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Abstract Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin which possesses antioxidant properties. Its catalytically active form, pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP), is a crucial cofactor for DNA and amino acid metabolism. The inverse correlation between vitamin B6 and cancer risk has been observed in several studies, although dietary vitamin B6 intake sometimes failed to confirm this association. However, the molecular link between vitamin B6 and cancer remains elusive. Previous work has shown that vitamin B6 deficiency causes chromosome aberrations (CABs) in Drosophila and human cells, suggesting that genome instability may correlate the lack of this vitamin to cancer. Here we provide evidence in support of this hypothesis. Firstly, we show that PLP deficiency, induced by the PLP antagonists 4-deoxypyridoxine (4DP) or ginkgotoxin (GT), promoted tumorigenesis in eye larval discs transforming benign Ras V12 tumors into aggressive forms. In contrast, PLP supplementation reduced the development of tumors. We also show that low PLP levels, induced by 4DP or by silencing the sgll PNPO gene involved in PLP biosynthesis, worsened the tumor phenotype in another Drosophila cancer model generated by concomitantly activating RasV12 and downregulating Discs-large (Dlg) gene. Moreover, we found that Ras V12 eye discs from larvae reared on 4DP displayed CABs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and low catalytic activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), a PLP-dependent enzyme involved in thymidylate (dTMP) biosynthesis, in turn required for DNA replication and repair. Feeding Ras V12 4DP-fed larvae with PLP or ascorbic acid (AA) plus dTMP, rescued both CABs and tumors. The same effect was produced by overexpressing catalase in Ras V12 Dlg RNAi 4DP-fed larvae, thus allowing to establish a relationship between PLP deficiency, CABs, and cancer. Overall, our data provide the first in vivo demonstration that PLP deficiency can impact on cancer by increasing genome instability, which is in turn mediated by ROS and reduced dTMP levels.

In recent years, the invasive Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) has increased its spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea, threatening native biodiversity and local economies. This study aimed to valorize C. sapidus sampled in Sicily by utilizing its exoskeleton as a source of chitosan, astaxanthin, and bio-phenolic compounds. These biomolecules were evaluated for their reducing, radical scavenging, and antitumor activity. The ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the free radical scavenging activity against radical 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were significantly higher for chitosan (3.16 ± 0.10 mg AAE/g and 8.1 ± 0.10 µmol TE/g). No significant differences were observed among the tested biomolecules in their activity in scavenging the radical 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). Both bio-phenolic compounds and astaxanthin exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity on CaCo-2 (IC50 = 12.47 and 18 µg/mL) and HepG2 (IC50 = 10.25 and 1.26 µg/mL) cell lines, while only bio-phenols showed no cytotoxic effect on differentiated CaCo-2 cells up to 20 µg/mL. These findings highlight the value of blue crab by-products in supporting a circular economy, offering a sustainable approach to managing this invasive species while providing bioactive compounds with promising medical and nutraceutical applications.

This study evaluates, for the first time, the reducing capacity, radical scavenger activity, and in vitro antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects of chitosan, astaxanthin, and bio-phenols extracted from the exoskeleton of Sicilian Procambarus clarkii, the most widespread species of invasive crayfish in the Mediterranean region. Among the extracted compounds, astaxanthin exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in all assays. Chitosan and polyphenols demonstrated reducing and radical scavenging activity; chitosan showed significant ferric ion reducing capacity in the FRAP test, while bio-phenolic compounds displayed notable radical scavenging activity in the DPPH and ABTS assays. Both astaxanthin and polyphenols showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity on two different cancer cell lines, with IC50 values of 1.45 µg/mL (phenolic extract) and 4.28 µg/mL (astaxanthin extract) for HepG2 cells and 2.45 µg/mL (phenolic extract) and 4.57 µg/mL (astaxanthin extract) for CaCo-2 cells. The bio-phenolic extract also showed potential anti-inflammatory effects in vitro by inhibiting nitric oxide production in inflamed RAW 264.7 macrophages, reducing the treated/control NO ratio to 77% and 74% at concentrations of 1.25 and 1.5 μg/mL, respectively. These results suggest that P. clarkii exoskeletons could be a valuable source of bioactive molecules for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical application while contributing to the sustainable management of this invasive species.

