The aim of this work was to describe the physiological limitations induced under drought conditions in young sweet orange trees, including the crop capability to recuperate its physiological status once re-watering, and after a water withholding. The trial was conducted during two consecutive months (July and August) in two-years old sweet orange trees. Three irrigation treatments were arranged: A full irrigation treatment; (FI); a low-frequency deficit-irrigation treatment (LFDI); and a sustained-deficit irrigation (SDI) treatment. The obtained results showed that for Stem values below -1.5 MPa, significant decreases in gas exchange rates, evidencing diffusive limitations to drought stress. Additionally, there was evidence of increased osmolyte synthesis, compatible as a defensive response to prevent oxidative damage. Likewise, the isohydric behaviour observed also resulted in significant decreases in gs even for moderate stress situations. In addition, it was observed that in the LFDI treatment, the stress levels reached caused a significant increase in the levels of Pro and MDA, which were not equal to those detected in FI during the recovery periods, which leads us to assume that potential values below -1.8 MPa would be causing significant oxidative damage with no capacity for subsequent recovery, and probably affecting the final yield.

Philippine Lime or Calamansi is considered one of the Philippine high-value crops in Nueva Ecija province. This article presents some issues and problems of the calamansi industry in terms of marketing. The study used a descriptive survey of 56 farm-owners or calamansi growers. Findings revealed that lime production could be a stable income source if the growers can provide the necessary production inputs on a sustainable basis. Calamansi farmers in the province some often confronted with the following problems: the high cost of farm inputs, price fluctuations, price manipulation of big-time traders, and other intermediaries. The study also found out that the existing actors in the chain were limited to growers, laborers, agri-supply shops, nursery owners, intermediaries, and traders. In terms of trading, there is a high degree of competition among traders in the market. The findings and results from this study may have important factors in developing and designing effective agricultural marketing program and startegic development plan by the authorities in the region.

The revaluation of agri-food waste to provide consumers with bioactive compounds for a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet is growing exponentially in society. In the present work, the chemical and physical properties of essential oils (EO) extracted from the peels of four citrus fruits grown and commercialized in Amazonas, Peru: lime (Citrus limetta Risso), sweet lemon (Citrus limetta sp.), mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and orange (Citrus sinensis) were determined. The essential oils were extracted using green solvent and then their antioxidant capacity was determined by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging technique; the total phenolic content using Folin Ciocalteu's reagent. Total flavonoids, refractive index, density, specific heat capacity, Ramam mapping and main phenolic compounds were also determined by liquid chromatography (UHPLC-DAD). It was found that lime and mandarin essential oils had higher antioxidant capacity (1592.38 and 1216.13 μmol TE/g) and higher total phenolic content (680.78 and 420.28 mg AGE/g); while sweet lemon peel essential oil had higher total flavonoid content (23.18 mg QE/g). Given their characteristics, these essential oils have a high potential for use in the food and/or pharmaceutical industry.

The roots of African grapes (Lannea microcarpa) have long been utilised in traditional medicine for their perceived therapeutic properties. However, their comprehensive proximate and mineral analysis remains largely unexplored. Proximate composition and mineral content of the roots were conducted. The sample was obtained from Katsayal, Katsina State, and analysed using standard procedures. The macro and micro metals were determined using Flame Photometer and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, respectively. The results revealed a moisture content of 28.0 ±2.0%, an ash content of 21.3±1.2%, and significant levels of crude fibre (29.0±0.50%), crude lipid (9.60±0.20%), crude protein (6.91±0.01%), and available carbohydrates (33.3±0.10%). The calorific value of the root was determined to be 245 ± 0.01 kcal/g. The micro-mineral analysis revealed the detection of copper (8.60 ± 0.002 mg/kg), magnesium (9.24 ± 0.004 mg/kg), manganese (41.9 ± 0.001 mg/kg), iron (405 ± 0.042 mg/kg), and zinc (9.46 ± 0.001 mg/kg). The macro-minerals, namely calcium (28400 mg/kg), potassium (1530 mg/kg), and sodium (45030 mg/kg), were found to be present in the sample. It is advisable to conduct additional research to examine the identified minerals' bioavailability, clarify the phytochemical profile, and investigate potential bioactive compounds.

Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, is a devastating disease impacting citrus trees worldwide, with severe effects particularly noted in Florida. Current strategies to combat HLB have focused on aggressive replanting despite the high susceptibility of young trees to infection. In this context, it is critical to explore agronomic practices that can enhance the health and resistance of young citrus trees to HLB. Here, we demonstrate that treatment with homobrassinolide (HBr), a type of brassinosteroid, on newly planted citrus trees can delay HLB infection and improve tree health amidst the high psyllid pressure conditions endemic to Florida. Our study reveals a significant reduction in HLB infection rates in HBr-treated trees compared to control trees, with only 25% of treated trees testing positive for HLB by six months, in contrast to 100% infection in untreated trees. This delay in infection may be attributed to HBr inducing an immune response and negatively impacting psyllid performance, as subsequently demonstrated in a greenhouse experiment. Our findings suggest that HBr applications could serve as a viable strategy to enhance the resilience of citrus production against HLB, underscoring the need for further investigation into their mechanisms of action and potential role in a comprehensive pest and disease management strategy.

Computational studies suggest that hesperidin, a flavonoid abundant in citrus peel, binding the three main cellular receptors of SARS-CoV-2 virus can act in the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19. Herein we urge the uptake of hydrodynamic cavitation industrial-scale reactors based on the low cost, reliable Venturi tube for the extraction of citrus pectin rich in hesperidin (and in other bioflavonoids including naringing) by very fast processing of waste orange peel or waste lemon peel in water only. A device able to process up to 500 kg of waste peels per session, similar to the one lately deployed in Italy for hydrodynamic cavitation-assisted brewing, is capable to provide 36,000 doses of 1000 mg hesperidin per day.

Besides a diffuse research activity on drug discovery and biodiversity carried out in natural contexts, more recently investigations concerning endophytic fungi have started considering their occurrence in crops based on the major role that these microorganisms have been recognized to play in plant protection and growth promotion. Fruit growing is particularly involved in this new wave, by reason that the pluriannual crop cycle implies a likely higher impact of these symbiotic interactions. Aspects concerning occurrence and effects of endophytic fungi associated with citrus species are revised in the present paper.

The processing of Mexican limes generates great amounts of peel as a byproduct. Lime peel is mainly rich in the flavonoid hesperidin, whose bioactivity is oriented mainly to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The purpose of this work was to develop a green process for the extraction and purification of hesperidin from Mexican lime peel. The extraction of hesperidin was investigated on a laboratory scale by varying the solvent composition and the solid-to-solvent ratio. The best conditions (solid-to-solvent ratio of 0.33 g/mL and 60% ethanol) were used for the extraction of hesperidin in a pilot scale (Volume = 20 L). The kinetics of the extraction was studied to find the maximum hesperidin concentration at 100 min. The concentrated extract had a hesperidin content of 0.303 mg/mL. Next, a purification process using adsorption resins was assessed. Through static tests, it was determined that higher adsorption efficiencies were achieved with the EXA-118 resin and diluted extract (4:6 ratio with 10% DMSO). Finally, the adsorption of hesperidin from the diluted extract (hesperidin concentration of 0.109 mg/mL) was carried out at 25 °C in a column packed with 80 mL of EXA-118 resin. The mean recovery efficiency of hesperidin from the extract was almost 90%.

Named herein “CytroCell”, the cellulosic material obtained via hydrodynamic cavitation of citrus processing waste in water is cellulose of low crystallinity, high porosity, good water holding capacity and good dispersibility in water. These properties, here demonstrated for the first time for lemon and grapefruit CytroCell, open the route to mass scale production of a useful functional material from a cheap and abundant biowaste. The process, indeed, does not require any pre-treatment of the raw material, and does not use acid, alkali, chemical oxidants or enzymes.

Previously the nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical methods which were costly and toxic to bio-systems. Plant extracts provides simpler, eco-friendly and cost efficient method for synthesizing nanoparticles. Lemon peel extract (LPE) was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) which were evaluated for their antimicrobial effects after optimizing the pH of extract and concentration of both extract and synthesized AgNPs. The characterization of synthesized AgNPs was carried out using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Well diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial activities of synthesized AgNPs. The presence of phenols and proteins was assumed to reduce the Ag⁺ ion into silver nanoparticles. The characteristic surface plasmon resonance frequency was observed at 405–425 nm for all varying condition of silver nanoparticles synthesis. Furthermore, results revealed that the synthesized AgNPs remains stable upto 75 days. The average particle size was 2–5 nm, calculated with the help of scherrer’s equation by using XRD data. LPE mediated AgNPs (200 µg/mL) showed significant antimicrobial activity, compared to commercially available nanoparticles while LPE (50 mg/ml) showed no effect. LPE mediated AgNPs might get attention of pharmacists in order to design medicines against different diseases including the infections of bacteria.

Mancozeb is extensively used fungicide to prevent citrus melanose in most Asian countries, especially in China. So far, however, there have been no reports of thet effect of Mancozeb on the citrus rhizosphere bacterial community. Therefore, this comparative experiment defined the genomic and functional related to community and soil health of 2-years old Citrus unshiu Marc. rhizosphere through amplicon sequencing and chemical analysis. This study evaluated the effect of mancozeb on the chemical properties of citrus-cultivated soil and the richness and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial community. We also investigated the abundance response of rhizosphere bacterial groups to 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 times application of 2 g mancozeb (active ingredient content, ai.) 600 times diluted with water. Our data revealed that the abundance of rhizosphere-associated bacterial species increased significantly after planting citrus. The relative abundance of Candidatus, Saccharibacteria, Parcubacteria, and Proteobacteria increased with the increase in mancozeb watering times. Meanwhile, the abundance of Nitrospirae decreased with the increase in mancozeb application times. The findings indicated that the chemical properties of the soil and the richness and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial community did not significantly differ across the mancozeb gradients in soil.

Biosynthesis of nanoparticles for delivery of therapeutic agents has introduced new opportunities in upgrading medical treatment. Plant extracts contains different capping and reducing agents naturally thus provided simpler and less expensive way to synthesize AgNPs. In present work, Citrus reticulata mediated stabilised AgNPs was synthesized. Optimum concentration of reactants was achieved by varying the amount of extracts (1-11 ml) and AgNO₃ concentration (0.5-3 mM). Surface Plasmon peak of Citrus reticulata mediated AgNPs was determined by UV-visible spectrophotometer and functional groups of capping agents were examined by FTIR analysis. Surface Plasmon peaks of Citrus reticulata fresh peel, seed, and juice extracts were observed at 420 nm. But in dry peel extract, absorption peak of AgNPs appeared at 410 nm. Colour of different extracts was changed after the reduction of AgNO₃ to AgNPs by reducing agents present in the extracts. FTIR analysis showed band peaks at 3316 cm-1 correspond to amide (N-H and O-H) stretching vibrations while alkanes peaks was observed at 1638 cm-1 which showed C=C stretching aromatic ring (flavonoids). Furthermore, Citrus reticulata fresh peel mediated AgNPs showed impressive stability up-to 112 days. In conclusion, Citrus reticulata fresh peel extract provided an excellent source of reducing agents for synthesizing stabilized AgNPs.

Citrus peels are considered as a rich source of valuable biomolecules like pectin as polymer of polysaccharide acid. In this study, response surface methodology was used to optimize pectin extraction from Citrus clementina peels using citric acid as extraction solvent. The effect of parameters conditioning the extraction process and pectin yield (pH, temperature, extraction time, solid/liquid ratio, and raw material particle size) was investigated using a Box-Behnken design. The quality of the extracted pectin was assessed both chemically (moisture, ash, protein, and sugar content) and functionally (gelling power and emulsifying activity). According to the screening experiment, the factors pH, temperature, and particle size were the main factors influencing the pectin yield. The adjusted mathematical model enabled us to plot response surfaces in order to determine optimal extraction conditions. The highest production yield of pectin (26.6%) was obtained at the optimal conditions of: pH = 1.5; temperature 100 °C and particle size = 0.1 mm for an extraction time of 30min. Compared to the predicted value of 26.6%, the experimental extraction yield was about 21.4% of pectin. Concerning the functional properties, the extracted pectin has a high gelling power of 164°SAG and an emulsifying activity of 38.5%.

