Metagenome-resolved functional traits of Rubrobacter species implicated in rosy discoloration of ancient frescoes in two Georgian Cathedrals.

Pink biofilm formation on stone monuments and mural paintings poses serious harm to cultural heritage preservation. Pink biofilms are globally widespread and recalcitrant to eradication, often causing recurrences after restoration. Yet, the ecological drivers of pink biofilm formation and the metabolic functions sustaining the growth of pigment-producing biodeteriogens remain unclear.

Braiding Fruits and Flowers as a Wish of Prosperity and Victory over Death in the Carved Festoons of Ancient Rome.

Plant motifs had a significant role in ancient cultures, with decorative, artistic, and communicative values. However, little knowledge exists of the botanical composition of festoons, widely used in Greek-Roman art. We analysed 81 festoons, exclusively from sculpture artworks, collected from 13 museums and archaeological sites in Rome (1st century BC-3rd century AD).

In Vitro Viability Tests of New Ecofriendly Nanosystems Incorporating Essential Oils for Long-Lasting Conservation of Stone Artworks.

The study explores the application of natural biocides (oregano essential oil and eugenol, directly applied in solutions or encapsulated within silica nanocapsules) for safeguarding stone cultural heritage from biodeterioration, using green algae ( sp.) and cyanobacteria ( sp.) as common pioneer biodeteriogens.

Understanding the Lost: Reconstruction of the Garden Design of Villa Peretti Montalto (Rome, Italy) for Urban Valorization.

Urbanization and urban regeneration can significantly impact cultural heritage, but a greater knowledge of the past natural and historical features is needed to value the past and understand the present. The lost Villa Peretti Montalto in Rome, once located in the area that corresponds to the current front side of Termini station, deserves great attention due to its cultural value. This work aimed to provide a floristic and functional reconstruction of the gardens of the villa during the XVI and XVII Centuries.

Recolonization dynamics of marble monuments after cleaning treatments: A nine-year follow-up study.

The prevention and control of biological patinas on outdoor stone monuments represent a demanding challenge for the conservation of cultural heritage also due to some microorganisms, particularly resistant to treatments, such as black meristematic fungi, an eco-physiological group well known for its tolerance to extreme conditions. Even if several methods and eco-friendly products have been proposed as new alternatives, traditional biocides are still far from being completely replaced. Recolonization is a natural process that occurs sooner or later after cleaning.

Plants as Symbols of Power in the Achaemenid Iconography of Ancient Persian Monuments.

The art of the Achaemenid Empire flourished in Ancient Persia from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE, and featured stone-carved monumental structures adorned with recurring zoological and floral patterns. Such representations clearly had a symbolic meaning intimately connected to religious expression and the will of deities. Considering the lack of any comprehensive analysis of botanical features, we investigate the recurring plant patterns and the variety of plants depicted.

The Roman Houses of the Caelian Hill (Rome, Italy): Multitemporal Evaluation of Biodeterioration Patterns.

Like other hypogeal environments, the Roman Houses of the Caelian Hill are prone to unwanted biological growth. Wide conservative interventions have been carried out at the beginning of this millenium to reduce biodeterioration and physical-chemical damages. Retracing the last monitoring work, we assessed the site's current state of conservation and biodeterioration intending to check the previous treatments' effectiveness and deepen the common knowledge of the subterranean biota and their possible biodeteriogenic effects.

Science for art: multi-years' evaluations of biocidal efficacy in support of artwork conservation.

In recent decades, the relationship between Science and Art has been gradually strengthened through the use of diagnostic, conservation, and valorization technologies. New technologies can also be used to support the creation and durability of bio-artworks. Within such a context, starting from the Spring of 2014, we performed experimentations to eventually increase the durability of the graphical artwork of William Kentridge on the Lungotevere embankments, whose creation was scheduled in the following years.

Selecting the best candidates for resurrecting extinct-in-the-wild plants from herbaria.

Resurrecting extinct species is a fascinating and challenging idea for scientists and the general public. Whereas some theoretical progress has been made for animals, the resurrection of extinct plants (de-extinction sensu lato) is a relatively recently discussed topic. In this context, the term 'de-extinction' is used sensu lato to refer to the resurrection of 'extinct in the wild' species from seeds or tissues preserved in herbaria, as we acknowledge the current impossibility of knowing a priori whether a herbarium seed is alive and can germinate.

Dark-pigmented biodeteriogenic fungi in etruscan hypogeal tombs: New data on their culture-dependent diversity, favouring conditions, and resistance to biocidal treatments.

Subterranean Cultural Heritage sites are frequently subject to biological colonization due to the high levels of humidity, even in conditions of low irradiance and oligotrophy. Here microorganisms form complex communities that may be dangerous through mineral precipitation, through the softening of materials or causing frequent surface discolorations. A reduction of contamination's sources along with the control of microclimatic conditions and biocide treatments (overall performed with benzalkonium chloride) are necessary to reduce microbial growths.

Traditional Salads and Soups with Wild Plants as a Source of Antioxidants: A Comparative Chemical Analysis of Five Species Growing in Central Italy.

The interest and demand for nutraceuticals are rapidly increasing in many industrialized countries due to the emergence of health risks associated with the increased consumption of processed foods. Several wild Mediterranean plants used as traditional foods are an extraordinary source of nutraceutical substances with antioxidant properties. This study has two main aims: (1) to quantify the antioxidant properties of traditional wild food plants and (2) to determine if their use in soups (i.

