Induction of Isochromanones by Co-Cultivation of the Marine Fungus Cosmospora sp. and the Phytopathogen Magnaporthe oryzae

Microbial co-cultivation is a promising approach for the activation of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that remain transcriptionally silent under artificial culture conditions. As part of our project aiming at the discovery of marine-derived fungal agrochemicals, we previously used four phytopathogens as model competitors in the co-cultivation of 21 marine fungal strains. Based on comparative untargeted metabolomics analyses and anti-phytopathogenic activities of the co-cultures, we selected the co-culture of marine Cosmospora sp. with the phytopathogen Magnaporthe oryzae for in-depth chemical studies. UPLC-MS/MS-based molecular networking (MN) of the co-culture extract revealed an enhanced diversity of compounds in several molecular families, including isochromanones, specifically induced in the co-culture. Large scale co-cultivation of Cosmospora sp. and M. oryzae resulted in the isolation of five isochromanones from the whole co-culture extract, namely the known soudanones A, E, D (1-3) and their two new derivatives, soudanones H-I (4-5), the known isochromans, pseudoanguillosporins A and B (6, 7), naphtho-γ-pyrones, cephalochromin and ustilaginoidin G (8, 9), and ergosterol (10). Their structures were established by NMR, HR-ESIMS, FT-IR, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy, polarimetry ([α]D), and Mosher’s ester reaction. Bioactivity assays revealed antimicrobial activity of compounds 2 and 3 against the phytopathogens M. oryzae and Phytophthora infestans, while pseudoanguillosporin A (6) showed the broadest and strongest anti-phytopathogenic activity against Pseudomonas syringae, Xanthomonas campestris, M. oryzae and P. infestans. This is the first study assessing the anti-phytopathogenic activities of soudanones

Monitoring cyanobacterial blooms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Campania, Italy: The case of lake avernus

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous photosynthetic microorganisms considered as important contributors to the formation of Earth’s atmosphere and to the process of nitrogen fixation. However, they are also frequently associated with toxic blooms, named cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs). This paper reports on an unusual out-of-season cyanoHAB and its dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Lake Avernus, South Italy. Fast detection strategy (FDS) was used to assess this phenomenon, through the integration of satellite imagery and biomolecular investigation of the environmental samples. Data obtained unveiled a widespread Microcystis sp. bloom in February 2020 (i.e., winter season in Italy), which completely disappeared at the end of the following COVID-19 lockdown, when almost all urban activities were suspended. Due to potential harmfulness of cyanoHABs, crude extracts from the “winter bloom” were evaluated for their cytotoxicity in two different human cell lines, namely normal dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) and breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7). The chloroform extract was shown to exert the highest cytotoxic activity, which has been correlated to the presence of cyanotoxins, i.e., microcystins, micropeptins, anabaenopeptins, and aeruginopeptins, detected by molecular networking analysis of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) data

The Recent Seismicity of Campi Flegrei Caldera (Italy)

Campi Flegrei caldera is located in a very densely populated area. Half of the city of Naples lies within the caldera rims with about 350000 people living on this active volcano. For this reason the surveillance of this volcano requires advanced monitoring techniques in order to forecast even minor eruptions. The area was interested in the period 1982-84 by an unrest crisis with more than 16000 earthquakes and about 2m of ground uplift...INGV;Sezione di Napoli,Osservatorio VesuvianoPublishedTenerife, Canary Islands, Spain1.4. TTC - Sorveglianza sismologica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope

Minimally invasive simple prostatectomy: Robotic-assisted versus laparoscopy. A comparative study

Purpose: Robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP) is a novel surgical procedure for the management of obstructive symptoms caused by enlarged prostate glands. Before the introduction of minimally invasive techniques, the standard approach was the open simple prostatectomy (OSP). The aim of our study was to compare intraoperative and perioperative outcomes of robotic (RASP) and laparoscopic (LSP) simple prostatectomy. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent minimally invasive simple prostatectomy at the Urological Department of Portogruaro Hospital, Portogruaro, and at the Urological Department of "San Bassiano" Hospital, in Bassano del Grappa, from March 2015 to December 2020. Data collected from medical records included age, body mass index, prostate volume, operative time, preoperative International Prostatic Symptoms Score (IPSS), postoperative IPSS, time with drainage, blood transfusion, intraoperative complications, perioperative complications and length of hospital stay. Results: Robotic-assisted (n = 25) and laparoscopic simple prostatectomy (n = 25) were performed with a transvesical approach. No significant differences were observed regarding baseline characteristics, body mass index, prostate volume and IPSS. Operative time was lower in the laparoscopic group (122 min vs 139 min) (p = 0.024), while hospital stay was lower in the robotic group (4 days vs 6 days) (p = 0.047). Conclusions: Robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy is a safe technique with results comparable to laparoscopic simple prostatectomy, encompassing the advantage of a shorter hospitalization. Considering the costs and the limited availability of robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy, laparoscopic simple prostatectomy is a valid and safe alternative for experienced surgeons

