Evaluation of Potential Probiotic Properties and In Vivo Safety of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast Strains Isolated from Traditional Home-Made Kefir.

Probiotics are known for their health-promoting resources and are considered as beneficial microorganisms. The current study focuses on the isolation, and on a complete in vitro and in vivo characterization, of yeast and lactic acid bacteria acquired from traditional homemade kefir in order to assess their potentiality as probiotic candidates. In particular, the isolates Pichia kudriavzevii Y1, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae LAB1 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LAB2 were subjected to in vitro characterization to evaluate their suitability as probiotics. Resistance to acid and bile salts, auto-aggregation, co-aggregation, hydrophobicity, and biofilm production capability were examined, as well as their antioxidant activity. A safety assessment was also conducted to confirm the non-pathogenic nature of the isolates, with hemolysis assay and antibiotic resistance assessment. Moreover, mortality in the invertebrate model Galleria mellonella was evaluated. Current findings showed that P. kudriavzevii exhibited estimable probiotic properties, placing them as promising candidates for functional foods. Both lactic acid bacteria isolated in this work could be classified as potential probiotics with advantageous traits, including antimicrobial activity against enteric pathogens and good adhesion ability on intestinal cells. This study revealed that homemade kefir could be a beneficial origin of different probiotic microorganisms that may enhance health and wellness.

Levels of rare earth elements on three abandoned mining sites of bauxite in southern Italy: A comparison between TXRF and ICP-MS.

The essential utilization of rare earth elements (REEs) for the production of several electronic devices is making the demand for them being increased all the time. This extensive use of these elements has also increased concern about human and environmental health. Previous studies have shown that REE levels are higher in environmental samples near mining sites, and they are highly possible to be transferred to biota. In this study, REE levels were determined in environmental samples collected from three abandoned mining sites of bauxite (Gargano, Otranto, and Spinazzola) in the region of Puglia, Southern Italy. The samples were digested and analyzed by two different techniques, Total X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) to investigate which technique is the most suitable for analysis of the REE content in samples from abandoned mining sites of bauxite. Only 6 REEs could be detected by TXRF, while all REEs were detected in all the samples by ICP-MS. Spinazzola is the richest site and Ce the most abundant REE in all three regions. REE levels are correlated between the soil and biota samples in many cases, although the calculation of the bioconcentration factor showed that REEs are not bioaccumulative. ICP-MS seems to be a more suitable technique for analysis of the whole REE content in environmental samples from abandoned mining sites of bauxite.

A metabolomics footprinting approach using GC-MS to study inhibitory effects of the fungal metabolite diplopyrone C against nosocomial pathogen biofilms.

Seen initially as wonder drugs, the widespread and often inappropriate use of antibiotics led to the development of microbial resistances. As a result, a true emergency has arisen, and a significant need has emerged to discover and develop new safe and valuable antibiotics. The captivating chemical structure of the fungal metabolite diplopyrone C has caught our attention as an excellent candidate for a circumstantial study aimed at revealing its antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. In this work, we describe the full analytical strategy from the isolation/identification to the evaluation of the metabolomics effect on target microorganisms of this fungal metabolite. Our results show interesting antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of diplopyrone C against two frequently isolated nosocomial pathogens (i.e., the fungus Candida albicans and the gram-negative bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae). Moreover, a GC-MS based metabolomics footprinting approach gave an insight into the uptake and excretion of metabolites from and into the culture medium as a response to the presence of this active substance. The workflow employed in this study is suitable to exploit natural resources for the search of lead compounds for drug development.

Profiling microbial communities in an extremely acidic environment influenced by a cold natural carbon dioxide spring: A study of the Mefite in Ansanto Valley, Southern Italy.

The Ansanto Valley's Mefite, one of the Earth's largest non-volcanic CO2 gas emissions, is distinguished by its cold natural carbon dioxide springs. These emissions originate from the intricate tectonics and geodynamics of the southern Apennines in Italy. Known for over two millennia for its lethal concentration of CO2 and other harmful gases, the Mefite has a reputation for being toxic and dangerous. Despite its historical significance and unique geological features, there is a lack of information on the microbial diversity associated with the Mefite's gas emissions. This study presents an integrated exploration of the microbial diversity in the mud soil, using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA (Prokaryotes) and ITS2 (Fungi), alongside a geochemical site characterisation. Our findings reveal that the Mefite's unique environment imposes a significant bottleneck on microbial diversity, favouring a select few microbial groups such as Actinobacteria and Firmicutes for Prokaryotes, and Basidiomycota for Fungi.

