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Pistachio ( Pistacia vera L.) is a dioecious, anemophilous, and drought-resistant fruit tree species. It is cultivated in new Mediterranean areas, including the regions of southern Italy (Apulia and Basilicata). It has been estimated that over 40,000 ha are suitable for pistachio cultivation in areas infected by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca . As a newly introduced species, knowledge of its biological reproductive behaviors in its new areas of spreading is essential for appropriate agronomic planning and management. This two-year study (2022 and 2023), carried out in the countryside of Stigliano (MT, Italy), had the objective of evaluating the flowering phenograms, pollen production, and assessing protocols for the conservation and extension of pollen viability, of the most widespread cultivars. A slight delay was observed in the blooming phenograms, compared to other cultivation Mediterranean areas, such as Spain or Sicily. Furthermore, the overlap between female and male phenograms was partial. No significant differences were observed in the polliniferous aptitude of the two male cultivars. Among the different protocols tested, the pollen storage at 33% relative humidity and a temperature of -80 °C maintained the pollen germinability above 50% for up to three weeks. These findings highlight the importance of controlled environmental conditions in preserving pollen viability over extended periods, providing valuable insights for agricultural and botanical research that relies on maintaining pollen viability for breeding and genetic studies.

Walnut processing generates considerable quantities of by-products that could be reprocessed into value-added products that have food and non-food applications. In this context, the aim of this study is to characterize the 'Sorrento' and 'Tulare' walnut cultivars using the UPOV guidelines and analyze the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of their shells. Insight into the chemical composition of the different granulometric fractions of walnut shell, obtained by sieving, was obtained following ultrasound-assisted extraction by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin content and antiradical capacity, obtained by DPPH and ABTS assays, and the Fe(III) reducing power of the extracts were also evaluated. The UHPLC-HRMS analysis indicated the presence of thirty-two compounds ascribable to four major classes of specialized metabolites. Furthermore, the extraction efficiency of gallic acid, ellagic acid derivatives, as well as glansreginin A, increased with the decrease in shell matrix particle size in contrast to chlorogenic acids and flavonoid glycosides. This is the first study to highlight new knowledge on the chemical composition of walnut shells. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of recovering valuable bioactive components from agro-waste that may be further valorized.

Background: During postharvest dehydration, grapes are subject to metabolic changes including ethanol anabolism and catabolism. These changes affect the quality of the final product and ethanol production is a key step. Ethanol dissipation has never been measured during postharvest wine grape dehydration. Thus, the present study aimed to: (i) monitor ethanol dissipation and (ii) investigate chemical-biochemical changes in berries during dehydration., Results: Ethanol dissipation from Raboso grapes, under controlled postharvest dehydration, was found to comprise up to 36% of weight loss (w.l.). Moreover, the activity of enzymes involved in the anaerobic metabolism of grapes was investigated. Ethanol dissipation was highly correlated with grape weight loss (r 2  = 0.989). Alcohol dehydrogenase activity, responsible for the reduction of ethanol to acetaldehyde, declined significantly with w.l. Similarly, pyruvate decarboxylase and lactate dehydrogenase reduced their activity. High lipoxygenase activity was measured at 27% w.l., whereas polyphenol oxidation was constant and declined in the last sampling., Conclusion: Ethanol dissipation during postharvest dehydration allows for reducing anaerobic metabolism and promotes oxidative metabolism. The sensor used can be a useful commercial tool for monitoring berry metabolism. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Mulching is a common practice for improving crop yield and obtaining an out-of-season production, but when made using plastic materials it can bring environmental problems due to the management and the disposal of films at the end of the cropping seasons. To increase the sustainability of this practice, recently, mulching films made with biodegradable organic materials have become more widely used. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of a biodegradable mulching film on yield and qualitative traits of the San Marzano tomato fruits over two years (2014 and 2015). Two different types of mulching were tested: (i) black biodegradable film (MB12) and (ii) black low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were compared to bare soil (BS). Both mulching films elicited a 25% increase in yield, mainly due to the significantly higher number of fruits per square meter, compared to BS. Both mulching films also elicited a 9.9% increase in total soluble solids and a 57% increase in carotenoid content, while firmness showed the highest value in BS fruits. MB12 determined the highest value of the Hunter color ratio a/b of tomato fruits, followed by LDPE, while the lowest value was recorded in BS fruits. Both mulching films elicited an increase of 9.6%, 26.0%, and 11.7% for flavonoids, polyphenols, and AsA, respectively. In 2014, the MB12 degradation started at 71 days after transplant (DAT); in 2015, at 104 DAT. Therefore, replacing polyethylene with biodegradable film would seem to be an agronomically efficient and environmentally sustainable practice.

The color changes brought on by the enzymatic interactions of phenolic compounds with released endogenous polyphenol oxidase and the penetration of oxygen into the tissue has a significant impact on the commercialization of fresh-cut fruit, such as apples. This process causes a loss of quality in fresh-cut apples, resulting in browning of the fruit surface. By acting as a semipermeable barrier to gases and water vapor and thus lowering respiration, enzymatic browning, and water loss, edible coatings can provide a chance to increase the shelf life of fresh-cut produce. In this study, the effect of edible coatings composed of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC, 1%), sodium alginate (SA, 1%), citric acid (CA, 1%), and oxalic acid (OA, 0.5%) on fresh-cut 'Annurca Rossa del Sud' apple was studied. Four formulations of edible coatings, A. SA+CMC, B. SA+CMC+CA, C. SA+CMC+OA, and D. SA+CMC+CA+OA, were tested. Fresh-cut apples were dipped into different solutions and then stored at 4 °C, and physicochemical and biochemical analyses were performed at 0, 4, 8, and 12 days of storage. Results demonstrated that all four combinations improved the shelf-life of fresh-cut apple by slowing down the qualitative postharvest decay, total soluble solid, and titratable acidity. The browning index was highest in the control samples (82%), followed by CMC+SA (53%), CMC+SA+CA (32%), CMC+SA+OA (22%), and finally CMC+SA+CA+OA (7%) after 12 days of cold storage. Furthermore, coating application increased the bioactive compound content and antioxidant enzyme activities. Furthermore, the synergistic activity of SA+CMC+CA+OA reduces enzymatic browning, prolonging the postharvest life of minimally processed 'Annurca Rossa del Sud' apples.