Ethnobotanical uses of neem (Azadirachta indica A.Juss.; Meliaceae) leaves in Bali (Indonesia) and the Indian subcontinent in relation with historical background and phytochemical properties.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Neem (Azadirachta indica; Meliaceae) is widely known for its cold pressed seed oil, mainly used as insecticide, but also for cosmetic, medicinal and agricultural uses. The seed oil is widely employed in the Indian subcontinent, and the leaves seem to have a lower relevance, but the ethnobotanical information of Bali (Indonesia) considers the utilisation of leaves for medicinal properties.

Aim Of The Study: We report ethnopharmacological information about current uses of neem, in particular of the leaves, besides the insecticidal one, we discuss on the historical background of their uses.

Ethnobotanical study of Loloh: Traditional herbal drinks from Bali (Indonesia).

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Loloh are herbal drinks produced and consumed exclusively in Bali (Indonesia) to prevent and treat different ailments. This is the first study to document plants species used as Loloh, reporting the phytochemical components and pharmacological properties of the most cited plants. Documenting the plants used in herbal drinks in Bali by local communities to treat various ailments (providing some information on phytochemistry and pharmacology of the most interesting plants).

Combining environmental factors and agriculturalists' observations of environmental changes in the traditional terrace system of the Amalfi coast (southern Italy).

Terraces are traditional engineered ecosystems that affect the hydro-geological equilibrium, slope stability, and local communities. The aims of this paper are (i) identifying environmental factors that affect terrace stability in the Amalfi Coast, (ii) defining agriculturalists' observations on environmental changes within that system and (iii) exploring potentiality of these observations to better define conservation strategies. All available data on physical and ecological factors recognized to affect the terrace system were collected and analyzed.

Plants used in artisanal fisheries on the Western Mediterranean coasts of Italy.

Background: Artisanal fisheries in the Mediterranean, especially in Italy, have been poorly investigated. There is a long history of fishing in this region, and it remains an important economic activity in many localities. Our research entails both a comprehensive review of the relevant literature and 58 field interviews with practitioners on plants used in fishing activities along the Western Mediterranean Italian coastal regions.

Folk phytotherapy of the Amalfi Coast (Campania, Southern Italy).

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In the Amalfi Coast, Campania (Southern Italy) a total number of 102 plant species are used for medicinal purposes, with a total of 276 different uses, among which, 183 are new for the area and 34 are new for Italy.

Materials And Methods: Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 214 inhabitants of the study area.

Results: Folk phytotherapy is intended mainly as a mode of primary health care in order to heal minor illnesses, and especially disease related to the respiratory, urogenital, skeletal and gastrointestinal systems and skin problems.

Multitemporal floristic analysis on a humid area in Rome's archaeological site as indicator for environmental change.

A multitemporal analysis on a humid area in Rome's archaeological site is presented; the floristic data are used as bioindicators for main environmental changes over the last 50 years. By comparing the structural, biogeographical and ecological features of today's florula with the ones of a 1955 survey, and by assessing the new, the rare and the locally disappeared species, it was possible to define and analyse the main floristic changes and their ecological meaning for this site. Our results show that the floristic richness of the area did not differ significantly from 1955.

The bacterial aetiology of rosy discoloration of ancient wall paintings.

The inventory of microorganisms responsible for biological deterioration of ancient paintings has become an integral part of restoration activities. Here, the microbial agent of rosy discoloration on medieval frescoes in the Crypt of the Original Sin (Matera, Italy) was investigated by a combination of microscopic, molecular and spectroscopic approaches. The bacterial community from three rosy-discoloured painting sites was characterized by 16S rRNA gene-based techniques.

Food, flavouring and feed plant traditions in the Tyrrhenian sector of Basilicata, Italy.

Background: Research was carried out in the years 2002-2003 into food, flavouring and feed folk traditions of plants in the Tyrrhenian part of the Basilicata region (southern Italy). This area was colonized in ancient times by Greeks. Data was collected through field interviews, especially of farmers.

Agricultural, domestic and handicraft folk uses of plants in the Tyrrhenian sector of Basilicata (Italy).

Background: Research was carried out into agricultural and domestic-handicraft uses in folk traditions in the Tyrrhenian sector of the Basilicata region (southern Italy), as it is typically representative of ethnobotanical applications in the Mediterranean area. From the point of view of furnishing a botanical support for the study of local "material culture" data was collected through field interviews of 49 informants, most of whom were farmers.

Results: The taxa cited are 60, belonging to 32 botanical families, of which 18 are employed for agricultural uses and 51 for domestic-handicraft folk uses.

Folk phytotherapeutical plants from Maratea area (Basilicata, Italy).

Field ethnobotanical survey was undertaken for the period of 2002-2003 in the Tyrrhenian part of the Basilicata region of southern Italy. Data of 56 species of plants belonging to 29 families where gathered through interviews; among the species, 47 are used in human therapy, 6 as insect repellents, 15 in veterinary medicine, 1 for its ichthyotoxic properties and 3 for magic therapeutic purposes. The most important findings in ethnomedicine relate to Nasturtium officinale (renal colic, liver diseases), Foeniculum vulgare subsp.