The most recent outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus, named as COVID-19, caused pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan with 2,121 deaths cases as of February 20^th 2020. Identification of effective antiviral agents to combat the novel coronavirus is urgently needed. Citrus fruit peel or wild citrus are rich in flavonoid, and is clinically documented for roles in relief of cough and promotion of digestive health. Therefore, citrus fruits are assumed to possess antivirus activities or enhance the host immunity. A previous study found that hesperetin could act as a high potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV 3CLpro. We determined six flavonoid compounds content of in three citrus species by using LC-MS technique. The content of naringin and naringenin was at higher levels in pummelo. Hesperetin and hesperidin were highly accumulated in mandarin and sweet orange. The subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that naringin could inhibit the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines (COX-2, iNOS, IL-1β and IL-6) induced by LPS in Raw macrophage cell line, and may restrain cytokine through inhibiting HMGB1 expression in a mouse model. The results revealed that naringin may have a potential application for preventing cytokine storm. We simulated molecular docking to predict the binding affinity of those flavonoids to bind Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2), which is a receptor of the coronavirus. Consideration of the potential anti-coronavirus and anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoids, the citrus fruit or its derived phytochemicals are promising in the use of prevention and treatment of 2019-nCoV infection.

Leaves of Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus hystrix and Citrus microcarpa collected from Mersing, Johor were selected for this research. The extraction of these samples were carried out using three different polarities of solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol). Phytochemical screening were done with various test for each of crude extracts. The results showed that C. aurantifolia gave positive result for alkaloids, saponins, reducing sugar and carbohydrates in hexane and ethyl acetate extracts. In contrast to C. hystrix where the presence of alkaloids, steroids, reducing sugar and carbohydrates were proven in all crude extracts. Lastly, C. microcarpa showed positive result for alkaloids, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, reducing sugar, carbohydrates, phenolic content, glycosides and tannins for hexane and ethyl acetate crude extracts. Through antioxidant assays measured at wavelength 234 nm, C. aurantifoliaa has the highest AOA which was 10. The scavenging effect on DPPH radical was done at the wavelength of 517 nm and C. microcarpa has the highest percentage of scavenging effect with 96.41%. Next, the non-enzymatic antioxidant assays on the determination of α-tocopherol and carotenoids showed that C. hystrix has the highest concentration of α-tocopherol (2.30 ± 0.026), while C. microcarpa has the highest concentration of carotenoids (18.40 ± 2.83).

Although several protocols for genetic transformation of citrus have been published, it is highly desirable to further improve its efficiency. Here we report treatments of Agrobacterium cells and citrus explants prior to and during co-cultivation process to enhance transformation efficiency using a commercially used rootstock 'Carrizo' Citrange as a model plant. We pre-cultured Agrobacterium cells in a 1/10 MS, 0.5 g/L 2-(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid (MES) and 100 µM acetosyringone liquid medium for 6 hours at 25 ℃ before used to infect citrus explants. We incubated epicotyl segments in an MS liquid medium containing 13.2 µM 6-BA, 4.5 µM 2,4-D, 0.5 µM NAA for 3 hours at 25℃ prior to Agrobacterium infection. In the co-cultivation medium, we added 30 µM paclobutrazol and 10 µM lipoic acid. Each of these three treatments significantly increased the efficiencies of transformation. When the three treatments were combined, we observed that the transformation efficiency was enhanced from 11.5% to 52.3%. The improvement of genetic transformation efficiency mediated by these three simple treatments may facilitate more efficient applications of transgenic and gene editing technologies for functional characterization of citrus genes and for genetic improvement of cultivated citrus varieties.

Iron is an essential micronutrient for Citrus, playing an important role in photosynthesis and yield. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the tolerance to Fe deficiency of five Citrus rootstocks: sour orange (S), Carrizo citrange (C), Citrus macrophylla (M), Troyer citrange (T) and Volkamer lemon (V). Plants were grown for 5 weeks in nutrient solution that contained the following Fe concentrations (in µM): 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20. At the end of the experiment, biomass (dry weight), leaf area, total leaf chlorophyll (CHL) and the activity of root chelate activity (FCR) were registered. Additionally, the mineral composition of roots (R) and shoots (S) was evaluated. Principal Component Analysis was used to study the relationships between all parameters and, subsequently, the relations between rootstocks. In the first component, N-S, P-S, Ca-S, Cu-S, Zn-S, Mn-S and Zn-R and Mn-R concentrations were related to leaf CHL and FCR. Increases in leaf CHL, Mg-R, DW (shoots and roots) were inversely related to Cu-R, which was shown in the second component. The values obtained were consistent for V10, C15, and C20, but in contrast for S0 and S5. Overall, the Fe/Cu ratio was significantly related to CHL, which may be used to assist rootstock performance.

Chemical weed control using herbicide glyphosate to manage emerged weeds is an important production practice in Florida citrus. Despite the extensive use of glyphosate in citrus orchards, very limited information is available on its environmental fate and behavior in Florida soils that are predominantly sandy in nature. Hence, the study's objective was to understand the adsorption-desorption, dissipation dynamics, and vertical movement or leaching of glyphosate in sandy soils in citrus orchards. Laboratory, field, and greenhouse experiments were conducted at Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, Florida. The adsorption-desorption behavior of glyphosate in the soils from three major citrus production areas in Florida was studied utilizing a batch equilibrium method. The dissipation of glyphosate was tracked in the field following its application at the rate of 4.20 kg ae ha-1. Soil leaching columns in greenhouse conditions were used to study the vertical movement of glyphosate. The results suggest that glyphosate has a relatively lower range of adsorption or binding (Kads = 14.28 to 30.88) in the tested soil types. The field dissipation half-life (DT50) of glyphosate from surface soil was found to be 26 days. Glyphosate moved vertically or leached into the soil profile, up to 40 cm in the soil column, when analyzed 40 days after herbicide application. The primary degradation product of glyphosate, i.e., aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA), was also detected up to the depth of 30 cm below the soil surface, indicating the presence of microbial metabolism of glyphosate in the soil.

Among the many approaches to COVID-19 prevention, the possible role of diet has so far been somewhat marginal. Nutrition is very rich in substances with a potential beneficial effect on health and some of these could have an antiviral action or in any case be important in modulating the immune system and in defending cells from the oxidative stress associated with infection. This short review draws the attention on some components of Citrus fruits and especially of the orange (Citrus sinensis), well known for its vitamin content, but less for the function of its flavonoids. Among the latter, hesperidin has recently attracted the attention of researchers, because it binds to the key proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Several computational methods, independently applied by different researchers, showed that hesperidin has a low binding energy both with the coronavirus "spike" protein, and with the main protease that transforms the early proteins of the virus (pp1a and ppa1b) into the complex responsible for viral replication. The affinity of hesperidin for these proteins is comparable if not superior to that of common chemical antivirals. The preventive efficacy of vitamin C, at dosage attainable by diet, against viral infections is controversial, but recent reviews suggest that this substance may be useful in case of increased stress on the immune system. Finally, the reasons that suggest undertaking appropriate research on the Citrus fruits addition in the diet, as a complementary prevention and treatment of COVID-19, are discussed.

COVID-19 pandemic is a serious problem in the world today. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 has important proteins used for its infection and development, namely the protease and spike glycoprotein. The RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) of spike glycoprotein (RBD-S) can bind to the ACE2 (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2) receptor at the protease domain (PD) (PD-ACE2) of the host cell, thereby leading to a viral infection. This study aims to reveal the potential of compounds contained in Curcuma sp., Citrus sp., Alpinia galanga, and Caesalpinia sappan as anti SARS-CoV-2 through its binding to 3 protein receptors. The study was conducted by molecular docking using the MOE 2010 program (licensed from Faculty of Pharmacy UGM, Indonesia). The selected protein targets are RBD-S (PDB ID:6LXT), PD-ACE2 (PDB ID: 6VW1), and SARS-CoV-2 protease (PDB ID:6LU7). The affinities of bonds formed is represented as a docking score. The results show that hesperidin, one of the compounds in Citrus sp., has the lowest docking score for all three protein receptors representing the highest affinity to bind the receptors. Moreover, all of the citrus flavonoids possess good affinity to the respected receptors as well as curcumin, brazilin, and galangin, indicating that those compounds perform inhibitory potential for the viral infection and replication. In general, the results of this study indicate that Citrus sp. exhibit the best potential as an inhibitor to the development of the SARS-CoV-2, followed by galangal, sappan wood, and Curcuma sp. that can be consumed in daily life as prophylaxis of COVID-19.

Oilfield produced water (OPW) is used to boost freshwater sources for crop irrigation in California's agriculturally important Central Valley. OPW is known to contain salts, metals, hydrocarbons, alkylphenols, naturally radioactive materials, biocides, and other compounds from drilling and production processes. Less is known about the potential uptake and accumulation of these compounds in crops and soil irrigated with OPW. In this study 23 potted mandarin orange plants were irrigated 2-3 times weekly (depending on season) with water containing three different concentrations of the known OPW heavy metals barium, chromium, lead, and silver. Seven sets of samples of soil and leaves and all fruits were collected and processed using microwave-assisted digestion (EPA Method 3051A). Processed samples were analyzed using ICP-OES. ANOVA, ANCOVA, and Tukey’s honest significant difference test were used to examine the effects of metal concentrations in the irrigation water, sample number, and number of watering days on the metal concentrations in the soil, leaf, and fruit samples. Accumulation of barium in soil and leaves was strongly positively associated with sample and number of watering days, increasing nearly 2,000-fold. Lead also showed an upward trend, increasing up to 560-fold over baseline level. Chromium showed an increase in the soil that tapered off, but less consistent results in the leaves and fruit. The silver results were more volatile, but also indicated at least some level of accumulation in the tested media. The smallest absolute accumulation was observed for chromium. Concentrations in the fruit were highest in the peel, followed by pith and juice. Accumulation of all heavy metals was generally highest in the soil and plants that received the highest irrigation water concentration. Considering the potential for adverse human health effects associated with ingesting soluble barium contained in food and drinking water, and to a lesser extent chromium and lead, the study signals that it is important to conduct further research into whether OPW contaminants can enter the food chain and pose risks to consumers.

This review provides an overview of the biotransformation of limonene and α-pinene, which are commonly found in wood residues and citrus fruit by-products, to produce high-value-added products. Essential oils derived from various plant parts contain monoterpene hydrocarbons, such as limonene and pinenes which are often considered waste due to their low sensory activity, poor water solubility, and tendency to autoxidize and polymerise. However, these terpene hydrocarbons serve as ideal starting materials for microbial transformations. Moreover, agro-industrial byproducts can be employed as nutrient and substrate sources, reducing fermentation costs, and enhancing industrial viability. Terpenes, being secondary metabolites of plants, are abundant in byproducts generated during fruit and plant processing. Microbial cells offer advantages over enzymes due to their higher stability, rapid growth rates, and genetic engineering potential. Fermentation parameters can be easily manipulated to enhance strain performance in large-scale processes. The economic advantages of biotransformation are highlighted by comparing the prices of substrates and products. For instance, R-limonene, priced at US$34/L, can be transformed into carveol, valued at around US$530/L. This review emphasises the potential of biotransformation to produce high-value products from limonene and α-pinene molecules, particularly present in wood residues and citrus fruit by-products. The utilisation of microbial transformations, along with agro-industrial byproducts, presents a promising approach to extract value from waste materials and enhance the sustainability of the antimicrobial, the fragrance and flavour industry.

Although numerous citrus varieties have recently been developed to enhance their quality, information on their quality characteristics is limited. We assessed the quality characteristics of Yellowball, a novel citrus variety, by evaluating its appearance, storability, sensory properties, functionality, and metabolite profiles and comparing these characteristics with those of its parent varieties: Haruka and Kiyomi. The metabolite profiles between the citrus varieties differed significantly, resulting in distinct physicochemical and functional qualities. The storability of Yellowball was significantly increased compared with that of its parent varieties owing to its strong antifungal activity and unique peel morphology, including the stoma and albedo layers. While we did not investigate the volatile compounds, overall functional activities, and detailed characteristics of each metabolite, our data provide valuable insights into the relationship between citrus metabolites, peel morphology, physicochemical properties, and storability and demonstrate the potential of Yellowball as a promising variety in the citrus industry.

Four Chinese herbs Zhishi, Zhiqiao, Qingpi and Chenpi from Citrus genus were widely used for treating various cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Although many pharmacological functions of these herb decoctions can be clarified from the bioactivities of identified ingredients, some of them remain confusing. To clarify the reasons of those confusing functions, depending on the extended structure-activity relationships of cholinergic and anti-cholinergic agents, here a simple method for quickly discovering possible choline analogs was established using a specific TLC method, and then stachydrine and choline were first identified from these Citrus herb decoctions based on their NMR and HRMS data. After this, two TLCS methods were first established respectively for the quantitatively analyses of stachydrine and choline, and the contents of both two ingredients and synephrine in 39 samples were determined using the valid TLCS and HPLC methods, respectively. The results showed the contents of stachydrine were 2.4 times to those of synephrine in Zhiqiao while about 1/3 to 2/3 in Zhishi, Qingpi and Chenpi. Simultaneously, the contents of stachydrine, choline and synephrine in these herbs present similar changing trends along with the delay of harvest time. However, the contents of synephrine decrease most rapidly, while those of stachydrine decrease most slowly. Based on these above, comparing with the pharmacological activities and pharmacokinetics reported of stachydrine and synephrine, it indicated that stachydrine and synephrine can be considered as a pair of bioactive equilibrists, especially in the cardio-cerebrovascular protection from these citrus herbs. Simultaneously, it confirmed that stachydrine should play an important role in the pharmacological functions, especially in dual-directionally regulating the uterus and various beneficial effects on cardio-cerebrovascular system, kidney and liver, of these citrus herbs.

South Italy is characterised by a semi-arid climate with scarce rain and high evaporative demand, therefore the need to optimise water resources in this area is crucial, and climate change could worsen this condition. In citrus cultivation, which is one of the most important crops bred in Southern Italy, and more generally in Mediterranean regions, deficit irrigation strategies are im-plemented in order to cope with limited resource availability. On this basis, knowledge on how the territorial distribution of citrus would change in relation to these strategies constitutes valuable information for the stakeholders. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prob-ability of presence of citrus in Sicily at changing of the percentage of water deficit application, in order to analyse change in the surface area and localisation of the crop. The methodology was based on the application of Species Distribution Models and Geographic Information Systems to the case study of the Province of Syracuse in Sicily. Different geostatistical and machine learning models were applied, based on 3-decades bioclimatic variables, DTM and irrigation; assessment of the outcomes was carried by using classification evaluation metrics. The analysis of the outcomes showed that uncorrelated predictor layers mainly included water input that affected most the probability of presence. Moreover, GIS analyses showed that deficit irrigation strategies would generate an overall reduction of cultivation surfaces in the territory and a decrease of citrus pres-ence in southern areas of the considered territory, where climate conditions are less favourable in terms of temperature and precipitations, thus providing useful information for decision support tools in agriculture and land use policy.

Salinity is the most significant abiotic stress affecting crop yield worldwide, breeders are Salinity is the most important abiotic stress limiting crop production throughout the world, and breeders are encouraged to test novel genotypes for their resistance to this selection agent. However, getting a sufficient number of plants for the evaluation can be a lengthy and time-consuming procedure that might be shortened by applying in vitro techniques. An experiment was conducted under controlled saline circumstances using a tissue culture technique to investigate the influence of salt on several physic-biochemical parameters. Micro-shoots of Volkamariana lemon, sour orange, trifoliate orange, and Cleopatra mandarin rootstocks were re-cultured on MS media supplemented with NaCl from 25, up to 150 mM. Following the experiments, all of the tested rootstocks' morphological and biochemical characteristics, stomata behavior, and element accumulation were measured. As a result, adding NaCl from 25 to 150 mM to MS media caused a reduction in all morphogenetic parameters such as shoot number, shoot length, leaves number, and survival percentage was measured compared with control. Photosynthesis pigment, RWC, K, and Ca ions were decreased by increasing NaCl from 100 to 150 mM. On the contrary, proline, Cl, and Na were increased. Cleopatra mandarin and Trifoliate orange are more tolerant to salt stress than Volkamariana lemon and sour orange citrus.

In this study, the application of the main algorithms used for SDM, namely Boosted Regression Tree (BRT), Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Maximum Entropy (MAXENT) and Random Forest (RF), were considered in order to simulate the citrus probability of distribution in a Mediterranean area, based on presence data and a random background sample, and in relation to several predictors. The predictors were grouped under 19 bioclimatic variables, elevation described through a Digital terrain model, soil physical properties, and irrigation. Sensitivity analysis was carried out by: modifying the values of the main models’ parameters; and reducing the input presence points.

Citrus essential oils (EOs) have various bioactivities like antioxidants, with many applications. Antioxidant activities depend on the chemical compositions of the EOs, which are affected by climate, soil, and geographical region. Thus, investigations on chemical compositions and antioxidant activities of Citrus EOs in different countries are valuable. In this study, we distilled EOs from peels of Indonesian-grown Citrus, including C. nobilis, C. limon, C. aurantifolia, C. amblycarpa, and Citrus spp.Chemical compositions of EOs were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS), whereas the antioxidant activities were determined by employing 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to elucidate the main contributing compounds for antioxidant activity. The results show that all EOs possess unique chemical characteristics, with limonene as the majority constituent. For antioxidant activities, C. limon and C. amblycarpa EOs are the two strongest, IC50 values below 7.00 μL/mL. PCA approach suggests that -terpinene mainly contributes to the high antioxidant activities of C. limon and C. amblycarpa. Moreover, o-cymene, thymol, p-cymene, and α-pharnesene may also be responsible for the antioxidant activity of C. limon EO. These results are valuable information for the applications of Citrus EOs as antioxidant sources.

Crop phenotyping data collection is the basis for precision agriculture and smart decisionmaking applications. In this study, a dynamic slicing and reconstruction canopy volume (DR) algorithm is proposed to accurately estimate citrus canopy volume. The algorithm dynamically slices nearby slices based on their proportional area change and density difference, subsequently conducting AS reconstruction and volume calculation for each slice using an iterative mean point spacing as the α-value. Compared with six point cloud-based reconstruction algorithms, the DR approach achieved the best results in removing perforations and lacunae (0.84) and exhibited volumetric consistency (1.53) that closely aligned with the growth pattern of citrus trees. The DR algorithm effectively addresses the challenges of adapting the thickness and number of canopy point cloud slices to the shape and size of the canopy in the ASBS and CHBS algorithms, as well as overcoming inaccuracies and incompleteness in reconstructed canopy models caused by limitations in capturing detailed features using the PCH algorithm. It offers improved adaptive ability, finer volume computations, better noise reduction, and anomaly removal. In conclusion, we recommend selecting appropriate operating environments for each algorithm based on their principles, geometric properties, volumetric values, running time, and linear relationships with one another to guide orchard mechanization and intelligent operation.

Ready-to-eat fresh fruit have an increasing presence in international markets due to its convenience and health benefits. However, these produces are highly perishable and efficient technologies to increase their shelf life are needed. In the present research, different citrus fruit species and cultivars from organic farming were assayed to obtain enzymatically citrus segments. The best results in terms of segment quality were observed for ‘Hernandina’ clementine which was chosen to make a new ready-to-eat produce based on peeled citrus segments packaged in glass jars with slight syrup made on citrus juice and organic sugar cane. The most appreciated syrup was those containing 50-50 (v/v) of ‘Fino’ lemon juice and ‘Hernandina’ clementine based on the sensory scores given by the panellists. In addition, different pasteurization treatments were assayed to preserve the new produce safety and nutritional and sensory quality properties during storage at cold temperature. Results showed that pasteurization treatment at 50 °C for 45 min could be enough to avoid microbial contamination with mesophilic and psychrophilic aerobic bacteria or yeast and mould and to maintain sensory properties until five weeks of storage at 4 °C. In addition, only a 10 % reduction of vitamin C was observed from fresh segments or syrup until the end of storage period, showing that the new ready-to-eat produce would conserve high bioactive compound content and health benefits after pasteurization and prolonged cold storage.

Reggio Calabria province (South Italy) is known for being almost the only area of cultivation of the bergamot fruit, grown principally for its essential oil, but today much studied for the health benefits of its juice. The biometrics and physico-chemical properties of the three (Citrus bergamia Risso) existing genotypes namely Castagnaro, Fantastico and Femminello were studied during fruit ripening from October to March. Castagnaro cv had the biggest and heaviest fruit during this harvest period. °Brix (7.9-10.0), pH (2.2-2.8) and Formol number (1.47-2.37 mL NaOH 0.1N/100mL) were shown to be influenced by both the genotype and by the harvest date. Titratable acidity (34.98-59.50 g/L) and Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) (341-867 g/L) decreased during fruit ripening. The evolution of flavonoids such as neoeriocitrin, naringin, neohesperidin brutieridin and melitidin was studied both in bergamot juice and in the bergamot cloudy which is the aqueous extract of bergamot during fruit processing. Bergamot cloudy contained a higher quantity of flavonoids compared to the juice. This study gives important information regarding the cultivar and the harvest date for producers who want to obtain the highest juice quantity or the highest juice quality from the bergamot fruit.

Citrus species essential oils (EOs) are significant sources of bioactive compounds and demonstrate diverse therapeutic effects. However, limited documentation exists regarding the phytochemicals associated with their biological activities. This study aims to assess the antioxidant activity, plant inhibitory properties, and brine shrimp cytotoxic effects of EOs derived from three Citrus species: C. sinensis, C. limon, and C. hystrix. Utilizing chemometric analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) fingerprints, the volatile components contributing to antioxidant activity were elucidated. The peels of the Citrus samples were hydro-distillated to obtain EOs, and subsequently subjected to antioxidant, plant inhibitory, and brine shrimp cytotoxic assays. The results indicated that C. limon EO exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, while C. hystrix and C. sinensis EOs demonstrated pronounced inhibitory effects against Aetrmia salina and Lactuca sativa, respectively. GC-MS analysis facilitated the identification of key compounds in each EO. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchy cluster analysis (HCA) effectively categorized Citrus EOs based on their antioxidant properties, highlighting the proximity of C. limon and C. sinensis. Among the identified compounds, D-limonene, α-Terpineol, Caryophyllene, (+)-3-Carene, β-Pinene, (-)-Spathulenol, trans-p-Mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol, and trans-Verbenol were the most discriminating compounds affected the antioxidant activity of C.limon and C. sinensis EOs.

Aging and obesity make humans more prone to cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome diseases, leading to several serious health conditions, including dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, and sleep disturbance. Hyperlipidemia means elevated blood lipid levels, including cholesterol and triglycerides. This study aimed to explore the hypolipidemic effect of fermented citrus lemon juice using a hyperlipidemic hamster model. Sugar-free lemon juice’s fermentation was optimized, and the characteristics of fresh and fermented lemon juice (FLJ) were evaluated and compared. In addition, tests were conducted to determine the appropriate hamster feed for the functional animal tests. Then, experiments were conducted to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of the FLJ, which contained polyphenols and superoxide dismutase-like activity, on a hyperlipidemic hamster model. This study’s pre-fermentation efficiency evaluation found that 21–30 days of bacterial DMS32004 and DMS32005 fermentation of fresh lemon juice provided the best fermentation benefits. In addition, the fermentation evaluation showed that a sugar-free fermentation method provided FLJ with the best benefits. Results showed that the absorption and utilization efficiency of FLJ was higher compared with the unfermented lemon juice. After six weeks of feeding, the total cholesterol and triglyceride values in the blood and liver of the FLJ treatment groups were de-creased compared with the high-fat diet (HFD) group. In addition, the blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly reduced in the FLJ treatment groups compared with the HFD group. In contrast, the blood high-density lipoprotein to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio increased considerably in the FLJ treatment groups, and the total to high-density lipoprotein ratio was significantly lower than in the HFD group. Compared with the HFD group, the total cholesterol content in the FLJ treatment groups’ feces increased significantly. This study demonstrated that the sugar-free fermentation method and fermentation cycle management provided FLJ with the potential to regulate blood lipids. Further research and verification will be carried out to isolate specific substances from the FLJ and identify their mechanisms of action.

