Non-Destructive Analytical Investigation of Decorative Wallpapers Samples of the Nineteenth Century before Their Restoration

In this work, decorative wallpapers (19th century) from an historical palace located in Oiartzun (Basque Country, Spain) were analyzed before their restoration. Micro-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy were used to investigate the elemental and molecular composition of pigments, the presence of binders, and the state of conservation of the paper support. The aim of the investigation was trying to understand the possible degradation pathways and identify the raw materials in order to choose the best restoration protocol according to the original aspect of wallpapers. As stated from both the elemental distribution and the identification of mineral phases by Raman spectroscopy, the most used pigment was lead chromate. It was mixed with other pigments such as ultramarine blue, zinc chromate, hematite, and atacamite among others to obtain different shades and they were applied mixed with an animal glue. Brass, identified thanks to elemental micro-EDXRF maps, was employed as a shiny decorative element. In addition, a partial degradation of cellulose was detected due to its natural ageing, the acidic nature of lignin, and to a phenomenon of humidity of the walls. Probably the deposition of black particulate matter was the cause of the darkening of the painting surfaces.

Assessment of Biotechnologically Important Filamentous Fungal Biomass by Fourier Transform Raman Spectroscopy

Oleaginous filamentous fungi can accumulate large amount of cellular lipids and biopolymers and pigments and potentially serve as a major source of biochemicals for food, feed, chemical, pharmaceutical, and transport industries. We assessed suitability of Fourier transform (FT) Raman spectroscopy for screening and process monitoring of filamentous fungi in biotechnology. Six Mucoromycota strains were cultivated in microbioreactors under six growth conditions (three phosphate concentrations in the presence and absence of calcium). FT-Raman and FT-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic data was assessed in respect to reference analyses of lipids, phosphorus, and carotenoids by using principal component analysis (PCA), multiblock or consensus PCA, partial least square regression (PLSR), and analysis of spectral variation due to different design factors by an ANOVA model. All main chemical biomass constituents were detected by FT-Raman spectroscopy, including lipids, proteins, cell wall carbohydrates, and polyphosphates, and carotenoids. FT-Raman spectra clearly show the effect of growth conditions on fungal biomass. PLSR models with high coefficients of determination (0.83-0.94) and low error (approximately 8%) for quantitative determination of total lipids, phosphates, and carotenoids were established. FT-Raman spectroscopy showed great potential for chemical analysis of biomass of oleaginous filamentous fungi. The study demonstrates that FT-Raman and FTIR spectroscopies provide complementary information on main fungal biomass constituents.

Physiological and Biochemical Traits of Two Major Arabidopsis Accessions, Col-0 and Ws, Under Salinity

Salinity affects plant growth and development as shown with the glycophyte model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). Two Arabidopsis accessions, Wassilewskija (Ws) and Columbia (Col-0), are widely used to generate mutants available from various Arabidopsis seed resources. However, these two ecotypes are known to be salt-sensitive with different degrees of tolerance. In our study, 3-week-old Col-0 and Ws plants were treated with and without 150 mM NaCl for 48, 72, or 96 h, and several physiological and biochemical traits were characterized on shoots to identify any specific traits in their tolerance to salinity. Before salt treatment was carried out, a different phenotype was observed between Col-0 and Ws, whose main inflorescence stem became elongated in contrast to Col-0, which only displayed rosette leaves. Our results showed that Col-0 and Ws were both affected by salt stress with limited growth associated with a reduction in nutrient uptake, a degradation of photosynthetic pigments, an increase in protein degradation, as well as showing changes in carbohydrate metabolism and cell wall composition. These traits were often more pronounced in Col-0 and occurred usually earlier than in Ws. Tandem Mass Tags quantitative proteomics data correlated well with the physiological and biochemical results. The Col-0 response to salt stress was specifically characterized by a greater accumulation of osmoprotectants such as anthocyanin, galactinol, and raffinose; a lower reactive oxygen detoxification capacity; and a transient reduction in galacturonic acid content. Pectin degradation was associated with an overaccumulation of the wall-associated kinase 1, WAK1, which plays a role in cell wall integrity (CWI) upon salt stress exposure. Under control conditions, Ws produced more antioxidant enzymes than Col-0. Fewer specific changes occurred in Ws in response to salt stress apart from a higher number of different fascilin-like arabinogalactan proteins and a greater abundance of expansin-like proteins, which could participate in CWI. Altogether, these data indicate that Col-0 and Ws trigger similar mechanisms to cope with salt stress, and specific changes are more likely related to the developmental stage than to their respective genetic background.