A Preliminary Evaluation on the Antifungal Efficacy of VT-1161 against Persister Candida albicans Cells in Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

Persister cells are a small fraction of the microbial population that survive lethal concentrations of antimicrobial agents. Candida albicans causes vaginal candidiasis, including recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, and may survive common antifungal treatments. The triazole VT-1161 is an antifungal agent that specifically targets fungal CYP51, as opposed to the human CYP enzyme. This work illustrates a new role of VT-1161 in eradicating the biofilm created from the persister cells of a primary biofilm of a clinical vaginal isolate of C. albicans. Antifungal activity was determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the primary biofilm was treated with amphotericin B to obtain persister cells that were able to form a new biofilm. Results obtained using the new azole VT-1161 showed that VT-1161 not only eradicated a secondary biofilm formed from the persister-derived biofilm and counteracted the adhesion of C. albicans in vitro to human cells but also ameliorated C. albicans-induced infection in vivo in Galleria mellonella larvae, suggesting that it could be proposed as an alternative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of recurrent candidiasis.

Extracellular Vesicles from a Biofilm of a Clinical Isolate of Candida albicans Negatively Impact on Klebsiella pneumoniae Adherence and Biofilm Formation.

The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans produces and releases into the surrounding medium extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are involved in some processes as communication between fungal cells and host-pathogen interactions during infection. Here, we have conducted the isolation of EVs produced by a clinical isolate of C. albicans during biofilm formation and proved their effect towards the ability of the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae to adhere to HaCaT cells and form a biofilm in vitro. The results represent the first evidence of an antagonistic action of fungal EVs against bacteria.

Ecotoxicological assessment of waste-derived organic fertilizers and long-term monitoring of fertilized soils using a multi-matrix and multi-species approach.

The present study investigates the ecotoxicity of 7 biofertilizers, including biowaste-derived organic matrices. Real-field tests were conducted to assess the impacts of soil fertilization with sewage sludge digestate from high-solid thermophilic anaerobic digestion (HSTAD) compared to those obtained on non-amended and urea-fertilized soils. The physical-chemical and ecotoxic impact of HSTAD digestate on soil was monitored for 12 months, at 5 time points and 2 soil depths, on a maize field divided in 3 portions (non-treated, fertilized with urea, amended with digestate). The chemical and physical characteristics of the soil were previously analyzed for 3 years to provide a long-term outlook of the impacts of biofertilizer application. Seven bioindicators were utilized for direct (on whole soil) and indirect (on soil elutriates) ecotoxicological tests on fertilizers and amended soils, including plant seeds (Lepidium sativum, Sorghum saccharatum, and Sinapsis alba), the aquatic organism Daphnia magna, the alga Raphidocelis subcapitata, the luminescent bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri, and the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. No serious negative effects on soil fertilized with HSTAD digestate were evidenced. Conversely, bioassays rather showed positive effects, encouraging the utilization of HSTAD digestate in agriculture, considering the proper concentrations of use. The obtained data were interpolated and a test battery integrated index was generated, confirming the absence of ecotoxicological risk for the soils amended with the applied fertilizers. The long-term evolution of the physical-chemical soil characteristics (including the concentrations of potential contaminants) was similar for both HSTAD digestate and urea application as well as for non-fertilized soil, indicating no negative effects due to digestate application on land. On the contrary, digestate application improved the content of stabilized organic matter and nutrients in soil. This study proposes a more correct approach to ecotoxicity assessment of fertilized soils for biofertilizer evaluation and demonstrates the long-term safe application of HSTAD digestate on agricultural soil.

Catalytic Activity of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Advanced Oxidation Processes of Wastewater Pollutants: A Review.

In recent years, sewage treatment plants did not effectively remove emerging water pollutants, leaving potential threats to human health and the environment. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged as a promising technology for the treatment of contaminated wastewater, and the addition of catalysts such as heavy metals has been shown to enhance their effectiveness. This review focuses on the use of rare earth elements (REEs) as catalysts in the AOP process for the degradation of organic pollutants. Cerium and La are the most studied REEs, and their mechanism of action is based on the oxygen vacancies and REE ion concentration in the catalysts. Metal oxide surfaces improve the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to form hydroxide species, which degrade the organics. The review discusses the targets of AOPs, including pharmaceuticals, dyes, and other molecules such as alkaloids, herbicides, and phenols. The current state-of-the-art advances of REEs-based AOPs, including Fenton-like oxidation and photocatalytic oxidation, are also discussed, with an emphasis on their catalytic performance and mechanism. Additionally, factors affecting water chemistry, such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, inorganic species, and natural organic matter, are analyzed. REEs have great potential for enhancing the removal of dangerous organics from aqueous solutions, and further research is needed to explore the photoFenton-like activity of REEs and their ideal implementation for wastewater treatment.

