Search Results (4,378)

Organic pollutant degradation demands photocatalysts that couple efficient charge separation with strong redox capability. Direct Z-scheme heterojunction architectures fulfill these requirements and are consequently considered promising candidates. However, the rational design of such systems continues to present a major obstacle. Herein, a CdSe/amorphous MoSe_x (CdSe/a-MoSe_x) direct Z-scheme heterojunction was successfully synthesized via a simple solid-state grinding and low-temperature hydrothermal method. Within 120 min under visible-light irradiation, methylene blue (MB, 40 mg/L) was degraded to 97.3% efficiency by the CdSe/a-MoSe_x heterojunction, whose photocatalytic activity markedly exceeded that of pristine CdSe and a-MoSe_x. Intimate interfacial contact between CdSe and a-MoSe_x enables photogenerated carriers to separate and migrate more efficiently, underpinning the observed performance enhancement. Moreover, the suitable band alignment derived from valence-band (VB) XPS and Mott-Schottky measurements supports the formation of a direct Z-scheme charge-transfer pathway. The Z-scheme mechanism effectively inhibits electron-hole recombination while maintaining the robust oxidation and reduction capabilities of the photogenerated carriers. This study offers a straightforward approach for fabricating CdSe/a-MoSe_x direct Z-scheme heterojunctions for the efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Full article

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa L.) is a promising leafy vegetable for controlled-environment production, but integrated information on its growth, structural quality, optical traits, and photochemical responses to light-emitting diode (LED) spectra remains limited. To our knowledge, this study provides the first systematic comparison of five contrasting LED spectral conditions in sorrel using morphological, biomass, structural-quality, reflectance-based, and chlorophyll-fluorescence indicators. Plants were grown for six weeks under red light (RL), green light (GL), blue light (BL), purple-phyto light (PL) containing red, blue, and far-red components, or white light (WL) at a color temperature of 6500 K. Sorrel responses differed markedly among spectral environments and could not be explained by a single growth parameter. WL produced the highest mean shoot dry weight (505 mg), which was approximately 30.5% higher than that under PL (387 mg), although the difference between the two treatments was not statistically significant. WL also produced 46.5% greater leaf area than PL (50.1 versus 34.2 cm²) and showed the highest mean PI_ABS value (4.00). In contrast, PL showed the highest mean root dry weight (25.5 mg) and Dickson quality index (9.4), together with a relatively low shoot-to-root ratio (17.7) and top-heavy index (20.0), indicating a less shoot-biased structural pattern. BL restricted growth and leaf development and was associated with lower soil plant analysis development units, normalized difference vegetation index, photochemical reflectance index, F_v/F_m, and PI_ABS, indicating that BL alone may have limited suitability for sorrel cultivation under the present experimental conditions. Under the tested conditions, WL appeared more suitable for yield-oriented production, whereas PL may be considered when shoot–root structural balance is prioritized. Full article

Psoriasis is characterized by the rapid proliferation of keratinocytes, leading to erythematous plaques with silvery scales, skin pain, and impaired quality of life. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising treatment modality for various skin disorders, including psoriasis. Curcumin, a natural photosensitizer, possesses potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of synthetic curcuminoids combined with blue-light-mediated PDT for psoriasis treatment using human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells. MTT assays demonstrated that the synthetic curcuminoids (1E,6E)-1,7-bis(5-methylthiophen-2-yl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione (No. 11) and (1E,6E)-1,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione (No. 12) exhibited minimal cytotoxicity toward HaCaT cells. Upon ultraviolet–visible light irradiation, curcuminoid-treated cells generated intracellular reactive oxygen species, confirming the photodynamic activity induced by blue light exposure. Treatment with synthetic curcuminoids significantly suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17A/F and IL-8 in imiquimod-stimulated HaCaT cells, a commonly used psoriasis-like inflammatory model, indicating notable anti-inflammatory effects. Western blot analysis further revealed an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in cells treated with synthetic curcuminoids No. 11 or No. 12 under photodynamic irradiation, suggesting the induction of apoptosis. Synthetic curcuminoids combined with blue-light PDT may represent a promising and cost-effective strategy for psoriasis. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of different LED spectral irradiance ratios on the growth, secondary metabolites, and essential oil characteristics of Ocimum × africanum Lour. cultivated for four weeks under controlled conditions. Four LED lighting treatments with different red, blue, green, ultraviolet-A, and far-red light ratios, and a treatment in greenhouse as low-light control were used. The constant 16 h photoperiod and light intensity of 220 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ were maintained. The F2 treatment (UV-A:B:R:Fr = 6.60:45.15:29.23:19.02) promoted the greatest plant height (76.62 cm), and chlorophyll a (7.41 mg/100 g, FW), chlorophyll b (4.73 mg/100 g, FW), and total phenolic (25.78 mg/g, FW) concentrations. F1 treatment (B:G:R:Fr = 17.14:29.8:47.4:5.66) produced significantly higher (p < 0.01) biomass (8.3 ton/ha, FW), oil yield (10.89 L/ha), and carotenoid (3.74 mg/100 g, FW) than the others. Essential oils contained 12–15 compounds, dominated by neral (27.5–37.3%), geranial (41.1–49.9%), and (E)-β-caryophyllene (2.4–9.9%), while the highest contents of oil (0.83%, DW), anthocyanin (16.50 mg/100 g, FW), and total flavonoid (14.17 mg/g, FW) were obtained under F4 (B:G:R:Fr = 13.85:43.50:39.30:3.35). These findings demonstrate that optimized LED spectra can effectively improve both productivity and phytochemical quality in O. africanum through regulating both primary and secondary metabolism. Full article