Apple ( Malus × domestica Borkh.) is an important fruit crop widely spread in the cold and mild climates of temperate regions in the world, with more than 93 million tons harvested worldwide in 2021. The object of this work was to analyze thirty-one local apple cultivars of the Campania region (Southern Italy) using agronomic, morphological (UPOV descriptors) and physicochemical (solid soluble content, texture, pH and titratable acidity, skin color, Young's modulus and browning index) traits. UPOV descriptors highlighted similarities and differences among apple cultivars with a depth phenotypic characterization. Apple cultivars showed significant differences in fruit weight (31.3-236.02 g) and physicochemical trait ranging from 8.0 to 14.64° Brix for solid soluble content, 2.34-10.38 g malic acid L -1 for titratable acidity, and 15-40% for browning index. Furthermore, different percentages in apple shape and skin color have been detected. Similarities among the cultivars based on their bio-agronomic and qualitative traits have been evaluated by cluster analyses and principal component analyses. This apple germplasm collection represents an irreplaceable genetic resource with considerable morphological and pomological variabilities among several cultivars. Nowadays, some local cultivars, widespread only in restricted geographical areas, could be reintroduced in cultivation contribution to improving the diversity of our diets and contemporary to preserve knowledge on traditional agricultural systems.

In this study, the influence of a new plant-based biostimulant (Bortan) on physiological and aromatic traits of rocket ( Diplotaxis tenuifolia L. var. Pamela) was monitored by evaluating physico-chemical parameters (fresh and dry weight, leaf color and chlorophyll content) and biochemical traits (total phenolic compound (TP), total flavonoids (TF), ascorbic acid (AA) and antioxidant activity (AOX). Volatile profiles were also analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, allowing the detection of 32 volatiles belonging to 5 chemical classes. Compared to the control, Bortan application enhanced leaf pigment content, including chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids (+10%, +16% and +28%, respectively) and increased TP (+34%), TF (+26%), AA (+19%) amonts and AOX value (+16%). Principal component analysis revealed a significant discrimination between the two samples. Specifically, treated samples were mainly associated with "green-leaf" volatiles, namely hexanal and 2-hexenal, 3-hexenal and 1-penten-3-one, while control rocket was directly correlated with several alcohols and to all isothiocyanates, associated with the sulfur-like odor of rocket. These findings can add further support, both for farmers and the agro-food industry, in choosing PBs as a new and sustainable practice in complementing enhanced yields with premium-quality produce. To confirm these preliminary data, further experiments are needed by enlarging the sample size, testing different concentrations of Bortan and/or using other food crops.

Sweet cherries ( Prunus avium L.) are greatly appreciated fruits worldwide due to their taste, color, nutritional value, and beneficial health effects. The characterization of autochthonous germplasm allows to identify genotypes that possess superior characteristics compared to standard cultivars. In this work, four accessions of sweet cherry from the Campania region (Limoncella, Mulegnana Riccia, Mulegnana Nera and Montenero) were investigated for their morpho-physiological, qualitative, aromatic, and sensorial traits in comparison with two standard cultivars (Ferrovia and Lapins). A high variability in the pomological traits resulted among the samples. Montenero showed comparable fruit weight and titratable acidity to Ferrovia and Lapins, respectively. The highest total soluble solid content was detected in Mulegnana Riccia. A considerable variability in the skin and pulp color of the cherries was observed, varying from yellow-red in Limoncella to a dark red color in Montenero. Mulegnana Nera showed the highest content of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid compared to the standard cultivars. Volatile organic compounds profile analysis identified 34 volatile compounds, 12 of which were observed at different concentrations in all the sweet cherry genotypes while the others were genotype-dependent. Conservation and cultivation of autochthonous accessions with suitable nutritional and morpho-physiologic characteristics promotes our agrobiodiversity knowledge and allows to better plan future breeding programs.

Together with phenological and genomic approaches, gel-based and label-free proteomic as well metabolomic procedures were separately applied to plants to highlight differences between ecotypes, to estimate genetic variability within/between organism populations, or to characterize specific mutants/genetically modified lines at metabolic level. To investigate the possible use of tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics in the above-mentioned contexts and based on the absence of combined proteo-metabolomic studies on Diospyros kaki cultivars, we here applied integrated proteomic and metabolomic approaches to fruits from Italian persimmon ecotypes with the aim to characterize plant phenotypic diversity at molecular level. We identified 2255 proteins in fruits, assigning 102 differentially represented components between cultivars, including some related to pomological, nutritional and allergenic characteristics. Thirty-three polyphenols were also identified and quantified, which belong to hydroxybenzoic acid, flavanol, hydroxycinnamic acid, flavonol, flavanone and dihydrochalcone sub-classes. Heat-map representation of quantitative proteomic and metabolomic results highlighted compound representation differences in various accessions, whose elaboration through Euclidean distance functions and other linkage methods defined dendrograms establishing phenotypic relationships between cultivars. Principal component analysis of proteomic and metabolomic data provided clear information on phenotypic differences/similarities between persimmon accessions. Coherent cultivar association results were observed between proteomic and metabolomic data, emphasizing the utility of integrating combined omic approaches to identify and validate phenotypic relationships between ecotypes, and to estimate corresponding variability and distance. Accordingly, this study describes an original, combined approach to outline phenotypic signatures in persimmon cultivars, which may be used for a further characterization of other ecotypes of the same species and an improved description of nutritional characteristics of corresponding fruits., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 De Pascale, Troise, Petriccione, Nunziata, Cice, Magri, Salzano and Scaloni.)

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic mulching films have an important function, but at the end of their lifetime pose an economic and environmental problem in terms of their removal and disposal. Biodegradable mulching films represent an alternative to LDPE with the potential to avoid these environmental issues. In this preliminary study, we employed a biodegradable film based on Mater-Bi ® (MB) in comparison with low-density polyethylene to assess their effect on the yield and particular quality traits (organoleptic and nutraceutical composition of the fruits) of muskmelon (cv Pregiato) grown on soils with different textures (clay-loam-CL and sandy loam-SL) in two private farms in South Italy. Soil temperature under the mulch was also measured. During the monitored periods, mean soil temperature under LDPE was higher (about 1.3 °C) than that under the biodegradable film and was higher in SL soil than in CL soil, at 25.5° and 24.2 °C, respectively. However, the biodegradable film was able to limit the daily temperature fluctuation, which was 1.7 °C in both soils compared with 2.3 °C recorded for LDPE. Fruit yields were higher with MB film than LDPE (+9.5%), irrespective of soil texture. MaterBi ® also elicited increases in total soluble solids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity compared with LDPE films: 13.3%, 22.4%, 27.2%, and 24.6%, respectively. Color parameters of flesh, namely brightness, chroma, and hue angle were better in fruits grown on LDPE. Our findings suggest that Mater-Bi ® based biodegradable mulching film is a potentially valid alternative to traditional LDPE, particularly for obtaining the agronomical benefits outlined above and for promoting environmental sustainability due to its favourable biodegradable properties.