The rapid expansion of livestock production sector to meet the world population demand is posing a big challenge to environmental sustainability. Plant-based feed additives extracted from food by-products could potentially result in a double outcome: improving animal zootechnical performances and mitigating environmental impacts of meat production chains. This presented study was carried out to assess the environmental impacts of the supplementation of a commercial Citrus extract feed additive (CEFA) in swine and broiler farming. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to assess the impact of manufacturing and distributing 1 bag of 25 kg of CEFA and its use in feed in broiler and swine productions. With regard to CEFA manufacturing and distribution, results showed that the majority of impact came from the production of CEFA ingredients, accounting for 70% impact generated. The remaining 30% effect was divided to transportation to customer (25%), CEFA packaging (3%), CEFA manufacture, and production loss (2%). When enlarging the scope, the use of CEFA in piglet and broiler diets showed improving the measured environmental indicators, compared to such standard systems. Indeed, feed supplemented CEFA have demonstrated in elevating zootechnical performances, hence saving feed consumed. Consequently, that helped reduce environmental issues from animal feed ingredients’ agriculture. To be more specific, the supplementation of 25 kg of CEFA in feed led to a reduction of 6 tons of CO2 emitted along the life cycle of broiler production and 5 tons in the case of fattening pig. 0.7 hectares of land used had been saved as well as, 201 m3 of water (broiler) and 82 m3 (swine) were economized. Environmental performance assessment showed the interest in using this CEFA in swine and broiler diets to mitigate the environmental impacts.

Spray penetration into citrus canopies is critical for adequate coverage and deposition to ensure effective pest control. However, mismatch of air assistance to target canopy characteristics can lead to unintended spray loss through over penetration. To evaluate the effect of air assistance on on-target deposition, two sprayers (surrogates for airflow rates) were used to apply a fluorescent tracer dye solution @ target concentration of 300 ppm to 16 medium foliage density tree blocks in a commercial mandarin orchard. The complete factorial experiment in three replications comprised two ground speeds (1.6 and 4.8 km/h), two disc-core nozzles (TeeJet® D3-25 and D6-45), and either one or two nozzle rows to obtain a wide range of application rates (496 to 9,719 L/ha). Dye deposition significantly decreased with canopy depth (p=<0.001) by nearly 7 times across the 3.4-m-wide canopies but was not significant over 1.2 to 2.2 m sampling height (p=0.867). Deposition obtained with the low airflow rate sprayer was significantly greater (p=<0.001) than that obtained with the high airflow rate sprayer over the dose range likely due to too much air pushing out spray droplets. This study underscores the importance of matching the air assistance of orchard sprayers to the target canopy.

Efficient use of agricultural wastes and by-products, basically transforming waste materials into value added products, is considered as pivotal for an effective bioeconomy strategy for the rural development. To this scope, citrus waste management represents a major issue for citrus processors but, at the same time, it embodies a potentially unexploited resource for the rural sustainable development. This study focuses on analyzing the current management of citrus waste in South Italy and identifying the determinants and barriers that may affect an entrepreneur’s choice on the destination of citrus waste. Citrus processors’ preferences about the contract characteristics needed to take part in a co-investment scheme have been investigated. Both analyses are preliminary steps to design an innovative and sustainable citrus by-product supply chain. Results show that the distance between the citrus processors and the citrus by-products plant is one of the main criteria for choosing alternative valorization pathways. Moreover, the required guaranteed capital, the short duration of the contract, and low risk are contract scheme characteristics that improve entrepreneurs’ willingness to co-invest in the development of a citrus waste multifunctional plant.

The necessity to investigate suitable alternatives to conventional fossil fuels has developed the interests in many renewable energy alternatives, especially biomass resources which are widely available and allow to reach both environmental and socio-economic improvements. Among the bioenergy solutions the anaerobic digestion technology makes it possible to produce biogas by reusing and valorising agricultural residues and by-products. In Southern Italy, to date, the development of biogas sector is still very limited, despite the importance of the agricultural sector, especially of citrus and olive cultivation. For this reason, in previous studies the availability of two by-products, i.e., citrus pulp and olive pomace, was analysed in order to choose the most suitable area for a sustainable development of new biogas plants according to the new Biogasdoneright concept. In this paper, after a resume of the multi-step methodology which allowed the computation of biogas production, it was demonstrated that 15.9 GWh-e electricity and 24.5 GWh-e heat per year could be generate by reusing only these two kind of by-products, and could satisfy approximate 17% of the total electricity demand of the agricultural sector (90.2 GWh-e/year) in Catania.

This study reports new records of eight species of Cicadellini (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Cicadellinae), all potential vectors of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al. 1987, which causes citrus variegated chlorosis. The sharpshooters were captured using a sweeping net in citrus orchards across seven municipalities in Amazonas State, Brazil. This research addresses the lack of information on sharpshooter occurrence in the Amazonas region, emphasizing the need for further investigations in this area.

Whiteflies of Aleurocanthus spiniferus and A. woglumi (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are serious pests of citrus and other important fruit crops. The problem in citrus has initiated the successful introductions of several natural enemies for biocontrol programs in Hawaii and many other countries. Here we summarized the history of infestation and biocontrol efforts of the two whiteflies in Hawaii for possible importation into Greece. Two Platygasteridae (Amitus hesperidum Silvestri, A. spiniferus (Brethes) and three Aphelinidae (Encarsia clypealis (Silvestri), E. smithi (Silvestri), E. perplexa Huang and Polaszek) were released in Hawaii for biocontrol of the citrus whiteflies during the period 1974-1999. The aphelinid, Cales noacki Howard, purposely released for Aleurothrixus flococcus (Maskell) in 1982 was also reported to attack other whiteflies including Aleurocanthus species on citrus. An additional aphelinid parasitoid, Encarsia nipponica Silvestri, native to Japan and China, was accidently introduced and found to attack both citrus whiteflies on the islands. Since the colonization of introduced parasitoids in infested fields on four Hawaiian Islands, no survey was done to evaluate their potential impact. We made two short surveys during September-November 2022 on Kauai, Hawaii, and Oahu Islands to introduce the dominant parasitoids to Greece for the biocontrol of A. spiniferus. Results showed that the infestation level was very low on Kauai, Hawaii, and Oahu Islands with mean infestation level ranged 1.4 - 3.1 on Hawaii and Oahu Islands mostly on pummelo and sweet orange, with no detection on Kauai Island. Only was E. perplexa the dominant parasitoid with parasitism rates ranged 0 -28 % on Hawaii Island and 11-65% on Oahu Island. Starter colony of the parasitoids has been colonized in Greece for evaluation and approval for release. This was the first field survey on Hawaii since the introduction and release of citrus whitefly natural enemies.

This study examined the efficacy of essential oil (EO) obtained from the Australian native plants, lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) (LM) to inhibit Penicillium digitatum by in vitro agar diffusion and vapor assay, and in inoculated oranges. Gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry analysis revealed the main constituent of LM EO as citral. Pure citral was also included in the experiment for com-parison. LM EO at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 µL disc-1 in the in vitro tests significantly inhibited fungal growth compared to the non-treated control. Moreover, LM EO at 4 and 5 µL disc-1 in both the assays completely inhibited fungal growth similar to its main component of citral. Inoculated oranges dipped in 1000 μL L-1 LM EO solutions for 5, 10, 15 and 30 sec showed significantly lower fungal wounds compared to control. While higher dipping times generated slight rind injury, a 5 and 10 sec dip did not cause any injury to the fruit rind. The quality assessments and sensory evaluations also revealed that the addition of LM EO did not adversely affect the quality and taste of the oranges. These findings suggest LM EO as an alternative to synthetic fungicides to inhibit wastage in citrus during storage.

The state of Veracruz has ample water resources. However, due to population and industrial growth, there has been an increase in the discharge of wastewater into surface water bodies. To analyze the water quality in the Bobos River, Veracruz, and its sustainability, researchers collected nine samples from nine different points in the reservoir. They measured various parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total nitrogen, nitrate, chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, phosphate, dissolved solids, and fecal coliforms. The results showed that the river's water quality is at risk. The concentration of pollutants such as chemical oxygen demand and fecal coliforms is high. Conductivity values ranged from 0.26 to 3.81 mS. If preventive and corrective measures are not taken, the river's ability to purify pollutants will be severely compromised. This study evaluates the physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of the water in Bobos River. It specifically investigates the influence of the nearby citrus industry on the river's water quality. The study also aims to promote environmental sustainability.

Rapid analysis and characterization of compounds by mass spectrometry may overlook trace compounds, although targeted analysis methods can significantly improve detection sensitivity, it is difficult to discover novel scaffold compounds. This study developed a strategy for discovering trace compounds in the aging process of traditional Chinese medicine based on MS fragmentation and known metabolic pathway. Specifically, we found that the characteristic component of C. reticulata 'Chachi', methyl N-methylanthranilate (MMA), fragmented in ESI-CID to produce rearrangement ion 3-hydroxyindole, which has been proven to exist in trace amounts in C. reticulata 'Chachi' comparing with the reference substance by LC-MS/MS. By combining the known metabolic pathways of 3-hydroxyindole and the possible methylation reactions that may occur during aging, 10 possible indole derivatives were untargeted predicted. These compounds were confirmed to originate from MMA by purchasing or synthesizing reference substances and all of them were detected in C. reticulata 'Chachi' through LC-MS/MS analysis, achieving trace compound analysis from untargeted to targeted. It may contribute to explain the aging mechanism of C. reticulata 'Chachi' and the strategy of CID-induced special rearrangement ion binding metabolic pathway has potential application value in discovering trace compounds.

The research aims to discover the natural occurrence of patulin (PAT) in selected citrus fruits from the central cities of Punjab and Pakistan's Northern cities. Total 2970 samples of twelve citrus fruits; kinnow, orange, grapefruits, bitter orange, mausami, red blood, pineapple, sweet orange, rough lime, sweet lime, kagzi lime and lemon were examined using liquid chromatography fitted with UV detector. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification limit was 0.04 and 0.12 µg/kg, respectively. The results have shown that 56% of samples of citrus fruits from Punjab's central cities, Pakistan, were discovered to be infected from PAT. The elevated amounts of PAT ranging from 0.04 to 1150 µg/kg were found in citrus fruit samples from Multan cities. Furthermore, 31.7% of samples of citrus fruits from Northern cities of Pakistan were discovered to be infected with PAT, and the elevated amounts were found ranging from 0.04-320 µg/kg from Swat city. About 22.1% of samples of citrus fruits have levels of PAT greater than the suggested limits established by the European Union (EU). PAT's dietary intake levels ranged from 0.10-1.11 µg/kg bw/day from the central cities of Punjab, Pakistan, and 0.13-1.93 µg/kg bw/day were documented from Northern cities of Pakistan.

The research aims to discover the natural occurrence of patulin (PAT) in selected citrus fruits from the central cities of Punjab and Pakistan's Northern cities. Total 2970 samples of twelve citrus fruits; kinnow, orange, grapefruits, bitter orange, mausami, red blood, pineapple, sweet orange, rough lime, sweet lime, kagzi lime and lemon were examined using liquid chromatography fitted with UV detector. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification limit was 0.04 and 0.12 µg/kg, respectively. The results have shown that 56% of samples of citrus fruits from Punjab's central cities, Pakistan, were discovered to be infected from PAT. The elevated amounts of PAT ranging from 0.04 to 1150 µg/kg were found in citrus fruit samples from Multan cities. Furthermore, 31.7% of samples of citrus fruits from Northern cities of Pakistan were discovered to be infected with PAT, and the elevated amounts were found ranging from 0.04-320 µg/kg from Swat city. About 22.1% of samples of citrus fruits have levels of PAT greater than the suggested limits established by the European Union (EU). PAT's dietary intake levels ranged from 0.10-1.11 µg/kg bw/day from the central cities of Punjab, Pakistan, and 0.13-1.93 µg/kg bw/day were documented from Northern cities of Pakistan

A balanced diet model, rich in fruits and vegetables and ensuring the intake of natural products, has been shown to reduce or prevent the occurrence of many chronic diseases. However, the choice to consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables leads to an increase in the amount of waste, which can cause the alteration in environmental sustainability. To date, the concept of "by-product" has evolved, understood as a waste product, from which it is still possible obtain useful compounds. Therefore, the by-products in the agricultural sector, are a rich source of bioactive compounds, capable to possess a second life, decreasing the amount of waste products, the disposal costs and the environmental pollution. A promising and well-known citrus of the Mediterranean diet is the bergamot (Citrus bergamia, Risso et Poiteau). The composition of bergamot is known and the rich presence of phenolic compounds and essential oils has justified countless beneficial properties found, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cholesterolemic and protective activity for the immune system, heart failure and coronary heart diseases. The industrial processing of bergamot fruits leads to the formation of bergamot juice and bergamot oil. The solid residues, referred as "pastazzo", are normally used as feed for livestock or pectin production. The fiber of bergamot (BF) can be obtained from pastazzo and could exert an interesting effect thanks to its content of polyphenols. The purpose of this work was to test the effects of BF on an in vitro model of neurotoxicity induced by treatment with amyloid beta protein. In particular, this experimental model included both neurons and oligodendrocytes in order to measure the involvement of the glia and compare it with the neurons one. The results obtained showed a protective activity of BF, although the oligodendrocytes were more sensitive and fragile than neurons. Further experiments are necessary and if the trend was confirmed, solid residues of bergamot could be used in AD, and, at the same time, could help to avoid the accumulation of waste products.

Alternaria brown spot (ABS) is a disease caused by the fungus Alternaria alternata f. sp. citri, which results in lesions on fruits, leaves, and branches of several mandarin varieties and their hybrids. Due to the high cost of fungicide application, alternative methods for controlling ABS need to be studied. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of essential oils (EOs) from different mandarin varieties to mitigate the effects of ABS. The inhibitory effect of different concentrations (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 μL mL-1) of Fremont IAC 543 mandarin, IAC 2019Maria mandarin, Murcott IAC 221 tangor, and Late IAC 855 willowleaf. EOs on the in vitro mycelial growth of the fungus A. alternata was evaluated. Additionally, the curative and preventive effects of these EOs on ABS symptoms on detached leaves of Murcott IAC 221 tangor were also assessed. The EO of IAC 2019Maria mandarin induced less mycelial growth, and consequently, greater inhibition of the growth of the fungus A. alternata at a concentration of 16 μL mL-1. This EO was more effective in control than the other oils tested. In the detached leaf experiment, both the curative and preventive treatments at a concentration of 16 μL mL-1 showed lower values of disease severity.

Recently the use of food by products as natural sources of biologically active substances has been extensively investigated especially for the development of functional foods fortified with natural antioxidants. Due to their content of bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, flavonoids and limonoids, Citrus peels could be suitable to formulate enriched olive oils able to boost a healthy nutrition. The aim of this study was: (i) to determine the compositional and sensory profiles of the Citrus olive oil and (ii) to evaluate its nutraceutical properties in rats with high fat diet-induced-metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress. The results obtained show the potential of using the Citrus peels as a source of bioactive compounds to improve the sensory profile as well as the phytochemical composition of olive oil. We demonstrated that the production system of C. aurantium olive oil and C. limon olive oil improves their organoleptic properties without altering their beneficial effects, which, like control extra virgin olive oil, showed protective effects on glucose and serum lipid levels, metabolic activity of adipocytes, myocardial tissue functionality, oxidative stress markers and endothelial function at blood vessel level.

Acid lime [Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle] is a fruit crop, enriched with high commercial value and is cultivated in 60 out of 75 districts representing all geographical landscapes of Nepal. Lack of high yielding cultivars is probably one of the main reason for its extremely reduced productivity which warrants a deep understanding of genetic diversity in existing germplasm. Hereby, we aim to access the genetic diversity of acid lime germplasm cultivated at 3-different ecological gradients of eastern Nepal employing PCR-based Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats markers (ISSR). Altogether, 21 polymorphic ISSR markers were used to assess the genetic diversity in 60 acid lime cultivars sampled from different geographical locations. Analysis of binary data matrix was performed on the basis of bands obtained, scoring of the data was done accordingly, and principal coordinate analysis and phenogram were constructed using different computer algorithms. ISSR profiling yielded 234 amplicons, of which 87.18% were found to be polymorphic. The number of amplified fragments ranged from 7-18 with amplicon size ranging from 250-3200 bp. The NTSYS based Cluster analysis using UPGMA algorithm taking Dice Similarity coefficient separated 60 accessions into 2-major and 3-minor clusters. The genetic diversity analysis revealed the highest for Terai and the lowest for High-hill zone. Cluster I comprised of accessions from High-hill and Mid-hill regions revealing the close genetic relationship, whereas cluster II comprised of accessions from all three agro-ecological zones and the exotic varieties. Furthermore, our results revealed the accessions harvested from different geographical gradients were not genetically distinct, but highest diversity was observed in Terai accessions in comparison to the regions belonging to the High and Mid-hills. Thus, our data indicate that the ISSR provides a better option for evaluating the genetic diversity of Nepalese Acid Lime cultivars and furnished significant information, assisting parental selection in current and future breeding programs and germplasm conservation which ultimately may help to provide a technological breakthrough for the farmers of the developing country like Nepal.

Heavy metal pollution in the aquatic water bodies via the discharge of various toxic heavy metals from industrial effluents has been a major concern in the present era. Various physical and chemical processes are available to solve this problem of heavy metal pollution. Biosorption is considered as a potential alternative for the removal of heavy metals from waste waters as compared to other conventional processes. In the present work, biosorption of Cu(II), Cr(VI), Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions from aqueous solutions was carried out by using peels of Citrus aurantifolia. The peels were found to be efficient in the biosorption of all four metal ions under study. The biosorption process was found to be influenced by factors like contact time, temperature, pH, turbidity as well as biosorbent dose. Further, the change in characteristics of Citrus aurantifolia after biosorption process was studied by using E-SEM, EDAX and FT-IR analysis. The adsorption isotherm studies revealed that Freundlich isotherm model showed better fir to experimental data as compared to Langmuir isotherm model. The results were found to be significant statistically. The regeneration of biosorbent was carried out by desorption study by using certain eluents.

A comprehensive understanding of the genetic diversity among strains of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc), the causative agent of citrus bacterial canker, is crucial for unraveling the pathological nature, structure, and evolution of populations, thereby facilitating the adoption of sustainable control measures. In a collection of 48 strains isolated in 2012, 2020, and 2021 from citrus production areas in Burkina Faso, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests utilizing specific primers were conducted to investigate the distribution of type 3 effectors (T3E) and the structuring of strains based on their geographical origins. The analysis of the distribution of type 3 non-transcription activate like effectors (TALE) reveals a more extensive repertoire in strains isolated in 2020 and 2021 compared to those isolated in 2012. Nevertheless, all strains share a common repertoire of three genes, namely XopE2, XopN, and AvrBs2. Additionally, all screened effectors were observed in the Bobo-Dioulasso locality. Concerning the characterization of TALEs, two profiles consisting of two to three TALEs were identified. Profile 1, with two TALEs, was present in 37 Xcc strains, while Profile 2, with three TALEs, was identified in 11 strains. Among the three TALEs (A, B, and C) identified, TALEs B and C were common to all strains. The correlation matrix revealed a positive correlation between the T3E content of strains and the years of their isolation. Multiple component analysis indicated a weak structuring of the tested strains.

This study revealed the synthesis of cross-linked chitosan/Citrus reticulata peel waste (C/CRPW) composites that could be used as low-cost and green bio-adsorbents for the removal of Congo red (CR) dye from aqueous solutions. C/CRPW composites containing different amounts of Citrus reticulata peel waste (CRPW) and chitosan were prepared and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. The composites were characterized by FESEM, FTIR, and BET. The C/CRPW composites as a new type of bio-adsorbents displayed superior adsorption capability toward anionic CR molecules and the adsorption capacities increased by incorporation of CRPW. Effects of different ambient conditions such as contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, initial adsorbate concentration, and temperature were fully studied. The conditions which obtained 43.57 mg/g of the highest adsorption capacity were conducted at pH 4, initial concentration of 100 mg/L, adsorbent dosage of 2.0 g/L, and contact time of 24 hours at 328 K. The adsorption data was found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model. According to the findings of this investigation, it was observed that the C/CRWP composites can be used as adsorbents due to their advantages of simple preparation process, environmentally friendly, renewable, efficient, and low-cost.

This study examined the efficiency of a combined diagnostic approach in which bioamplification of Arizona 861 S1 citron was integrated with RT‒PCR to detect Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) and Hop Stunt Viroid (HSVd) in Citrus plants. The capacity of the combined method to diagnose mixed infections of CTV and HSVd, along with early single infections of both pathogens, was assessed by evaluating the incubation periods and differential detection capabilities between the combined and direct methods. The bioamplification method exhibited high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%) for CTV, enabling early detection even in patients with low-titer infections compared to direct RT‒PCR. However, for HSVd, the combined method achieved 50% sensitivity in early infections, highlighting the need for additional replicates to enhance diagnostic reliability. The relative concentrations of pathogens in mixed and simple infections were evaluated; the analysis revealed no significant differences, suggesting minimal interference between CTV and HSVd. This approach allows early detection of CTV but requires further refinement for HSVd diagnosis. These findings underscore the complementary roles of the cost-effectiveness of direct RT‒PCR and the sensitivity of the combined method in implementing effective disease control strategies in citrus crops.

The objective of the current study is to evaluate the effects of nitrogen rate N on tree growth, fruit yield and quality of clementine Nules variety, budded on Flhorag and Carrizo citrange rootstocks, grown on clay soils at the Experimental station of Sidi Allal Tazi, INRA Morocco, over five seasons. The experiment has been carried out in a split-plot design with three replications, including the nitrogen doses as the main plot and rootstock the subplot. Three fertilization treatments of the rates of N (g/tree) (T0: control (native nutrient), T1: 270, T2: 540 in g/tree) and 135 P2O5, 270 K2O g/tree have been applied to citrus trees in field conditions. The study found that nitrogen rate and rootstock genotype had significant effects on vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality of Nules clementine. As N rate increased, vegetative growth improved significantly, with the trees grafted on Carrizo citrange and fertilized with T2 (540 N g/tree) showing the best results. A strong positive correlation was also observed between canopy volume and fruit yield for both rootstock genotypes. Carrizo citrange proved to be a more efficient rootstock for Nules variety than Flhorag, with higher yield and better fruit quality. As a conclusion, the recommended NPK rate for obtaining an optimal yield and good fruit quality of Nules clementine fruits was 540 N-135 P2O5-270 K2O g/tree/year under Sidi Allal Tazi–Gharb (Morocco) conditions.

The objective of this study was to develop an ultrasonic-assisted procedure for the extraction of total phenolics from Citrus aurantium L. blossoms (CAB) and evaluate the free radical scavenging activity, anti-HMG-CoA reductase activity of total phenolics. In this work, a Box-Behnken design based on the single-factor experiments was used to explore the optimum extraction process. Under the optimum conditions (extraction solvent 70.31% ethanol, extraction temperature 61.94 °C, extraction time 51.73 min and liquid-to-solid ratio 35.63 mL/g), the extraction yield of total phenolics was 95.84 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry matter (DM), which was highly consistent with the theoretical value (96.12 mg GAE/g DM). The total phenolic extract showed excellent free radical scavenging properties against DPPH·, ABTS+·, ·OH and ·O2-, with the IC50 values of 197.007, 83.878, 218.643 and 158.885 μg/mL, respectively, and the extracts also showed good inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase activity, with the IC50 value of 117.165 μg/mL. Total phenolics from CAB could be a potential source of natural free radical scavenger and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor.

Citrus peel has been used in Asian traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, asthma, and bronchial disorders. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of quercetogetin (QUE), a polymethoxylated flavone isolated from the peel of citrus unshui is poorly understood. We investigated the anti-inflammatory effect and the molecular mechanisms of QUE in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. QUE inhibited the production of NO and prostaglandin E2 by suppressing the LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 at both the mRNA and protein levels. QUE suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. QUE also inhibited the translocation of the nuclear factor kappa B subunit, p65, into the nucleus by interrupting the phosphorylation of IκB-α in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Based on the finding that QUE significantly decreased p-ERK protein expression in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, we confirmed that suppression of the inflammatory process by QUE was mediated through the MAPK pathway. This is the first report on the strong anti-inflammatory effects of QUE, which is a compound that can potentially be used as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases.

A number of recent discoveries suggest close links between anxiety- or probable relief-like behaviors and intracellular signaling molecules controlling morphogenesis in glial cells such as oligodendrocytes (oligodendroglial cells) in the brain, which have protective effects on neuronal cells. In the former behaviors, their intracellular signaling molecules include small GTPase members, some of which mediate cell morphological changes. Rnd2 is one such member, belonging to the Rho family of small GTPases. Despite the currently known functions of Rnd2, the precise roles of Rnd2 in cell morphogenesis and related functions in health and disease states remain to be elucidated. Herein we show that signaling through anxiety-related loss of function of the rnd2 gene is related to the regulation of oligodendroglial cell morphological differentiation in the FBD-102b cell line, which is often utilized as oligodendroglial cell differentiation model. Knockdown of Rnd2 with the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CasRx system or RNA interference has been shown to inhibit morphological differentiation. Similarly, knockdown of Prag1 and Fyn kinase, signaling molecules acting downstream of Rnd2, also blunts differentiation. Rnd2 or Prag1 knockdown also decreases Fyn phosphorylation, which is critical for its activation and for oligodendroglial cell differentiation and myelination. Of note, hesperetin, a citrus flavonoid with protective effects on oligodendroglial cells as well as neuronal ones, can recover the defective differentiation induced by the knockdown of Rnd2/Prag1/Fyn. These results suggest that signaling through Rnd2/Prag1/Fyn is directly associated with normal oligodendroglial cell morphological differentiation. Deficiency of the signaling cascade is recovered by hesperetin, presenting one potential molecular construction underlying anxiety and possible therapeutic targets.

The optimal therapy for patients with non-metastatic biochemically relapsed prostate cancer (BRPC-M0) after local therapy is elusive. Thus, the evaluation of new non-toxic compounds in BRPC-M0 patients is warranted. PectaSol® modified citrus pectin (P-MCP) is a food supplement generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is a competitive inhibitor of galectin-3 protein, involved in cancer pathogenesis. P-MCP treatment of BRPC-M0 patients for 6 months led to a 75% prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) improvement. To determine the longer-term effects of P-MCP we investigated an additional 12 months of treatment (phase II) with oral P-MCP at 4.8 grams X 3/day in patients with no disease progression in the previous 6 months. Of the 46 patients that entered the second phase, 7 patients withdrew consent and continued therapy independently, and 39 received another 12 months of therapy. After a total of 18 months P-MCP treatment, 62% (n=24) had a decreased/stable PSA, 90% (n=35) had improved PSADT, and 85% (n=33) had a durable long-term response, with a decreased/stable PSA, and/or improvement of PSADT, and negative scans. No patient had grade 3/4 toxicity. In conclusion, P-MCP may have long term durable efficacy, and is safe, in BRPC-M0.

Interest in developing novel crop protectants has gained attention in the recent decade due to the hazardous effects of synthetic pesticides on humans and the environment. The citrus industry worldwide is threatened by the D. citri, the primary vector of phlo-em-limited bacterium (HLB) or citrus greening. However, there is no cure for citrus greening available. Diaphorina citri management largely depends on synthetic insecticides, but their massive application leads to resistance in pest populations. Therefore, alternative pest management strategies are needed. Our results indicated fewer D. citri adults settled on plants treated with ABEO than on control 48 h after re-lease. The psyllid fed on citrus leaves treated with ABEO significantly secreted less honeydew than the control. The essential oil showed potent ovicidal activity against the D. citri eggs with LC50 5.88 mg/mL. Furthermore, we also explore the fitness of D. citri on ABEO-treated and untreated Citrus × sinensis by using two-sex life table tools. The results indicated that the intrinsic rate of increase (r) was higher on untreated seedlings (0.10 d−1) than those treated with a sub-lethal dose of ABEO (0.07 d−1). Similarly, the net re-productive rate (R0) was higher for untreated seedlings (14.21 offspring) than those treated (6.405 offspring). Notably, the ABEO were safer against Aphis melifera, with LC50 ranging from 31.05 to 55.86 mg/mL, which is relatively higher than the LC50 24.40 mg/mL values against D. citri. Our results indicate that ABEO exhibits toxic and behavioral effects on D. citri that could be useful for managing this pest.

Based on recent computational and experimental studies, hesperidin, a bioactive flavonoid abundant in citrus peel, stands out for its high binding affinity to the main cellular receptors of SARS-CoV-2, outperforming drugs already recommended for clinical trials. Thus, it is very promising for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19, along with other coexistent flavonoids such as naringin, which could help restraining the pro-inflammatory overreaction of the immune system. Controlled hydrodynamic cavitation processes showed the highest speed, effectiveness and efficiency in the integral and green aqueous extraction of flavonoids, essential oils and pectin from citrus peel waste. After freeze-drying, the extracted pectin showed high quality and excellent antioxidant and antibacterial activities, attributed to flavonoids and essential oils adsorbed and concentrated on its surface. This study reviews the recent evidence about hesperidin as a promising molecule, and proposes a feasible and affordable process based on hydrodynamic cavitation for the integral aqueous extraction of citrus peel waste resulting in hesperidin-rich products, either aqueous extracts or pectin tablets. The uptake of this process on a relevant scale is urged, in order to achieve large-scale production and distribution of hesperidin-rich products. Meanwhile, experimental and clinical studies could determine the effective doses either for therapeutic and preventive purposes.

Viroids are smallest pathogen that consist of non-capsidated, single-stranded non-coding RNA replicons and exploits host factors for their replication and propagation. The severe stunting disease caused by Citrus bark cracking viroid (CBCVd) is a serious threat, which spread rapidly within hop gardens. In this study, we employed comprehensive transcriptome analyses to dissect host-viroid interactions and identify gene expression changes associated with disease development in hop. Our analysis revealed that CBCVd-infection resulted in the massive modulation of activity of over 2000 genes. Expression of genes associated with plant immune responses (protein kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase), hypersensitive responses, phytohormone signaling pathways, photosynthesis, pigment metabolism, protein metabolism, sugar metabolism and modification and others were altered, which could be attributed to systemic symptom development upon CBCVd-infection in hop. In addition, genes encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, pathogenesis-related protein, chitinase as well as those related to basal defense responses were up-regulated. The expression levels of several genes identified from RNA sequencing analysis were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Our systematic comprehensive CBCVd-responsive transcriptome analysis provides a better understanding and insights into complex viroid-hop plant interaction. This information will assist further in the development of future measures for the prevention of CBCVd spread in hop fields.

Citrus flavonoids are well-known for beneficial effects at the cardiovascular and cardio-metabolic level, but often the encouraging in vitro results are not confirmed by in vivo approaches; also clinical trials are inconsistent. The limited bioavailability of them can be, at least in part, the reason of these discrepancies. Therefore many efforts were performed towards the improvement of their bioavailability. Hydrodynamic cavitation methods were successfully applied to the extraction of byproducts of the Citrus fruits industry, showing high process yields and affording stable phytocomplexes, known as IntegroPectin, endowed with great amounts of bioactive compounds and high water solubility. Cardioprotective effects of grapefruit IntegroPectin were evaluated by an ex vivo ischemia/reperfusion protocol. A further pharmacological characterization was carried out to assess the involvement of mitochondrial potassium channels. Grapefruit IntegroPectin, where naringin represented 98% of flavonoids, showed anti-ischemic cardioprotective activity, better than pure naringenin (the bioactive aglycone of naringin). On cardiac isolated mitochondria, this extract confirmed that naringenin/naringin were involved in the activation of mitochondrial potassium channels. The hydrodynamic cavitation-based extraction confirmed a valuable opportunity for the exploitation of Citrus fruits waste, with the end product presenting high levels of Citrus flavonoids and an improved bioaccessibility that enhances its nutraceutical and economic value.

It is essential to have a thorough knowledge of the genetic variation among different strains of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc), which is responsible for causing citrus bacterial canker. This understanding is important for studying the disease’s characteristics, population structure, and evolution, and ultimately for developing sustainable methods of control. A total of 48 strains, obtained from citrus production areas in Burkina Faso in 2012, 2020, and 2021, were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests using specific primers. The aim was to examine the distribution of type 3 effectors (T3E) and determine the geographical origins of the strains. The examination of the distribution of type 3 non-transcription activate like effectors (TALE) indicates a broader range in strains obtained in 2020 and 2021 compared to those obtained in 2012. However, all strains possess a shared set of three genes, specifically XopE2, XopN, and AvrBs2. Furthermore, all examined effectors were observed in the Bobo-Dioulasso region. Regarding the characterization of TALEs, two profiles containing two to three TALEs were discovered. Profile 1, consisting of two TALEs, was found in 37 Xcc strains, whereas Profile 2, comprising three TALEs, was detected in 11 strains. Out of the three TALEs (A, B, and C) that were identified, TALEs B and C were present in all strains. The correlation matrix indicated a positive association between the T3E content of strains and the duration of their isolation. Principal component analysis revealed a limited organization of the strains under investigation

The Mediterranean diet has among its cornerstones the use of olive oil for its nutraceutical and organoleptic properties. Despite the numerous merits, olive-oil mill wastewater (OMWW), which is generated by the olive-oil extraction process, is one of the most serious environmental pollutants in the Mediterranean countries. The polluting potential of OMWW is due to its high content of tannins, polyphenols, polyalcohols, pectins and lipids. In this experiment, we tested the ability of five microalgae of the Chlorella group (SEC_LI_ChL_1, CL-Sc, CL-Ch, FB and Idr) in lowering the percentage of total phenolic compounds in vegetation water. In order to close the recovery cycle of a fortified citrus olive oils previously developed, we tested the vegetation wa-ter obtained with three different extraction processes (conventional, lemon and orange peels) at three concentrations each (10%, 25% and 50%). Results showed that strains Idr, FB and CL-Sc from the Lake Massaciuccoli can tolerate vegetation water from conventional and lemon peels extraction up to 25%; these strains can also reduce the phenolic compounds within the tests. The results demonstrate that the application of microalgae for OMWW treatment represent an inter-esting opportunity, and an eco-friendly low-cost solution to be developed within the companies as a full-scale approach.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

Promoting green development has become an important way to optimize the ecological and economic structure and promote sustainable development. The Yangtze River Economic Belt is an important economic corridor in China, and it remains to be examined whether the implementation of environmental regulations has enhanced the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of cities. This paper calculates the green total factor productivity of 107 cities within the Yangtze River Economic Belt by using the super-efficient SBM model and the GML index with Chinese city panel data from 2007-2019 and measures the intensity of environmental regulations through textual analysis. The bidirectional fixed-effects model constructed in this paper suggests an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP, which is confirmed by a series of robustness tests. Green technology innovation and advanced industrial structure play a mechanism role in this. In regions with lower levels of green technology and industrial structure, the inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and green total factor productivity is more significant. In addition, the phenomenon of GTFP rising and then falling because of environmental regulation is more obvious in cities in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and outside the urban agglomerations. Therefore, when formulating environmental regulation policies, it is necessary to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and harmonize the environment and economic development of the entire Yangtze River Basin.

The wetlands in northeastern Bangladesh are home to some of the most prolific and valuable ecosystems on the planet, offering a wide range of benefits to both the local and wider communities. A limited number of research on this topic have been carried out in various wetlands in coastal hilsa, but none have been located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. Thus, the goal of this study was to better understand the most commercially relevant species (anadromous hilsa) in northeastern Bangladesh as well as to assess the wetland ecosystem services more thoroughly with the contribution of their fish genetic resources. In addition to laboratory studies, fieldwork was done in the fishing settlements along the Surma River, Hakaluki Haor, and Tanguar Haor. The study classified 77 fish species into 21 subcategories of ecosystem services, of which 56% were not threatened, 17% were vulnerable, and 10% were highly endangered. The species Hilsa was found to be the most economically significant, accounting for 1% of the GDP overall. The study determined if the hilsa stock of the examined wetlands maintains a single or several subpopulations in comparison to other parts of the country when they migrate from saline water to northeastern Bangladesh (freshwater). But when compared to other groups, the FST score was between 0.000 to 0.017, indicating that the populations are identical and that there is genetic material sharing between them. Additionally, these statistics imply that the Sylhet haor and adjacent river systems contain a single stock of Hilsa fish. Nevertheless, a number of stresses and risks, including overexploitation, illicit and destructive fishing, siltation, and natural disasters like flash floods, have been linked to changes in the supply of hilsa and other ecosystem services. This study also emphasizes the necessity of policy attention and research to address the concerns.

