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The impact of red and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) irradiation on the sugar metabolism and γ-aminobutyric acid in postharvest table grapes stored at 4 °C for 21 days after harvest were explored. Grape clusters were exposed to red and blue light irradiation at the same intensity (500 lx). The findings revealed that red and blue light treatments enhanced total soluble solids (TSS) and total acidity (TA) content. Furthermore, red-light irradiation retained higher phenolic compound during storage than blue light and control. Red-light radiation sustained higher levels of phenolic biosynthesis-related enzymes, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and p -coumarate ligase (4CL), than blue light irradiation and control. The results showed that red light increased glucose, fructose, and sucrose levels, which were 32.19, 33.18, and 2.95 mg g −1 , compared with those in blue light and control at the end of storage and enhancing the sucrose synthase synthesis (SS-synthesis) and acid invertase (AI), while blue light enhanced sucrose synthase cleavage (SS-cleavage). In addition, red light irradiation increased glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity while red and blue light irradiation inhibited γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T) activity by 22.14 and 20.71 U g −1 at 21 days of storage, compared to control, leading to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation. These findings suggest that red and blue light will help in maintaining the quality of grape during postharvest storage.

Synthesised N-substituted heterocyclic derivatives have ubiquitous applications in fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, organic electronic materials, and agrochemicals. Numerous reports of photocatalytic C–N coupling in aid of a 5 W visible light source are documented in the literature which facilitates the cost reducibility, reusability, and promising methods for reaction. In this present work, we have designed and synthesised a benzimidazole-based sulphonic acid functionalized porphyrin photocatalyst (BSAFPPc) and confirmed by analytical techniques such as FT-NMR, FT-IR, and SEM/EDX. The BSAFPPc demonstrated an optical energy gap of 1.12 eV by using DRS. Further, the acidic potential was scrutinized by the Hammett acidity function which is H0 = 0.99. The BSAFPPc was used for the C–N coupling of morpholine, and inactivated aryl halides comprising electron-donating (–NH2, –OMe, –CH3) and withdrawing groups (–CHO, –NO2). This photocatalytic reaction produced an excellent practical yield from 60 to 90%. Further, the scope was extended to benzimidazole, pyrrole, indole and 1,2,4-triazole. The reaction has been experimented in an in-house homemade reactor system in a presence of a 5 W visible light source in an additive-free environment at ambient conditions. The photocatalyst was durable up to six photocatalytic cycles. The photocatalyst maintained its heterogenous nature which was asserted by the leaching test.

The effect of oral supplementation with astaxanthin of different Z-isomer ratios on ultraviolet (UV) light-induced skin damage in guinea pigs was investigated. Astaxanthin with a high Z-isomer content was prepared from the all-E-isomer via thermal isomerization. Intact (all-E)-astaxanthin and the prepared Z-isomer-rich astaxanthin were suspended in soybean oil and fed to guinea pigs for three weeks. The UV-light irradiation was applied to the dorsal skin on the seventh day after the start of the test diet supplementation, and skin parameters, such as elasticity, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and pigmentation (melanin and erythema values), were evaluated. The accumulation of astaxanthin in the dorsal skin was almost the same after consumption of the all-E-isomer-rich astaxanthin diet (E-AST-D; total Z-isomer ratio = 3.2%) and the Z-isomer-rich astaxanthin diet (Z-AST-D; total Z-isomer ratio = 84.4%); however, the total Z-isomer ratio of astaxanthin in the skin was higher in the case of the Z-AST-D supplementation. Both diets inhibited UV light-induced skin-damaging effects, such as the reduction in elasticity and the increase in TEWL level. Between E-AST-D and Z-AST-D, Z-AST-D showed better skin-protective ability against UV-light exposure than E-AST-D, which might be because of the greater UV-light-shielding ability of astaxanthin Z-isomers than the all-E-isomer. Furthermore, supplementation with Z-AST-D resulted in a greater reduction in skin pigmentation caused by astaxanthin accumulation compared to that of E-AST-D. This study indicates that dietary astaxanthin accumulates in the skin and appears to prevent UV light-induced skin damage, and the Z-isomers are more potent oral sunscreen agents than the all-E-isomer.

The influence of red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) irradiation (454 LUX) on the quality and physiology of postharvest table grapes fruit stored at (22.5 ± 2.5 ℃) for 6 days after harvest were explored. The results exhibited that red-light irradiation exposure was remarkably efficient in decreasing the weight loss of the fruit. The rachis browning and chlorophyll degradation were significantly inhibited when exposed to red-light. During storage, color, total soluble solids, firmness, titratable acidity, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide levels reduced to levels lower than under control. In addition, red-light irradiation retained higher membrane permeability, bioactive compound, leading to higher fruit antioxidant capacity. Further research has shown that treatment with red-light enhanced antioxidant enzymes activity. Red-light treatment maintained significantly higher levels of individual phenolic compounds than control during storage. These results indicate that irradiating table grapes with red-light will help in extending postharvest shelf-life and improve commercially grown grapes’ quality.

N-doped ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 composites have been successfully prepared via a facile and cost-effective sol-gel method. The nanocomposites were systematically characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, HRTEM, FT-IR, XPS, and UV-vis DRS. The results indicated that compared with the pure N-doped ZnO, the absorption edge of binary N-doped ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 shifted to a lower energy with increasing the visible-light absorption and improving the charge separation efficiency, which would enhance its photocatalytic activity. Compared with the pure g-C 3 N 4 , ZnO, N-doped ZnO and the composite ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 , the as-prepared N-doped ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 exhibits a greatly enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and phenol under visible-light irradiation. Meanwhile, N-doped ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 possesses a high stability. Finally, a proposed mechanism for N-doped ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 is also discussed. The improved photocatalysis can be attributed to the synergistic effect between N-doped ZnO and g-C 3 N 4 , including the energy band structure and enhanced charge separation efficiency.