From the perspective of circular economy, it is extremely useful to recycle waste products for human health applications. Among the health-beneficial properties of bioactive phyto-compounds, grape pomace represents a precious source of bioactive molecules with potential antitumor properties. Here, we describe the effects of a Sicilian grape pomace hydroalcoholic extract (HE) in colon and breast cancer cells. The characterization of HE composition revealed the predominance of anthoxanthins and phenolic acids. HE treatment was more effective in reducing the viability of colon cancer cells, while breast cancer cells appeared more resistant. Indeed, while colon cancer cells underwent apoptosis, as shown by DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation, and PARP1 degradation, breast cancer cells seemed to not undergo apoptosis. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated. Interestingly, ROS increased in both cell lines but, while in colon cancer, cells’ ROS rapidly increased and progressively diminished over time, in breast cancer, cells’ ROS increase was persistent up to 24 h. This effect was correlated with the induction of pro-survival autophagy, demonstrated by autophagosomes formation, autophagic markers increase, and protection by the antioxidant NAC. The autophagy inhibitor bafilomycin A1 significantly increased the HE effects in breast cancer cells but not in colon cancer cells. Overall, our data provide evidence that HE efficacy in tumor cells depends on a balance between ROS-mediated autophagy and apoptosis. Therefore, inhibiting pro-survival autophagy may be a tool to target those cells that appear more resistant to the effect of HE.

The article deals with the relationship between city, territory, and democracy, starting from the results of an international research, which investigated the peculiar forms of the crisis of the notion of Public in those territories that are marked by a long-date conflict between the state and mafia crime. The research questions areframed onto a perspective arguing that the territory is an elective place to read the traces built throughout the relationship between communities and illegal powers. Those questions have posed the need to investigate the set of confiscated assets by claiming the need for architectural design intervention, aiming at the spatial, linguistic, and symbolic transformations without which their transition to commons cannot be said to be fully accomplished. Referring to the municipal area of Palermo, the architectural design studios faced the background scenario constituted by the almost two thousand cases (a very underestimated number) registered by the National Agency for Seized and Confiscated Assets, and relating to the forms of the Public in a context in which democracy is en panne, where the presence of anti-democratic forces that are not only antagonistic to the state but aim to replace it, is not the exception but the rule. Until its conclusions, the paper deals with the reciprocal feeding relationship between research and design studios and concludes by opening new paths, at the crossroads between the updating of the themes of the droit à la ville and spatial justice, which look at the project as a device for emancipation.

COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in logistics and mobility. Concerning Italian road mobility, between March and April 2020, there has been a reduction in traffic for both light vehicles and heavy goods vehicles. Italy was the first European country to implement a total lockdown, starting on March 9th, causing a deep contraction in road traffic. This paper explores the main differences in mobility choices before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A multi-criteria decision-making method was selected for the analysis of questionnaire survey data. The fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process was applied, considering eight mobility types: bus, tram, taxi, train, shared vehicles, multiple modes, walking and car. An evaluation process was adopted for the modal mobility choices of the residents of Sicily, Italy. The results show a significant decline in mobility demand during the first phase of the pandemic, especially in public transport mode. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the need to implement strategies to respect the constraints generated by the pandemic and revive the penalised transport and mobility-related sectors. Furthermore, the study's findings provide valuable insights for the policymakers, both national and local, about the mobility results of the lockdown and can be used as a forecast benchmark for planning the restrictions in the future, in case of another unexpected phenomenon, e.g., pandemic.

An unstoppable shift in the paradigm underlying mankind’s conception of its species’ building modalities is at the root of the interest in embedding greenery in Architecture. The most capable heuristic statute of such a new course is the progressive substitution of Environment for Nature among Design drivers. Within this frame, this paper investigates the hybridisation of greenery and the built environment in the contemporary transformation of large urban highways through a diachronic and comparative approach, referencing international research and expanding its main hypothesis. With this purpose, it reconstructs the hermeneutic reference frame by progressively discussing the theoretical arguments, deepening approaches, and design cases, among which the applicative one elaborated for the transformation of Palermo’s ring road. Article info Received: 25/03/2023; Revised: 30/04/2023; Accepted: 14/05/2023