Isolation of Isotrichophycin C and Trichophycins G–I from a Collection of Trichodesmium thiebautii

The trichophycin family of compounds are chlorinated polyketides first discovered from environmental collections of a bloom-forming Trichodesmium sp. cyanobacterium. In an effort to fully capture the chemical space of this group of metabolites, the utilization of MS/MS-based molecular networking of a Trichodesmium thiebautii extract revealed a metabolome replete with halogenated compounds. Subsequent MS-guided isolation resulted in the characterization of isotrichophycin C and trichophycins G–I (1–4). These new metabolites had intriguing structural variations from those trichophycins previously characterized, which allowed for a comparative study to examine structural features that are associated with toxicity to murine neuroblastoma cells. Additionally, we propose the absolute configuration of the previously characterized trichophycin A (5). Overall, the metabolome of the Trichodesmium bloom is hallmarked by an unprecedented amount of chlorinated molecules, many of which remain to be structurally characterized

Scenari di Pericolosità e Danno SPeeD PROJECT -TASK 1.1 Connection of the “Centri Funzionali” of DPC and RC to the monitoring system of INGV-OV

Project specifications; •Server design & realization for the management of the multiparametric data,alarm and notifications provided by the OV-INGV monitoring system...INGV;DPCUnpublishedRoma1.4. TTC - Sorveglianza sismologica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope

The monitoring seismic network of Mt. Vesuvius

Mt. Vesuvius (South Italy) is one of the most hazardous volcanoes in the world. It has been very active from 1631, when a violent subplinian eruption occurred, until 1944, with the last, medium size, eruption. So far Mt. Vesuvius is quiescent and in the last 60 years the population of the surrounding areas strongly increased. Its activity is characterized by a fumarolic field inside the crater and a moderate seismicity, with hypocenters mainly clustered in a volume about 2-5 km beneath the crater zone. The monitoring network of Mt. Vesuvius is composed of 15 seismic stations (seven 3 component and 9 vertical) and two seismic arrays, one with just 3 stations and the other one with 48 channels. The remote instruments continuously transmit the data to the recording centre by using different technological solutions. The data are collected in the monitoring centre of the Vesuvius Observatory - INGV and automatically processed in order to obtain meaningful information in real time. This system allow to immediately retrieve the significance of the recorded phenomena and to early communicate the state of the volcano to Civil Authority.PublishedVienna, Austria1.4. TTC - Sorveglianza sismologica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope

Seismological monitoring of Campi Flegrei caldera

Campi Flegrei is an active volcanic area posing a serious threat over Naples. Half of the city lies inside the caldera rim. The volcano has shown in the last 30 years different episodes of unrest, the most recent is still ongoing. For this reason the monitoring of this volcano is a fundamental task. The current seismic network consists of 8 short period and 5 broadband stations. The seismic monitoring is complemented by 2 infrasonic sensors and 3 dilatometers. The recent seismicity has been characterized by swarms of volcano-tectonic and long-period events. The network geometry allows an accurate location of VT events with a detection threshold of magnitudes less than 1.0 Some VT events have been recorder also by the infrasonic sensors showing interesting similarities. LP events have been recorded by both short period and broadband stations. The polarization analysis performed over the broadband recordings is an important tool for the real time detection of such events, related to the dynamics of the hydrothermal system. The ongoing developments consists in a progressive increasing of the number of broadband digital stations and infrasonic sensors, in improving the accuracy of hypocenter locations by using a 3D velocity model and in the implementation of new automatic techniques aimed at the detection, classification and analysis of seismic events.PublishedVienna, Austria1.4. TTC - Sorveglianza sismologica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope