Supercritical carbon dioxide-treated blood orange juice as a new product in the fresh fruit juice market

The work described here deals with the effectiveness of using high-pressure carbon dioxide treatment (HPCD) to stabilise freshly squeezed blood orange juice. Technical planning of a continuous high-pressure supercritical carbon dioxide pilot system, suitable for development on an industrial scale, was carried out in our lab. To determine the optimal operating conditions (temperature, pressure, and CO₂/juice ratio), three different experimental trials were carried out. The first trial was conducted at 230 bar, 36 ± 1 °C, 5.08 L/h juice flow rate, and 3.91 L/h CO₂ flow rate, corresponding to a g_CO2/g_juice ratio of 0.770. The second trial utilised the same conditions except that the operative pressure was reduced (130 bar). The third trial was carried out at 130 bar, 36 ± 1 °C, 5.08 L/h juice flow rate, 1.96 L/h CO₂ flow rate, corresponding to a 0.385 g_CO2/g_juice ratio. The effects of processing were evaluated by determining physicochemical, antioxidant, and microbiological parameters of the treated juices. In addition, once the best operative parameters had been determined, physicochemical, antioxidant, microbiological and sensory evaluation of fresh blood orange juice stabilised by HPCD treatment was carried out during refrigerated storage of juices at 4 ± 1 °C for thirty days. The results showed that HPCD treatment cannot be considered as an alternative to traditional thermal methods but as a new mild technology for producing a stabilised blood orange juice with a shelf-life of 20 days.Industrial relevanceBlood oranges are the main cultivated varieties of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck in Italy. Freshly squeezed blood orange juice exert a high antiradical and antioxidant activity, due to its rich phenolic profile, but its preservation is usually assured by thermal treatment which affects its nutritional and sensory value. In this study we proposed a “milder” continuous HPCD process suitable for implementation on an industrial scale. The HPCD stabilised juice retains its physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties and could be placed within a new retail framework, namely, that of fresh juices with a shelf-life of 20 days.     

Detection of Germline Variants in 450 Breast/Ovarian Cancer Families with a Multi-Gene Panel Including Coding and Regulatory Regions

With the progress of sequencing technologies, an ever-increasing number of variants of unknown functional and clinical significance (VUS) have been identified in both coding and non-coding regions of the main Breast Cancer (BC) predisposition genes. The aim of this study is to identify a mutational profile of coding and intron-exon junction regions of 12 moderate penetrance genes (ATM, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, NBN, PALB2, PTEN, RAD50, RAD51C, RAD51D, STK11, TP53) in a cohort of 450 Italian patients with Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer Syndrome, wild type for germline mutation in BRCA1/2 genes. The analysis was extended to 5′UTR and 3′UTR of all the genes listed above and to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 known regulatory regions in a subset of 120 patients. The screening was performed through NGS target resequencing on the Illumina platform MiSeq. 8.7% of the patients analyzed is carriers of class 5/4 coding variants in the ATM (3.6%), BRIP1 (1.6%), CHEK2 (1.8%), PALB2 (0.7%), RAD51C (0.4%), RAD51D (0.4%), and TP53 (0.2%) genes, while variants of uncertain pathological significance (VUSs)/class 3 were identified in 9.1% of the samples. In intron-exon junctions and in regulatory regions, variants were detected respectively in 5.1% and in 32.5% of the cases analyzed. The average age of disease onset of 44.4 in non-coding variant carriers is absolutely similar to the average age of disease onset in coding variant carriers for each proband’s group with the same cancer type. Furthermore, there is not a statistically significant difference in the proportion of cases with a tumor onset under age of 40 between the two groups, but the presence of multiple non-coding variants in the same patient may affect the aggressiveness of the tumor and it is worth underlining that 25% of patients with an aggressive tumor are carriers of a PTEN 3′UTR-variant. This data provides initial information on how important it might be to extend mutational screening to the regulatory regions in clinical practice.     

Trace elements bioaccumulation in Porcellionides pruinosus (Brandt, 1833) and related biomarkers of exposure

In the last years, the increase of anthropogenic activities has led to a progressive pollution of ecosystems. Oniscidean isopods are a group of terrestrial animals known as excellent bio‐indicators and bio‐accumulators, because of their capacity to accumulate contaminants and to implement appropriate strategies of detoxification. For this study, we collected Porcellionides pruinosus from two different sites in the Corinth region (Greece), a polluted site and a control site, to assess the heavy metal pollution status. We conducted an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) analysis for the detection of trace elements in animals' hepatopancreas and soil; we performed also immunohistochemistry for detection of metallothioneins 1 (MT1) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70s). The results suggest a great capacity of the species in trace elements bioaccumulation and the high degree of pollution of the area near Agioi Theodoroi where the metal pollution index (MPI) is threefolds higher than the control site, due to the presence of significantly higher concentration of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and lead found in hepatopancreas and soil. The environmental stress is confirmed by the expression of the relative biomarkers of exposure MT1 and HSP70. Our study, with a multimarker approach, consents getting a complete analysis of environmental quality and the effect of pollution on organisms and shows for the first time the heavy metals contamination status in certain Greece area. Furthermore, P. pruinosus proved to be an appropriate indicator of pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.     