White LEDs are widely used in fields such as lighting and display. However, existing white light devices suffer from excessively broad emission spectra full width at half maximum (FWHM) and severe leakage of pump blue light. Hence, this study proposes a theoretical design for an ultra-narrow-band white LEDs based on an asymmetric Fabry-Pérot (F-P) microcavity. The microcavity employs a dual-DBR configuration with asymmetric optical responses: the bottom DBRs utilize a ZnS/MgF₂ ($d_L$/2-$d_H$-$d_L$/2)⁵ stack, providing a low reflectance of ~20% at 457 nm for efficient blue light transmission and quantum dot excitation; conversely, the final device incorporating top DBRs with a TiO₂/MgF₂ ($d_H$/2-$d_L$-$d_H$/2)⁴-stacked structure achieved a high reflectivity of approximately 89% at 457 nm, effectively decreasing the excessive blue light in the output spectrum. The intermediate emissive layer uses polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as the quantum dot host. By precisely tuning the cavity thickness, the resonant modes of the F-P microcavity—specifically the fourth-order (626 nm) and fifth-order (534 nm)—are aligned with the emission peaks of the red and green quantum dots, respectively. Simulation results demonstrate that the structure leverages the cavity filtering effect to compress the FWHM of the red and green emissions from initial values of 36.5 nm and 29.8 nm down to 2.2 nm and 1.9 nm, respectively, representing an order-of-magnitude improvement in color purity. Through the co-optimization of the top-DBR’s central wavelength, cavity optical thickness, and the doping ratio of red/green quantum dots, standard white light emission with CIE coordinates of (0.32, 0.33) was achieved, accompanied by emission efficiencies of 6.3% (green) and 22.3% (red) for the QDs. However, strict manufacturing tolerances and narrow observation angles limit the applicability of the device. This work provides theoretical research for developing white light sources. Full article

Surface quality is a critical indicator of product performance, creating a growing demand for real-time surface inspection in industrial manufacturing. However, conventional surface normal measurement techniques require sequential measurements with varying illumination or observation angles, making them unsuitable for high-speed online inspection. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes a novel imaging technique, termed normalography, for visualizing pixel-wise surface normal distributions. Analogous to thermography, normalography visualizes the spatial distribution of surface normal directions over a material surface. The proposed method targets highly glossy and smooth surfaces and is based on reflectance measurements. A multi-angle collimator was developed to simultaneously illuminate the target surface from multiple incident directions, while multispectral illumination was employed to distinguish the reflected light corresponding to each direction. An imaging system incorporating red, green, and blue illumination sources enables single-shot acquisition of surface normal information over a 1024 × 1024-pixel field of view. The proposed normalography enables camera-like real-time visualization of surface normal distributions without sequential image acquisition, demonstrating its potential for online surface inspection and quality monitoring in industrial manufacturing. Full article

