Artificial light impacts the physical and nutritional quality of lettuce plants

Daymi Camejo,Antonio Frutos,Teresa C. Mestre,María del Carmen Piñero,Rosa M. Rivero,Vicente Martínez 한국원예학회 2020 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.61 No.1

Leafy vegetables, including lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), are considered to be healthy due to their high content of fiber, folate, carotenoids, phenolic and antioxidant compounds, minerals, and vitamins A, C, and K. Recently, LEDs are being used extensively as a supplementary light source in indoor agriculture due to the economical and physiological advantages that this artificial illumination offers compared to traditional fluorescence illumination. In this work, two commercially important lettuce varieties, Batavia Lettony (green leaves) and Batavia Diablotin (red leaves), were used to study the impact of LEDs (white and red–blue lights) and fluorescent illumination on their quality and health properties. Changes in the photosynthetic photon flux density from 250 to 400 µmol m−2 s−1 of fluorescent light increased growth parameters (leaf number, fresh and dry weight, and percentage of dry matter) of B. Lettony plants. We observed a positive impact of red–blue LED illumination on growth parameters analyzed in B. Diablotin plants compared to plants grown under fluorescent light at 250 µmol m−2 s−1. Leaf texture significantly increased in B. Lettony plants grown under 400 µmol m−2 s−1 fluorescent and LED illumination compared to that of plants grown under 250 µmol m−2 s−1 fluorescent light. This variable was only increased under red–blue LED illumination in B. Diablotin plants. Accumulation of bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins and vitamin C, was higher in B. Diablotin plants grown under 250 µmol m−2 s−1 fluorescent light. Nutrient content in the foliar part was not modified under the light conditions used, except the Ca2+ content of B. Lettony plants grown under PPFD 400 µmol m−2 s−1 fluorescent light. Catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) activities were differentially modified by light conditions in B. Lettony plants. However, POX activity was only modified in response to light conditions in B. Diablotin plants. Thus, this study demonstrates that LEDs could be used as an alternative to produce food under sustainable conditions. In this sense, although several horticultural studies have been conducted to establish the effectiveness of LEDs in lettuce growth, additional investigations are necessary to determine the optimal conditions for the use of LEDs to promote lettuce production and the accumulation of beneficial components, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidant compounds.

Effect of Fiber Orientation on the Fatigue Behavior of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Specimens by Performing Wedge Splitting Tests and Computed Tomography Scanning

Dorys C. González,Álvaro Mena-Alonso,Jesús Mínguez,José A. Martínez,Miguel A. Vicente 한국콘크리트학회 2024 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.18 No.2

This paper shows the relationship, in steel fiber-reinforced concrete, between fiber orientation and fatigue response through the combined use of computed tomography (CT), digital image processing (DIP) software and wedge splitting test (WST). The WST cubes were extracted from conventional 150 × 150× 600 concrete prisms and a groove and notch were carved on different faces in such a way that in half of the test specimens the fibers are oriented mostly perpendicular to the breaking surface and, in the other half, the fibers are mostly oriented parallel to the breaking surface. Fiber orientation was obtained using a CT device and DIP software from a miniprism extracted from the previously mentioned concrete prisms. The results show that there is a strong correlation between the crack-sewing fiber orientation on the one hand and fatigue life and crack opening rate per cycle on the other hand. Cubes with a higher percentage of fibers perpendicular to the crack surface (i.e., with a higher efficiency index) show a longer fatigue life and a lower crack opening rate per cycle, while cubes with a lower efficiency index show a shorter fatigue life and a higher crack opening rate per cycle.

Neutron Capture Measuremetns on Minor Actinides at the n_TOF Facility at CERN: Past, Present and Future

D. Cano-Ott,F. Alvarez-Velarde,E. Gonzalez-Romero,C. Guerrero,T. Martinez,E. Mendoza,D. Villamarin,M. C. Vicente,U. Abbondanno,N. Colonna,M. H. Meaze,S. Marrone,G. Tagliente,R. Terlizzi,F. Belloni,K. 한국물리학회 2011 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.59 No.23

The successful development of advanced nuclear systems for sustainable energy production and nuclear waste management depends on high quality nuclear data libraries. Recent sensitivity studies and reports [1][2][3] have identified the need for substantially improving the accuracy of neutron cross-section data for minor actinides. The n_TOF collaboration has initiated an ambitious experimental program for the measurement of neutron capture cross sections of minor actinides. Two experimental setups have been constructed for this purpose: a Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC) [4] for measuring neutron capture cross-sections of low-mass and/or radioactive samples and a set of two low neutron sensitivity C_6D_6 detectors for the less radioactive materials.

