Betacyanins and Betaxanthins in Cultivated Varieties of Beta vulgaris L. Compared to Weed Beets

There are 11 different varieties of Beta vulgaris L. that are used in the food industry, including sugar beets, beetroots, Swiss chard, and fodder beets. The typical red coloration of their tissues is caused by the indole-derived glycosides known as betalains that were analyzed in hypocotyl extracts by UV/Vis spectrophotometry to determine the content of betacyanins (betanin) and of betaxanthins (vulgaxanthin I) as constituents of the total betalain content. Fields of beet crops use to be also infested by wild beets, hybrids related to B. vulgaris subsp. maritima or B. macrocarpa Guss., which significantly decrease the quality and quantity of sugar beet yield; additionally, these plants produce betalains at an early stage. All tested B. vulgaris varieties could be distinguished from weed beets according to betacyanins, betaxanthins or total betalain content. The highest values of betacyanins were found in beetroots ‘Monorubra’ (9.69 mg/100 mL) and ‘Libero’ (8.42 mg/100 mL). Other beet varieties contained less betacyanins: Sugar beet ‘Labonita’ 0.11 mg/100 mL; Swiss chard ‘Lucullus,’ 0.09 mg/100 mL; fodder beet ‘Monro’ 0.15 mg/100 mL. In contrast with weed beets and beetroots, these varieties have a ratio of betacyanins to betaxanthins under 1.0, but the betaxanthin content was higher in beetcrops than in wild beet and can be used as an alternative to non-red varieties. Stability tests of selected varieties showed that storage at 22 °C for 6 h, or at 7 °C for 24 h, did not significantly reduce the betalain content in the samples.     

Morphological characterization of cells in concentrated suspensions using multispectral diffuse optical tomography

Based on a non-spherical model of particle scattering, we investigate the capabilities and limitations of a T-matrix based inverse algorithm to morphologically characterize cells in concentrated suspensions. Here the cells are modeled as randomly orientated spheroidal particles with homogenous dielectric properties and suspended in turbid media. The inverse algorithm retrieves the geometrical parameters and the concentration of cells simultaneously by inverting the reduced scattering coefficient spectra obtained from multispectral diffuse optical tomography (MS-DOT). Both round and spheroidal cells are tested and the role of multiple and higher order scattering of particles on the performance of the algorithm is evaluated using different concentrations of cells.     

Logic for abstract hoop twist-structures

In this paper, we introduce and study a logic that corresponds to abstract hoop twist-structures and present some results on this logic. We prove the local deductive theorem for this logic and show that this logic is algebraizable with respect to the quasi-variety of abstract hoop twist-structures.     

HKUST-1 metal-organic framework for dispersive solid phase extraction of 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) prior to its determination by ion mobility spectrometry

The authors describe a method for the extraction of the herbicide 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) from agricultural products. The metal organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 (a copper(II) benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) was used as a sorbent for efficient clean-up and preconcentration of MCPA. The effects of pH value, stirring time, amount of sorbent on extraction were optimized by central composite design. Ultrasonic waves were used for desorption procedure and its advantage was demonstrated for an increase in extraction recovery. Corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) was then applied for fast and sensitive determination of MCPA. The method was validated in terms of sensitivity, recovery and reproducibility. Under the optimum conditions the calibration plot is linear between 0.035–0.200 μg. L^?1. The detection limit is 10 ng L^?1, with relative standard deviations of <5%. Real samples (water, soil and agricultural product) were spiked and then analyzed by this method, and the results revealed efficient solid phase extraction and recovery.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a procedure for extraction of an organochlorine pesticide (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid) from agriculture products using the HKUST-1 metal-organic framework prior to determination by ion mobility spectrometry based on its ionization in drift cell.