Candida Biofilm Eye Infection: Main Aspects and Advance in Novel Agents as Potential Source of Treatment.

Fungi represent a very important cause of microbial eye infections, especially in tropical and developing countries, as they could cause sight-threating disease, such as keratitis and ocular candidiasis, resulting in irreversible vision loss. Candida species are among the most frequent microorganisms associated with fungal infection. Although Candida albicans is still the most frequently detected organism among Candida subspecies, an important increase in non-albicans species has been reported. Mycotic infections often represent an important diagnostic-clinical problem due to the difficulties in performing the diagnosis and a therapeutic problem due to the limited availability of commercial drugs and the difficult penetration of antifungals into ocular tissues. The ability to form biofilms is another feature that makes Candida a dangerous pathogen. In this review, a summary of the state-of-the-art panorama about candida ocular pathology, diagnosis, and treatment has been conducted. Moreover, we also focused on new prospective natural compounds, including nanoparticles, micelles, and nanocarriers, as promising drug delivery systems to better cure ocular fungal and biofilm-related infections. The effect of the drug combination has also been examined from the perspective of increasing efficacy and improving the course of infections caused by Candida which are difficult to fight.

A Re-Purposing Strategy: Sub-Lethal Concentrations of an Eicosanoid Derived from the Omega-3-Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Resolvin D1 Affect Dual Species Biofilms.

The fungal species Candida parapsilosis and the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus may be responsible for hospital-acquired infections in patients undergoing invasive medical interventions or surgical procedures and often coinfect critically ill patients in complicating polymicrobial biofilms. The efficacy of the re-purposing therapy has recently been reported as an alternative to be used. PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) may be used alone or in combination with currently available traditional antimicrobials to prevent and manage various infections overcoming antimicrobial resistance. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of Resolvin D1 (RvD1) as an antimicrobial on S. aureus and C. parapsilosis, as well as the activity against the mixed biofilm of the same two species. Microdilution assays and time-kill growth curves revealed bacterial and fungal inhibition at minimum concentration values between 5 and 10 µg mL-1. In single-species structures, an inhibition of 55% and 42% was reported for S. aureus and C. parapsilosis, respectively. Moreover, RvD1 demonstrated an eradication capacity of 60% and 80% for single- and mixed-species biofilms, respectively. In association with the inhibition activity, a downregulation of genes involved in biofilm formation as well as ROS accumulation was observed. Eradication capability was confirmed also on mature mixed biofilm grown on silicone platelets as shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In conclusion, RvD1 was efficient against mono and polymicrobial biofilms in vitro, being a promising alternative for the treatment of mixed bacterial/fungal infections.

Effect of Escin Alone or in Combination with Antifungal Agents on Resistant Candida glabrata Biofilms: Mechanisms of Action.

Nowadays, the increase in antimicrobial-resistant fungi (AMR) is certainly a major health concern, and the development of alternative therapeutic strategies has become crucial. Natural products have been used to treat various infections, and their chemical properties contribute to the performance of their biological activities, such as antifungal action. The various virulence factors and mechanisms of resistance to antifungals contribute to making Candida glabrata one of the most frequent agents of candidiasis. Here we investigate the in vitro and in vivo activity of ß-escin against Candida glabrata. The ß-escin MICs were determined for a reference strain and two clinical isolates of C. glabrata. Furthermore, growth kinetics assays and biofilm inhibition/eradication assays (crystal violet) were performed. The differences in the expression of some anti-biofilm-associated genes were analyzed during biofilm inhibition treatment so that reactive oxygen species could be detected. The efficacy of ß-escin was evaluated in combination with fluconazole, ketoconazole, and itraconazole. In addition, a Galleria mellonella infection model was used for in vivo treatment assays. Results have shown that ß-escin had no toxicity in vitro or in vivo and was able to inhibit or destroy biofilm formation by downregulating some important genes, inducing ROS activity and affecting the membrane integrity of C. glabrata cells. Furthermore, our study suggests that the combination with azoles can have synergistic effects against C. glabrata biofilm. In summary, the discovery of new antifungal drugs against these resistant fungi is crucial and could potentially lead to the development of future treatment strategies.

