Search Results (2,195)

Persistent global warming significantly impacts crop phenology and productivity, with perennial fruit trees facing heightened challenges due to their long life cycles and complex heat stress accumulation. Apple and pear, which hold substantial economic and nutritional value, are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures, manifesting as accelerated phenology, impaired floral organ development, disrupted pollination and fertilization, and insufficient fruit coloration—all of which severely compromise fruit quality and commercial value. Although recent advances have been made in elucidating heat stress signal transduction and regulatory networks in model plants such as Arabidopsis and rice, research on heat stress responses in apple and pear remains limited. This review systematically synthesizes the physiological responses, gene expression regulation, and protective cultivation strategies under high-temperature stress in apple and pear, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for thermotolerance breeding and the establishment of heat stress regulatory networks, thereby supporting sustainable production in the context of global warming. Full article

Prunus salicina × P. armeniaca, an interspecific hybrid of Chinese plum and apricot, shows substantial variation in peel and flesh color and quality traits. Ten cultivars were characterized by integrating physicochemical measurements, spectrophotometric assays of phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity, and widely targeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) metabolite profiling. Tissue type was the main source of chemical variation. Peel contained higher total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), and anthocyanin (TAC) contents and greater 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity, 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging capacity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), whereas flesh showed higher relative abundances of sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids, amino acid derivatives, lipids, nucleotides, and terpenoids. Among 248 annotated metabolites, flavonoids were predominant, and color-related differentially accumulated metabolites were mainly enriched in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways, particularly in purple–yellow comparisons. Integrating tissue-specific correlations, random forest models, and color-gradient patterns prioritized cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, dihydromyricetin, genistin, and orientin as cross-tissue color-associated metabolites. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside showed the strongest association with coloration and anthocyanin content, whereas 4′-O-glucosylvitexin was strongly connected with phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin, and antioxidant traits. Comprehensive nutritional quality index rankings further distinguished cultivar-specific peel and flesh quality profiles. These results provide a tissue-resolved metabolic basis for evaluating and utilizing plum–apricot hybrid germplasm. Full article

This study evaluated carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) flour as a functional ingredient for improving the nutritional and sensory properties of wheat-based biscuits. Mature carob pods collected from eastern Algeria were processed into fine flour and characterized for physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and volatile and phenolic profiles. GC–MS analysis revealed a complex volatile profile dominated by organic acids, aldehydes such as furfural and benzaldehyde, and Maillard-derived compounds, including 2-acetylpyrrole and furfuryl alcohol, associated with caramel and cocoa-like aromas. LC-MS profiling identified several flavonoids and phenolic acid derivatives, including quercetin-, myricetin-, and kaempferol-glycosides, as well as gallic acid glucoside, confirming the high antioxidant potential of carob flour. Biscuits were formulated by substituting wheat flour with 30% and 60% carob flour. Sensory evaluation revealed significant increases in color intensity, caramel odor, sweetness, and chocolate-like flavor (p ≤ 0.05), with the 30% substitution achieving the highest overall acceptability. These sensory attributes were associated with the volatile and phenolic profiles, particularly the presence of Maillard-derived furans and flavonoid compounds. These findings demonstrate that carob flour can enhance the sensory characteristics and contribute to the functional potential of biscuits, supporting its use as a natural cocoa substitute and source of bioactive compounds in bakery products. Full article