Wine phenolic profile altered by yeast: Mechanisms and influences

Grape phenolic compounds undergo various types of transformations during winemaking under the influences of yeasts, which further impacts the sensory attributes, thus the quality of wine. Understanding the roles of yeasts in phenolics transformation is important for controlling wine quality through fermentation culture selection. This literature review discusses the mechanisms of how yeasts alter the phenolic compounds during winemaking, summarizes the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces yeasts on the content and composition of phenolics in wine, and highlights the influences of mixed cultural fermentation on the phenolic profile of wine. Collectively, this paper aims to provide a deeper understanding on yeast-phenolics interactions and to identify the current literature gaps for future research.

Marine Natural Products from Tunicates and Their Associated Microbes

Marine tunicates are identified as a potential source of marine natural products (MNPs), demonstrating a wide range of biological properties, like antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The symbiotic relationship between tunicates and specific microbial groups has revealed the acquisition of microbial compounds by tunicates for defensive purpose. For instance, yellow pigmented compounds, "tambjamines", produced by the tunicate, Sigillina signifera (Sluiter, 1909), primarily originated from their bacterial symbionts, which are involved in their chemical defense function, indicating the ecological role of symbiotic microbial association with tunicates. This review has garnered comprehensive literature on MNPs produced by tunicates and their symbiotic microbionts. Various sections covered in this review include tunicates' ecological functions, biological activities, such as antimicrobial, antitumor, and anticancer activities, metabolic origins, utilization of invasive tunicates, and research gaps. Apart from the literature content, 20 different chemical databases were explored to identify tunicates-derived MNPs. In addition, the management and exploitation of tunicate resources in the global oceans are detailed for their ecological and biotechnological implications.

Production and Selectivity of Key Fusarubins from Fusarium solani due to Media Composition

Natural products display a large structural variation and different uses within a broad spectrum of industries. In this study, we investigate the influence of carbohydrates and nitrogen sources on the production and selectivity of production of four different polyketides produced by Fusarium solani, fusarubin, javanicin, bostrycoidin and anhydrofusarubin. We introduce four different carbohydrates and two types of nitrogen sources. Hereafter, a full factorial design was applied using combinations of three levels of sucrose and three levels of the two types of nitrogen. Each combination displayed different selectivity and production yields for all the compounds of interest. Response surface design was utilized to investigate possible maximum yields for the surrounding combinations of media. It was also shown that the maximum yields were not always the ones illustrating high selectivity, which is an important factor for making purification steps easier. We visualized the production over time for one of the media types, illustrating high yields and selectivity.

Light Intensity Plays Contrasting Roles in Regulating Metabolite Compositions in Choy Sum (Brassica rapa var. parachinensis)

Light intensity can be an efficient tool in regulating leafy vegetable quality and yet little is known mechanistically hitherto. In this study, choy sum metabolic responses to progressively increasing white light intensity were investigated in terms of its essential metabolites including chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and glucosinolates. Significant enhancements were observed in choy sum's nutritional quality like the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity under a high intensity of light. However, progoitrin was significantly increased by up to 7.54-fold under a low light intensity of 50 μmol/(m²·s) compared with high light intensity, presenting a unique virus/pest-prevention strategy of choy sum under poor growth status. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a linear relationship between the light intensity and some metabolites. Principal component analysis further confirmed such contrasting roles of light intensity. The new knowledge gained about light-influenced choy sum metabolite levels can be critical in directing farmers in indoor farming practice for improving vegetable nutritional values.

Sea Urchin Pigments: Echinochrome A and Its Potential Implication in the Cytokine Storm Syndrome

Background: Echinochrome A (EchA) is a pigment from sea urchins. EchA is a polyhydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinone that contains several hydroxyl groups appropriate for free-radical scavenging and preventing redox imbalance. EchA is the most studied molecule of this family and is an active principle approved to be used in humans, usually for cardiopathies and glaucoma. EchA is used as a pharmaceutical drug. Methods: A comprehensive literature and patent search review was undertaken using PubMed, as well as Google Scholar and Espacenet search engines to review these areas. Conclusions: In the bloodstream, EchA can mediate cellular responses, act as a radical scavenger, and activate the glutathione pathway. It decreases ROS imbalance, prevents and limits lipid peroxidation, and enhances mitochondrial functions. Most importantly, EchA contributes to the modulation of the immune system. EchA can regulate the generation of regulatory T cells, inhibit pro-inflammatory IL-1β and IL-6 cytokine production, while slightly reducing IL-8, TNF-α, INF-α, and NKT, thus correcting immune imbalance. These characteristics suggest that EchA is a candidate drug to alleviate the cytokine storm syndrome (CSS).