The new perspective of using waste biomass to cultivate mushrooms as a source of protein for human nutrition, in line with the circular economy principles, is receiving increasing attention in the scientific community and represents great wealth in terms of environmental sustainability. Pleurotus eryngii is a mushroom also known as cardunculus mushroom due to its ability to grow on this plant. This study explores the potential intrinsic properties of cardunculus (for example, the presence of inulin in the roots) as raw material for the growth of cardunculus mushrooms, and the influence on heteroglycan content and nutrition parameters of the fruiting bodies. Both mycelium and fruiting bodies were used to determine the heteroglycan content in the presence of inulin or cardunculus roots rich in inulin. To produce heteroglycans from P. eryngii in greater quantities and shorter times without having to wait for the formation of the fruiting bodies, the mycelium could be used. The results showed that the presence of cardunculus biomass positively influences the heteroglycan content of P. eryngii . In terms of nutritional parameters, higher contents of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity were detected in P. eryngii grown on the cardunculus stem and root substrate. In conclusion, recycling cardunculus biomass to generate growth blocks for edible mushrooms is a winning choice due to the opportunity to use this biomass waste, which is gaining more and more attention due to the increase in cultivated areas and the use of fruiting bodies of P. eryngii as a functional food and source of molecules with potential biological activities.

Nowadays, chestnut by-products are gaining a lot of interest as a low-cost raw material, exploitable for developing added-value products. This is in line with suitable chestnut by-products' management, aimed at reducing the environmental impact, thus improving the chestnut industry's competitiveness and economic sustainability. In this context, with the aim of valorizing local cultivars of European chestnuts ( Castanea sativa Mill.), our attention focused on the Verdole cultivar, which has been characterized by using the UPOV guidelines for its distinctness, homogeneity, and stability. After harvesting, Verdole chestnuts were properly dissected to collect the outer and inner shells, and episperm. Each chestnut part, previously crushed, shredded, and passed through diverse sieves, underwent ultrasound-assisted extraction. The extracts obtained were evaluated for their total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin content. The antiradical capacity by DPPH and ABTS assays, and the Fe(III) reducing power, were also evaluated. Although all the samples showed dose-dependent antioxidant efficacy, plant matrix size strongly impacted on extraction efficiency. LC-HRMS-based metabolic profiling highlighted the occurrence of different polyphenol subclasses, whose quantitative ratio varied among the chestnut parts investigated. The outer shell was more chemically rich than inner shell and episperm, according to its pronounced antioxidant activity. The polyphenol diversity of Verdole by-products is a resource not intended for disposal, appliable in the nutraceutical sector, thus realizing a new scenario in processing chestnut waste.

Background: Blueberry is considered as a 'functional food' because it contains bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins and anthocyanins. The blueberry is one of the most consumed berries in the world and is highly appreciated by consumers because of its unique taste and sensory properties. Fresh blueberries decay rapidly because of mould and water loss. To preserve the qualitative and nutraceutical traits of fresh highbush blueberries during storage, the efficacy of 1 mm melatonin treatment was investigated at 5 °C for 3 weeks., Results: The results demonstrated that melatonin treatment reduced weight loss and delayed postharvest ripening. Compared to the control, melatonin treatment induced an overproduction of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid, consequently increasing antioxidant activity. The enzymatic antioxidant system was also affected by the treatment. An increase in the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase was observed in treated fruit compared to that in control fruit. Enzymatic browning, controlled by assaying the content of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide, polyphenol oxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and lipoxygenase activities, appeared to slow down under melatonin treatment., Conclusion: Melatonin coating is a valid tool for delaying the perishability and qualitative decay of highbush blueberry fruit during cold storage. Furthermore, this treatment increases the production of secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid, improving the nutraceutical traits of this fruit during storage. Melatonin treatment can be considered as an environmentally sustainable, non-harmful-to-human-health alternative for the postharvest preservation of highbush blueberry fruit. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.)

In the main strawberry areas of Southern Italy, cultivation is carried out by transplanting plants on raised beds (30-40 cm from ground level), mulched with black polyethylene (PE). This technique has becoming increasingly expensive due to the growing prices of plastic mulches, the cost to remove them at the end of crop cycle, and the difficulty to dispose of black, dirty plastic films. The main objective of this research was the replacement of PE mulch with a new biodegradable mulching film Mater-Bi ® -based (Novamont), characterized by an increased permanence in the field designed for long crop life. In 2021, two Mater-Bi-based, black, 18 μm thick mulching films were tested under tunnel: N5 as innovative film and N18 as commercial standard film. Black PE film, 50 μm thick was the control. Strawberry cultivars 'Sabrina' and 'Elide' were cropped on the three mulching films according to a split plot design with four replications. Harvests lasted from March to June 2021. Cvs Sabrina and Elide yielded around 40 t ha -1 , while the mean effect of mulching films did not point out differences between the biodegradable mulches and PE. In 4 out of 12 harvests we analyzed samples of fruits to assess the influence of mulches on the contents of °Brix, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. On average, °Brix was clearly improved in fruits on PE compared to biodegradable films, while all the other qualitative traits resulted in being more dependent on the cultivars and times of sampling effects. Overall, biodegradable mulches are a viable alternative to PE mulch, and the innovative N5 film appeared promising for the enhancement of durability of soil coverage in a long-lasting cycle.

In this study, the influence of a chitosan-based coating was assessed on qualitative traits and non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant systems in Prunus salicina , 'Black Golden' Japanese Plum, during 35 days of cold storage followed by 3 days at 24 °C to evaluate its shelf life. Chitosan coating delayed the physico-chemical traits such as the total soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness and skin color associated with the plum ripening process during cold storage and shelf life. Furthermore, the highest bioactive compounds' content and antioxidant activity in the coated plum were registered during the stored period. Chitosan-based coating enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase during cold storage and shelf-life. Moreover, this edible coating contributes to reducing membrane damages with lower lipoxygenase activity and, consequently, malondialdehyde accumulation. A multivariate statistical analysis approach identified the two key components, correlated to all analyzed traits, that influenced the changes within chitosan coated and uncoated Japanese plums during storage. Chitosan coating is a cheap and eco-friendly tool to delay ripening process and to improve the antioxidant systems and storability of the 'Black Golden' Japanese plum.

