629 research outputs found
Che c’entriamo noi? Conversazione tra Alessandra e Gisella
No full textChe c’entro io con la mafia?
“La risposta non è semplice, né univoca”1 scrive Renate Siebert.
Noi invece siamo state doppiamente temerarie, forse anche supponenti:
uno, volgendo la domanda in affermazione “Sì, c’entriamo”;
due, chiedendo alle partecipanti coinvolte nel progetto se anche loro
ritenevano di entrarci. Ma non è bastato e abbiamo aggiunto: “Non
vogliamo concetti o recensioni di saggi; né teorie, se non come risultato
del partire da sé. Vogliamo luoghi, date, storie, pensieri incarnati”.
“bell non vuole idee, teorie, opinioni, bensì fatti, nomi, storie di
vita”2, scrive Maria Nadotti nella lunga intervista a bell hooks, letta
e riletta durante la stesura di questa nostra conversazione.
“Vogliamo storie ‘illuminate’ da chi le ha vissute, o anche solo
immaginate”, abbiamo specificato. “Non pretendiamo una conoscenza
esperta delle mafie, ma condividere la voglia e il rischio di
mettersi in gioco.
Sara Cabibbo et Marilena Modica, La santa dei Tomasi. Storia di Suor Maria Crocifissa (1645-1699)
No full textSallmann Jean-Michel. Sara Cabibbo et Marilena Modica, La santa dei Tomasi. Storia di Suor Maria Crocifissa (1645-1699). In: Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales. 50ᵉ année, N. 4, 1995. pp. 905-906
Ritorno ad Alcuino di York: resoconto di un progetto didattico interdisciplinare sulle 'Propositiones ad acuendos iuvenes'
No full textThe contribution illustrates the outcomes of an interdisciplinary teaching project that involved students in a second class of a scientific high school in Palermo in s.y. 2018-2019. The activity was coordinated by the teachers of Latin (Prof. Li Causi) and Mathematics (Prof. Modica), and ended with the publication on a web page of the cooperative translation of a group of problems taken from the Propositiones ad acuendos iuvenes of Alcuin of York (735-804 AD), a philosopher and theologian active at the court of Charlemagne. The main objective was to approach the study of the texts chosen by the teachers, analyzing not only the transition from an ancient language (Latin) to Italian, but also the transition from the natural to the symbolic language of modern mathematics
The venomous cocktail of the vampire snail Colubraria reticulata (Mollusca, Gastropoda)
No full textBackground: Hematophagy arose independently multiple times during metazoan evolution, with several lineages of vampire animals particularly diversified in invertebrates. However, the biochemistry of hematophagy has been studied in a few species of direct medical interest and is still underdeveloped in most invertebrates, as in general is the study of venom toxins. In cone snails, leeches, arthropods and snakes, the strong target specificity of venom toxins uniquely aligns them to industrial and academic pursuits (pharmacological applications, pest control etc.) and provides a biochemical tool for studying biological activities including cell signalling and immunological response. Neogastropod snails (cones, oyster drills etc.) are carnivorous and include active predators, scavengers, grazers on sessile invertebrates and hematophagous parasites; most of them use venoms to efficiently feed. It has been hypothesized that trophic innovations were the main drivers of rapid radiation of Neogastropoda in the late Cretaceous. We present here the first molecular characterization of the alimentary secretion of a non-conoidean neogastropod, Colubraria reticulata. Colubrariids successfully feed on the blood of fishes, throughout the secretion into the host of a complex mixture of anaesthetics and anticoagulants. We used a NGS RNA-Seq approach, integrated with differential expression analyses and custom searches for putative secreted feeding-related proteins, to describe in detail the salivary and mid-oesophageal transcriptomes of this Mediterranean vampire snail, with functional and evolutionary insights on major families of bioactive molecules. Results: A remarkably low level of overlap was observed between the gene expression in the two target tissues, which also contained a high percentage of putatively secreted proteins when compared to the whole body. At least 12 families of feeding-related proteins were identified, including: 1) anaesthetics, such as ShK