Strong Response of Stem Photosynthesis to Defoliation in Mikania micrantha Highlights the Contribution of Phenotypic Plasticity to Plant Invasiveness

Phenotypic plasticity affords invasive plant species the ability to colonize a wide range of habitats, but physiological plasticity of their stems is seldom recognized. Investigation of the stem plasticity of invasive plant species could lead to a better understanding of their invasiveness. We performed pot experiments involving defoliation treatments and isolated culture experiments to determine whether the invasive species Mikania micrantha exhibits greater plasticity in the stems than do three non-invasive species that co-occur in southern China and then explored the mechanism underlying the modification of its stem photosynthesis. Our results showed that the stems of M. micrantha exhibited higher plasticity in terms of either net or gross photosynthetic rate in response to the defoliation treatment. These effects were positively related to an increased stem elongation rate. The enhancement of stem photosynthesis in M. micrantha resulted from the comprehensive action involving increases in the Chl a/b ratio, D1 protein and stomatal aperture, changes in chloroplast morphology and a decrease in anthocyanins. Increased plasticity of stem photosynthesis may improve the survival of M. micrantha under harsh conditions and allow it to rapidly recover from defoliation injuries. Our results highlight that phenotypic plasticity promotes the invasion success of alien plant invaders.

OVAT Analysis and Response Surface Methodology Based on Nutrient Sources for Optimization of Pigment Production in the Marine-Derived Fungus Talaromyces albobiverticillius 30548 Submerged Fermentation

Pigment production from filamentous fungi is gaining interest due to the diversity of fungal species, the variety of compounds synthesized, and the possibility of controlled massive productions. The Talaromyces species produce a large panel of metabolites, including Monascus-like azaphilone pigments, with potential use as natural colorants in industrial applications. Optimizing pigment production from fungal strains grown on different carbon and nitrogen sources, using statistical methods, is widespread nowadays. The present work is the first in an attempt to optimize pigments production in a culture of the marine-derived T. albobiverticillius 30548, under the influence of several nutrients sources. Nutrient combinations were screened through the one-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) analysis. Sucrose combined with yeast extract provided a maximum yield of orange pigments (OPY) and red pigments (RPY) (respectively, 1.39 g/L quinizarin equivalent and 2.44 g/L Red Yeast pigment equivalent), as well as higher dry biomass (DBW) (6.60 g/L). Significant medium components (yeast extract, K₂HPO₄ and MgSO₄·7H₂O) were also identified from one-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) analysis for pigment and biomass production. A five-level central composite design (CCD) and a response surface methodology (RSM) were applied to evaluate the optimal concentrations and interactive effects between selected nutrients. The experimental results were well fitted with the chosen statistical model. The predicted maximum response for OPY (1.43 g/L), RPY (2.59 g/L), and DBW (15.98 g/L) were obtained at 3 g/L yeast extract, 1 g/L K₂HPO₄, and 0.2 g/L MgSO₄·7H₂O. Such optimization is of great significance for the selection of key nutrients and their concentrations in order to increase the pigment production at a pilot or industrial scale.

Bioprospecting of Less-Polar Constituents from Endemic Brown Macroalga Fucus virsoides J. Agardh from the Adriatic Sea and Targeted Antioxidant Effects In Vitro and In Vivo (Zebrafish Model)