This article aims to investigate the effects of operational factors on methylene blue (MB) decolorization in a visible light advanced oxidation process (AOP). Response surface methodology was applied to evaluate variable interactions and identify the best operational conditions of the process. The response surface analysis of the expected increase in methylene blue decolorization at different levels of the variable parameters was employed. The experiment evaluated the influence of the following parameters: pH, glucose dose, Na₂S₂O₈ (SPS) concentration, and initial dye concentration. The model confirmed that the optimal conditions for MB decolorization in the visible light-driven advanced oxidation process were: SPS dose = 30 mM, glucose dose = 230 mM, pH = 4. The highest decolorization level was obtained at a concentration of C_0[MB] = 5 ppm (R = 63%). The kinetics of the process followed pseudo-first-order (R² = 97–99%). The radical scavenger test showed that both sulfate and hydroxy radicals are involved in MB decolorization. The test confirmed that the proposed method is effective even at a broad range of MB concentrations (1–10 ppm). The analysis showed that the proposed method is highly efficient across various dye concentrations, which is particularly significant from a practical perspective. Summarizing, this study fills a research gap in the optimization of methylene blue decolorization within the scope of advanced oxidation processes driven by visible light and glucose, demonstrating high efficiency across a range of different environmental variables. The study showed that the SPS/Vis/glucose process can serve as a valuable alternative to conventional decolorization methods. Full article

This study evaluated LED-supported speed-breeding conditions for two registered soybean cultivars (‘Sonya’ and ‘Victoria’; approximately Maturity Groups III–IV) by testing four constant photoperiod regimes (10, 14, 18, and 22 h light) combined with four LED spectral treatments differing in high red (HR; 640–660 nm), deep blue (DB; 450–460 nm), far-red (FR; 720–730 nm), cool white (CW; 6500 K; 400–700 nm) and warm white (WW; 3000 K; 400–700 nm) components. Photoperiod treatments were implemented as sequential runs in a controlled growth-chamber (28 ± 2 °C; ≥50% RH; 400–600 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD), and performance was compared with a field trial in Antalya, Türkiye. Developmental timing (R1, R6), plant height, stem dry weight, pod number, seed oil concentration, fatty acid composition, and seed germination were analyzed using mixed-effects and generalized linear mixed models. Photoperiod exerted dominant control over developmental timing. The 10 h photoperiod regime produced the fastest progression (R1 ≈ 24.5 DAS; R6 ≈ 50 DAS), whereas 18 h markedly delayed R1 and R6 (with one LED treatment within 18 h failing to reach R6), and 22 h did not reach R6. LED spectral treatment did not affect R1 or R6 within photoperiods, but influenced plant height, stem dry weight, total seed oil, and germination. Field-grown plants produced substantially higher biomass and pod number than growth chamber-grown plants, consistent with greater branching and pod set under open-field, direct-sown conditions. Total seed oil concentration differed by environment and cultivar with no environment × cultivar interaction, while centered log-ratio PERMANOVA indicated largely stable fatty acid proportional composition across environments and LED treatments. Germination analyses (restricted to 10 h and 14 h due to insufficient seed production) showed significant effects of LED treatment and harvest timing, with the highest germination under LED–3. Overall, our results indicate that a constant 10 h photoperiod, combined with immature seed harvest from approximately R6 + 20 onward, provides an effective strategy for accelerating soybean generation turnover while maintaining high germination capacity. LED spectral design can also be used to modulate plant architecture and seed quality without substantially altering developmental timing. Full article

Light quality plays a critical role in regulating plant growth during both in vitro culture and hydroponic stages, attracting increasing research attention. However, comprehensive studies incorporating far-red LED light throughout the entire growth cycle of Spathiphyllum floribundum (Linden & André) N.E.Br. ‘Tianjiao’ remain limited. To investigate the effects of red, blue, and far-red light ratios on proliferation, rooting, and hydroponic acclimatization, six LED treatments were established with red: blue ratios of 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40, each with or without far-red light supplementation. Fluorescent light was used as the control. At each stage, morphological traits, photosynthetic pigments, osmotic compounds, antioxidant enzyme activities, and photosynthetic parameters were measured. The results identified distinct optimal light combinations for each growth phase. The optimal treatment for proliferation was 80%R + 20%B + Fr, which produced significant proliferation coefficients and enhanced chlorophyll b and soluble protein content. For rooting, 60%R + 40%B + Fr was most effective, resulting in the highest total chlorophyll content (0.109 mg·g⁻¹) and improved carotenoid accumulation and CAT activity. During hydroponic acclimatization, 60%R + 40%B without far-red light yielded the best performance, achieving the highest plant height (15.28 cm) and net photosynthetic rate (4.77 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹), along with improved water-use efficiency. These results provide potential LED light strategies for the complete process from tissue culture to hydroponics, offering a theoretical basis for designing specialized LED lighting systems for plant tissue culture and hydroponic production. Full article