Kelp is a high-moisture, flexible, sheet-like marine biomass whose drying behavior is strongly affected by the coupled effects of radiative heating, convective vapor removal, internal moisture migration, tissue shrinkage, curling, and material overlap. Traditional sun drying and hot-air drying remain widely used but are limited by long processing cycles, environmental dependence, high energy consumption, and inconsistent product quality. With the development of infrared heating, heat-pump dehumidification, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled sensing, fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication, multiphysics simulation, and digital control, kelp drying is progressively shifting toward monitored, model-assisted, and intelligent processing. This review critically summarizes recent advances in kelp and related seaweed drying, with particular emphasis on infrared-assisted heat and mass transfer, drying kinetics, coupled computational fluid dynamics–finite element method (CFD–FEM) simulation, quality evaluation, and intelligent control. Representative published studies demonstrate the engineering potential of these approaches. In a suspended infrared-array kelp drying system, an infrared power density of 1.2 kW m−2 combined with an air velocity of 3 m s−1 maintained the drying temperature at approximately 55–62 °C, while relative humidity decreased from about 80% to 20–30%. Under these conditions, the Page model achieved R² = 0.987 and RMSE = 0.019, the rehydration ratio exceeded 94%, and the total color difference remained below ΔE = 6.5. A recent CFD–FEM–MATLAB workflow further reported a composite operating-condition index of J = 0.4535, with mapped mean and maximum kelp surface temperatures of 62.23 and 63.57 °C, respectively. These quantitative results indicate that the key challenge in infrared kelp drying is not simply to increase heat input, but to coordinate radiation distribution, airflow organization, internal moisture transport, structural response, and quality preservation. Future research should therefore focus on experimentally validated heat–mass-transfer models, adaptive sensing and control, multi-objective optimization, and pilot-scale verification under realistic production conditions. Full article

Ammonia-responsive gelatin-based composite films containing cobalt metal–organic frameworks (Co–MOFs) synthesized using gallic acid as an organic ligand were developed and evaluated as intelligent packaging materials. Co–MOFs were incorporated into gelatin films at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (w/w, based on gelatin). The effects of Co–MOF incorporation on the physicochemical, structural, thermal, mechanical, and sensing properties of gelatin films were systematically investigated. Increasing Co–MOF content reduced film moisture content (from 14.47 to 13.25–13.58%) and swelling capacity (from 599.37 to 484.88–547.30%), while increasing solubility (from 39.09 to 48.88%), water vapor permeability (WVP; from 1.652 to 2.054 g·mm/m²·h·kPa), and moisture sorption behavior. Sorption isotherm analyses based on the Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) models confirmed enhanced water adsorption capacity and increased specific surface area in the films (from 356.13 to 455.74 m²/g). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses demonstrated successful incorporation of Co–MOFs into the gelatin matrix, revealing good dispersion at low and moderate concentrations and partial aggregation at higher loadings. The incorporation of Co–MOFs improved the thermal stability of the films, while only a moderate reduction in mechanical strength was observed with increasing filler content. The composite films exhibited rapid and concentration-dependent colorimetric responses toward ammonia vapor. After 120 min of exposure, the color difference (ΔE) increased from less than 1 in the control film to approximately 12, 15, 24, and 27 for G/Co–MOF2.5, G/Co–MOF5, G/Co–MOF7.5, and G/Co–MOF10 films, respectively. Films containing higher amounts of Co–MOF showed faster response kinetics and greater color differences, enabling clear visual detection of ammonia. These findings demonstrate that gelatin/Co–MOF composite films based on gallic acid-derived metal–organic frameworks are promising intelligent packaging materials for monitoring food freshness and spoilage through ammonia detection. Full article

Non-doped organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) feature simple fabrication processes and favorable repeatability, yet their overall device performance remains unsatisfactory. Here we propose a novel white OLED based on ultrathin emissive layers (EMLs). The novel efficient device structure is constructed based on an interface exciplex structure. Color-stable or color-tunable white OLEDs can be realized by tuning the interlayer thickness. The resulting color-tunable white device obtains a maximum power efficiency of 32.03 lm/W with a correlated color temperature span from 4091 K to 5376 K. Furthermore, the luminescence mechanism is thoroughly investigated. The shift of the spectra in the color-tunable device is mainly attributed to the movement of the main exciton recombination zone. Full article

The growing demand for functional foods and personalized nutrition has increased interest in three-dimensional printing (3DP) as a technology for developing customized food products. Jostaberry (Ribes × nidigrolaria), a fruit rich in antioxidant compounds, has rarely been explored in 3DP food applications. This study evaluated the suitability of jostaberry for producing 3DP snacks and investigated the effects of starch type (corn or wheat) and storage (12 days/4 °C) on physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and microbiological stability. Both starch type and storage significantly influenced product characteristics, whereas storage was the main factor affecting stability. During storage, moisture loss, changes in total soluble solids, color differences, and reductions in organic acid concentrations were observed. Although condensed tannins and anthocyanins decreased by 27.6% and 37.3%, respectively, total phenolic content remained relatively stable, suggesting compound-specific changes rather than an overall loss of phenolics. Compared with wheat starch, corn starch resulted in higher total flavonoid and hydroxycinnamic acid contents, whereas wheat starch retained higher malic acid concentrations. Antioxidant capacity also gradually decreased during storage. Despite these changes, the 3DP snacks remained microbiologically stable and complied with food safety requirements throughout the storage period. These findings demonstrate that jostaberry is a promising functional ingredient for 3DP snacks, providing high bioactive potential and acceptable refrigerated storage stability. Full article

From a Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) perspective, varying conservation intensities and statutory boundaries may create “zonal differentiation” within historic districts. However, conventional homogenized renewal strategies frequently overlook this heterogeneity, affecting physical townscapes and human perception. This study analyzes 1714 panoramic street-view images from the Core Protection Zone and Construction Control Zone of Jimei School Village. Eleven objective visual features and six model-predicted perception dimensions were examined, with locally experienced participants providing contextual validation. Integrating K-Means clustering, Random Forest modeling, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) feature attribution, the study investigates nonlinear, model-based contribution patterns across the two zones. Results reveal significant but non-binary differences in objective features and predicted perceptions. Street-view typologies show zonal tendencies while also indicating within-zone diversity and cross-zone overlap. Feature attribution shows that color composition, greenery, building interfaces, and vehicle presence are more prominent in the Core Protection Zone, whereas greenery, spatial openness, and road-space organization play stronger roles in the Construction Control Zone. This study establishes an interpretable street-view-based framework for historic-district assessment, providing empirical support for differentiated and human-oriented zonal renewal. Full article

Categorical raster maps derived from remote sensing classifications are widely used to describe land cover, landforms, and other environmental characteristics. However, these products are usually analysed at the pixel level, which limits the identification of larger spatial structures and coherent landscape units. The J-image Segmentation (JSEG) algorithm provides a promising framework for region delineation, but it was originally developed for natural color imagery and relies on fixed scale assumptions that are poorly suited to thematic geospatial data. To address these limitations, we developed GeoJSEG, a modified version of JSEG designed for remote sensing categorized spatial datasets. The method operates directly on classified raster layers, introduces user-defined scale parameters, and employs Jensen–Shannon Divergence during region merging, enabling segmentation that better reflects the spatial organization of geographic phenomena. GeoJSEG was evaluated using synthetic categorical maps, natural RGB images, orthophoto-derived data, land-cover maps, and geomorphon representations of terrain forms. For the synthetic class map, the segmentation quality measure $\overline{J}$ decreased from 0.088 to 0.012 (better quality), while for orthophoto data, it decreased from 0.059 to 0.025 (better quality). Improvements were also observed for land-cover data and most natural-image datasets. The results demonstrate that GeoJSEG extends JSEG toward scale-aware regionalization of thematic raster data and provides a practical tool for post-classification analysis of remote sensing products. Full article