The endemic brown macroalga Fucus virsoides J. Agardh from the Adriatic Sea was in the focus of the present research. The volatiles of fresh (FrFv) and air-dried (DrFv) samples of F. virsoides obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD) were analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector and mass spectrometry (GC-FID/MS). The major HS-FrFv compound was pentadecane (61.90-71.55%) followed by pentadec-1-ene (11.00-7.98%). In HS-DrFv, pentadec-1-ene was not present, and few lower aliphatic compounds appeared, as well as benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol. In HD-FrFv, particularly abundant were alkenes (such as pentadec-1-ene (19.32%), or (E)-pentadec-7-ene (8.35%)). In HD-DrFv, more oxidation products were present (e.g., carbonyl compounds such as tridecanal (18.51%)). The fatty acids profile of freeze-dried sample (FdFv) after conversion to methyl esters was determined by GC-FID, and oleic acid was dominant (42.28%), followed by arachidonic acid (15.00%). High-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (HPLC-ESI-HRMS) was used for the screening of less polar fractions (F3 and F4) of F. virsoides. Mono- and diglycerides of stearic, palmitic, oleic, and arachidonic acids were found. Terpenoids and steroids comprised the compounds C20H30(32)O2 and C29H48O(2). Among carotenoids, fucoxanthin was identified. Chlorophyll derivatives were also found (C55H74(72)N4O(5-7)), dominated by pheophytin a. The antioxidant activity of the fractions was investigated by in vitro assays (oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), reduction of radical cation (ABTS•+), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) assay, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)) and by in vivo zebrafish model (along with fish embryotoxicity). In vitro experiments proved good radical scavenging abilities of F3 and F4 fractions, which were additionally supported by the protective effect against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos.

Colors of life: a review on fungal pigments

Colorants find social and commercial applications in cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and other industrial sectors. Among the available options, chemically synthesized colorants are popular due to their low-cost and flexible production modes, but health and environmental concerns have encouraged the valorization of biopigments that are natural and ecofriendly. Among natural biopigment producers, microorganisms are noteworthy for their all-seasonal production of stable and low-cost pigments with high-yield titers. Fungi are paramount sources of natural pigments. They occupy diverse ecological niches with adaptive metabolisms and biocatalytic pathways, making them entities with an industrial interest. Industrially important biopigments like carotenoids, melanins, riboflavins, azaphilones, and quinones produced by filamentous fungi are described within the context of this review. Most recent information about fungal pigment characteristics, biochemical production routes and pathways, potential applications, limitations, and future research perspectives are described.

Antioxidant Enzymatic Activities and Growth Response of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) to Exogenous Selenium Application

Selenium is a trace element essential to many organisms, including higher plants. At low concentrations, it enhances growth and development; however, it is toxic at high concentrations. The development of crops with proper levels of selenium will be worth for both nutrition and Se-based therapeutics. This study aimed to investigate the morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of the quinoa plant to 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/L of Na2SeO3·5H2O. Selenium at low concentrations (2.5 and 5 mg/L), quinoa plant showed a significant increase of growth parameters, relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, proline, total soluble sugars, and antioxidant enzymes activities as (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)), and contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 were reduced. However, high concentrations (10 and 20) mg/L caused a decrease in plant growth parameters, relative water content, and photosynthetic pigments. In contrast, excess selenium increased the oxidative stress monitored by hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation levels. The enzymatic antioxidant system responded to the selenium supply significantly increased. Osmolytes compounds, such as total sugars and proline, increased in selenium-treated plants. The increase in these osmolytes compounds may show a defense mechanism for the osmotic readjustment of quinoa plants to mitigate the toxicity caused by selenium. This study shows the morphological and physiological responses that must be considered for success in the sustainable cultivation of quinoa plants in environments containing excess selenium.

Melanin-Inspired Chromophoric Microparticles Composed of Polymeric Peptide Pigments

Melanin and related polyphenolic pigments are versatile functional polymers that serve diverse aesthetic and protective roles across the living world. These polymeric pigments continue to inspire the development of adhesive, photonic, electronic and radiation-protective materials and coatings. The properties of these structures are dictated by covalent and non-covalent interactions in ways that, despite progress, are not fully understood. It remains a major challenge to direct oxidative polymerization of their precursors (amino acids, (poly-)phenols, thiols) toward specific structures. By taking advantage of supramolecular pre-organization of tyrosine-tripeptides and reactive sequestering of selected amino acids during enzymatic oxidation, we demonstrate the spontaneous formation of distinct new chromophores with optical properties that are far beyond the range of those found in biological melanins, in terms of color, UV absorbance and fluorescent emission.

Technological Applications of Natural Colorants in Food Systems: A Review

Natural colorants have emerged as an alternative to their synthetic counterparts due to an existing health concern of these later. Moreover, natural-food colorants are a renewable option providing health benefits and interesting technological and sensory attributes to the food systems containing them. Several sources of natural colorants have been explored aiming to deliver the required wide color range demanded by consumers. This review aimed to compare and discuss the technological applications of the main natural-food colorants into food system in the last six years, giving additional information about their extraction process. Although natural colorants are promising choices to replace synthetic ones, optimization of processing conditions, research on new sources, and new formulations to ensure stability are required to equate their properties to their synthetic counterparts.

