Treatment of epidermoid tumors with gamma knife radiosurgery: case series

Epidermoid tumors (ETs) are benign lesions that are treated mainly by means of surgical resection, with overall good results. External beam radiotherapy is an alternative treatment for those recurrent tumors, in which a second surgery might not be the best choice for the patient. A little information exists about the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery for the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent ETs. We present three cases of ETs treated with gamma knife radiosurger

Real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of Fusarium circinatum

Fusarium circinatum is the causal agent of pitch canker, a lethal disease of pine and other conifers. Since F. circinatum is a quarantine organism, its timely detection could efficiently prevent its introduction into new areas or facilitate spread management in already infected sites. In this study, we developed a sequence-specific probe loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for F. circinatum using a field-deployable portable instrument. The assay was able to recognize the pathogen in host tissues in just 30 min, and the sensitivity of the assay made it possible to detect even small amounts of F. circinatum DNA (as low as 0.5 pg/μl). The high efficiency of this method suggests its use as a standard diagnostic tool during phytosanitary controls

Susceptibility of germinating seedlings of European and Eurasian populations of Pinus sylvestris to damping‐off caused by fusarium circinatum

This work was supported by BBSRC Grant reference BB/L012251/1 ‘Promoting resilience of UK tree species to novel pests & pathogens: ecological & evolutionary solutions (PROTREE)’ jointly funded by BBSRC, Defra, ESRC, the Forestry Commission, NERC and the Scottish Government, under the Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Initiative. We thank Hazel Davidson for technical assistance during the work. J.A. Flores-Pacheco held a scholarship from the Academic Mobility program for Inclusive Development in Latin America/Erasmus Mundus Action 2 in partnership with Bluefields Indian & Caribbean University, Nicaragua. The work was partly supported by Project AGL2015-69370-R ‘Nuevas tecnologías de secuenciación para el estudio de los micovirus en Fusarium circinatum’. Parts of the work were carried out within the scope of COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH (Pine pitch canker - strategies for management of Gibberella circinata in greenhouses and forests), supported by the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Foundation.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Application of bioactive coatings based on chitosan and propolis for Pinus spp. protection against Fusarium circinatum

Pine pitch canker (PPC) is a major threat to pine forests worldwide because of the extensive tree deaths, reduced growth, and degradation of timber quality caused by it. Furthermore, the aggressive fungus responsible for this disease (Fusarium circinatum) can also infect pine seeds, causing damping-off in young seedlings. This study proposes an approach based on coating treatments consisting of natural products to ensure seed protection. Seeds from two pine species (the most sensitive to this disease, Pinus radiata D. Don, and a more resistant one, Pinus sylvestris L.) were coated with single and binary mixtures of low and medium molecular weight chitosan and/or ethanolic-propolis extract. The germination rate, pre- and post-emergence mortality, total phenolic content, and radical scavenging activity were assessed. All treatments, and especially the one based on chitosan oligomers, had a beneficial impact on P. sylvestris seedlings, significantly enhancing survival rates and displaying a positive influence on the total phenolic content and on the seedlings’ radical scavenging activity. Conversely, non-significant negative effects on germination percentages were observed in the case of P. radiata seeds. The proposed treatments show promise for the protection of P. sylvestris seedlings against PPC

Characterization of Leptoglossus occidentalis Eggs and Egg Glue

[EN] The western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910, Heteroptera: Coreidae) has a significant economic impact due to the reduction in the quality and viability of conifer seed crops; it can feed on up to 40 different species of conifers, showing a clear predilection for Pinus pinea L. in Europe. Its incidence is especially relevant for the pine nut-producing industry, given that the action of this pest insect can reduce the production of pine nuts by up to 25%. As part of ongoing efforts aimed at the design of control strategies for this insect, this work focuses on the characterization (by scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, GC–MS) of the compounds released by these insects during oviposition, with emphasis on the adhesive secretion that holds L. occidentalis eggs together. Elemental analysis pointed to the presence of significant amounts of compounds with high nitrogen content. Functional groups identified by infrared spectroscopy were compatible with the presence of chitin, scleroproteins, LNSP-like and gelatin proteins, shellac wax analogs, and policosanol. Regarding the chemical species identified by GC–MS, eggs and glue hydromethanolic extracts shared constituents such as butyl citrate, dibutyl itaconate, tributyl aconitate, oleic acid, oleamide, erucamide, and palmitic acid, while eggs also showed stearic and linoleic acid-related compounds. Knowledge of this composition may allow advances in new strategies to address the problem caused by L. occidentalis.SIThis research was funded by LIFE project MYCORESTORE, “Innovative use of mycological resources for resilient and productive Mediterranean forests threatened by climate change”, LIFE18 CCA/ES/001110

