Time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy as a management tool for late-maturing nectarine supply chain

The absorption coefficient of the fruit flesh at 670 nm (mu(a)), measured at harvest by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS) is a good maturity index for early nectarine cultivars. A kinetic model has been developed linking the mu(a), expressed as the biological shift factor to softening during ripening. This allows shelf life prediction for individual fruit from the value of mu(a) at harvest and the fruit categorization into predicted softening and usability classes. In this work, the predictive capacity of a kinetic model developed using mu(a) data at harvest and firmness data within 1-2 d after harvest for a late maturing nectarine cultivar ('Morsiani 90') was tested for prediction and classification ability. Compared to early maturing cultivars, mu(a) at harvest had low values and low variability, indicating advanced maturity, whereas firmness was similar. Hence, fruit were categorized into six usability classes (from 'transportable-hard' to 'ready-to-eat-very soft') basing on mu(a) limits established analyzing firmness data in shelf life after harvest. The model was tested by comparing the predicted firmness and class of usability to the actual ones measured during ripening and its performance compared to that of models based on data during the whole shelf life at 20 degrees C after harvest and after storage at 0 degrees C and 4 degrees C. The model showed a classification ability very close to that of models based on data of the whole shelf life, and was able to correctly segregate the 'ready-to-eat-transportable', 'transportable' and 'transportable-hard' classes for ripening at harvest and after storage at 0 degrees C, and the 'ready-to-eat-very soft' and 'ready-to-eat-soft' classes for ripening after storage at 4 degrees C, with lower performance of models for fruit after storage at 4 degrees C respect to those of the other two ripening

What are the implications of the bioeconomy for forest-related jobs?

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The atomic hydrogen content of the post-reionization Universe

We present a comprehensive analysis of atomic hydrogen (H\u2009i) properties using a semi-analytical model of galaxy formation and N-body simulations covering a large cosmological volume at high resolution. We examine the H\u2009i mass function and the H\u2009i density, characterizing both their redshift evolution and their dependence on hosting halo mass. We analyse the H\u2009i content of dark matter haloes in the local Universe and up to redshift z = 5, discussing the contribution of different galaxy properties. We find that different assembly history plays a crucial role in the scatter of this relation. We propose new fitting functions useful for constructing mock H\u2009i maps with halo occupation distribution techniques. We investigate the H\u2009i clustering properties relevant for future 21 cm intensity mapping (IM) experiments, including the H\u2009i bias and the shot-noise level. The H\u2009i bias increases with redshift and it is roughly flat on the largest scales probed. The scale dependence is found at progressively larger scales with increasing redshift, apart from a dip feature at z = 0. The shot-noise values are consistent with the ones inferred by independent studies, confirming that shot noise will not be a limiting factor for IM experiments. We detail the contribution from various galaxy properties on the H\u2009i power spectrum and their relation to the halo bias. We find that H\u2009i poor satellite galaxies play an important role at the scales of the one-halo term. Finally, we present the 21 cm signal in redshift space, a fundamental prediction to be tested against data from future radio telescopes such as Square Kilometre Array

Fungi and arsenic. Tolerance and bioaccumulation by soil saprotrophic species

Increasing arsenic environmental concentrations are raising worldwide concern for its impacts on human health and ecosystem functionality. In order to cope with arsenic contamination, bioremediation using fungi can represent an efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective technological solution. Fungi can mitigate arsenic contamination through different mechanisms including bioaccumulation. In this work, four soil saprotrophic fungi Absidia spinosa, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Metarhizium marquandii, and Cephalotrichum nanum, isolated from soils with naturally high arsenic concentrations, were tested for their ability to tolerate different sodium arsenite concentrations and accumulate As in different cultural conditions. pH medium after fungal growth was measured to study pH variation and metabolic responses. Arsenic bioaccumulation and its influence on the uptake of other elements were investigated through multi-elemental analysis using hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Considering the increasing interest in siderophore application for metal bioremediation, the production of siderophores and their affinity for both Fe and As were also evaluated. All species were able to tolerate and accumulate As in their biomass in all of the tested conditions and produced siderophores with different affinities for Fe and As. The results suggest that the tested fungi are attractive potential candidates for the bioremediation of As contaminated soil and worthy of further investigation

Quality characteristics of air-dried apple rings: Influence of storage time and fruit maturity measured by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy

AbstractWith the aim of studying the influence of maturity and of cold storage time on the quality characteristics of air-dried apple rings, 60 apples (cv Pink Lady®) were measured at harvest by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS) at 670nm, ranked on the basis of decreasing absorption coefficient at 670nm (μa670, increasing maturity) and hence classified based on the ranking order as less mature (LeM), medium mature (MeM,) and more mature (MoM). The sixty fruit were, then, randomized into 3 batches corresponding to 3 storage times (0, 3 and 5 months in normal atmosphere at +1°C), and, at each storage time, 3 rings/fruit were air-dried at 80°C up to a constant weight using a pilot air circulated drier. Quality characteristics of fresh fruit and of air-dried rings were analysed by ANOVA and PCA statistical analyses. Stored fruit compared to fruit at 0m were softer, had lower stiffness and energy-to-rupture, and higher soluble solids content (SSC), relative intercellular space volume (RISV) and L*f. LeM class had lower SSC and dry matter, and the MoM class higher a*f and lower b*f than the other two classes. 3m-Apples showed the highest differences with respect to fresh ring in browning index (BI), total colour, chroma and hue, compared to fruit processed at 0m and 5m. Air-dried rings from less mature apples (i.e. those processed at 0m and of LeM class) had higher Fmax, Emod, E and BI than those from more mature fruits (i.e. those processed after storage and of MoM class). PCA underlined the positive relationship between mechanical characteristics of fresh fruit with those of dried rings and ring shrinkage, which were opposite to RISV, SSC and weight loss

Electronic Nose To Detect Volatile Compound Profile and Quality Changes in 'Spring Belle' Peach (Prunus persica L.) during Cold Storage in Relation to Fruit Optical Properties Measured by Time-Resolved Reflectance Spectroscopy

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Studies on classification models to discriminate ‘Braeburn’ apples affected by internal browning using the optical properties measured by time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy

This work aimed at studying the feasibility of time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy (TRS) to nondestructively detect internal browning (IB) in ‘Braeburn’ apples through the development of classification models based on absorption (ua) and scattering (us') properties of the pulp.This research was carried out in two seasons: in 2009, apples were measured by TRS at 670 nm and inthe 740–1040 nm spectral range on four equidistant points around the equator, whereas in 2010 appleswere measured by TRS at 670 nm and at 780 nm on eight equidistant points. The values of the absorption coefficients measured in the 670–940 nm range increased with IB devel-opment. On the contrary, us'780 was higher in healthy fruit than in IB ones. The ua780 also significantlyincreased with IB severity, showing high values when IB affected the pulp tissues compared to the coreones. Also ua670 changed with IB development, but it was not able to clearly discriminate healthy fruitfrom IB ones because its value was also affected by the chlorophyll content of the pulp. The absorption and scattering coefficients were used as explanatory variables in the linear discriminant analysis in order to classify each apple tissue as healthy or IB; then the models obtained were used forfruit classification. The best classification performance was obtained in 2010 using ua780 and us'780and considering the IB position within the fruit: 90% of healthy fruit and 71% of IB fruit were correctly classified. By using all the ua measured in the 670–1040 nm range plus the us'780, IB fruit classification was slightly better while healthy fruit classification was worse. The better result of 2010 was due tothe increased number of TRS measurement points that allowed better exploration of the fruit tissues. However, the asymmetric nature of this disorder makes detection difficult, especially when the disorderis localized in the inner part of the fruit (core) or when it occurs in spots. A different TRS set-up (position and distance of fibers, time resolution) should be studied in order to reach the deeper tissue within the fruit in order to improve browning detection

Targeting CDK6 and BCL2 Exploits the MYB Addiction of Ph+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Phþ ALL) is currently treated with BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in combination with chemotherapy. However, most patients develop resistance to TKI through BCR-ABL1–dependent and –independent mechanisms. Newly developed TKI can target Phþ ALL cells with BCR-ABL1–dependent resistance; however, overcoming BCR-ABL1–independent mechanisms of resistance remains challenging because transcription factors, which are difficult to inhibit, are often involved. We show here that (i) the growth of Phþ ALL cell lines and primary cells is highly dependent on MYB-mediated transcriptional upregulation of CDK6, cyclin D3, and BCL2, and (ii) restoring their expression in MYB-silenced Phþ ALL cells rescues their impaired proliferation and survival. Levels of MYB and CDK6 were highly correlated in adult Phþ ALL (P ¼ 0.00008). Moreover, Phþ ALL cells exhibited a specific requirement for CDK6 but not CDK4 expression, most likely because, in these cells, CDK6 was predominantly localized in the nucleus, whereas CDK4 was almost exclusively cytoplasmic. Consistent with their essential role in Phþ ALL, pharmacologic inhibition of CDK6 and BCL2 markedly suppressed proliferation, colony formation, and survival of Phþ ALL cells ex vivo and in mice. In summary, these findings provide a proof-of-principle, rational strategy to target the MYB addiction of Phþ ALL. © 2017 American Association for Cancer Research

Physiopathology of Bone Modifications in β-Thalassemia

β-thalassemia major (βTM) or Cooley anemia is characterized by significantly reduced or absent synthesis of β-globin chains, which induces important pathologic consequences including hemolytic anemia, altered erythropoiesis, and bone marrow overstimulation. The pathogenesis of bone changes in patients with βTM is not yet completely understood. However, an unbalance in bone mineral turnover resulting from increased resorption and suppression of osteoblast activity has been detected in βTM patients. The abnormal regulation of bone metabolism may be related to hormonal and genetic factors, iron overload and iron chelation therapy, nutritional deficits, and decreased levels of physical activity. Here, we review the most recent findings on the physiopathology of bone abnormalities in βTM. Clinical presentation and radiological features of βTM-related bone changes are also discussed