Polyextremophilic red algae, which belong to the class Cyanidiophyceae , are adapted to live in geothermal and volcanic sites. These sites often have very high concentrations of heavy and precious metals. In this study, we assessed the capacity of three strains of Galdieria ( G. maxima , G. sulphuraria , and G. phlegrea ) and one strain of Cyanidium caldarium to tolerate different concentrations of precious metals, such as palladium (Cl 4 K 2 Pd) and gold (AuCl 4 K) by monitoring algal growths in cultures exposed to metals, and we investigated the algae potential oxidative stress induced by the metals. This work provides further understanding of metals responses in the Cyanidiophyceae , as this taxonomic class is developed as a biological refinement tool.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are high surface-to-volume ratio crystalline hybrid porous coordination materials composed of metal ions as nodes and organic linkers. The goal of this paper was to provide an updated and comprehensive state-of-the-art review of MOFs for different food applications such as active food contact materials, antimicrobial nanocarriers, controlled release nanosystems for active compounds, nanofillers for food packaging materials, food nanoreactors, food substance nanosensors, stabilizers and immobilizers for active compounds and enzymes, and extractors of food contaminants. Extraction and sensing of several food contaminants have been the main food applications of MOFs. The other applications listed above require further investigation, as they are at an early stage. However, interesting results are being reported for these other fields. Finally, an important limitation of MOFs has been the use of non-renewable feedstocks for their synthesis, but this has recently been solved through the manufacture and use of γ-cyclodextrin-based MOFs., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chitosan-based edible coatings represent an eco-friendly and biologically safe preservative tool to reduce qualitative decay of fresh and ready-to-eat fruits during post-harvest life due to their lack of toxicity, biodegradability, film-forming properties, and antimicrobial actions. Chitosan-based coatings modulate or control oxidative stress maintaining in different manner the appropriate balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in fruit cells, by the interplay of pathways and enzymes involved in ROS production and the scavenging mechanisms which essentially constitute the basic ROS cycle. This review is carried out with the aim to provide comprehensive and updated over-view of the state of the art related to the effects of chitosan-based edible coatings on anti-oxidant systems, enzymatic and non-enzymatic, evaluating the induced oxidative damages during storage in whole and ready-to-eat fruits. All these aspects are broadly reviewed in this review, with particular emphasis on the literature published during the last five years.

Lipids play an important role in human nutrition. Several foodstuffs can be manufactured from the simple, compound and derived lipids. In particular, the use of self-assembled lipids (SLs, e.g. self-assembled L-α-lecithin) has brought great attention for the development of tailored, tuned and targeted colloidal structures loading degradation-sensitive substances with valuable antimicrobial, antioxidant and nutraceutical properties for food applications. For example, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and essential oils can be protected from degradation, thus improving their bioavailability in general terms in consumers. From a nanotechnological point of view, SLs allow the development of advanced and multifaceted architectures, in which each molecule of them are used as building blocks to obtain designed and ordered structures. It is important to note before beginning this review, that simple and compound lipids are the main SLs, while essential fatty acids and derived lipids in general have been considered by many research groups as the bulk loaded substances within several structures from self-assembled carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. However, this review paper is addressed on the analysis of the lipid-lipid self-assembly. Lipids can be self-assembled into various structures (micelles, vesicular systems, lyotropic liquid crystals, oleogels and films) to be used in different food applications: coatings, controlled and sustained release materials, emulsions, functional foods, etc. SLs can be obtained via non-covalent chemical interactions, primarily by hydrogen, hydrophilic and ionic bonding, which are influenced by the conditions of ionic strength, pH, temperature, among others. This manuscript aims to give an analysis of the specific state-of-the-art of SLs for food applications, based primarily on the literature reported in the past five years., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Superficial scald is the most common physiological disorder in apples and pears and causes huge economic losses worldwide. The aim of this study is to determine the different scald susceptibilities of seven pear cultivars/selections during five months of cold storage (CS). Four advanced pear selections and three commercial cultivars were harvested from an orchard located in Emilia-Romagna region, and cold stored at -1 °C and 85% relative humidity (RH).After 90, 120, and 150 days, fruits of each cultivar and selection were removed for ripening for 4 d, after which scald damage, physico-chemical and nutraceutical traits, and enzymatic antioxidant systems were evaluated on peel and pulp. 'Abbé Fétel', 'Falstaff', and 'CREA 171' did not showed superficial scald symptoms after 90 days, while 'Doyenne du Comice' and 'CREA 264' showed the highest susceptibility. After 90 days, CS 'Falstaff' and 'CREA 179' showed the highest total polyphenol content (TPH) in peel, followed by 'Doyenne du Comice' and 'AbbéFétel'; lowest TPH was detected in 'CREA 264'. After 120 and 150 days of CS, 'Abbé Fétel' and 'CREA 171' showed the highest peel TPH. 'CREA 264' and 'CREA 125' reached the lowest values of TPH during the three CS time periods. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were higher in the peel of scald-resistant than that in scald-susceptible pear cultivars/advanced selections. Superficial scald induced an increase in polyphenoloxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase activities involved in fruit-browning during CS. Furthermore, we observed an increase in lipoxygenase activity and consequent membrane damage in both the peel and flesh of the fruit. This study indicates that pear cultivars/advanced selections have different superficial scald susceptibilities that enable them to induce the activity of several antioxidant enzymes, following CS.

There is an unmet clinical need for improved tissue and liquid biopsy tools for cancer detection. We investigated the proteomic profile of extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) in 426 human samples from tissue explants (TEs), plasma, and other bodily fluids. Among traditional exosome markers, CD9, HSPA8, ALIX, and HSP90AB1 represent pan-EVP markers, while ACTB, MSN, and RAP1B are novel pan-EVP markers. To confirm that EVPs are ideal diagnostic tools, we analyzed proteomes of TE- (n = 151) and plasma-derived (n = 120) EVPs. Comparison of TE EVPs identified proteins (e.g., VCAN, TNC, and THBS2) that distinguish tumors from normal tissues with 90% sensitivity/94% specificity. Machine-learning classification of plasma-derived EVP cargo, including immunoglobulins, revealed 95% sensitivity/90% specificity in detecting cancer. Finally, we defined a panel of tumor-type-specific EVP proteins in TEs and plasma, which can classify tumors of unknown primary origin. Thus, EVP proteins can serve as reliable biomarkers for cancer detection and determining cancer type., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests D.L., A.H., H.S.K., and L.B. have filed a U.S. patent application related to this work., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

European chestnut orchards are multifunctional agroforestry systems with a key role in environmental management. Their biodiversity is at risk of erosion and farmers do not have enough tools to protect and valorize traditional ecotypes. In particular, cost effective and reliable molecular markers for cultivar identification are lacking. The aim of this research was to develop a new molecular tool for varietal identification in European chestnuts. A set of cultivars was preliminarily characterized to evaluate the range of genetic diversity using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The genetic distances indicated a sufficiently wide variability range among tested genotypes and confirmed they were suitable for our goal. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mining within 64 expressed sequence tags (EST), covering all the linkage groups, was performed by high-resolution melting (HRM) and validated by target resequencing. Fifty-six SNPs were retrieved by monitoring the variability present on the whole set of considered cultivars in loci uniformly distributed on the genome. A subset of 37 SNPs was finally transformed into kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers that were successfully evaluated for varietal discrimination. Three assays (C1083, G0115 and A5096) were identified as necessary and sufficient for distinguishing among the tested cultivars. The developed tools can be effectively exploited by stakeholders for improving the management of the European chestnut genetic resources.