Toxin-containing proteins and turripeptides (ion-channel blockers), Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), Adenosine Deaminase (ADA); 2) inhibitors of primary haemostasis, such as novel vWFA domain-containing proteins, the Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase family member 5 (ENPP5) and the wasp Antigen-5; 3) anticoagulants, such as TFPI-like multiple Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, Peptidases S1 (PS1), CAP/ShKT domain-containing proteins, Astacin metalloproteases and Astacin/ShKT domain-containing proteins; 4) additional proteins, such the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE: vasopressive) and the cytolytic Porins. Conclusions:Colubraria feeding physiology seems to involve inhibitors of both primary and secondary haemostasis, anaesthetics, a vasoconstrictive enzyme to reduce feeding time and tissue-degrading proteins such as Porins and Astacins. The complexity of Colubraria venomous cocktail and the divergence from the arsenal of the few neogastropods studied to date (mostly conoideans) suggest that biochemical diversification of neogastropods might be largely underestimated and worth of extensive investigation. © 2015 Modica et al.}
Figure 1 in Relationships of the haematophagous marine snail Colubraria (Rachiglossa: Colubrariidae), within the neogastropod phylogenetic framework
No full textFigure 1. Colubraria muricata (Lightfoot, 1786), the type species of the genus. A, Colubraria muricata feeding on a Siganus sp. at Santo Island (Palliculo Bay; depth, 11 m; photo S. Schiaparelli). B, the cephalic region of C. muricata from Santo Island. C, shells of C. muricata from the Philippines (photo G. & P. Poppe).Published as part of Oliverio, Marco & Modica, Maria Vittoria, 2010, Relationships of the haematophagous marine snail Colubraria (Rachiglossa: Colubrariidae), within the neogastropod phylogenetic framework, pp. 779-800 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158 (4) on page 780, DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00568.x, http://zenodo.org/record/543845
The Neogastropoda: Evolutionary Innovations of Predatory Marine Snails with Remarkable Pharmacological Potential
No full textThe Neogastropoda include many familiar molluscs, such as cone snails (Conidae), purple dye snails (Muricidae), mud snails (Nassariidae), olive snails (Olividae), oyster drills (Muricidae), tulip shells (Fasciolariidae), and whelks (Buccinidae). Due to their amazing predatory specializations, neogastropods are often dominant members of the benthic community at the top of the food chain. In a dazzling display that ranges from boring holes to darting harpoons, neogastropods have developed several prey hunting innovations with specialized compounds pharmaceutical companies could only dream about. It has been hypothesized that evolutionary innovations related to feeding were the main drivers of the rapid neogastropod radiation in the late Cretaceous. The anatomical, behavioral, and biochemical specializations of neogastropod families that are promising targets in drug discovery and development are addressed within an evolutionary framework in this chapter
Relationships of the haematophagous marine snail Colubraria (Rachiglossa: Colubrariidae), within the neogastropod phylogenetic framework
No full textThe gastropod genus Colubraria includes marine shallow-water species from tropical, subtropical, and temperate rocky coral environments. At least six species are known to feed on fish blood. Although there is general consensus in placing Colubraria in the Neogastropoda, the actual relationships and the systematic position of Colubraria and related genera are unknown. This is partly the consequence of the lack of a clear phylogenetic framework for the Neogastropoda. This study attempts to propose a phylogenetic framework for the Neogastropoda, by testing: (1) a preliminary phylogenetic arrangement for a large number of recognized neogastropod families; (2) the position of Colubraria within the neogastropods; and (3) the relationships of Colubraria within one of the major neogastropod lineages. We used two different molecular data sets. The first set included representatives of at least 14 neogastropod families, for points (1) and (2), and was based on mitochondrial (16S, 12S, and cytochrome oxidase