Supervised classification combined with genetic algorithm variable selection for a fast identification of polymeric microdebris using infrared reflectance.

Pollution caused by plastics and, in particular, microplastics has become a source of environmental concern for Society. Their ubiquity, with millions of tons of plastic debris spilled in both land and sea, requires efficient technological improvements in the ways residues are collected, handled, characterized and recycled. For reliable decision-making, dependable chemical information is essential to assess both the nature of the plastics found in the environment and their fate.

PLX4032 resistance of patient-derived melanoma cells: crucial role of oxidative metabolism.

Background: Malignant melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer which shows BRAF mutation in 50% of patients. In this context, the identification of BRAF mutation led to the development of specific inhibitors like PLX4032. Nevertheless, although its initial success, its clinical efficacy is reduced after six-months of therapy leading to cancer relapse due to the onset of drug resistance.

Intra-source provenance study on Monte Arci (Sardinia) obsidian by pXRF: Role of the data acquisition and analysis tools.

In this work, a detailed study of Monte Arci obsidian sub-sources using the increasingly accessible technique of pXRF is presented based upon a large dataset of 68 geological samples, for the development of X-ray fluorescence-based analytical standardless procedure. In addition, a non-conventional (for obsidian provenance study) direct application of multivariate analysis on XRF spectra (continuous variables), rather than absolute concentrations or intensity ratios (discrete variables) is proposed. Results from different softwares and data analysis approaches (bi-/trivariate multivariate) were compared.

A Preliminary Color Study of Different Basil-Based Semi-Finished Products during Their Storage.

Basil-based semi-finished products, which are mainly used as an intermediate to produce the typical pesto sauce, are prepared and exported all over the world. Color is a fundamental organoleptic requirement for the acceptability of these semi-finished products by the manufacturers of the pesto sauce. Some alternative formulations, which adjust the typical industrial recipe by both changing the preservative agent (ascorbic acid, citric acid, or a mixture of both) and introducing a preliminary thermic treatment (blast chilling), were evaluated.

Multi-Elemental Analysis as a Tool to Ascertain the Safety and the Origin of Beehive Products: Development, Validation, and Application of an ICP-MS Method on Four Unifloral Honeys Produced in Sardinia, Italy.

Despite unifloral honeys from Sardinia, Italy, being appreciated worldwide for their peculiar organoleptic features, their elemental signature has only partly been investigated. Hence, the principal aim of this study was to measure the concentration of trace and toxic elements (i.e.