Background/Objectives: Deciding between active surveillance and treatment for prostate cancer patients often requires accurate risk assessment of prostate tumors detected with multi-parametric MRI. Conventionally, radiologists visually inspect MRI and use scoring procedures such as PI-RADS to help assess the scans. More recently, artificial intelligence (AI) applied to MRI has allowed for supplementation and is complementary to clinical assessment. However, AI is computationally expensive and severely saps scarce energy and water resources and requires special processing components, requiring alternate approaches that require less computation and fewer resources. The novel, simpler spectral/statistics approach that mimics color vision was previously successfully applied in a number of retrospective pilot studies of bi-parametric MRI of prostate cancer. The novel approach needs far fewer resources, is less computationally intensive, and is simpler than artificial intelligence to evaluate prostate tumors. However, these earlier spectral/statistics pilot studies required intervention by an analyst and too much time for implementation in future large patient studies that are needed to validate the novel approach. This retrospective pilot study further developed, applied, and tested new automation tools to expedite simpler spectral statistical techniques that need fewer resources to evaluate prostate tumors on multi-parametric MRI. Methods: Automated spatial registration, automated prostate organ segmentation, automated blob generation and selection for spectral signatures derived from the apparent diffusion coefficient, high-B-value DWI, and T2 MRI were performed on 76 consecutive patients in the PI-CAI cohort in this retrospective pilot study. The signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) was computed using target signatures and the processed statistical metrics of the registered prostate bi-parametric MRI. The processed SCR, spectral/spatial features of blobs and clinical metrics predict clinically significant prostate cancer using multivariate logistic regression. The proposed method was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) from the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: AUC values of >0.90 were achieved by combining the SCR with blob and clinical metrics. Increasing the number of non-congruent, independent variables resulted in higher AUC scores. Restricting analysis to blob volumes > 0.1 cm³ achieved higher AUC values. The additional total savings in time by applying the new automation tools reduced the processing time by 80 to 170 min for 10 patients. Implementing the new automation tools resulted in an overall processing time of 40 to 80 min per 10 patients. Conclusions: Automating the spectral/statistics approach resulted in AUCs not inferior to those obtained from AI. The automation achieved sufficiently high AUCs and also reduced processing times, warranting future assessments in large patient cohorts. Full article

The textile industry generates dye-containing wastewater characterized by intense coloration, high salinity, elevated oxygen demand, and recalcitrant pollutants. Although conventional treatment technologies can remove color and reduce organic load, decolorization alone does not guarantee detoxification because toxic transformation products may persist or be generated during incomplete degradation. This review emphasizes the synergistic interaction between oxidative and reductive enzymes and microorganisms as a promising strategy for promoting extensive pollutant transformation and potentially enhancing mineralization. Particular attention is given to the complementary roles of laccases (LAC), azoreductases (AZOR), ligninolytic peroxidases, bacteria, fungi, and microbial consortia in sequential degradation pathways that can improve detoxification efficiency. Mechanisms including azo bond cleavage, aromatic amine transformation, and subsequent microbial degradation are discussed to demonstrate how integrated systems can overcome the limitations of enzyme- or microorganism-based treatments alone and may facilitate complete pollutant removal under appropriate conditions. The review also explores biomass-derived biocatalysts produced through solid-state fermentation of agro-industrial residues, demonstrating opportunities to integrate wastewater remediation with biomass valorization and circular bioeconomy principles. Finally, operational challenges, toxicity assessment, reactor design, enzyme immobilization, scale-up, and techno-economic considerations are discussed, and future research priorities are identified to support the development of sustainable and industrially applicable enzymatic–microbial detoxification technologies. Full article

There is an urgent and persistent need to design efficient and sustainable methods to manufacture chemicals on a large scale. Heterogeneous photocatalysts use light to drive organic reactions and offer high recyclability and improved efficiencies for chemical synthesis. However, a detailed study of these photocatalysts using standard laboratory analytical techniques is challenging due to their poor solubility. Successful application of heterogeneous photocatalysts in the chemical industry requires the development of a robust analytical technique that can be used as a predictive and scalable tool for their photocatalytic performance. Herein, we report a simple approach that uses the color of cotton-bound heterogeneous photocatalysts as a potential indicator of their performance. These photocatalysts were synthesized by covalently attaching perylene-based molecular photocatalysts to the surface of cotton using amino-substituted triethoxysilane as the linker. Colorimetry coupled with NMR analysis revealed two important findings: (i) cotton-bound photocatalysts catalyzed sulfide oxidation to sulfoxide under blue-light illumination, and (ii) a general relationship was observed between color intensity and catalytic performance, with darker samples generally exhibiting faster reaction rates. These findings suggest that color may serve as a simple and rapid tool for assessing photocatalyst performance. Future studies will focus on enhancing the reproducibility of photocatalyst binding procedures and validating the color–performance relationships in a wider range of color intensities of the cotton-bound photocatalysts. Full article

