial properties of the plant extracts, a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge is missing. In this paper, we summarized the available information on botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of Hypericum hircinum from peer-reviewed articles published till March 2025 in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer, ACS, Scielo, and Web of Science databases. The presence of numerous valuable compounds, including terpenes, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and phloroglucinols, is reported as well as the wide range of pharmacological properties, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, anti-collagenase, anti-α-glucosidase, and antioxidant activities, together with non-pharmacological properties. The data reported in this review contribute to a deeper understanding of the biological properties of the species and pave the way for further investigation of its potential applications. Full article