Synergistic, antagonistic, and additive effects of naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene on Artemia franciscana nauplii and adult.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread across the globe and can be highly toxic for the marine environment. This research investigated the short-term (48 h of exposure) effects of PAHs mixtures on the nauplii and adult of crustacean Artemia franciscana considering the impact in term of toxicity and changes in gene expression. Results showed that all combinations caused additive or synergic effects with the exception of naphthalene + phenanthrene (NAP + PHE; Combination Index (CI) = 22.3), while naphthalene + benzo(k)fluoranthene (NAP + BkF; CI = 7.8) mixture evidenced an antagonistic effect. Real-time qPCR showed that all mixtures impacted the expression level of the five known genes involved in Artemia stress response. The effects of PAHs at environmental concentrations on both adult and nauplii suggested the need for further investigations about the impact of such contaminants on the marine biota considering that crustaceans can accumulate PAHs at concentrations comparable to those assessed in the present study.

Possible Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Decrease in the Antibacterial Activity of Protamine-like Proteins after Exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis to Chromium and Mercury.

Natural bioactive compounds represent a new frontier of antimicrobial molecules, and the marine ecosystem represents a new challenge in this regard. In the present work, we evaluated the possibility of changes in the antibacterial activity of protamine-like (PL) proteins, the major nuclear basic protein components of Mytilus galloprovincialis sperm chromatin, after the exposure of mussels to subtoxic doses of chromium (VI) (1, 10, and 100 nM) and mercury (1, 10, and 100 pM) HgCl2, since these metals affect some properties of PL. After exposure, we analyzed the electrophoretic pattern of PLs by both acetic acid-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (AU-PAGE) and SDS-PAGE and determined the MIC and MBC of these proteins on different gram+ and gram- bacteria. PLs, particularly after mussels were exposed to the highest doses of chromium and mercury, showed significantly reduced antibacterial activity. Just at the highest doses of exposure to the two metals, changes were found in the electrophoretic pattern of PLs, suggesting that there were conformational changes in these proteins, which were confirmed by the fluorescence measurements of PLs. These results provide the first evidence of a reduction in the antibacterial activity of these proteins following the exposure of mussels to these metals. Based on the results, hypothetical molecular mechanisms that could explain the decrease in the antibacterial activity of PLs are discussed.

Insights into the Ecotoxicology of Radicinin and (10S,11S)-(-)-epi-Pyriculol, Fungal Metabolites with Potential Application for Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) Biocontrol.

Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) is an invasive C4 perennial grass species that substantially reduces native plant diversity of the Sonoran Desert through fire promotion and resource competition. Broad-spectrum herbicides are essentially used for its control, but they have a negative environmental and ecological impact. Recently, phytotoxicity on C. ciliaris has been discovered for two metabolites produced in vitro by the phytopathogenic fungi Cochliobolus australiensis and Pyricularia grisea. They were identified as (10S,11S)-(-)-epi-pyriculol and radicinin and resulted in being potential candidates for the development of bioherbicides for buffelgrass biocontrol. They have already shown promising results, but their ecotoxicological profiles and degradability have been poorly investigated. In this study, ecotoxicological tests against representative organisms from aquatic ecosystems (Aliivibrio fischeri bacterium, Raphidocelis subcapitata alga, and Daphnia magna crustacean) revealed relatively low toxicity for these compounds, supporting further studies for their practical application. The stability of these metabolites in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 8692:2012 culture medium under different temperatures and light conditions was also evaluated, revealing that 98.90% of radicinin degraded after 3 days in sunlight. Significant degradation percentages (59.51-73.82%) were also obtained at room temperature, 30 °C or under ultraviolet (254 nm) light exposure. On the other hand, (10S,11S)-epi-pyriculol showed more stability under all the aforementioned conditions (49.26-65.32%). The sunlight treatment was also shown to be most effective for the degradation of this metabolite. These results suggest that radicinin could provide rapid degradability when used in agrochemical formulations, whereas (10S,11S)-epi-pyriculol stands as a notably more stable compound.

Geospatial pattern of topsoil pollution and multi-endpoint toxicity in the petrochemical area of Augusta-Priolo (eastern Sicily, Italy).

