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Authors would like to thank the financial support of Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR) by the project PRIN2015 “Multiple equilibria in natural and Biological fluids: from speciation to selective sequestring” (code 2015MP34H3_004). The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

In agreement with all authors of this paper the order of the authors and the contribution “Paola Lunetti[+], Alessandro Romano[+], Chiara Carrisi, Daniela Antonucci, Tiziano Verri, Giuseppe E. De Benedetto, Vincenza Dolce, Francesco P. Fanizzi, Michele Benedetti,* and Loredana Capobianco.* [+] These authors contributed equally to this paper. * Corresponding authors: Michele Benedetti and Loredana Capobianco, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce.” is corrected to read the original order of the first submitted version of the paper: “Chiara Carrisi[+], Alessandro Romano[+], Paola Lunetti, Daniela Antonucci, Tiziano Verri, Giuseppe E. De Benedetto, Vincenza Dolce, Francesco P. Fanizzi, Michele Benedetti,* and Loredana Capobianco.* [+] These authors contributed equally to this paper. * Corresponding authors: Loredana Capobianco and Michele Benedetti, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce.” For completeness the following individual contributions of the authors were added in the Supporting Information: “Author contributions: L.C., M.B., C.C., A.R. designed research; C.C., A.R., P.L. and D.A. performed research; L.C., M.B., C.C., A.R., V.D. and P.L. analysed data; F.P.F., A.R., L.C. and M.B. wrote the paper; L.C., M.B., T.V., G.D.B. and F.P.F. active discussion paper revision.”.

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a disorder associated with bacterial infections caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca ST53 in olive trees. Metabolic profile changes occurring in infected olive trees are still poorly investigated, but have the potential to unravel reliable biomarkers to be exploited for early diagnosis of infections. In this study, an untargeted metabolomic method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) was used to detect differences in samples (leaves) from healthy (Ctrl) and infected (Xf) olive trees. Both unsupervised and supervised data analysis clearly differentiated the groups. Different metabolites have been identified as potential specific biomarkers, and their characterization strongly suggests that metabolism of flavonoids and long-chain fatty acids is perturbed in Xf samples. In particular, a decrease in the defence capabilities of the host after Xf infection is proposed because of a significant dysregulation of some metabolites belonging to flavonoid family. Moreover, oleic acid is confirmed as a putative diffusible signal factor (DSF). This study provides new insights into the host-pathogen interactions and confirms LC-HRMS-based metabolomics as a powerful approach for disease-associated biomarkers discovery in plants. Graphical abstract

Sooty mold is a plant disease caused by Aleurocanthus spiniferus, an alien insect spread widely in the South of Puglia region (Italy) that causes extensive damage to citrus crops. Sooty mold is a complex disease: the insect sucks the sap of the plant and expels a sugary liquid called honeydew which supports the growth of a black biofilm on the plant. This biofilm is made up of various types of fungi and, while not causing disease, it contributes to plant malaise by inhibiting photosynthesis. In this study, microbiological and chemical methods have been used to characterize two bacterial strains, Bacillus velezensis MT9 and Pseudomonas chlororaphis MT5, which were isolated from soil samples taken from vine-cultivated land and can be used as biocontrol agents (BCA). These bacteria were shown to produce antibacterial and antifungal activities in the form of water-soluble molecules and were effective in vitro in inhibiting the growth of two fungal strains, Penicillium sp. YM1 and YM2, isolated from citrus soot. In addition to water-soluble molecules, P. chlororaphis MT5 was shown to produce antifungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The VOCs produced by B. velezensis MT9 and P. chlororaphis MT5 were then identified by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Interestingly, some of the identified VOCs have previously been reported to have semiochemical activity in insects and, therefore, can interfere with chemical signaling in plant-insect-microbe interaction. Altogether these in vitro findings and pilot experiments with a limited set of plants indicate that Bacillus velezensis MT9 and Pseudomonas chlororaphis MT5 can effectively combat sooty mold possibly by acting on both the insects and the fungi that inhabit the black biofilm, paving the way for an innovative and sustainable tool to fight this disease.

Concentrated Growth Factors (CGF) represent new autologous (blood-derived biomaterial), attracting growing interest in the field of regenerative medicine. In this study, the chemical, structural, and biological characterization of CGF was carried out. CGF molecular characterization was performed by GC/MS to quantify small metabolites and by ELISA to measure growth factors and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) release, structural CGF characterization was carried out by SEM analysis and immunohistochemistry, CGF has been cultured, and its primary cells were isolated for the identification of their surface markers by flow cytometry, Western blot, and real-time PCR, finally, the osteogenic differentiation of CGF primary cells was evaluated through matrix mineralization by alizarin red staining and through mRNA quantification of osteogenic differentiation markers by real-time PCR. We found that CGF has a complex inner structure capable of influencing the release of growth factors, metabolites, and cells. These cells, which could regulate the production and release of the CGF growth factors, show stem features and are able to differentiate into osteoblasts producing a mineralized matrix. These data, taken together, highlight interesting new perspectives for the use of CGF in regenerative medicine.

Over the last few years, different digestion protocols have been proposed to extract microplastics from mussels, an important product from aquaculture and a relevant economic resource, always scrutinized as a potential pollutant concentrator. In this study, a full factorial experimental design technique has been employed to achieve efficiency in removing biological materials while maximizing the recoveries of five common microplastics (polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene and polyamide). A robust setpoint was calculated, 2.5% potassium hydroxide at 60 °C for 3 h with 5% hydrogen peroxide and 2.7% of methanol, permitting the quantitative digestion of mussel tissues and recovery of microplastics. These experimental conditions were successfully used to digest whole mussels bought from a local market, which possess high levels of microplastic contamination (41 items/g dry weight). The results highlight the importance of optimizing protocols to develop robust, easy to use and cheap quantitative approaches for analysing microplastic accumulation in edible organisms.

Background: Non-occupational cases of contact dermatitis to finished wood are occasionally reported from contact with wooden jewellery, musical instruments, knife handles and wooden footwear. Two female patients, 26 and 34 years old, developed acute eczema on the wrists after they worn in the summer a kind of catholic bracelet called “memorabilia” made by single wooden chunks with over-impressed iconic religious images. Objectives: To identify the culprit photoallergen responsible for the reported adverse reactions suspected to be a compound of the wooden bracelets. Methods: Three months after the resolution of the dermatitis, patch test and photo-patch tests were performed with the S.I.D.A.P.A. (Italian Society of Allergic, Occupational and Environmental Dermatology) standard series, and with wood sawdust obtained from both bracelets and tested at 5% in pet. A thin-layer chromatogram (TLC) strip and an extract made from the bracelets were tested in both the patients as patch test and photo-patch test. The extracts of the wooden bracelets were analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: Patch tests and photo-patch test with standard series turned out negative. Photo-patch tests with wood sawdust in pet. 5% evidenced a positive reaction (++) in both patients. Two chemicals were detected in the wooden bracelets with GC-MS: dibutylphthalate, commonly used as plasticizer, and 8,8-dimethyl-2H,8H-benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b']dipyran-2-one, a coumarin. Patch test with TLC did not elicit positive reactions but the photo-patch test with TLC gave positive reactions in both the patients to the same invisible spot on the strips. Two coumarins (8,8-dimethyl-2H,8H-benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b']dipyran-2-one and 8,8-dimethyl-2H,8H-benzo[1,2-b:5,4-b']dipyran-2-one) were detected in the spot with GC-MS. Conclusion: Coumarins are chemicals found in many plants with a known photo-allergic potential. They are probably the main photo-allergens in religious wooden bracelets instead of quinones and psoralens hypothesized in previous reports.