Phosphorus (Pi) deficiency limits plant productivity. Light quality modulates growth and stress responses, but its interaction with Pi starvation in banana is unclear. We investigated physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic responses of banana seedlings to low Pi under white (WL), red (R), far-red (FR), blue (B), and ultraviolet (UV-A) light. FR light promoted shoot elongation and increased phosphorus, iron, and calcium accumulation, whereas B and UV-A exacerbated growth inhibition and oxidative stress (higher H₂O₂, MDA, and proline). Transcriptomics revealed that B and UV-A enriched cell cycle and stress pathways, while FR enriched photosynthesis and cell wall biogenesis. Expression of phosphate transporters and starvation-responsive genes was spectrum-specific. Metabolomics showed B and UV-A triggered massive accumulation of ABA, flavonoids, and secondary metabolites, indicating strong stress defense. Antioxidant enzyme activities were differentially activated: B upregulated SOD, CAT, and POD; UV specifically enhanced GSH-Px. Integrated correlation networks revealed distinct regulatory hubs: blue light centered on ROS scavenging, red light on phosphate transport. Our findings demonstrate that FR light acts as a positive regulator, while B and UV-A act as additional stressors under Pi deficiency, providing a mechanistic framework for using light spectra to improve crop resilience in Pi-limited conditions. Full article

This study examines how the chromatic characteristics of the Min River urban waterfront are represented in publicly circulated social media images to support place-based biophilic landscape design. Dominant-color records were extracted through pixel-level filtering and per-image K-means clustering in CIELAB space, with image-level lighting-condition interpretation and record-level landscape-element labeling assisted by a multimodal large language model and subsequently reviewed and corrected by the author. Hue distributions and five record-proportion-weighted metrics of saturation, value, vividness, chromatic dissonance, and complexity were examined through an analytical framework integrating temporal scenarios, landscape elements, and lighting conditions. The results reveal a recurrent blue–orange orientation produced by the complementary positioning of multiple landscape elements rather than by any single category. Nighttime imagery showed the highest saturation but the lowest value, whereas dawn and dusk combined relatively high saturation and value and produced the highest vividness and chromatic dissonance. Transitional illumination brought built surfaces closer to natural elements in saturation–value space, while Ward hierarchical clustering identified Color-Affinity Groups that crossed temporal, lighting-condition, and landscape-element boundaries. These findings support a relational interpretation of biophilic color as a condition-dependent configuration rather than a fixed set of element-bound hues. Weighted representative palettes provide scenario-sensitive design references. However, the findings characterize publicly circulated visual representations of the waterfront rather than calibrated physical-color measurements or direct evidence of restorative effects. Full article

Fruit color is a key quality trait in cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and an important factor influencing consumer purchasing decisions. Various pigments, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls, form the biochemical basis of fruit coloration, imparting vivid colors such as red, yellow, orange, and green. Flavonoids and carotenoids are also essential nutritional components in cherry tomato, directly influencing their commercial value, while chlorophylls are crucial for photosynthesis and fruit development. However, conventional tomato varieties typically contain insufficient flavonoid levels to meet human dietary requirements. In this study, we quantified flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophyll a and b in ten high-flavonoid cherry tomato cultivars and investigated the relationships between fruit color and pigment content. The results revealed that red and orange tomato varieties contained higher flavonoid and carotenoid levels than yellow varieties, while green tomatoes exhibited elevated chlorophyll content. Yellow varieties showed the maximum L* (lightness) value. Flavonoid and carotenoid contents were significantly positively correlated with a* (red-green axis) and a*/b* (yellow-blue axis) values but negatively correlated with hue angle, whereas chlorophyll content showed no significant correlations with color parameters. Our findings provide guidance for evaluating the nutritional value of cherry tomatoes based on pigmentation. Full article