The present study was aimed at identifying geospatial patterns of pollutants including concentrations and toxicity as complex environmental mixtures, in topsoil samples close to petrochemical facilities in the heavily industrialized area of Augusta and Priolo in south-eastern Sicily (Italy). Elemental analysis of soil was conducted by ICP-MS for 23 metals and 16 rare earth elements (REEs). Organic analyses were primarily focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (16 parent homologs) and total aliphatic hydrocarbons (C10 - C40). Topsoil samples were tested for toxicity in multiple bioassay models including: 1) developmental defects and cytogenetic anomalies in sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis early life stages; 2) growth inhibition of diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum; 3) mortality in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans; and 4) induction of mitotic abnormalities in onion Allium cepa. Samples collected at sites closest to defined petrochemical facilities were highest in select pollutants and correlated with biological effects in different toxicity endpoints. A noteworthy finding was the increased level of total REEs in sites closest to petrochemical facilities, suggesting their contributions to identifying petrochemical sources of pollutants to the environment. The combined data obtained in the different bioassays allowed exploration of geospatial patterns of effect in biota as a function of contaminant levels. In conclusion, this study provides consistent data of soil toxicity, metal and REE contamination at Augusta-Priolo sampling sites, and may provide an appropriate baseline for epidemiological studies on high incidences of congenital birth defects in the area and identification of at-risk localities.

Prevalence, Resistance Patterns and Biofilm Production Ability of Bacterial Uropathogens from Cases of Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections in South Italy.

Community-acquired urinary tract infections represent the most common infectious diseases in the community setting. Knowing the antibiotic resistance patterns of uropathogens is crucial for establishing empirical treatment. The aim of the current study is to determine the incidence of the causative agents of UTIs and their resistance profiles. Patients of all ages and both sexes were enrolled in the study, and admitted to San Ciro Diagnostic Center in Naples between January 2019 and Jun 2020. Bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing were carried out using Vitek 2 system. Among the 2741 urine samples, 1702 (62.1%) and 1309 (37.9%) were negative and positive for bacterial growth, respectively. Of 1309 patients with infection, 760 (73.1%) were females and 279 (26.9%) were males. The greatest number of positive cases were found in the in the elderly (>61 years). Regarding uropathogens, 1000 (96.2%) were Gram-negative while 39 (3.8%) were Gram-positive strains. The three most isolated pathogenic strains were Escherichia coli (72.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.4%), and Proteus mirabilis (9.0%). Strong biofilm formation ability was observed in about 30% of the tested isolates. The low resistance rates recorded against nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and gentamicin could suggest them as the most appropriate therapies for CA-UTIs.

Anti-Biofilm Activity of Phenyllactic Acid against Clinical Isolates of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans.

Commonly found colonizing the human microbiota, Candida albicans is a microorganism known for its ability to cause infections, mainly in the vulvovaginal region, and is responsible for 85% to 90% of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) cases. The development of drug resistance in C. albicans isolates after long-term therapy with fluconazole is an important complication to solve and new therapeutic strategies are required to target this organism and its pathogenicity. In the present study, phenyllactic acid (PLA) an important broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound was investigated for its antifungal and antivirulence activities against clinical isolates of C. albicans. Previously characterized strains of C. albicans isolates from women with VVC and C. albicans ATCC90028 were used to evaluate the antimicrobial and time dependent killing assay activity of PLA showing a MIC 7.5 mg mL-1 and a complete reduction of viable Candida cells detected by killing kinetics after 4 h of treatment with PLA. Additionally, PLA significantly reduced the biomass and the metabolic activity of C. albicans biofilms and impaired biofilm formation also with changes in ERG11, ALS3, and HWP1 genes expression as detected by qPCR. PLA eradicated pre-formed biofilms as showed also with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observations. Furthermore, the compound prolonged the survival rate of Galleria mellonella infected by C. albicans isolates. These results indicate that PLA is a promising candidate as novel and safe antifungal agents for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Hormetic Effects of Cerium, Lanthanum and Their Combination at Sub-micromolar Concentrations in Sea Urchin Sperm.