In this paper, we introduce a specialized, fully automated experimental arrangement designed for assessing the effectiveness of augmented and virtual reality technologies in healthcare setting and explore its design principles focusing on depth sensor characterization. The main goal of this project is to establish a robust benchtop platform for the quantitative evaluation of extended reality technologies in a controlled environment, emphasizing the practical assessment of augmented reality head-mounted devices. We outline a design concept and considerations for an experimental configuration aimed at creating a realistic testing environment. This apparatus comprises an observation platform mounted on a three-degree-of-freedom motorized system and a test phantom stage. Focusing on real-case scenarios, we utilized a range of sensors, including readily available range-sensing cameras and commercial augmented reality headsets, such as the Intel RealSense L515 LiDAR camera, mounted on the motion control system. The setup enabled automated data collection and facilitates controlled assessments and validation of various facets of augmented reality technologies, including object, hand, and head tracking, as well as static and dynamic image registration. This paper describes the system architecture, the process of automated data collection, and presents several evaluation studies conducted with this setup, providing insights into the quality and temporal noise associated with static or moving objects or observers in augmented reality applications.

To conduct high-precision and high-resolution numerical simulation of complex flow structures in turbomachinery, a high-order finite volume weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the large eddy simulation (LES) is improved and embedded into the three-dimensional viscous unsteady CFD solver NUAA-Turbo. Firstly, the spectral characteristics and unsteady convergence of the improved WENO scheme are studied. Compared with the classical WENO scheme, the improved WENO scheme has better dissipation and dispersion characteristics and faster convergence speed. Then, the coefficient CW of the Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity (WALE) model is calibrated by decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) test case. Finally, the scheme is applied to conduct high-precision LES calculations of turbulent boundary layer flow, supersonic compression corner flow, and low-pressure turbine cascade separation flow. The numerical simulation results show that this WENO scheme has excellent shock wave capture ability and turbulence resolution and can capture more flow field details with less mesh size, greatly reducing the computational cost and laying a foundation for large-scale engineering application of LES.

To secure logic circuits against the illegal copying the insertion of the so-called key bit inputs using XOR/XNOR gates has been proposed in . The inserted gates modify (lock) the behavior of the original circuit and only the correct choice of the secret key bits guarantees the equivalent behaviour of the locked circuit to the original circuit. To break this kind of security, i.e. to find the secret key bits, there was a SAT solver based attack proposed in . The aim of this work is to experimentally verify this attack on several locked circuits with various number of primary inputs and outputs and with various number of gates. Except for the random placement of the key gates we evaluate also the positioning with chaining elimination. The obtained and presented results show that we were able to unlock 10 of 11 circuits within few minutes on a common PC.

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to utilize in tribological environments, but to date the works are hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperature. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo-40Ni-13Si (at.%). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of ternary Mo-Ni-Si alloy melt, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the ductility improvement of intermetallic alloy. Tribological properties of the designed alloy, including wear resistance, friction coefficient and metallic tribological compatibility, were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggested that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent property for room-temperature wear applications, which is attributed to the unique microstructural features and thereby good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is also reported by observing the worn surface, subsurface and wear debris of alloy, which to be found is soft abrasive wear.

With the integrated development of the Internet, wireless sensor technology, cloud computing, and mobile Internet, there has been a lot of attention given to research about and applications of the Internet of Things. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is one of the important information technologies in the Internet of Things; it integrates multi-technology to detect and gather information in a network environment by mutual cooperation, using a variety of methods to process and analyze data, implement awareness, and perform tests. This paper mainly researches the localization algorithm of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network. Firstly, a multi-granularity region partition is proposed to divide the location region. In the range-based method, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength indicator, RSSI) is used to estimate distance. The optimal RSSI value is computed by the Gaussian fitting method. Furthermore, a Voronoi diagram is characterized by the use of dividing region. Rach anchor node is regarded as the center of each region; the whole position region is divided into several regions and the sub-region of neighboring nodes is combined into triangles while the unknown node is locked in the ultimate area. Secondly, the multi-granularity regional division and Lagrange multiplier method are used to calculate the final coordinates. Because nodes are influenced by many factors in the practical application, two kinds of positioning methods are designed: the unknown node is in the positioning unit or not. When the unknown node is on the side of the positioning unit, we use the method of vector similarity. Moreover, we use the centroid algorithm to calculate the ultimate coordinates of unknown node. When the unknown node is not on the side of the positioning unit, we establish a Lagrange equation containing the constraint condition to calculate the first coordinates. Furthermore, we use the Taylor expansion formula to correct the coordinates of the unknown node. In addition, this localization method has been validated by establishing the real environment.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of brain activity. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology formed by the EEG signal has become one of the hotspots at present. How to extract the feature signal of EEG is the most basic research of BCI technology. In this paper, A new method of recognizing fatigue, conscious, concentrated state of human brain is proposed by the combination of discrete wavelet transform and the neural network based on EEG signal. First of all, the law signal is preprocessed by the wavelet denoising method because the law EEG signal contains a large number of high frequency noise, which is decomposed into multi-layer high frequency signal and low frequency signal. thus, δ wave, θ wave, α wave, β wave are obtained by the wavelet transform. And then, frequency band energy of the different wave is regards as the feature signal of EEG. In the experiment, the feature signal is classified by radial basic function (RBF) and annealed chaotic competitive learning network (ACCLN). RBF and ACCLN networks are trained with 500 sets of sample data and are tested by 100 sets of samples in different mental states. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of RBF network under three conditions are 88.75%, 88.25%, 88.5%, respectively, and the correct rate of ACCLN network is 97%, 98%, 98%, respectively.

Early discharge after childbirth has led to a rise in neonatal readmission, becoming a major concern in recent decades. Our research aimed to identify the risk factors and incidence of neonatal readmission, as well as explore preventive measures. Our study at the Clinical Hospital of Pediatrics in Ploiești, Romania included 108 neonates admitted during the neonatal period. This accounted for 2.06% of all admissions (5226). The most prevalent cases were malnutrition (25%), fever (20.3%) and bronchiolitis (17.5%). Diarrhea and infectious gastroenteritis were also observed (14.8%), along with acute rhinoconjunctivitis (9.2%) and late onset sepsis (3.7%). No deaths were recorded. The most significant characteristics identified were number of children (p<0.001) and age at maternity discharge (p<0.001). By following the prevention rules, malnutrition, feeding errors, and infections can be avoided. This includes practicing proper hand hygiene for both mothers and medical staff, as well as educating and demonstrating to mothers the benefits of breastfeeding. In addition, all newborns discharged from the maternity ward should benefit from follow-up at 7-10 days of life. Our results confirm the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team and endorse promoting breastfeeding. Implementing quality control measures and regularly evaluating the surveillance program will help improve its effectiveness.

Wearable technology has been proposed as a potential tool to change the way of human life, such as the smart bracelet and the Google Glass. In the wearable technology, the inertial sensor has great significance in tracking the object movements. The paper focused on detecting the movements of user’s finger based on the inertial sensor to give the control signals. Firstly, the attitude matrix, which represented the transformation relation of carrier coordinate system and the navigation coordinate system, was obtained. Secondly, the attitude matrix was expressed based on the quaternions. Thirdly, the finger gesture was processed by the attitude matrix to get the attitude angle. Finally, the robot was controlled by attitude angle to make the moving action. The experimental results showed the detection of the finger movement is effective.

Two interesting compounds such as quaternary ammonium lignin(QAL) and 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) were synthesized as ionic liquids(QP-ILs) for the extraction of metal ions. The extraction behavior of Co(II) and Ni(II) from chloride solution was compared between QP-ILs and P507. The results showed that the extraction rates of Co(II) and Ni(II) in the two solutions varied with the extraction conditions, but QP-ILs has stronger extractability for cobalt than P507, while Ni is on the contrary. Under the same conditions, the Co/Ni separation performance(βCo/Ni) in QP-ILs is superior to that in p507. At pH4.0, 55℃, concentration of 20%, extraction time of 10 minutes, the βCo/Ni of QP-ILs reached to 2703, while that of P507 was only 164. In conclusion, QP-ILs was more efficient than P507 for separating Co from mixed solutions.

Brain aging causes a wide variety of changes at molecular and cellular levels, leading to the decline of cognitive functions and increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative disorders. The research aimed at understanding the aging of the brain has made much progress in recent decades. Technological innovations such as single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), proteomic analyses, and spatial transcriptomic analyses have facilitated the research on the dynamic changes occurring within neurons, glia, and other cells along with their impacts on intercellular communication during aging. In this review, we introduce recent trends of how neurons and glia change during aging and discuss the impact of the brain microenvironment such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

In this paper, we study the semilinear pseudo-parabolic equations $\displaystyle u_{t} - \triangle_{\mathbb{B}}u - \triangle_{\mathbb{B}}u_{t} = \left|u\right|^{p-1}u$ on a manifold with conical singularity, where $\triangle _{\mathbb{B}}$ is Fuchsian type Laplace operator investigated with totally characteristic degeneracy on the boundary $x_{1} = 0$. Firstly, we discuss the invariant sets and the vacuum isolating behavior of solutions with the help of a family of potential wells. Then, we derive a threshold result of existence and nonexistence of global weak solution: for the low initial energy $J(u_{0})<d$, the solution is global in time with $I(u_{0}) >0$ or $\displaystyle\Vert \nabla_{\mathbb{B}}u_{0}\Vert_{L_{2}^{\frac{n}{2}}(\mathbb{B})} = 0$ and blows up in finite time with $I(u_{0}) < 0$; for the critical initial energy $J(u_{0}) = d$, the solution is global in time with $I(u_{0}) \geq0$ and blows up in finite time with $I(u_{0}) < 0$. The decay estimate of the energy functional for the global solution and the estimates of the lifespan of local solution are also given.

Multimodal remote sensing data classification can enhance the model’s ability to distinguish land features through multimodal data fusion. In this context, how to help models understand the relationship between multimodal data and target tasks is the focus of researchers. Inspired by human feedback learning mechanisms, causal reasoning mechanisms, and knowledge induction mechanisms, this paper integrates causal learning, reinforcement learning, and meta learning into a unified remote sensing data classification framework and proposed the causal meta-reinforcement learning (CMRL). First, based on feedback learning mechanisms, we have overcome the limitations of traditional implicit optimization of fusion features and customized a reinforcement learning environment for multimodal remote sensing data classification tasks. Through feedback interactive learning between agents and the environment, we help them understand the complex relationships between multimodal data and labels, thereby achieving full mining of multimodal complementary information. Second, based on the causal inference mechanism we designed causal distribution prediction action, classification reward, and causal intervention reward, capturing pure causal factors in multimodal data and cutting off false statistical associations between non-causal factors and class labels. Finally, based on the knowledge induction mechanism, we designed a bi-layer optimization mechanism based on meta-learning. By constructing a meta training task and meta validation task simulation model in the generalization scenario of unseen data, we helped the model induce cross-task shared knowledge, thereby improving its generalization ability for unseen multimodal data. The experimental results on multiple sets of multimodal datasets show that the proposed method achieved state-of-the-art performance in multimodal remote sensing data classification tasks.

Moso bamboo is famous for fast growing and biomass accumulation, as well as high annual output for timber and bamboo shoots. These high outputs require high nutrient inputs to maintain and improve stand productivity. Soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are important micronutrients for plant growth and productivity. Due to high variability of soils, analysing spatial patterns of soil N, P and K stocks is necessary for scientific nutrient management in Moso bamboo forests. In this study, soils were sampled from 138 locations across Yong’an City and ordinary kriging was applied for spatial interpolation of soil N, P and K stocks. Soil N stock showed a strong spatial dependence while soil N and P stocks presented a moderate spatial dependence, indicating soil N was mainly controlled by intrinsic factors while soil N and P stocks were controlled by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Different spatial patterns were observed for soil N, P and K stocks across the whole study area, indicating that fertilizations with different ratios of N:P:K should be applied for different sites to maintain and improve stand productivity. The total soil N, P and K stocks within 0-60 cm were 0.624, 0.020 and 0.583 Tg, respectively.

With the increasing concern of environment, the energy-efficiency scheduling of manufacturing industry is becoming urgent and popular. In turning processes, both spindle speed and processing time can affect the final energy consumption and thus the spindle speed and scheduling scheme need to be optimized simultaneously. Since the turning workshop can be regarded as the flexible flow shop, this paper formulates a mixed integer linear programming model for energy-efficient scheduling of flexible flow shop. Accordingly, a new decoding method is developed by considering of the optimization of spindle speed and scheduling scheme simultaneously, and an estimation of distribution algorithm adopting the new decoding method is proposed to solve large-size problems. The parameters of this algorithm are determined by statistical technique with a simplified practical case. In order to validate the proposed method, a case from practical factories is studied, in which the makespan can be shortened by 25.22%, and the consumed energy can be saved by 5.48%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mathematical model and algorithm.