Volatile organic compounds, quality and sensory parameters of four yellow- ('Dorì', 'G3', 'Jintao' and 'Soreli') and two green-fleshed ('Hayward' and 'Summer') kiwifruit cultivars were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed on volatiles, quality and sensory data for the identification of biomarkers of different kiwifruit cultivars. Principal component analysis showed that for all six samples a very good discrimination based on the cultivar was achieved. In particular, 2-pentylfuran can be used to distinguish between the green- and yellow-fleshed kiwifruit cultivars, while seven volatiles, can be identified as biomarkers of 'Dorì'. These findings are in agreement with the sensory analysis, which revealed that 'Dorì', the richest cultivar in esters, showed very high values of both ripe fruit smell and sweet sensory traits. Altogether, these results could offer recommendations for future breeding efforts for the production of kiwifruit cultivars with improved nutritional and aroma quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular tumor of childhood with >95% survival rates in the US. Traditional therapy for retinoblastoma often included enucleation (removal of the eye). While much is known about the visual, physical, and cognitive ramifications of enucleation, data are lacking about survivors' perception of how this treatment impacts overall quality of life., Methods: Qualitative analysis of an open-ended response describing how much the removal of an eye had affected retinoblastoma survivors' lives and in what ways in free text, narrative form., Results: Four hundred and four retinoblastoma survivors who had undergone enucleation (bilateral disease = 214; 52% female; mean age = 44, SD = 11) completed the survey. Survivors reported physical problems (n = 205, 50.7%), intrapersonal problems (n = 77, 19.1%), social and relational problems (n = 98, 24.3%), and affective problems (n = 34, 8.4%) at a mean of 42 years after diagnosis. Three key themes emerged from survivors' responses; specifically, they (1) continue to report physical and intrapersonal struggles with appearance and related self-consciousness due to appearance; (2) have multiple social and relational problems, with teasing and bullying being prominent problems; and (3) reported utilization of active coping strategies, including developing more acceptance and learning compensatory skills around activities of daily living., Significance of Results: This study suggests that adult retinoblastoma survivors treated with enucleation continue to struggle with a unique set of psychosocial problems. Future interventions can be designed to teach survivors more active coping skills (e.g., for appearance-related issues, vision-related issues, and teasing/bullying) to optimize survivors' long-term quality of life.

Background: Among the challenges for postharvest researchers is that of understanding the physiological and biochemical pathways associated with postharvest fruit decay. Fruit senescence directly affects sensorial and nutritional quality during postharvest life. It has been clarified that reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage are responsible for fruit senescence. Some cultivars of yellow-fleshed kiwifruit can be stored for a short period compared with green-fleshed kiwifruit. Postharvest performance is affected by the physiological state of the fruit at harvest, associated with its postharvest management. Among several postharvest applications, ozone treatment is considered as a cost-effective and eco-friendly food-processing technology to preserve the fruits' quality during cold storage. In this study, we investigated the influence of ozone, after gradual cooling treatment, on the antioxidant defense system in Actinidia chinensis, 'Soreli'., Results: Bioactive compound content decreased during cold storage, and ozone treatment enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase during cold storage. This treatment preserved membrane integrity by inhibiting lipoxygenase activity and malondialdehyde accumulation. A multivariate statistical approach, using principal component analysis, provided the global response to the effect of ozone postharvest treatment during cold storage in kiwifruit 'Soreli'., Conclusion: Ozone treatment improves the efficiency of antioxidative system and storability of 'Soreli' kiwifruits. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Feijoa ( Acca sellowiana (O. Berg)) was initially introduced as an ornamental plant, but nowadays, it is widely cultivated for the numerous beneficial properties of its edible fruits. Feijoa flowers have been included in the list of edible flowers, but despite this, they are still considered niche products due to consumer skepticism and lack of publicity., Methods: This study evaluated the physicochemical traits, antioxidant system, and ascorbate-glutathione cycle in feijoa flowers at five flowering stages based on the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und CHemische Industrie (BBCH) scale., Results: The results showed that the optimal stage to harvest feijoa flower is the F2 stage characterized by high bioactive compounds content. Furthermore, the enzymes involved in oxidative stress and the ascorbate-glutathione cycle showed different trends during the flowering stages., Conclusions: This study provides new evidence to understand the possible role of bioactive compounds and ascorbate-glutathione cycle in the regulation of flower development, defining the optimal stage to harvest flowers.

Background: Ozone has been used for improving the postharvest life of fruits and vegetables. Ozonation, an alternative decontamination method, can be applied effectively to perishable commodities immediately after harvest. Kiwifruit is a subtropical climacteric fruit that is less able to acclimate and is susceptible to low temperatures. In this study, we investigated the influence of ozone and different storage temperatures on the physico-chemical and qualitative features in Actinidia chinensis 'Soreli'. The fruits were treated with a continuous flow of ozone in air (300 ppb), stored at 2 and 4 °C for 60 days, and sampled every 15 days., Results: It was found that ozone treatment induced the ripening process; this was evident at the end of the storage, with higher soluble solids content for ozone-treated fruits at 2 and 4 °C. Storage temperatures and gaseous ozone treatment influenced in a different manner the bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids. Additionally, under gaseous ozone storage, microbial growth was delayed, improving the microbial quality index when the fruits were stored at the lowest storage temperature (2 °C). Principal component analysis highlighted that the effects of storage temperature on physico-chemical and bioactive compounds were greater than the postharvest treatment., Conclusion: Storage temperature influenced the postharvest life of 'Soreli'. Storage at 2 °C and under 300 ppb gaseous ozone improved the yellow-fleshed fruit storage life. However, storage at 4 °C under 300 ppb gaseous ozone did not show advantages in preserving the fruit quality. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The RADiation sensitive52 (RAD52) protein catalyzes the pairing between two homologous DNA sequences' double-strand break repair and meiotic recombination, mediating RAD51 loading onto single-stranded DNA ends, and initiating homologous recombination and catalyzing DNA annealing. This article reports the characterization of RAD52 homologs in the thermo-acidophilic Cyanidiophyceae whose genomes have undergone extensive sequencing. Database mining, phylogenetic inference, prediction of protein structure and evaluation of gene expression were performed in order to determine the functionality of the RAD52 protein in Cyanidiophyceae. Its current function in Cyanidiophytina could be related to stress damage response for thriving in hot and acidic environments as well as to the genetic variability of these algae, in which, conversely to extant Rhodophyta, sexual mating was never observed.