subunit I, COI) and nuclear (28S) DNA sequences, giving a total of 3443 aligned positions. The second data set, for point (3), included 30 buccinoid sequences from mitochondrial 16S, giving a total of 1029 aligned positions. We also studied the anatomy of the type species of Colubraria and compared it with other neogastropods within the new phylogenetic framework. The results included the first phylogeny of the neogastropod based on 50% of the recognized families. This clearly indicated that the nematoglossan Cancellariidae represent a basal offshoot of the monophyletic Neogastropoda, and that the toxoglossan Conoidea are the sister group to the Rachiglossa. Within the Rachiglossa, a colubrariid clade, worthy of family ranking, showed clear buccinoid affinities. Most of the anatomy of Colubraria is congruent with a buccinoid model. The peculiar anatomical features that do not conform to the buccinoid model seem to be related to the evolution of haematophagous feeding
Neither slugs nor snails: a molecular reappraisal of the gastropod family Velutinidae
No full textFassio, Giulia, Stefani, Matteo, Russini, Valeria, Buge, Barbara, Bouchet, Philippe, Treneman, Nancy, Malaquias, Manuel António E., Schiaparelli, Stefano, Modica, Maria Vittoria, Oliverio, Marco (2023): Neither slugs nor snails: a molecular reappraisal of the gastropod family Velutinidae. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (4): 924-964, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac091, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac09
Myurellopsis Fedosov & Malcolm & Terryn & Gorson & Modica & Holford & Puillandre 2019, new genus
No full textGenus Myurellopsis new genus (Fig. 7 G–I) Type species: Terebra undulata Gray, 1834. Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: EC3F14B2-3595- 482B-9890-399BA78A7631 Definition: Includes all species included in the clade E5B of Modica etal. (2019) and those that show a combination of conchological, anatomical and distribution characteristics closely comparable with Myurellopsis undulata or any genetically proven member of the genus. Diagnosis: Diagnostic nucleotide combinations in Table 10. Shell: Small to medium-sized (< 50 mm), pinkish or orange, often with white subsutural band. Protoconch multispiral. Sculpture of strong, rounded, slightly undulating ribs, polished in appearance. Row of punctations with groove partially cutting ribs forming subsutural band. Interstices between ribs deep, narrow, bearing regular striae, often darkly coloured. Adapical parts of ribs forming one row of rounded nodules, separated from their lower portions by shallow depression or partial groove. Siphonal canal moderately long, tapering, with weakly developed fasciole. Anatomy: Two distinct states—either all typical foregut structures present, or all lacking; in latter case, accessory proboscis structure present. Distribution: Throughout Indo-Pacific; intertidal to upper bathyal depths (to 358 m), typically shallow. Remarks: Species in Myurellopsis n. gen. appear conchologically closest to Myurella species, but can be differentiated by the sharper, more elevated ribs, often with nodes on the subsutural band or top of the whorls. Etymology: The name refers to the close resemblance between its members and species in the genus Myurella. Gender feminine. Included species: Myurellopsis alisi (Aubry, 1999) 3 n. comb.; M. columellaris (Hinds, 1844) 1 n. comb.; M. guphilae (Poppe, Tagaro & Terryn, 2009) 1 n. comb.; M. joserosadoi (Bozzetti, 2001) 1 n. comb.; M. kilburni (R. D. Burch, 1965) 1 n. comb.; M. monicae (Terryn, 2005) 2 n. comb.; M. nathaliae (Drivas & Jay, 1988) 1 n. comb.; M. parkinsoni (Bratcher & Cernohorsky, 1976) 1 n. comb.; M. paucistriata (E. A. Smith, 1873) 1 n. comb.; M. undulata (Gray, 1834) 1 n. comb.; M. vaubani (Aubry, 1999) 3 n. comb. Genera defined based on conchological charactersPublished as part of Fedosov, Alexander E, Malcolm, Gavin, Terryn, Yves, Gorson, Juliette, Modica, Maria Vittoria, Holford, Mandë & Puillandre, Nicolas, 2019, Phylogenetic classification of the family Terebridae (Neogastropoda: Conoidea), pp. 359-388 in Journal of Molluscan Studies The Malacological Society of London 85 (4) on pages 20-21, DOI: 10.1093/mollus/eyz004, http://zenodo.org/record/446984
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