In recent years, the invasive Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) has increased its spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea, threatening native biodiversity and local economies. This study aimed to valorize C. sapidus sampled in Sicily by utilizing its exoskeleton as a source of chitosan, astaxanthin, and bio-phenolic compounds. These biomolecules were evaluated for their reducing, radical scavenging, and antitumor activity. The ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the free radical scavenging activity against radical 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were significantly higher for chitosan (3.16 ± 0.10 mg AAE/g and 8.1 ± 0.10 µmol TE/g). No significant differences were observed among the tested biomolecules in their activity in scavenging the radical 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). Both bio-phenolic compounds and astaxanthin exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity on CaCo-2 (IC50 = 12.47 and 18 µg/mL) and HepG2 (IC50 = 10.25 and 1.26 µg/mL) cell lines, while only bio-phenols showed no cytotoxic effect on differentiated CaCo-2 cells up to 20 µg/mL. These findings highlight the value of blue crab by-products in supporting a circular economy, offering a sustainable approach to managing this invasive species while providing bioactive compounds with promising medical and nutraceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates, for the first time, the reducing capacity, radical scavenger activity, and in vitro antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects of chitosan, astaxanthin, and bio-phenols extracted from the exoskeleton of Sicilian Procambarus clarkii, the most widespread species of invasive crayfish in the Mediterranean region. Among the extracted compounds, astaxanthin exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in all assays. Chitosan and polyphenols demonstrated reducing and radical scavenging activity; chitosan showed significant ferric ion reducing capacity in the FRAP test, while bio-phenolic compounds displayed notable radical scavenging activity in the DPPH and ABTS assays. Both astaxanthin and polyphenols showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity on two different cancer cell lines, with IC50 values of 1.45 µg/mL (phenolic extract) and 4.28 µg/mL (astaxanthin extract) for HepG2 cells and 2.45 µg/mL (phenolic extract) and 4.57 µg/mL (astaxanthin extract) for CaCo-2 cells. The bio-phenolic extract also showed potential anti-inflammatory effects in vitro by inhibiting nitric oxide production in inflamed RAW 264.7 macrophages, reducing the treated/control NO ratio to 77% and 74% at concentrations of 1.25 and 1.5 μg/mL, respectively. These results suggest that P. clarkii exoskeletons could be a valuable source of bioactive molecules for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical application while contributing to the sustainable management of this invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on how population density may influence the municipal expenditure using a global dataset from UN-Habitat. Specifically, we test its role on different budget categories, including sanitation, waste, water, affordable housing, and security. We find that in general density is likely to be correlated with expenditure. This evidence is not robust across the considered expenditure categories. Rather, population density is likely to influence specific budget items and its explanatory power varies as we consider different measures of it. Among control variables, we point out the significance and magnitude of the regressors related to economic development, which in some cases matters more than density in explaining some expenditure categories. Findings suggest that making cities denser can be a valuable option of urban policy, if the target is expenditure optimization. Nonetheless, this works only when it is combined with a mix of other factors, and location is also considered.

Public transport generally addresses the evident mobility needs and offers an often-irreplaceable service, especially for captive users and other disadvantaged population groups. Public transport design and services are closely related to the physical size of modern cities, the number of people living or working in them, and the distribution and organization of work and social activities. However, public transport has been restricted with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, since March 2020. Public transport demand collapsed, especially during the lockdown period (March-May 2020), and adverse effects were reported even in the subsequent periods. In fact, the social distancing restrictions have highlighted numerous problems with public transport systems worldwide, primarily due to two factors. The first is related to the spread of the virus via the respiratory route, which is more likely to infect in restricted areas, and the second is associated with a transport system that by definition has high occupancy rates and low spacing throughout the journey (e.g., the positioning of seats or standing places in a train or bus). Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted the travel choices of users. The pandemic has also negatively affected the psychological state, generating specific problems of anxiety, fear, or stress among all population groups, even when choosing the means of transport to travel with. Given the emerging pandemic challenges, the present study examines the public transport demand characteristics during the various phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sicily, one of the most affected regions in Italy. The study investigates the mental state of a population sample that frequently used the local urban or regional public transport to travel to work before and during the pandemic phases in the Sicilian territory. Through the administration of an online survey, it was possible to collect sociodemographic and psychological data to understand the propensity to use public transport. A series of inferential statistical tests were applied to assess the correlation of psychological aspects (i.e., fear, anxiety, and stress) with socio-demographic variables and modal choice habits (trip frequency). Results highlight and evaluate each psychological issue among population groups and their relative role in shaping public transport-related preferences. The study highlights some proposals and their implementation strategies to prevent negative emotions and encourage public transport use in Sicily and generally.

Travel restrictions due to COVID-19 initiated a radical rethink of the urban planning process, focussing on a concept initially proposed by Carlos Moreno in 2016; the "15-Minute City" model, aiming at the improvement of quality of life by creating or rearranging cities so that residents' needs can be reached within 15-minutes on foot or by bicycle or by public transit. In continuation to a research in 2020, this paper quantifies the attractiveness of the model to residents in nine regions of Sicily in 2022. Based on statistical analysis concerning the respondents' opinion, the model examined promotes walking as an anti-stress method and improves the overall health conditions at a community level. Therefore, policy makers can revalue the existing planning process and create a blueprint for a healthier and car-free lifestyle.