The BASIC PENTACYSTEINE (BPC) family represents a group of plant-specific transcription factors with established functions in developmental regulation and environmental adaptation. Although BPC genes have been catalogued in diverse plant species, their genome-wide characterization and light-dependent expression dynamics remain unexplored in the medicinal herb Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn. Here, we report the systematic identification of eight PpBPC loci from the P. praeruptorum genome assembly through comprehensive bioinformatic screening. Evolutionary reconstruction grouped these eight members into three distinct clades (designated A, B, and C). Comparative genomic analyses revealed pronounced syntenic conservation between PpBPCs and their counterparts in Arabidopsis thaliana, Angelica sinensis, and Daucus carota. Members clustered within the same phylogenetic group displayed analogous exon-intron architectures and conserved motif repertoires, and all possessed the characteristic GAGA-binding domain. Examination of transcript abundance across organs demonstrated that clade A and C members shared broadly overlapping expression signatures in root, stem, and leaf tissues, whereas clade B genes exhibited organ-prevalent patterns. When seedlings were treated with three monochromatic light regimes, the PpBPC family displayed heterogeneous transcriptional responses, with individual clades showing distinct wavelength sensitivities. In particular, PpBPC6 and PpBPC8 were strongly activated by blue light. Collectively, these data delineate the foundational landscape of the PpBPC family and highlight candidate members likely involved in light signal transduction, thereby establishing a framework for future mechanistic dissection of light-responsive gene regulation in P. praeruptorum. Full article

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a highly nutritious legume with significant potential as a food plant. With the advent of climate change and the challenge of feeding a growing population, strategies to produce high-nutrient crops are of utmost importance. In this context, this study describes how light intensity and wavelength affect the embryonic axis of chickpea sprout metabolism, using untargeted metabolomics. Chickpea sprouts were grown under varying light wavelengths (red—650, green—550, and blue—450 nm) at two intensities (75 and 275 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹). Analyses were restricted to the embryonic axis (hypocotyl), excluding the cotyledons, which are a reserve-rich tissue. Results showed that high-intensity red light (RH) increased phenolic content by more than 300% compared to controls. Green and blue light treatments significantly increased the protein content by more than twice that of the dark control. Antioxidant activity was significantly higher in sprouts grown under high-intensity blue light (BH). Additionally, the results suggested that pathway regulation is affected not only by wavelength but also by light intensity, with greater significance and effect under BH and RH treatments in isoflavonoid biosynthesis. High quercetin concentration found under BH is hypothesized to explain the high antioxidant activity when compared to the rest. For instance, these findings highlight the potential of light manipulation to modulate and enhance the nutritional and functional qualities of chickpea sprouts’ embryonic axis, contributing to food security and human health. Further studies need to be conducted to answer whether these metabolite changes directly translate to the nutritional quality of the whole edible sprouts. Full article

The blue color of sapphire is associated with Fe and Ti impurities that replace Al³⁺ in the corundum structure. Typically, sapphire color depends on its geological origin, such as basaltic or metamorphic localities, and the blue hue can change after heating in an oxidizing environment. Nonetheless, previous studies on the blue color mechanism have left some questions unanswered. Therefore, this research examines how the oxidation states of Fe and Ti influence sapphire color and explores the mechanism of blue coloration before and after heating in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. This study involved collecting sapphire samples from various gem localities, including basalt-related sapphires from Kanchanaburi, Thailand, and metamorphic-related sapphires from Sri Lanka. The samples were heated in an oxidizing environment at 1100 °C, then at either 1300 °C or 1500 °C in both oxidizing and reducing environments. As a result, after heating under an oxidizing environment at either 1300 °C or 1500 °C, the basalt-related sapphires turned from light blue to pale blue, and the metamorphic-related ones turned colorless. The Fe³⁺-Ti⁴⁺ mixed acceptor states decreased because an electron from the valence band recombined with a hole in the color center during heating. On the other hand, the blue color observed in sapphire samples after heating in a reducing environment at 1300 °C could be explained by electrons being depleted from the hole color center associated with Fe³⁺-Ti⁴⁺ mixed acceptor states within the energy band gap, thereby making them ready to receive electrons from the valence band upon optical excitation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the blue color mechanism in sapphires before and after heating under different atmospheric environments can be explained by an energy-band model involving the presence or absence of Fe³⁺-Ti⁴⁺ mixed acceptor states, as well as a hole color center within the energy band gap. Furthermore, after heating at 1300 °C and 1500 °C in a reducing environment, the oxidation state of Fe gradually decreases from 3+ to 2+. The samples turn black upon heating to 1500 °C, indicating that Fe²⁺-Ti⁴⁺ is responsible for the black color rather than the blue observed in sapphires. Full article