Emerging trends in the photodynamic inactivation (PDI) applied to the food decontamination

The food and drink manufacturing industry is constantly seeking for alternative sanitation and disinfection systems that may achieve the same antimicrobial efficiency of conventional chemical sanitisers and at the same time be convenient in terms of energy and water savings. A candidate technology for this purpose is the use of light in combination with photosensitisers (PS) to generate a bioactive effect against microbial agents in a process defined as photodynamic inactivation (PDI). This technology can be applied to the food processing of different food matrices to reduce the microbial load of foodborne pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa. Also, the PDI can be exploited to increase the shelf-life period of food by inactivation of spoiling microbes. This review analyses new developments in the last five years for PDI systems applied to the food decontamination from foodborne pathogens. The photosensitisation mechanisms and methods are reported to introduce the applied technology against microbial targets in food matrices. Recent blue light emitting diodes (LED) lamp systems for the PDI mediated by endogenous PS are discussed as well PDI technologies with the use of exogenous PS from plant sources such as curcumin and porphyrin-based molecules. The updated overview of the most recent developments in the PDI technology both in wavelengths and employed PS will provide further points of analysis for the advancement of the research on new competitive and effective disinfection systems in the food industry

Night-time shift work and related stress responses: A study on security guards

Work-related stress can induce a break in homeostasis by placing demands on the body that are met by the activation of two different systems, the hypothalamic\u2013pituitary\u2013adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Night-shift work alters the body\u2019s exposure to the natural light\u2013 dark schedule and disrupts circadian (daily) rhythms. The greatest effect of night-shift work is the disruption of circadian rhythms. The impact that these disruptions may have on the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer, is unknown. This study aims to discover the relationship among three different job activities of security guards and their stress-related responses by evaluating salivary cortisol levels and blood pressure. Methods: Ninety security guards, including night-time workers and night-time and daily-shift workers, were recruited for this study. Each security guard provided two saliva samples before and after three scheduled time points: (i) at 22:00, (ii) at 06:30, and (iii) at 14:00. Results: The results of the study showed a significant alteration in cortisol levels. Night-time shift cortisol levels significantly increased before and after the work shifts. A physiological prevalence of the vagal tone on the cardiocirculatory activity was found during night-shift work. Conclusions: This study indicates that cortisol levels and blood pressure are sensitive markers of biological responses to severe work stress. Shift-change consequences may occur at the end of the night shift when there is a significant increase in the cortisol level and a significant variation in cardiovascular parameters

Evaluation of the energy utilization index in sheep milk cooling systems

The energy consumption of sheep milk cooling systems (MCSs) was quantified in this study to provide original information filling a literature gap on the impact of sheep milk cooling on the energy and economic balance in dairy farms. Performance and energy monitoring tests were conducted simultaneously on 22 MCSs in Sardinia (Italy). The results determined the cooling time as a function of the performance class and number of milkings. The Energy Utilization Index (EUI) was applied to measure the energy required to cool down the milk and estimate the incidence on its price. The average EUI was 1.76 kWh 100 L−1 for two-milkings and 2.43 kWh 100 L−1 for four-milkings MCSs, whereas the CO2 emissions ranged from 998 to 1378 g CO2 100 L−1 for two- and four-milkings MCSs, respectively. The estimated energy consumption for the storage of refrigerated sheep milk was 0.12 kWh 100 L−1. The malfunctioning MCSs averagely consumed 31% more energy than regular systems. The energy cost for cooling accounted for 0.61% on the current sheep milk price in Italy. Based on the analysis, the reported EUI values can be used as a preliminary indicator of the regular operation of MCSs

Increasing the agricultural sustainability of closed agrivoltaic systems with the integration of vertical farming: A case study on baby-leaf lettuce

The photovoltaic (PV) greenhouses are closed agrivoltaic (CA) systems that allow the production of energy and food on the same land, but may result in a yield reduction when the shading of the PV panels is excessive. Adopting innovative cropping systems can increase the yield of the CA area, generating a more productive and sustainable agrosystem. In this case study we quantified the increase of land productivity derived from the integration of an experimental vertical farm (VF) for baby leaf lettuce inside a pre-existing commercial CA. The mixed system increased the yield by 13 times compared to the CA and the average LER was 1.31, but only 12 % of the energy consumption was covered by the CA energy. To achieve the energy self-sufficiency and avoid the related CO2 emissions, the VF area should not exceed 7–18 % of the CA area, depending on the PV energy yield and the daily light integral (DLI) of the LED lighting, meaning a land consumption from 5 to 14 times higher than the VF area. The support of the PV energy was essential for the profitability of the VFCA. Design features and solutions were proposed to increase the agronomic and economic sustainability of the VFCA. The VFs can be considered a possible answer for the reconversion of the actual underutilized CAs with high PV cover ratios into productive and efficient cropping systems, but a trade-off between energy production and land consumption should be identified to ensure an acceptable environmental sustainability of the mixed system