Rare earth elements (REEs) cerium (Ce) and lanthanum (La) and their combination were tested across a concentration range, from toxic (10-4 to 10-5 M) to lower concentrations (10-6 to 10-8 M) for their effects on sea urchin (Sphaerechinus granularis) sperm. A significantly decreased fertilization rate (FR) was found for sperm exposed to 10-5 M Ce, La and their combination, opposed to a significant increase of FR following 10-7 and 10-8 M REE sperm exposure. The offspring of REE-exposed sperm showed significantly increased developmental defects following sperm exposure to 10-5 M REEs vs. untreated controls, while exposure to 10-7 and 10-8 M REEs resulted in significantly decreased rates of developmental defects. Both of observed effects-on sperm fertilization success and on offspring quality-were closely exerted by Ce or La or their combination.

VT-1161-A Tetrazole for Management of Mono- and Dual-Species Biofilms.

VT-1161 is a novel tetrazole antifungal agent with high specificity for fungal CYP51 (compared to human CYP enzymes) which has been proven to have fewer adverse effects and drug-drug interaction profiles due to fewer off-target inhibitors. In this study, we evaluated the anti-biofilm potential of VT-1161 against mono- and dual-species biofilms of Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. VT-1161 inhibited planktonic growth of all three strains, with an MIC value of 2 µg mL-1 for C. albicans and 0.5 µg mL-1 for K. pneumoniae and S. aureus, and killed 99.9% of the microbial populations, indicating a cytocidal action. Additionally, VT-1161 showed an excellent anti-biofilm action, since it inhibited mono-microbial biofilms by 80% at 0.5 µg mL-1, and dual-species biofilms of C. albicans/K. pneumoniae and C. albicans/S. aureus by 90% at the same concentration. Additionally, the eradication of mature biofilms after 24 h of VT-1161 exposure was excellent, reaching 90% at 2 µg mL-1 for both mono- and dual-species biofilms. In such mixed biofilms, the use of VT-1161 was revealed to be an alternative treatment because it was able to reduce the number of cells of each species during both inhibition and eradication. Since long-term therapy is necessary for most fungal biofilm infections due to their recurrence and obstinacy, VT-1161 showed low cytotoxicity against normal human cell lines and also against the invertebrate model Caenorhabditis elegans. Considering the excellent anti-biofilm potential and its GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, VT-1161 may find use in the prevention or therapeutic treatment of mono- or poly-microbial biofilms.

New insights on partial trisomy 3q syndrome: de novo 3q27.1-q29 duplication in a newborn with pre and postnatal overgrowth and assisted reproductive conception.

BACKGROUND: Duplications of the long arm of chromosome 3 are rare, and associated to a well-defined contiguous gene syndrome known as partial trisomy 3q syndrome. It has been first described in 1966 by Falek et al., and since then around 100 patients have been reported. Clinical manifestations include characteristic facial dysmorphic features, microcephaly, hirsutism, congenital heart disease, genitourinary anomalies, hand and feet abnormalities, growth disturbances and intellectual disability. Most of cases are due to unbalanced translocations, inherited from a parent carrying a balanced aberration (reciprocal translocation or inversion), and rarely the genomic anomaly arises de novo. Very few studies report on the prenatal identification of such rearrangements. CASE PRESENTATION: Hereby, we report on a newborn with a rare pure duplication of the long arm of chromosome 3. Noninvasive prenatal test (cell free fetal DNA analysis on maternal blood), performed for advanced parental age and use of assisted reproductive technique, evidenced a partial 3q trisomy. Then, invasive cytogenetic (standard and molecular) investigations, carried out through amniocentesis, confirmed and defined a 3q27.1-q29 duplication spanning 10.9 Mb, and including about 80 genes. Our patient showed clinical findings (typical facial dysmorphic features, esotropia, short neck, atrial septal defect, hepatomegaly, mild motor delay) compatible with partial trisomy 3q syndrome diagnosis, in addition to pre- and postnatal overgrowth. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced parental age increases the probability of chromosomal and/or genomic anomalies, while ART that of epigenomic defects. Both conditions, thus, deserve more careful prenatal monitoring and screening/diagnostic investigations. Among the latter, cell free fetal DNA testing can detect large segmental aneuploidies, along with chromosomal abnormalities. It identified in our patient a wide 3q rearrangement, then confirmed and defined through invasive molecular cytogenetic analysis. Neonatologists and pediatricians must be aware of the potential risks associated to duplication syndromes. Therefore, they should offer to affected subjects an adequate management and early and careful follow-up. These may be able to guarantee to patients satisfactory growth and development profiles, prevent and/or limit neurodevelopmental disorders, and timely recognition of complications.