Purification and Characterization of Two Isolectins with Arginase Activity from the Lichen Xanthoria parietina

Molina, M.C.,Vicente, C. The Korea Science and Technology Center 2000 BMB Reports Vol.33 No.4

Two glycoproteins were purified and biochemically characterized from the lichen X. parietina. Both behaved as enzymes with arginase activity and haemaglutinins. Secreted arginase(SA) contained galactose and glucose in the saccharide moiety and an isoelectric point of 4.54. The algal binding-protein (ABP) had N-acetyl-glucosamine and glucose as glycosidic residues and an isoelectric point of 3.53. Both proteins had the same molecular mass (58.6 kDa) and the same qualitative amino acidic composition. The results allowed us to consider these glycoprotiens as isoelectric, which have significant physicological roles in the relationship between photobiont and mycobiont of symbiotic association.

Purification and Characterization of Two Isolectins with Arginase Activity from the Lichen Xanthoria parietina

Molina, M . C .,Vicente, C . 생화학분자생물학회 2001 BMB Reports Vol.33 No.4

Two glycoproteins were purified and biochemically characterized from the lichen X. parietina. Both behaved as enzymes with arginase activity and haemaglutinins. Secreted arginase (SA) contained galactose and glucose in the saccharide moiety and an isoelectric point of 4.54. The algal binding-protein (ABP) had N-acetyl-glucosamine and glucose as glycosidic residues and an isoelectric point of 3.53. Both proteins had the same molecular mass (58.6 kDa) and the same qualitative amino acidic composition. The results allowed us to consider these glycoproteins as isolectins, which have significant physiological roles in the relationship between photobiont and mycobiont of symbiotic association.

Purification and Characterization of Two Isolectins with Arginase Activity from the Lichen Xanthoria parietina

Molina, M. C.,Vicente, C. Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2000 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.33 No.4

Two glycoproteins were purified and biochemically characterized from the lichen X. parietina. Both behaved as enzymes with arginase activity and haemaglutinins. Secreted arginase (SA) contained galactose and glucose in the saccharide moiety and an isoelectric point of 4.54. The algal binding-protein (ABP) had N-acetyl-glucosamine and glucose as glycosidic residues and an isoelectric point of 3.53. Both proteins had the same molecular mass (58.6 kDa) and the same qualitative amino acidic composition. The results allowed us to consider these glycoproteins as isolectins, which have significant physiological roles in the relationship between photobiont and mycobiont of symbiotic association.

The Marshall-Olkin generalized gamma distribution

Barriga, Gladys D.C.,Cordeiro, Gauss M.,Dey, Dipak K.,Cancho, Vicente G.,Louzada, Francisco,Suzuki, Adriano K. The Korean Statistical Society 2018 Communications for statistical applications and me Vol.25 No.3

Attempts have been made to define new classes of distributions that provide more flexibility for modelling skewed data in practice. In this work we define a new extension of the generalized gamma distribution (Stacy, The Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 33, 1187-1192, 1962) for Marshall-Olkin generalized gamma (MOGG) distribution, based on the generator pioneered by Marshall and Olkin (Biometrika, 84, 641-652, 1997). This new lifetime model is very flexible including twenty one special models. The main advantage of the new family relies on the fact that practitioners will have a quite flexible distribution to fit real data from several fields, such as engineering, hydrology and survival analysis. Further, we also define a MOGG mixture model, a modification of the MOGG distribution for analyzing lifetime data in presence of cure fraction. This proposed model can be seen as a model of competing causes, where the parameter associated with the Marshall-Olkin distribution controls the activation mechanism of the latent risks (Cooner et al., Statistical Methods in Medical Research, 15, 307-324, 2006). The asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimation approach of the parameters of the model are evaluated by means of simulation studies. The proposed distribution is fitted to two real data sets, one arising from measuring the strength of fibers and the other on melanoma data.