     

Antioxidant Response of Stevia rebaudiana B. to Polyethylene Glycol and Paclobutrazol Treatments Under In Vitro Culture

This investigation was carried out with the aim of determining the effect of paclobutrazol (PBZ) (0 and 2 mg l^?1) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) (0, 2, 4 and 6 %?w/v of PEG 6000) treatments on antioxidant system of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under in vitro condition. Analysis of data showed that PEG treatment significantly increased hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and phenolic contents, while PBZ treatment limited the effect of PEG on them. Our data revealed that PEG treatment significantly increased total antioxidant capacity, catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity, while it inversely decreased glutathione reductase (GR) activity. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was not affected by PEG treatment. PBZ treatment induced significantly higher levels of CAT and GR activity and lower levels of SOD activity in PEG-treated plants. PBZ in combination with PEG resulted in no significant difference on APX activity with PEG treatment alone. PBZ treatment prevented the effect of PEG on the PPO activity. PEG (with or without PBZ) treatment increased the ascorbate pool, whereas total glutathione level was not affected by PEG. Our finding indicated that PBZ reduced the negative effect of PEG treatment by quenching H₂O₂ accumulation and increasing the CAT activity. Collectively, the antioxidant capacity of S. rebaudiana in PEG treatment condition was associated with active enzymatic and non-enzymatic defence systems which partly could be improved by the PBZ treatment. In addition, a higher accumulation of phenolic compounds leads to a more potent reactive oxygen species scavenging activity in S. rebaudiana.     

Potassium ion-mediated non-covalent bonded coordination polymers

Crystal structures and vibrational spectra of three related network-forming coordination complexes have been studied. Two novel thermodynamically stable pseudo-polymorphic solvated rhodium chloro compounds, [cis-RhCl(4)(DMSO-κS)(2)K](n), 1, and [cis-RhCl(4)(DMSO-κS)(2)K·3H(2)O](n), 2, and one metastable compound [trans-RhCl(4)(DMSO-κS)(2)K·0.25H(2)O](n), 3, crystallize at ambient temperature in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) for 1, and the monoclinic space groups P2(1)/n and P2(1)/c for 2 and 3, respectively. All three structures contain [RhCl(4)(DMSO-κS)(2)](-) complexes in which the rhodium(III) ions bind to two dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) sulfur atoms and four chloride ions in distorted octahedral coordination geometries. The complexes are connected in networks via potassium ions interacting with the Cl(-) and the DMSO oxygen atoms. As the sum of Shannon ionic radii of K(+) and Cl(-) exceeds the K-Cl distances in compounds under study, these compounds can be described as Rh-Cl-K coordination polymers with non-covalent bonding, which is not common in these systems, forming 1- and 2-D networks for 1/2 and 3, respectively. The 2-D network with nano-layered sheets for compound 3 was also confirmed by TEM images. Further evaluation of the bonding in the cis- and trans-[RhCl(4)(DMSO-κS)(2)](-) entities was obtained by recording Raman and FT-IR absorption spectra and assigning the vibrational frequencies with the support of force-field calculations. The force field study of complexes reveals the strong domination of trans-effect (DMSO-κS > Cl) over the effect of non-covalent bonding in coordination polymeric structures. The comparison of calculated RhCl, RhS and SO stretching force constants showed evidence of K(+)-ligand interactions whereas direct experimental evidences of K(+)-Cl(-) interaction were not obtained because of strong overlap of the corresponding spectral region with that where lattice modes and Rh-ligand bendings appear.     

On the category of hyper MV‐algebras

In this paper we study the category of hyper MV‐algebras and we prove that it has a terminal object and a coequalizer. We show that Jia's construction can be modified to provide a free hyper MV‐algebra by a set. We use this to show that in the category of hyper MV‐algebras the monomorphisms are exactly the one‐to‐one homomorphisms. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On self-distributive weak Heyting algebras

We use the left self-distributive axiom to introduce and study a special class of weak Heyting algebras, called self-distributive weak Heyting algebras (SDWH-algebras). We present some useful properties of SDWH-algebras and obtain some equivalent conditions of them. A characteristic of SDWH-algebras of orders 3 and 4 is given. Finally, we study the relation between the variety of SDWH-algebras and some of the known subvarieties of weak Heyting algebras such as the variety of Heyting algebras, the variety of basic algebras, the variety of subresiduated lattices, the variety of reflexive WH-algebras (RWH-algebras), and the variety of transitive WH-algebras (TWH-algebras).