Characteristics of Fragaria vesca Yield Parameters and Anthocyanin Accumulation under Water Deficit Stress

Plants exposed to drought stress conditions often increase the synthesis of anthocyanins—natural plant pigments and antioxidants. However, water deficit (WD) often causes significant yield loss. The aim of our study was to evaluate the productivity as well as the anthocyanin content and composition of berries from cultivated Fragaria vesca “Rojan” and hybrid No. 17 plants (seedlings) grown under WD. The plants were grown in an unheated greenhouse and fully irrigated (control) or irrigated at 50% and 25%. The number of berries per plant and the berry weight were evaluated every 4 days. The anthocyanin content and composition of berries were evaluated with the same periodicity using HPLC. The effect of WD on the yield parameters of two evaluated F. vesca genotypes differed depending on the harvest time. The cumulative yield of plants under WD was not less than that of the control plants for 20–24 days after the start of the experiment. Additionally, berries accumulated 36–56% (1.5–2.3 times, depending on the harvest time) more anthocyanins compared with fully irrigated plants. Our data show that slight or moderate WD at a stable air temperature of about 20 °C positively affected the biosynthesis of anthocyanins and the yield of F. vesca berries.

Flavobacterium phycosphaerae sp. nov. isolated from the phycosphere of Microcystis aeruginosa

A novel aerobic bacterial strain, designated MK012^T, was isolated from the phycosphere of Microcystis aeruginosa. MK012^T appears to be Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and rod-shaped and has yellow pigments. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA revealed that this bacterium was most closely related to Flavobacterium buctense T7^T (=JCM 30750^T; 97.5 %), Flavobacterium dankookense ARSA-19^T (=KCTC 23179^T; 97.5 %) and Flavobacterium macrobrachii an-8^T (=DSM 22219^T; 97.3 %). The genome size and genomic DNA G+C content of MK012^T were estimated at 3.3 Mbp and 37.6 mol%, respectively. The average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of MK012^T and the members of the genus Flavobacterium were found to be 71.8-78.3 %, 65.1-79.6% and 19.1-21.5 %, respectively. MK012^T exhibited oxidase but no catalase activity. The cells grew at 14-36 °C (optimum, 25 °C), pH 5-10 (optimum, pH 7) and 0-0.4 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0 % NaCl) in R2A medium. MK012^T did not produce flexirubin-type pigments. The predominant cellular fatty acids of MK012^T were determined to be iso-C_15 : 0, iso-C_15 : 0 3-OH, iso-C_17 : 0 3-OH, and summed feature 9 (10-methyl C_16 : 0 and/or iso-C_17 : 1ω9c); MK-6 was identified as its only respiratory quinone. Its major polar lipids were determined to be phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids, and two unidentified polar lipids. The genotypic and phenotypic characteristics indicate that MK012^T (=KACC 21509^T=JCM 33879^T) represents a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium; therefore, the name Flavobacterium phycosphaerae sp. nov. is proposed.

Oxidative Stress and Antioxidative Activity in Leaves and Roots of Carrot Plants Induced by Candidatus Phytoplasma Solani

The present study examined the effects of Candidatus Phytoplasma solani infection on antioxidative metabolism in leaves and roots of carrot (Daucus carota L.). Disease symptoms appeared at the end of June in the form of the chlorosis on some of the leaves, which became intensely red one week later, while the previously healthy leaves from the same branch becme chlorotic. A few days later, all leaves from the infected leaf branch were intensely red. Infected plants also had slower growth compared to the healthy ones with fewer leaf branches developed. The roots of infected plants were less developed, seared, or gummy with or without brown-colored root hair. The presence of the pathogen was detected by sequencing the 16S rRNA. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) BLAST analyses of the obtained sequence revealed 100% identity of tested strain with deposited Ca. Phytoplasma solani strains from various countries and hosts, all belonging to the “stolbur” group (16SrXII-A). Identity of 99.74% was found when the tested Serbian strain (MF503627) was compared with the reference stolbur strain STOL11 (AF248959). The oxidative damage of membranes in carrot cells was accompanied by a decrease in the content of photosynthetic pigments. Furthermore, for the determination of specific scavenging properties of the extracts, in vitro antioxidant assay was performed. In phytoplasma-infected carrot leaves, there was a greater reduction in the level of glutathione content (GSH); however; flavonoids and anthocyanidins seem to be responsible for the accompanied increased antioxidative capacity against hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide.