Lignocellulosic biomass, an abundant and renewable resource, serves as a crucial raw material for the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and various value-added products. This paper aims to develop and optimize a mild alkaline treatment of sawdust assisted by ultrasound, along with enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated material. The sonochemical pretreatment with alkali emerged as the optimal approach to enhance the susceptibility of cellulose to subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby increasing the yield of reducing sugars. A comparative study was performed using various ultrasonic applicators (horn and bath) and conventional assisted alkaline pretreatment. The ultrasonic assisted pretreatment revealed a higher delignification as 68% (horn) and 57% (bath) comparing with conventional pretreatment. Processes were optimized using a statistical analysis based on a 23 factorial design. The ratio between sawdust and alkanine solution (RSL = 0.5–1.5 g/100 mL), US amplitude (A = 20–60%), and working temperature (t = 30–50 °C) were selected as process factors. The optimal operating conditions to maximize the reducing sugar yield (138.15 mg GE /gsubstrate) were found as following: solid/liquid ratio RSL,opt = 1.25 g/100 mL, US amplitude Aopt = 60%, and and pretreatment temperature topt = 50 °C. The overall outcomes clearly confirmed the intensification of delignification by ultrasound assisted alkaline pretreatment

At 12:28 UTC (8:28 PM, local time) on 15 January 2023, a shallow, moderate earthquake with a magnitude (Mw) of 4.7 and a depth of one (1) kilometer shook the northern part of Leyte Island in the central part of the Philippines. The ground shaking was felt at PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) VI, (very strong) equivalent to Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) VI in areas along the strike of the Leyte segment of the Philippine Fault. Even though this earthquake is classified as moderate in size, significant geologic, structural, and socio-economic impacts were documented. Most of the earthquake impacts that include surface rupture, liquefaction, and mass movements are limited near the epicentral area. The earthquake produced an 8-km-long surface rupture, the first documented rupture generated by a magnitude &lt;6 along the Philippine Fault, and is unusual in other surface rupturing earthquakes worldwide. It injured 18 persons and damaged 434 residential buildings and 26 public infrastructures which amounts to about 500 thousand US dollars. Structural damages were caused by surface rupture and/or poor engineering construction practices. Analysis of the seismic waveform and recorded peak ground acceleration (PGA) suggests that the subsurface geology influenced the ground motion amplification in an area near the epicenter. Based on the hypocenter, focal mechanism solution, aftershock distribution, and actual field observation, the causative fault for this event is the northern end of the Philippine Fault – Leyte segment. Moderate in size, this earthquake emphasizes the need and importance of documenting moderate-sized earthquakes as a tool and guide for medium and long-term earthquake risk assessment and resiliency.

Background: The bacterium Capnocytophaga spp. is a part of the oral microbiome of dogs, which has zoonotic potential. This study aimed to assess factors that influence the prevalence of Capnocytophaga cynodegmi and Capnocytophaga canimorsus in Wrocaw’s dog population. Methods: Molecular detection (PCR) involved 105 swabs, examining parameters such as oral cavity condition, underlying health issues, recent antibiotics, age, medications, material collection, and dog chews. Results: The study highlighted significant associations between the presence of Capnocytophaga cynodegmi and oral cavity condition, material collection method, and use of dog’s chews. Conclusions: Correlations obtained in this study between the oral health of Wroclaw's dog population and the presence of Capnocytophaga cynodegmi suggest its significance in the oral microbiome of dogs. Limitations, including the small sample size, highlight the need for more research to comprehensively understand additional factors that affect the prevalence of Capnocytophaga spp. in dogs

A simple design of an ultrathin six-band polarization-insensitive terahertz perfect metamaterial absorber (PMMA) composed of a metal cross-cave-patch resonator (CCPR) placed over a ground plane was proposed and investigated numerically. The numerical simulation results demonstrate that the average absorption peaks are up to 95% at six resonance frequencies with high quality-factors (>65). In addition, the absorption properties can be kept stability for both normal incident transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) waves. The physical mechanism behind the observed high level absorption is illustrated by the electric and power loss density distributions. The different absorption mainly originates from the higher order multipolar and multipolar plasmon resonance of the structure, which are sharp different to the most previous studies of the PMMAs. Furthermore, the resonance absorption of the PMMA can be tunable by varying the geometric parameters of the unit cell.

A simple design of an ultrathin six-band polarization-insensitive terahertz perfect metamaterial absorber (PMMA) composed of a metal cross-cave-patch resonator (CCPR) placed over a ground plane was proposed and investigated numerically. The numerical simulation results demonstrate that the average absorption peaks are up to 95% at six resonance frequencies with high quality-factors (>65). In addition, the absorption properties can be kept stability for both normal incident transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) waves. The physical mechanism behind the observed high level absorption is illustrated by the electric and power loss density distributions. The different absorption mainly originates from the higher order multipolar and multipolar plasmon resonance of the structure, which are sharp different to the most previous studies of the PMMAs. Furthermore, the resonance absorption of the PMMA can be tunable by varying the geometric parameters of the unit cell.

The assortment of low-cost 3D printers for “in-practice” use, e.g., for clear aligner therapies, is ever increasing. To address concerns about the accuracy of orthodontic models produced on such printers when cost efficient modes of 3D printing are employed, this study examined the effect of print model body type and print angulation on accuracy. Six printing-configuration groups were included: 2 model types (solid or hollow shell) combined with 3 print angles (0°, 70°, or 90°) with 10 models/group; all models were printed with 100-µm layer thickness using a digital light processing-based 3-dimensional printer. Eleven selected structures and distances were measured on the printed models with a digital microscope and compared to the same measures on a digitized master model. The clinically-acceptability range was set at ±0.25 mm difference from the master model for single tooth measurements (intra-tooth) and ±0.5 mm for cross-arch measurements (inter-tooth). For individual measurements across all models, 98% fell within clinical acceptability. For mean measurements within each model group, only canine height for the shell-0° model had a mean difference (0.26 mm ± 0.03) outside the clinically acceptable range for intra-tooth measurements. Standard deviations for all intra-tooth measurements were within 0.07 mm. While none of the mean inter-tooth measurements exceeded the acceptability range, the standard deviations were larger (0.04 to 0.30 mm). Accuracy of orthodontic models for clear aligner therapies was not impacted beyond the clinically acceptable range when altering model body type and print angulation to improve efficiency of 3D printing. These findings suggest greater flexibility of the practitioner to alter print settings to address time and cost efficiency in various clinical scenarios and still maintain clinically acceptable model accuracy.

Background: Alfalfa, the most economically important forage legume worldwide, features modest genetic progress due to long selection cycles and large extent of non-additive genetic variance associated with its autotetraploid genome. Methods: To improve the efficiency of genomic selection in alfalfa, we explored the effects of genome parametrization (as autotetraploid and diploid dosage, plus allele ratios) and SNP marker subsetting (all available SNPs; only genic regions; only non-genic regions) on genomic regressions, together with various levels of filtering on reading depth and missing rates. We used Genotyping by Sequencing-generated data and focused on traits of different genetic complexity, i.e., dry biomass yield in moisture-favorable (FE) and drought stress (SE) environments, leaf size, and onset of flowering, assessed on 143 genotyped plants from a genetically-broad European reference population and their phenotyped half-sib progenies. Results: On average, allele ratio improved the predictive ability compared with other genome parametrizations (+7.9% vs. tetraploid dosage, +12.6% vs. diploid dosage), SNP subsetting offered an advantage compared with any tested subsettings (+3.7% vs. genic regions, +7.6% vs. non-genic regions). However, when focusing on specific traits, different combinations of genome parametrization and subsetting reached better performances. We also released Legpipe2, a SNP calling pipeline tailored for reduced representation (GBS, RAD) medium-sized genotyping experiments.

Climate change is challenging the agricultural sector worldwide. The pressure exerted by the altered thermal conditions drives the zonal shift for various cultivations. This study presents the multiyear analysis of the Growing Degree Days (GDD) index over the Northern Mediterranean Basin (NMB), focused on the high-value vine cultivation derived from the E-OBS dataset. To handle this extensive environmental dataset, R-language scripts and packages were applied, along with the capabilities of the GIS software. The investigated time period spans from 1969 to 2018, and the performed analysis indicates a broad shift/expansion in areas of GDD exceeding 2000 heat units. The extracted results specify the viticultural areas where the GDD index surpasses the suitable values for vine cultivation, owing to the increase of the thermal stress risk. In addition to mapping areas with GDD ≥ 2000, spatial calculations of the surface of areas meeting this criterion per country in the study area were made. In the northern parts of the NMB, the rise of the GDD index values indicates the establishment of vine plantations in the future.

In this article, we describe a simple procedure for evaluating the sterility of nutrient media using a shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) biosensor. We used the SH-SAW biosensor platform to monitor the time-dependent phase responses of the material for the media that binds to a monolayer of 3-mercaptopropanyl-N-hydroxy succinimide on the biosensor surface. Increases in the phase shift less than 50% of the starting phase shift recorded 180 minutes after the sterilization indicate a successful sterility test of the media. Our devices were then applied to sterility testing using a viable Escherichia coli (E. coli) K-12 solution to confirm our hypothesis. Filtered LB Broth was the negative control, and a 24-hour culture of E. coli was the positive control. Before testing, the cell solution was pelleted, the media decanted and then replaced with a 1x phosphate-buffered saline solution (1x PBS). Since we know that the N-hydroxysuccinimide residues will bind to amine groups, only in cases where microbial species are present will the surface binding increase greater than 50%. We confirmed our hypothesis using SH-SAW biosensors and overnight E. coli cultures. The sensitivity for our 250 MHz quartz SH-SAW sensors was calculated based on the response from the E. coli K-12 solution over the linear dynamic range, which appears to be 2x104 – 2x107 CFU per ml and has a sensitivity of S = 1.655x105 o m2 Kg-1. The limit of detection (LOD) for these sensors was calculated to be approximately 2x10-9 grams (g) which is estimated to be approximately 2,000 Escherichia coli (E. coli) K-12 cells. However, the sensitivity and insertion loss remained approximately unchanged before and after coating the sensor with 3,3'-Dithiobis(succinimidyl) Propionate (DSP).

Regeneration of lost tail is of great importance to lizards. Anolis carolinensis, a green lizard, is capable of regenerating its tail efficiently after autotomy. Hence, it is considered as a model organism in regeneration study. A. carolinensis shed its tail in order to distract the predator’s attention and thus makes a way to escape. Restoring of the amputated tail takes several days and the mechanism is currently clearly understood. Although save its life, tail regeneration is associated with the impairment of several vital functions in Anoles. In addition, various differences have been observed between original and regenerated tail in terms of mechanism and structure. To date, very little work has been conducted on tail autotomy and regeneration at molecular and genetic level. The genes responsible for regeneration in anoles are identified recently. These genes are evolutionarily conserved through all tetrapod vertebrates. They are, however, in a state of ‘switched-off’ in other vertebrates including humans. Consequently, a throughout study of these so called ‘switched-off’ genes may provide a way of restoring lost organs in human, and thus could revolutionize the modern medical science.

The strong competition in the automotive industry has required manufacturers to implement lean production, both with methods and techniques specific to Industry 4.0. At the same time, universities must provide graduates with specific skills for applying these new production methods and techniques. In this context, a Lean Learning Factory was developed in the Pitesti University Center, which allows students to learn, experiment, and research, in an environment similar to that of enterprises, the new Lean Manufacturing methods and techniques, and Industry 4.0. The research presented in this study had as its objective identifying the minimum number of repetitions necessary to train operators who serve two differently organized workstations, one classic, the other including digital techniques, but on which the same assembly operation is performed. Several indicators were considered in the analysis, such as the number of errors, the number of stops, the effective duration of the work cycle, and the percentage ratio between the standard duration of cyclical activities and the effective duration of the work cycle. The evolution of these indicators was mathematically modelled by regression functions, using the least squares method. The obtained results also highlight the usefulness of applying the DOJO method as a Lean manufacturing-specific learning technique and the efficiency of implementing digital techniques in work organization.