Highly Selective and Potent Human β-Secretase 2 (BACE2) Inhibitors against Type 2 Diabetes: Design,Synthesis, X-ray Structure and Structure–Activity Relationship Studies

Herein we present the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of potent and highly selective β-secretase 2 (memapsin 1, beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 2, or BACE 2) inhibitors. BACE2 has been recognized as an exciting new target for type 2 diabetes. The X-ray structure of BACE1 bound to inhibitor 2 a {N³-[(1S,2R)-1-benzyl-2-hydroxy-3-[[(1S,2S)-2-hydroxy-1-(isobutylcarbamoyl)propyl]amino]propyl]-5-[methyl(methylsulfonyl)amino]-N¹-[(1R)-1-phenylpropyl]benzene-1,3-dicarboxamide} containing a hydroxyethylamine isostere was determined. Based on this structure, a computational docking study was performed which led to inhibitor 2 a -bound BACE2 models. These were used to optimize the potency and selectivity of inhibitors. A systematic structure–activity relationship study led to the identification of determinants of the inhibitors’ potency and selectivity toward the BACE2 enzyme. Inhibitors 2 d [N³-[(1S,2R)-1-benzyl-2-hydroxy-3-[[(1S,2S)-2-hydroxy-1-(isobutylcarbamoyl)pentyl]amino]propyl]-N¹-methyl-N¹-[(1R)-1-phenylpropyl]benzene-1,3-dicarboxamide; K_i=0.031 nm , selectivity over BACE1: ≈174 000-fold] and 3 l [N¹-((2S,3R)-3-hydroxy-1-phenyl-4-((3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl)amino)butan-2-yl)-N³,5-dimethyl-N³-((R)-1-phenylethyl)isophthalamide; K_i=1.6 nm , selectivity over BACE1: >500-fold] displayed outstanding potency and selectivity. Inhibitor 3 l is nonpeptide in nature and may pave the way to the development of a new class of potent and selective BACE2 inhibitors with clinical potential.     

Evidence for the Band‐Edge Exciton of CuInS2 Nanocrystals Enables Record Efficient Large‐Area Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Ternary I‐III‐VI₂ nanocrystals (NCs), such as CuInS₂, are receiving attention as heavy‐metals‐free materials for solar cells, luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), LEDs, and bio‐imaging. The origin of the optical properties of CuInS₂ NCs are however not fully understood. A recent theoretical model suggests that their characteristic Stokes‐shifted and long‐lived luminescence arises from the structure of the valence band (VB) and predicts distinctive optical behaviours in defect‐free NCs: the quadratic dependence of the radiative decay rate and the Stokes shift on the NC radius. If confirmed, this would have crucial implications for LSCs as the solar spectral coverage ensured by low‐bandgap NCs would be accompanied by increased re‐absorption losses. Here, by studying stoichiometric CuInS₂ NCs, it is revealed for the first time the spectroscopic signatures predicted for the free band‐edge exciton, thus supporting the VB‐structure model. At very low temperatures, the NCs also show dark‐state emission likely originating from enhanced electron‐hole spin interaction. The impact of the observed optical behaviours on LSCs is evaluated by Monte Carlo ray‐tracing simulations. Based on the emerging device design guidelines, optical‐grade large‐area (30×30 cm²) LSCs with optical power efficiency (OPE) as high as 6.8% are fabricated, corresponding to the highest value reported to date for large‐area devices.     

Augmenting natural interaction with physical paper in ambient intelligence environments

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Physical paper, in its various forms (e.g. books, leaflets, catalogues), is extensively used in everyday activities, despite any advancements in digital...     

Mixed Lead Halide Passivation of Quantum Dots

Infrared‐absorbing colloidal quantum dots (IR CQDs) are materials of interest in tandem solar cells to augment perovskite and cSi photovoltaics (PV). Today's best IR CQD solar cells rely on the use of passivation strategies based on lead iodide; however, these fail to passivate the entire surface of IR CQDs. Lead chloride passivated CQDs show improved passivation, but worse charge transport. Lead bromide passivated CQDs have higher charge mobilities, but worse passivation. Here a mixed lead‐halide (MPbX) ligand exchange is introduced that enables thorough surface passivation without compromising transport. MPbX–PbS CQDs exhibit properties that exceed the best features of single lead‐halide PbS CQDs: they show improved passivation (43 ± 5 meV vs 44 ± 4 meV in Stokes shift) together with higher charge transport (4 × 10^‐2 ± 3 × 10^‐3 cm² V^‐1 s^‐1 vs 3 × 10^‐2 ± 3 × 10^‐3 cm² V^‐1 s^‐1 in mobility). This translates into PV devices having a record IR open‐circuit voltage (IR V_oc) of 0.46 ± 0.01 V while simultaneously having an external quantum efficiency of 81 ± 1%. They provide a 1.7× improvement in the power conversion efficiency of IR photons (>1.1 µm) relative to the single lead‐halide controls reported herein.     

Universal access in the information Society (2001–2021): knowledge,experience, challenges and new perspectives

Universal Access in the Information Society -     

Chemistry of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glossodoris</Emphasis> Nudibranchs: Specific Occurrence of 12-Keto Scalaranes

With the aim of establishing whether the oxidation of the tricyclic carbon skeleton of scalaradial (1) is specific to Glossodoris mollusks, the chemical investigation of specimens of Glossodoris pallida from two distinct geographical areas (China and Guam) and of Glossodoris vespa and Glossodoris averni from Eastern Australia was performed. 12-Deacetoxy-12-oxo-scalaradial (4), recently reported from another Glossodoris nudibranch, was the main metabolite of G. pallida from China, G. vespa, and G. averni. A series of scalarane compounds 3 and 5–11, including the unprecedented 12,16-deacetoxy-12-oxo-scalarafuran 5, was isolated from the mollusks. Interestingly, a population of G. pallida from Guam displayed a different scalarane pattern that was characterized by scalaradial (1), deacetyl scalaradial (2), and deoxoscalarin (3), thus confirming previous reports. The specific occurrence of 12-keto-derivatives in some nudibranchs of the genus Glossodoris is discussed.