Carotenoids and Some Other Pigments from Fungi and Yeasts

Carotenoids are an essential group of compounds that may be obtained by microbiological synthesis. They are instrumental in various areas of industry, medicine, agriculture, and ecology. The increase of carotenoids' demand at the global market is now essential. At the moment, the production of natural carotenoids is more expensive than obtaining their synthetic forms, but several new approaches/directions on how to decrease this difference were developed during the last decades. This review briefly describes the information accumulated until now about the beneficial effects of carotenoids on human health protection, their possible application in the treatments of various diseases, and their use in the food and feed industry. This review also describes some issues that are linked with biotechnological production of fungal and yeasts carotenoids, as well as new approaches/directions to make their biotechnological production more efficient.

Microalgae as source of functional ingredients in new-generation foods: challenges, technological effects, biological activity, and regulatory issues

Microalgae feasibility as food ingredients or source of nutrients and/or bioactive compounds and their health effects have been widely studied. This review aims to provide an overview of the use of microalgae biomass in food products, the technological effects of its incorporation, and their use as a source of health-promoting bioactive compounds. In addition, it presents the regulatory aspects of commercialization and consumption, and the main trends and market challenges Microalgae have stood out as sources of nutritional compounds (polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber) and biologically active compounds (asthaxanthin, β-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids). The consumption of microalgae biomass proved to have several health effects, such as hypoglycemic activity, gastroprotective and anti-steatotic properties, improvements in neurobehavioral and cognitive dysfunction, and hypolipidemic properties. Its addition to food products can improve the nutritional value, aroma profile, and technological properties, with important alterations on the syneresis of yogurts, meltability in cheeses, overrun values and melting point in ice creams, physical properties and mechanical characteristics in crisps, and texture, cooking and color characteristics in pastas. However, more studies are needed to prove the health effects in humans, expand the market size, reduce the cost of production, and tighter constraints related to regulations.

Linking Tissue Damage to Hyperspectral Reflectance for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Apple Fruit in Orchards

Reflected light carries ample information about the biochemical composition, tissue architecture, and physiological condition of plants. Recent technical progress has paved the way for affordable imaging hyperspectrometers (IH) providing spatially resolved spectral information on plants on different levels, from individual plant organs to communities. The extraction of sensible information from hyperspectral images is difficult due to inherent complexity of plant tissue and canopy optics, especially when recorded under ambient sunlight. We report on the changes in hyperspectral reflectance accompanying the accumulation of anthocyanins in healthy apple (cultivars Ligol, Gala, Golden Delicious) fruits as well as in fruits affected by pigment breakdown during sunscald development and phytopathogen attacks. The measurements made outdoors with a snapshot IH were compared with traditional "point-type" reflectance measured with a spectrophotometer under controlled illumination conditions. The spectra captured by the IH were suitable for processing using the approaches previously developed for "point-type" apple fruit and leaf reflectance spectra. The validity of this approach was tested by constructing a novel index mBRI (modified browning reflectance index) for detection of tissue damages on the background of the anthocyanin absorption. The index was suggested in the form of mBRI = (R₆₄₀^-1 + R₈₀₀^-1) - R₆₇₈^-1. Difficulties of the interpretation of fruit hyperspectral reflectance images recorded in situ are discussed with possible implications for plant physiology and precision horticulture practices.

Comparison of Three Accelerated Oxidation Tests Applied to Red Wines with Different Chemical Composition

Background: Three accelerated oxidation tests were proposed to simulate red wine oxidation thus providing information useful to correctly manage moderate oxygen exposure of wine during aging in regard to phenolic composition and wine color. Since the results of the tests have never been compared on wines with different initial composition, the aim of this study was to find a suitable method to simulate oxidation of any still red wine. Methods: Aglianico, Barbera, Gaglioppo, Magliocco, and Nerello wines were treated with (1) three cycles of air saturation, (2) the addition of hydrogen peroxide, and (3) the addition of acetaldehyde. Changes in chromatic characteristics and phenolic composition were determined by spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. Results: Important differences in the behavior of the different wines were detected: the highest formation of polymeric pigments was observed in Barbera and Aglianico wines. In contrast, Gaglioppo and Magliocco wines showed a lower variability before and after the oxidation probably due to the lower anthocyanin/tannin ratio. Among the accelerated oxidation tests applied, no significant differences in color parameters and phenolic composition were detected in samples treated with the addition of H₂O₂ and the air saturation method. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that H₂O₂ addition is a successful tool to predict the evolution of different phenolic compounds during the air saturation treatment of wines.