Actinidia deliciosa cv. Hayward fruit is renowned for its micro- and macronutrients, which vary in their levels during berry physiological development and postharvest processing. In this context, we have recently described metabolic pathways/molecular effectors in fruit outer endocarp characterizing the different stages of berry physiological maturation. Here, we report on the kiwifruit postharvest phase through an integrated approach consisting of pomological analysis combined with NMR/LC-UV/ESI-IT-MS n - and 2D-DIGE/nanoLC-ESI-LIT-MS/MS-based proteometabolomic measurements. Kiwifruit samples stored under conventional, cold-based postharvest conditions not involving the use of dedicated chemicals were sampled at four stages (from fruit harvest to pre-commercialization) and analyzed in comparison for pomological features, and outer endocarp metabolite and protein content. About 42 metabolites were quantified, together with corresponding proteomic changes. Proteomics showed that proteins associated with disease/defense, energy, protein destination/storage, cell structure and metabolism functions were affected at precise fruit postharvest times, providing a justification to corresponding pomological/metabolite content characteristics. Bioinformatic analysis of variably represented proteins revealed a central network of interacting species, modulating metabolite level variations during postharvest fruit storage. Kiwifruit allergens were also quantified, demonstrating in some cases their highest levels at the fruit pre-commercialization stage. By lining up kiwifruit postharvest processing to a proteometabolomic depiction, this study integrates previous observations on metabolite and protein content in postharvest berries treated with specific chemical additives, and provides a reference framework for further studies on the optimization of fruit storage before its commercialization.

Postharvest partial dehydration is a technique used in the production of important dry and sweet wines in Italy. An accurate management of the dehydration environmental parameters allows for the modulation of berry metabolism and the maintenance/improvement of the enochemical quality of grapes. As it is known that water loss induces oxidative processes in berries, our hypothesis was that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and ozone (O 3 ), as postharvest treatments before partial dehydration, might be beneficial for grape berry quality. Grape bunches were postharvest treated with 10 or 100 μM MeJA at 20 °C or with ozone gas at 10 °C, in 70% relative humidity (RH) and air flow, for 12 h; the control bunches were untreated and kept at 20 °C for 12 h. Subsequently, partial dehydration was performed at 10 °C until a 30% weight loss (w.l.) was reached. MeJA hastened grape berry water loss. Polyphenol and flavonoid contents at the end of the partial dehydration were lower in the MeJA-treated berries than in the control and ozone samples. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity rates increased in the treated samples. In contrast, lipoxygenase (LOX) and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) had lower activities in the MeJA-treated samples than in the controls. It would seem that MeJA accelerates grape water loss but at the same time activates the antioxidant system. Ozone does not accelerate grape water loss but induces the antioxidant system and increases polyphenol content., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

BRAF V600E hyperactivates ERK and signals as a RAF inhibitor-sensitive monomer. Although RAF inhibitors can produce impressive clinical responses in patients with mutant BRAF tumors, the mechanisms of resistance to these drugs are incompletely characterized. Here, we report a complete response followed by clinical progression in a patient with a BRAF V600E -mutant brain tumor treated with dabrafenib. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a secondary BRAF L514V mutation at progression that was not present in the pretreatment tumor. Expressing BRAF V600E/L514V induces ERK signaling, promotes RAF dimer formation, and is sufficient to confer resistance to dabrafenib. Newer RAF dimer inhibitors and an ERK inhibitor are effective against BRAF L514V -mediated resistance. Collectively, our results validate a novel biochemical mechanism of RAF inhibitor resistance mediated by a secondary mutation, emphasizing that, like driver mutations in cancer, the spectrum of mutations that drive resistance to targeted therapy are heterogeneous and perhaps emerge with a lineage-specific prevalence. Significance: In contrast to receptor tyrosine kinases, in which secondary mutations are often responsible for acquired resistance, second-site mutations in BRAF have not been validated in clinically acquired resistance to RAF inhibitors. We demonstrate a secondary mutation in BRAF (V600E/L514V) following progression on dabrafenib and confirm functionally that this mutation is responsible for resistance. Cancer Discov; 8(9); 1130-41. ©2018 AACR. See related commentary by Romano and Kwong, p. 1064 This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1047 ., (©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Background: Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC) is associated with grade 3 and 4 neutropenia, however the effect on T-cell number and function is unknown. The purpose of this retrospective review was to confirm that patients treated with OAC do not develop immunosuppression warranting Pneumocystis pneumonia prophylaxis., Procedure: IRB approval was obtained for a single center retrospective review of immune function tests in retinoblastoma patients who received OAC., Results: Twenty-three patients received ≥3 cycles of OAC and had immune function testing (absolute CD4 count) performed at a median of 34 days postcompletion of therapy (range, 15 to 63 d). Only 1 patient had a low absolute CD4 count of 189 cells/μL (normal, 359 to 1570 cells/μL) 2 and a half months after IV carboplatin and 28 days after their third dose of OAC. This patient was found to have coexisting hypogammaglobulinemia. Repeat immune function testing normalized through continued OAC treatment., Conclusions: Clinically significant immune suppression appears rare following OAC alone, but patients previously treated with IV chemotherapy may be immunosuppressed and may benefit from pneumocystis pneumonia prophylaxis until the CD4 count recovers.

Nine different training systems for "Annurca Rossa del Sud" apple fruits, including oblique palmette, free palmette, V-shaped, Tatura trellis, Bibaum®, modified Bibaum®, triple leader, slender spindle and Solaxe, were evaluated based on agronomic, qualitative and metabolomic traits. Fruits were analysed at harvest and after the reddening process. The slender spindle training system showed the highest cumulative efficiency yield compared to the others. Furthermore, an increase in the content of bioactive compounds in flesh and fruit peels was observed after the reddening process and was influenced by the different training systems. The metabolic variations in apple peel were measured and analysed. Changes in the metabolome highlight the influence of different training systems on apple quality. This multidisciplinary study expands our knowledge of the influence of training systems on a typical Italian apple cultivar., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The consumption of pomegranate is increasing as it is considered a health-promoting food. Nevertheless, it can trigger allergic reactions, sometimes severe. The LTP Pun g 1 is the only pomegranate allergen so far reported. Based on preliminary clinical observations, the main aim of this study was the investigation of still unknown allergens contained in this fruit. Pommaclein, a homologue of peamaclein, the peach allergen Pru p 7, was isolated, identified by protein sequencing, and characterized as an IgE-binding protein by different test systems. RP-HPLC protein profiles revealed significant variations of LTP and pommaclein content in the red pulp of selected cultivars and accessions. Conversely, the mesocarp appeared free of proteins and much richer in antioxidants. In conclusion, a new allergen has been identified, and it could contribute to improving allergy diagnosis. The study highlights that pomegranate mesocarp could represent a rich and safe source of nutraceuticals also for allergic subjects.

The effectiveness of a chitosan coating treatment on the allergen-related genes expression of three strawberry cultivars ( Fragaria  ×  ananassa Duch., namely cvs. "Sabrina", "Candonga" and "Jonica") harvested at three ripening stages was evaluated. Fruits were treated with a 1% chitosan coating and stored at 20 °C for 48 h. Three genes, encoding Fra a1, Fra a3 and Fra a4 allergens, were evaluated by real-time qPCR. The transcript levels of several genes showed different patterns during ripening stages in strawberry cultivars but were up-regulated by chitosan treatment.