The Influence of Levetiracetam in Cognitive Performance in Healthy Individuals: Neuropsychological, Behavioral and Electrophysiological Approach

Julio Cesar Magalhães,Mariana Gongora,Renan Vicente,Juliana Bittencourt,Guaraci Tanaka,Bruna Velasques,Silmar Teixeira,Gledys Morato,Luis F. Basile,Oscar Arias-Carrión,Fernando A.M.S Pompeu,Mauricio C 대한정신약물학회 2015 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.13 No.1

Objective: The present study sought to analyze the influence of Levetiracetam (LEV) in cognitive performance by identifying the changes produced by LEV in reaction time, in neuropsychological assessment of attention and memory and in absolute theta power in frontal activity. Methods: Twelve healthy subjects (5 men and 7 women; mean age, 30.08 years, standard deviation, 4.71) were recruited for this study. The neuropsychological tests: Trail Making Test (A and B), Digit Span (direct and indirect numerical orders/working memory); Stroop test (inhibitory control of attention); Tower of London (planning and decision-making) and a quantitative electroencephalography were applied in 2 different days after and before the participants ingested the capsule of placebo or 500 mg LEV. Results: A two-way-ANOVA was implemented to observe the interaction between conditions (placebo or LEV 500 mg) and moments (pre- and post-ingestion of LEV or placebo). The data were analyzed by the SPSS statistical package (p<0.05). For the neuropsychological parameter, the Trail Making Test (A) was the only test that showed significant difference for condition in the task execution time (p=0.026). Regarding the reaction time in the behavioral parameter, an interaction between both factors (p=0.034) was identified through a two-way-ANOVA (condition versus moment). Electrophysiological measures showed a significant interaction for electrodes: F7, F3, and FZ. Conclusion: The findings showed that LEV promotes an important cognitive enhancement in the executive functions.

Design methodology in transverse webs of the torsional box structure in an ultra large container ship

Silva-Campillo Arturo,Suárez-Bermejo J.C.,Herreros-Sierra M.A.,de Vicente M. 대한조선학회 2021 International Journal of Naval Architecture and Oc Vol.13 No.1

Container ships has a transverse section in the form of an open profile, making it very sensitive to torsion phenomena. To minimize this effect, a structure known as a torsion box exists, which is subject to high stresses influenced by the fatigue phenomenon and the existence of cut-outs, for the passage of the longitudinal stiffeners, acting as stress concentrators. The aim of this study is to propose a two-stage design methodology to aid designers in satisfying the structural requirements and contribute with to a better understanding of the considered structure. The transverse webs of a torsional box structure are examined by comparing different cut-out geometries from numerical models with different regular load conditions to obtain the variables of the fatigue safety factor through linear regression models. The most appropriate geometry of the torsion box is established in terms of minimum weight, from nonlinear multivariable optimization models.

Reactivity of hydroxyl radicals with neonicotinoid insecticides: mechanism and changes in toxicity

Dell'Arciprete, Maria L.,Santos-Juanes, Lucas,Sanz, Antonio Arques,Vicente, Rafael,Amat, Ana M.,Furlong, Jorge P.,Martirea, Daniel O.,Gonzalez, Monica C. Korean Society of Photoscience 2009 Photochemical & photobiological sciences Vol.8 No.7

The reactivity of hydroxyl radicals ($HO^{\cdot}$) towards three neonicotonoid insecticides, namely imidacloprid, thiacloprid and acetamiprid was investigated. These radicals were generated by photolysis of $H_2O_2$ solutions. Flash photolysis experiments were used to determine the rate constants of $5.5{\times}10^{10}M^{-1}s{-1}$, $6{\times}10^{10}M^{-1}s^{-1}$, and $7.5{\times}10^{10}M^{-1}s^{-1}$, for the reactions of $HO^{\cdot}$ with acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and thiacloprid, respectively. Continuous irradiation experiments in the absence and presence of $H_2O_2$ allowed the identification and toxicity evaluation of the primary photo- and oxidation products of the insecticides. In all cases, the less toxic 6-chloronicotinic acid was found to be the major product at higher degrees of oxidation. The results reported here indicate that the half life of the insecticides due to their reaction with $HO^{\cdot}$ radicals in natural aquatic reservoirs may vary between 5 h and 19 days, and therefore the hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidation may be a significant abiotic elimination route. However, elimination of the insecticide under such conditions might not improve the quality of the contaminated water, as the primary products of degradation still show considerable toxicity to Vibrio fischeri assays.