Colors of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

Although single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exhibit various colors in suspension, directly synthesized SWCNT films usually appear black. Recently, a unique one-step method for directly fabricating green and brown films has been developed. Such remarkable progress, however, has brought up several new questions. The coloration mechanism, potentially achievable colors, and color controllability of SWCNTs are unknown. Here, a quantitative model is reported that can predict the specific colors of SWCNT films and unambiguously identify the coloration mechanism. Using this model, colors of 466 different SWCNT species are calculated, which reveals a broad spectrum of potentially achievable colors of SWCNTs. The calculated colors are in excellent agreement with existing experimental data. Furthermore, the theory predicts the existence of many brilliantly colored SWCNT films, which are experimentally expected. This study shows that SWCNTs as a form of pure carbon, can display a full spectrum of vivid colors, which is expected to complement the general understanding of carbon materials.

Tolerance Mechanisms of the Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Salvia sclarea L. to Excess Zinc

In recent years, due to the development of industrial and agricultural production, heavy metal contamination has attracted increasing attention. Aromatic and medicinal plant Salvia sclarea L. (clary sage) is classified to zinc (Zn) accumulators and considered as a potential plant for the phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils. In this study, an adaptation of clary sage to 900 µM (excess) Zn exposure for eight days in a hydroponic culture was investigated. The tolerance mechanisms under excess Zn exposure were assessed by evaluating changes in the nutrient uptake, leaf pigment and phenolic content, photosynthetic activity and leaf structural characteristics. The uptake and the distribution of Zn, as well as some essential elements such as: Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Cu, were examined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results revealed that Salvia sclarea is a Zn-accumulator plant that tolerates significantly high toxic levels of Zn in the leaves by increasing the leaf contents of Fe, Ca and Mn ions to protect the photosynthetic function and to stimulate the photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) activities. The exposure of clary sage to excess Zn significantly increased the synthesis of total phenolics and anthocyanins in the leaves; these play an important role in Zn detoxification and protection against oxidative stress. The lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage in leaves, used as clear indicators for heavy metal damage, were slightly increased. All these data highlight that Salvia sclarea is an economically interesting plant for the phytoextraction and/or phytostabilization of Zn-contaminated soils.

Bioprospecting of Coralline Red Alga Amphiroa rigida J.V. Lamouroux: Volatiles, Fatty Acids and Pigments

Due to the lack of phytochemical composition data, the major goals of the present study on Amphiroa rigida J.V. Lamouroux were to: (a) investigate and compare volatilome profiles of fresh and air-dried samples obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD) followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis; (b) determine fatty acids profile by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID); (c) obtain the pigment profiles of semipurified extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and (d) evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of its less polar fractions. The comparison of headspace of fresh (FrAr) and air-dried (DrAr) samples revealed many similarities regarding the presence and abundance of the major (heptadecane and pentadecane) and minor compounds. The hydrodistillate (HD) of DrAr profile was quite different in comparison to HD-FrAr. The predominant compound in HD-FrAr was (E)-phytol. In HD-DrAr, its percentage was approximately one-half reduced, but the abundance of its degradation product phytone and of unsaturated and oxygenated compounds increased indicating more intense fatty acid decomposition and oxidation during drying. The fatty acid determination revealed that the most dominant was palmitic acid (42.86%) followed by eicosapentaenoic acid (19.14%) and stearic acid (11.65%). Among the pigments, A. rigida contained fucoxanthin (0.63 mg g⁻¹ of dry fraction), lutein (5.83 mg g⁻¹), β-carotene (6.18 mg g⁻¹) and chlorophyll a (13.65 mg g⁻¹). The analyzed less polar fractions of A. rigida exhibited antioxidant scavenging activity with diammonium salt of 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazolin-6-yl) sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay up to 3.87 mg g⁻¹ trolox equivalents (TE), and with the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay up to 825.63 μmol g⁻¹ TE (with carotenoids as the major contributors).