In plants and algae, sulfate assimilation and cysteine synthesis are regulated by sulfur (S) accessibility from the environment. This study reports the effects of S deprivation in autotrophic and heterotrophic cultures of Galdieria phlegrea (Cyanidiophyceae), a unicellular red alga isolated in the Solfatara crater located in Campi Flegrei (Naples, Italy), where H2S is the prevalent form of gaseous S in the fumarolic fluids and S is widespread in the soils near the fumaroles. This is the first report on the effects of S deprivation on a sulfurous microalga that is also able to grow heterotrophically in the dark. The removal of S from the culture medium of illuminated cells caused a decrease in the soluble protein content and a significant decrease in the intracellular levels of glutathione. Cells from heterotrophic cultures of G. phlegrea exhibited high levels of internal proteins and high glutathione content, which did not diminish during S starvation, but rather glutathione significantly increased. The activity of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL), the enzyme synthesizing cysteine, was enhanced under S deprivation in a time-dependent manner in autotrophic but not in heterotrophic cells. Analysis of the transcript abundance of the OASTL gene supports the OASTL activity increase in autotrophic cultures under S deprivation., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Brain tumors represent the most common solid tumors in childhood, accounting for almost 25% of all childhood cancer, second only to leukemia. Pediatric central nervous system tumors encompass a wide variety of diagnoses, from benign to malignant. Any brain tumor can be associated with significant morbidity, even when low grade, and mortality from pediatric central nervous system tumors is disproportionately high compared to other childhood malignancies. Management of children with central nervous system tumors requires knowledge of the unique aspects of care associated with this particular patient population, beyond general oncology care. Pediatric brain tumor patients have unique needs during treatment, as cancer survivors, and at end of life. A multidisciplinary team approach, including advanced practice nurses with a specialty in neuro-oncology, allows for better supportive care. Knowledge of the unique aspects of care for children with brain tumors, and the appropriate interventions required, allows for improved quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests The authors have no conflicts of interest in relation to this manuscript., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Normalization of data, by choosing the appropriate reference genes (RGs), is fundamental for obtaining reliable results in reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). In this study, we assessed Actinidia deliciosa leaves inoculated with two doses of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae during a period of 13 days for the expression profile of nine candidate RGs. Their expression stability was calculated using four algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and the deltaCt method. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) were the most stable genes, while β-tubulin and 7s-globulin were the less stable. Expression analysis of three target genes, chosen for RGs validation, encoding the reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) indicated that a combination of stable RGs, such as GAPDH and PP2A, can lead to an accurate quantification of the expression levels of such target genes. The APX level varied during the experiment time course and according to the inoculum doses, whereas both SOD and CAT resulted down-regulated during the first four days, and up-regulated afterwards, irrespective of inoculum dose. These results can be useful for better elucidating the molecular interaction in the A. deliciosa/P. s. pv. actinidiae pathosystem and for RGs selection in bacteria-plant pathosystems.

The effectiveness of chitosan fruit coating to delay the qualitative and nutraceutical traits of three strawberry cultivars, namely "Candonga", "Jonica" and "Sabrina", as well as the effects of chitosan on antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. The fruits were coated with 1% and 2% chitosan solution and stored at 2 °C for nine days. Samples were taken every three days. Physico-chemical (weight loss, soluble solid content and titratable acidity) and nutraceutical (total polyphenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid, ascorbic acid content and antioxidant capacity) properties along with the enzymatic activity (catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and lipoxygenase (LOX)) were evaluated. Chitosan treatment significantly reduced water loss and delayed the qualitative changes in color, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content in dose- and cultivar-dependent manners. Additionally, changes in the total polyphenol, anthocyanin and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant capacity of chitosan-coated strawberry fruits were delayed. Chitosan coating enhanced the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, preventing flesh browning and reducing membrane damage. A global view of the responses of the three strawberry cultivars to chitosan coating and storage temperature was obtained using principal component analysis. Chitosan-coated fruit exhibited a slower rate of deterioration, compared to uncoated fruit in all tested cultivars.

Sulfur deficiency in plant cells has not been considered as a potential abiotic factor that can induce oxidative stress. We studied the antioxidant defense system of Chlorella sorokiniana cultured under sulfur (S) deficiency, imposed for a maximum period of 24 h, to evaluate the effect of an S shortage on oxidative stress. S deprivation induced an immediate (30 min) but transient increase in the intracellular H2O2 content, which suggests that S limitation can lead to a temporary redox disturbance. After 24 h, S deficiency in Chlorella cells decreased the glutathione content to <10% of the value measured in cells that were not subjected to S deprivation. Consequently, we assumed that the cellular antioxidative mechanisms could be altered by a decrease in the total glutathione content. The total ascorbate pool increased within 2 h after the initiation of S depletion, and remained high until 6 h; however, ascorbate regeneration was inhibited under limited S conditions, indicated by a significant decrease in the ascorbate/dehydroascorbate (AsA/DHA) ratios. Furthermore, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were activated under S deficiency, but we assumed that these enzymes were involved in maintaining the cellular H2O2 balance for at least 4 h after the initiation of S starvation. We concluded that S deprivation triggers redox changes and induces antioxidant enzyme activities in Chlorella cells. The accumulation of total ascorbate, changes in the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratios and an increase in the activity of SOD and APX enzymes indicate that oxidative perturbation occurs during S deprivation., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The allelochemical stress on Zea mays was analyzed by using walnut husk washing waters (WHWW), a by-product of Juglans regia post-harvest process, which possesses strong allelopathic potential and phytotoxic effects. Oxidative damage and cell-programmed death were induced by WHWW in roots of maize seedlings. Treatment induced ROS burst, with excess of H2O2 content. Enzymatic activities of catalase were strongly increased during the first hours of exposure. The excess in malonildialdehyde following exposure to WHWW confirmed that oxidative stress severely damaged maize roots. Membrane alteration caused a decrease in NADPH oxidase activity along with DNA damage as confirmed by DNA laddering. The DNA instability was also assessed through sequence-related amplified polymorphism assay, thus suggesting the danger of walnut processing by-product and focusing the attention on the necessity of an efficient treatment of WHWW.