Next-gen Industry 4.0 with 5G:enabling secure and high-performance services for critical infrastructure

The advent of Industry 4.0 heralds a new era in manufacturing, driven by advancements in automation, IoT, and AI. Integral to this shift is the deployment of robust communication networks capable of real-time data exchange. Leveraging 5G technology, with its low latency and high bandwidth, is crucial in meeting these demands. However, integrating vertical services with 5G networks poses challenges. This paper, part of the 5 G-INDUCE project, focuses on deploying and validating corrosion inspection and intruder surveillance services for critical infrastructures. Trials conducted at the Greek Experimentation Facility showcased successful service deployment, configuration, and high-definition video streaming. Quantitative results exceeded expected Key Performance Indicators, demonstrating the platform’s efficacy in integrating advanced network applications. This work contributes to the evolution of Industry 4.0 by harnessing the transformative potential of 5 G technology

Pine species determine fungal microbiome composition in a common garden experiment

The factors shaping the composition of microbial communities in trees remain poorly understood. We evaluated whether the core and satellite fungal communities in five pine species (Pinus radiata, Pinus pinaster, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra, and Pinus uncinata) were shaped by the host species identity. Because the trees had earlier been inoculated with a fungal pathogen (Fusarium circinatum), we also explored the possibilities to detect its presence and potential co-occurrence networks. We found interspecific variation in the fungal community composition and abundance among the different tree species and the existence of a core microbiome that was independent of the host species. The presence of F. circinatum was confirmed in some samples through qPCR but the pathogen did not co-occur with a specific fungal community. The results highlight the importance of host species as a determinant of microbiome assembly in common environments

Rhizosphere mycobiome diversity in four declining Mediterranean tree species

IntroductionForests in the Mediterranean basin are currently in decline. Their resilience has been eroded as a result of climate change and anthropogenic impacts, making them vulnerable to increasingly frequent episodes of drought, fire and the spread of pests and diseases. The impact of these natural and anthropogenic events on soil biodiversity is of particular concern, as the soil fungal community plays a key role in ecosystem homeostasis.Objectives and methodsIn order to analyse the relationship between soil health status and fungal diversity, soil samples were collected from declining Mediterranean forests of Castanea sativa (chestnut), Quercus ilex (holm oak), Quercus suber (cork oak) and Quercus pyrenaica (Pyrenean oak). A metabarcoding study was carried out by sequencing the ITS genomic region.ResultsA total of 674 fungal genera were found. It has not been possible to explain the differences in health status from the fungal genera found exclusively on declining forest soils, as none of them have been described as pathogenic. Healthy chestnut soils were characterized by a high alpha diversity and a higher abundance of the genus Metarhizium. No differentially abundant genera were found in any of the other forest species tested. Declining chestnut soils harbored more abundance of ectomycorrhizae and soil saprotrophs than healthy samples. Ectomycorrhizae were the dominant lifestyle in all oak species regardless of health status, whereas arbuscular mycorrhizae were preferentially found in declining cork oak soils.DiscussionThis work highlights the resilience of fungal communities of soil against decline and highlights the need to further investigate its relationship with the forest’s ability to cope with the challenges of climate change

Nematicidal effect of Beauveria species and the mycotoxin beauvericin against pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Introduction and main objective: Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, commonly known as pine wood nematode (PWN), is considered one of the greatest threats to European and Asian pines. Regarding its management, most efforts have been directed toward control measures for the major vector (Monochamus spp.) and screening for genetic resistance in its hosts. However, an integrated pest management strategy which also implements pinewood nematode control is currently lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nematicidal effect of two Beauveria species, a genus well known for its entomopathogenic activity. Summary methodology: For this purpose, in vitro antagonism tests of fungi (Beauveria bassiana and B. pseudobassiana) and the mycotoxin beauvericin (C45H57N3O9) on B. xylophilus populations were conducted. Finally, the production of beauvericin in B. bassiana and B. pseudobassiana strains was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Results and discussion: Both the B. bassiana and B. pseudobassiana fungal species and the mycotoxin beauvericin showed a clear nematicidal effect on B. xylophilus populations, substantially reducing their survival rate and even attaining 100% mortality in one case. HPLC-MS analysis confirmed and quantified the production of beauvericin by B. bassiana and demonstrated for the first-time beauvericin production in B. pseudobassiana. Final conclusion: These findings highlight the potential of Beauveria species and the mycotoxin beauvericin to be implemented in an integrated pest management strategy to control both nematode and vector