Background: Flower color is a well-defined trait in Platycodon grandiflorus, whereas little is known about the effects of flower color variation on the metabolic profiles of reproductive organs. Triterpenoid saponins and flavonoids have common precursors upstream, suggesting a potential carbon flux trade-off. Methods: Untargeted UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics was performed on the reproductive organs of purple- and white-flowered P. grandiflorus at six stages of flower development. Mfuzz time-series clustering, PCA, and metabolite correlation networks were used for data analysis. Results: Six clusters were assigned to 25 metabolites (17 triterpenoid saponins and 8 flavonoids). Flavonoid glycosides were found to possess a conserved inverted V-shaped accumulation pattern in both germplasms. By contrast, saponins derived from triterpenoids showed strong germplasm-dependent accumulation patterns. White-flowered plants showed sustained accumulation, with a peak at the young fruit stage. In purple-flowered plants, accumulation peaked transiently at the withering stage, followed by a decline. PCA validated that metabolic divergence increased with developmental progression. Conclusions: Based on the metabolomic profiles, we hypothesize a putative trade-off model in which floral color divergence may change upstream carbon flux allocation between the triterpenoid saponin and flavonoid pathways. The young fruit stage of white-flowered plants is a candidate harvesting period for bioactive saponins. These conclusions are based only on the pattern of metabolite accumulation and need to be validated by multi-omics. Full article

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), known as a “superfruit” due to its complex nutritional profile, exhibits significant variations in bioactive compounds depending on variety and ripening stage. This study evaluates the ripening dynamics of four specific varieties—Dora, Cora, Clara, and Mara—cultivated in the Republic of Moldova to identify the optimal harvest window and technological potential for each variety. Over a seven-week period (August–September), several physicochemical and biochemical parameters were monitored, including pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids (TSS), total dry matter (TDM), lipid content, color, hardness, vitamin C, total carotenoids content (TCC), and organic acids. Analytical methods such as refractometry, spectrophotometry, and capillary electrophoresis were employed to track these components. A downward trend in TSS and titratable acidity, characteristic of non-climacteric fruits, was observed. The Cora and Mara varieties exhibited the highest productivity and total dry matter content (up to 35.61%), making them suitable for concentrated food products. Clara stood out with the highest lipid accumulation (reaching 2.32%), identifying it as the premium variety for oil extraction. Vitamin C levels generally decreased across all varieties during ripening, with the Mara variety maintaining the highest concentrations (up to 518 mg/100 g). Conversely, total carotenoids showed a peak during full maturity (late August) for most varieties, with Dora reaching the highest values (40.73 mg/100 g). The present study highlights that the optimal harvest time for maximizing bioactive compounds is between late August and early September. Full article

Green pesticides provide sustainable, biorational alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Sabadilla, Schoenocaulon, store alkaloids in their seeds; veratridine and cevadine are extracted with insecticidal activity. Wild, extant populations of native, N. American, S. texanum, are the focus of this research. The goal of this research was to determine soil constituents; alkaloid levels; quantify reproductive capacity for bulbs/plant, inflorescences/plant, seed capsules/plant, seeds/plant; seed dimensions, 100 seed wt.; standard and saturated salt accelerated aging (SSAA) percent seed germination of open-pollinated, untreated seed. We tested 10 genotypes and derived open-pollinated seed lots from five non-sympatric populations collected in Texas. Soil samples showed variation for all soil characteristics. Organic matter levels and micro-nutrients were low; pH = 7.8–8.2; heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb) were detected. Seeds of S. texanum are smaller than S. officinale, but share appearance, hardness, color and shape. Alkaloid content was ~20% lower than S. officinale. Mean number of bulbs/clump was 2–12 with 1–8 flower stems/plant. Mean 100 seed weight = 0.45 g. No seeds germinated in weeks 1–2 (G1, G2) in standard or SSAA tests. Highest % germination in both tests was in G3–G4, declining precipitously in G5–G6. We establish initial seed germination standards of ≥70% for both standard and SSAA germination tests, based on total or adjusted final % germination of seed lots. Full article