Physiological Responses to Drought Stress in Jatropha curcas Seedlings

Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the physiological mechanisms of Jatropha curcas seedlings exposed to drought and the possible influence of seedling age. Study Design: A pot experiment was carried out using a completely randomized design with two seedling ages (2- and 3-month-old seedlings), two treatments per age (Watered: fully irrigated, and Unwatered: Not irrigated), six replicates (24 pots). Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was performed in a greenhouse facility located at the Experimental Station “Mauro Deidda” (Department of Agriculture of University of Sassari) at Ottava (Sassari, Italy) between June and September 2011. Methodology: To investigate the responses of 2- and 3-month-old J. curcas seedlings exposed to drought stress on 4th, 8th, 12th, 19th, and 26th day from treatment’s beginning, leaf and soil water content, biometric, gas exchange, and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements were performed; on 26th day from treatment’s beginning, biometric destructive measurements were carried out. Results: Results support the hypothesis that J. curcas is appropriate to be cultivated in areas with limited water availability or prolonged periods of drought and highlight that mechanisms of drought response are highly influenced by seedling age. J. curcas seedlings maintained a good leaf water status by means of an effective stomatal closure, associated with a reduced aboveground growth and an increased root:shoot ratio. Under drought stress, 2-month seedlings showed a higher allocation of resources to roots compared to 3-month seedlings. Drought resulted in more detrimental effects on the photosynthetic response of 3-month seedlings, inducing the reduction of stomata conductance and the loss of photosystem II integrity. 2-month seedlings were instead able to activate mechanisms of drought tolerance through the activation of excess energy dissipation mechanisms. Conclusion: In the early stage of crop establishment, the transplanting of J. curcas 2-month seedlings proved to be more effective in order to avoid water stress related consequences

A Visible-Light Driven Esterification of Aldehydes Catalyzed by VOSO4

An esterification of the C-H bond of aldehydes promoted by oxidovanadium(IV) sulfate, (VOSO4)-O-IV, is reported. The process is mediated by visible-light, is carried out at room temperature, in absence of additives and using H2O2 as a benign oxidant. VOSO4 is a commercially available, earth-abundant metal (EAM(s)) salt, that does not require to be prepared. This report opens intriguing perspectives for the extended application of vanadium salts toward halogenation processes as well as for C-H activations and gives a contribution in the field of earth-abundant metals based-catalysis

Agricultural sustainability estimation of the European photovoltaic greenhouses

The integration of the photovoltaic (PV) energy in the greenhouse farm has raised concerns on the agricultural sustainability of this specific agrosystem in terms of crop planning and management, due to the shading cast by the PV panels on the canopy. The PV greenhouse (PVG) can be classified on the basis of the PV cover ratio (PVR), that is the ratio of the projected area of PV panels to the ground and the total greenhouse area. In this paper, we estimated the yield of 14 greenhouse horticultural and floricultural crops inside four commercial PVG types spread in southern Europe, with PVR ranging from 25 to 100%. The aim of the work is to identify the PVG types suitable for the cultivation of the considered species, based on the best trade-off between PV shading and crop production. The daily light integral (DLI) was used to compare the light scenarios inside the PVGs to the crop light requirements, and estimate the potential yield. The structures with a PVR of 25% were compatible with the cultivation of all considered species, including the high light demanding ones (tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper), with an estimated negligible or limited yield reduction (below 25%). The medium light species (such as asparagus) with an optimal DLI lower than 17 mol m−2 d−1 and low light crops can be cultivated inside PVGs with a PVR up to 60%. Only low light demanding floricultural species with an optimal DLI lower than 10 mol m−2 d−1, such as poinsettia, kalanchoe and dracaena, were compatible inside PVGs with a PVR up to 100%. Innovative cropping systems should be considered to overcome the penalizing light scenarios of the PVGs with high PVR, also implementing LED supplementary lighting. This paper contributes to identify the sustainable PVG types for the chosen species and the alternative crop managements in terms of transplantation period and precision agriculture techniques, aimed at increasing the crop productivity and adaptability inside the PVG agrosystems

Considerations on the Update of the Risk Assessment Document During the Pandemic State by COVID-19 in Italy

Immediately after the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (which had risen to the level of a pandemic according to the World Health Organization), the question arose whether or not to update the risk assessment, which, as required by Legislative Decree 81/2008, with the consequent updating of the prevention measures. In light of these forecasts, we asked ourselves whether the risk of coronavirus infection should be taken into account by the employer by updating the risk assessment or not. An in-depth analysis of current legislation has led to the conclusion that the biological risk from SARS-CoV-2 is to be considered specific only in health-related activities, in other activities it can be considered exclusively generic or generic aggravated. The Risk Assessment Document can therefore only be integrated

Linomide blocks angiogenesis by breast carcinoma vascular endothelial growth factor transfectants.

The blocking of angiogenesis provides a novel therapeutic target to inhibit tumour spreading. In this study, we investigated the effect of linomide on angiogenesis induced in vivo by highly angiogenic breast carcinoma cells. The rabbit cornea was used to assess neovascular growth in the absence of a tumour mass. MCF-7 cells stably transfected with the cDNA encoding for vascular endothelial growth factor 121 (VEGF121) (V12 clone) were used to elicit a potent VEGF-dependent corneal angiogenesis. After tumour cell implant, albino rabbits received 100 mg kg(-1) day(-1) linomide for 5 consecutive days. Daily observation of neovascular progression indicated that linomide blocked angiogenesis. The antiangiogenic effect of linomide was apparent within 48 h from the beginning of the treatment and was both angiosuppressive and angiostatic. The block of neovascular growth lasted over 10 days from treatment suspension, and preformed vessels, which had regressed, remained dormant, suggesting the persistence of unfavourable conditions for capillary progression. Linomide (50-200 microg ml[-1]) was not cytotoxic in vitro on resting capillary endothelial cells but blocked endothelial cell replication induced by VEGF. Our data indicate that linomide can efficiently and persistently block VEGF-dependent angiogenesis in vivo in the absence of a growing tumour mass. These data suggest that linomide could be a chemopreventive drug in breast cancer patients and a valuable tool in clinical settings in which metastatic spreading occurs in the absence of a detectable tumour mass