During a screening program aimed at the evaluation of antioxidative and antiproliferative properties, as well as nutritional properties of local edible plants, two endemic sweet cherry cultivars ('Del Monte' and 'Della Recca') were of interest. Macronutrient components (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) of both the cherry cultivars were determined as well as free and total amino acids. Pomological traits were defined. HPLC-ESI/MS n analysis, carried out on phenolic extracts properly prepared by extractive techniques from freeze dried fruits of both the cherry cultivars, showed that investigated cultivars differed in their colorless phenolic composition. Hydroxycinnamoyl quinic acid derivatives were present in both the cherry cultivars. 'Della Recca' cv. was particularly rich in 4-O-coumaroyl quinic and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, whereas quercetin-3-O-rutinoside was the main phenol compound of 'Del Monte' cultivar. The antiradical properties of the extracts were investigated by DPPH and ABTS methods. 'Della Recca' cv. cherries exhibited a pronounced antiradical activity: at 62.5μg/mL dose level ABTS radical cation was converted in its reduced form by 88.7% and DPPH radical was reduced by 75.3%. The antiproliferative efficacy of 'Della Recca' and 'Del Monte' extracts were evaluated towards five cancer cell lines (HepG2, A549, HeLa, SK-B-NE(2)-C, and SH-SY5Y) through MTT assay. 'Della Recca' phenol extract showed a dose-dependent inhibiting activity towards cervical cancer HeLa cell line., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

For plant pathogenic bacteria, adaptation to the apoplast is considered as key in the establishment of the parasitic lifestyle. Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), the causal agent of the bacterial canker of kiwifruit, uses leaves as the entry site to colonize plants. Through a combined approach based on 2-DE, nanoLC-ESI-LIT-MS/MS and quantitative PCR, we investigated Psa colonization of the Actinidia deliciosa "Hayward" leaf apoplast during the bacterial biotrophic phase. A total of 58 differentially represented protein species were identified in artificially inoculated leaves. Although the pathogen increased its population density during the initial period of apoplast colonization, plant defense mechanisms were able to impede further disease development. We identified a concerted action of different proteins mainly belonging to the plant defense and metabolism category, which intervened at different times and participated in reducing the pathogen population. On the other hand, bacterial BamA was highly represented during the first week of leaf apoplast colonization, whereas OmpA and Cpn60 were induced later. In addition to presenting further proteomic information on the molecular factors actively participating in this pathosystem, our data characterize the early events of host colonization and will promote the eventual development of novel bioassays for pathogen detection in kiwiplants., Biological Significance: This original study evaluates on a proteomic perspective the interaction occurring into the leaf apoplast between Actinidia deliciosa and its specific pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae. Despite the initial bacterial multiplication, a concerted action of the plant defense mechanisms blocked the infection during 21days of apoplast colonization, as revealed by the number of differentially-represented proteins identified in artificially-inoculated and control leaves. Three bacterial proteins were also recognized among the over-represented molecules in infected plants. This study may contribute to improve breeding programs aimed at selecting resistant/tolerant kiwifruit cultivars toward P. syringae pv. actinidiae, which present a high representation of the plant proteins here shown to be involved in resistance mechanisms. In addition to present additional information on the molecular players actively participating in this pathosystem, our data will also facilitate the technological development of future bioassays for the detection of this pathogen in kiwiplants., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Walnut husk washing waters (WHWW), a by-product of walnut production, are indiscriminately used for irrigation without preliminary risk assessment. Basing on previous in vitro results on the toxicity of this by-product, we have followed the morphophysiological development of Zea mays, Lactuca sativa cv. Gentilina and L. sativa cv. Canasta under diluted and undiluted WHWW irrigation. Significant development alterations have been observed in root and shoot elongations for all crops as well as in total biomass and chlorophyll content. The genotoxic potential of WHWW has been concurrently verified; acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining evidenced chromatin modifications and DNA degradation and also was confirmed by DNA laddering. The DNA instability was also assessed through RAPD, thus suggesting the danger of the by-product of walnut processing and focusing the attention on the necessity of an efficient treatment of WHWWs. The findings obtained by PCA of agronomic and physiological traits suggested that establishing guidelines for the administration of WHWW for irrigation is of great importance, and it is necessary to supervise their use in agricultural soils.

Few literature data are available on the nutraceutical properties of little widespread local apple cultivars. Such lack of information prevents exploitation of these germplasms for genetic improvement of new cultivars and for the re-evaluation of local agricultural products, which may attract a large share of consumers oriented towards natural food evoking ancient flavours. In this work eight traditional apple cultivars of Southern Italy were analysed in terms of phenolic composition and free radical scavenging activity in comparison with commercial "Annurca" and "Gold Chief® Gold Pink∗" cultivars. HPLC-UV-MS analysis of methanol extracts of the cultivars under examination showed significant differences in phenol distribution within the three main classes of hydroxycinnamates, dihydrochalcones, and flavan-3-ols. Such differences were found to be associated with the antioxidant activities as determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. A good correlation was observed between the percentage of reduced DPPH and the total phenol content (R=0.79). Among all phenol classes, the flavan-3-ol content showed the highest correlation (R=0.77). Almost all of the traditional cultivars examined exhibited a much higher phenol content (2- to 7-fold) and hydrogen donor activity (1.5- to 4-fold) than widely consumed cultivars like "Annurca" and "Gold Chief® Gold Pink∗"., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Catechol is a highly toxic organic pollutant, usually abundant in the waste effluents of industrial processes and agricultural activities. The environmental sources of catechol include pesticides, wood preservatives, tanning lotion, cosmetic creams, dyes, and synthetic intermediates. Genotoxicity of catechol at a concentration range 5 × 10(-1)-5 mM was evaluated by applying random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and time-lapse DNA laddering tests using onion (Allium cepa) root cells as the assay system. RAPD analysis revealed polymorphisms in the nucleotidic sequence of DNA that reflected the genotoxic potential of catechol to provoke point mutations, or deletions, or chromosomal rearrangements. Time-lapse DNA laddering test provided evidence that catechol provoked DNA necrosis and apoptosis. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining could distinguish apoptotic from necrotic cells in root cells of A. cepa.

A pandemic, very aggressive population of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae is currently causing severe economic losses to kiwifruit crops worldwide. Upon leaf attack, this Gram-negative bacterium systemically reaches the plant shoot in a week period. In this study, combined 2-DE and nanoLC-ESI-LIT-MS/MS procedures were used to describe major proteomic changes in Actinidia chinensis shoot following bacterial inoculation in host leaf. A total of 117 differentially represented protein spots were identified in infected and control shoots. Protein species associated with plant defence, including type-members of the plant basal defence, pathogenesis, oxidative stress and heat shock, or with transport and signalling events, were the most represented category of induced components. Proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism and photosynthesis were also augmented upon infection. In parallel, a bacterial outer membrane polypeptide component was identified in shoot tissues, whose homologues were already linked to bacterial virulence in other eukaryotes. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis confirmed expression data for all selected plant gene products. All these data suggest a general reprogramming of shoot metabolism following pathogen systemic infection, highlighting organ-specific differences within the context of a general similarity with respect to other pathosystems. In addition to present preliminary information on the molecular mechanisms regulating this specific plant-microbe interaction, our results will foster future proteomic studies aimed at characterizing the very early events of host colonization, thus promoting the development of novel bioassays for pathogen detection in kiwifruit material., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)