Hierarchical Co 3 O 4 /triple-shelled carbon nitride (Co 3 O 4 /TSCN) composite nanocapsules were designed via a multi-step procedure in a controlled manner as a solar-light-driven photocatalyst based Z-scheme system for selective aerobic photooxidation of alcohols (primary and secondary aliphatic and benzylic) to corresponding aldehydes/ or ketones in green media. The structure of the as-prepared photocatalyst was characterized by a series of measurement techniques including FT-IR, XRD, BET, TEM, FE-SEM, EDX, EDX-mapping, TGA, UV–vis DRS, and ICP-OES. The hierarchical Co 3 O 4 /TSCN composite nanocapsules demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity in selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols under solar light irradiation in comparison to pure TSCN and Co 3 O 4 NPs. The shell number of the composite nanocapsules and the formation of the hierarchical Co 3 O 4 /TSCN Z-scheme photocatalyst can significantly affect the photocatalytic activity. The results indicate the efficient electron transfer, relatively high specific surface area, high donor density, and low band gap as well as the coexistence of micro-, meso- and macropores and also nano-sized crystalline structure (from 1.2 to 95 nm) in heterojunction composite. This novel photocatalytic system kept relatively high catalytic activity after five recycle runs under the same reaction conditions. Graphical Abstract

Smart materials, especially light‐responsive, have become a key research area due to their tunable properties. It is related to the ability to undergo physical or chemical changes in response to external stimuli. Among them, photothermal responsive materials have attracted great interest. This study focuses on the development of a multilayer system (MS) consisting of benzophenone‐modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) ring and a thermo‐responsive core made of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐N‐isopropylomethacrylamide) (P(NIPAAm‐co‐NIPMAAm)), gelatin, and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA). The system utilizes the thermal sensitivity of P(NIPAAm‐co‐NIPMAAm) and the photothermal effect of gold nanorods (AuNRs) to achieve an on‐demand controlled release mechanism within 6 min of near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation. The mechanical properties investigated in the compression test show significant improvement in MS, reaching 60 times greater value than the material without a PDMS ring. In addition, NIR irradiation for 15 min activated the antimicrobial properties, eliminating 99.9% of E. Coli and 100% of S. Aureus, thus presenting pathogen eradication. This platform provides a versatile methodology for developing next‐generation smart materials, advanced delivery mechanisms, and multifunctional nanostructured composites. This work highlights the potential of photosensitive materials to revolutionize the field of soft robotics, optics and actuators, and on‐demand systems by providing precise control over release dynamics and improved material properties. This study presents a multilayer system (MS) based on benzophenone‐modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and a thermo‐responsive core incorporating P(NIPAAm‐co‐NIPMAAm), gelatin, and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA). The photothermal properties of gold nanorods, together with the thermal sensitivity of hydrogel, enable controlled detachment and release of hydrogel under near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation, which activates bacterial eradication. MS shows a promising application for advanced smart materials and delivery systems.

Novel tungsten-modified mixed-valence tin oxides (Sn3O4) with two oxidation numbers, such as Sn2+ and Sn4+, were successfully prepared by the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted solvothermal method in one-step using tin (II) chloride dihydrate and sodium tungstate (IV) dihydrate as the precursors for dye degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The synthesized materials were characterized by various techniques to investigate the surface/structural morphology and the optical property. The presence of tungsten and the optimized amount of CTAB in the preparation method were favorable for the photocatalytic dye degradation reaction. In particular, when 0.03 of CTAB was added to W-modified Sn3O4 (W-Sn3O4@CTAB) and its concentration was 0.6 mg/mL, 10 mg/L of MO could be decolorized almost completely in 40 min, with the apparent reaction rate constant of 0.0496 min−1. The improvement of photocatalytic activity for this proposed W-Sn3O4 results from increased reduction power, enhanced separation of electron–hole pairs, extended visible light absorption range, and optimized band structure by CTAB additive. The radical trapping experiments showed that the main reactive species during the photocatalytic reaction are superoxide ions. The developed photocatalysts may contribute to the development of environmental improvement technology.

The rapid growth of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions raises concern about the possible consequences of atmospheric CO 2 increase, such as global warming and greenhouse effect. Photocatalytic CO 2 conversion has attracted researchers’ interests to find a sustainable route for its elimination. In the present study, a direct Z -scheme TiO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite (T-GCN) was fabricated via a facile hydrothermal route for the photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 into methane (CH 4 ) and methanol (CH 3 OH), under visible light irradiation without an electron mediator. The microstructure of the as-obtained TiO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites was fully characterized for its physicochemical, structural, charge separation, electronic, and photo-excited carrier separation properties. The effect of CO 2 and H 2 O partial pressure was studied to find the best operational conditions for obtaining maximum photocatalytic efficiency; the P CO2 and P H2O were 75.8 and 15.5 kPa, respectively, whereas, by increasing the light intensity from 20 to 80 mW/cm 2 , a remarkable improvement in the reduction rate takes place (from 11.04 to 32.49 μmol.gcat −1 .h −1 methane production, respectively). Finally, under the most favorable light, P CO2 and P H2O conditions, high methanol and methane rates were obtained from the CO 2 photocatalytic reduction through T-GCN (1.44 μmol.gcat. −1 .h −1 and 32.49 μmol.gcat. −1 .h −1 , respectively) and an integrated proposition for the Z -scheme mechanism of photocatalytic reduction was proposed. This study offers a promising strategy to synthesize a Z -scheme T-GCN heterojunction with high photocatalytic performance for effective CO 2 conversion.

Herein, novel ternary kaolin/CeO2/g-C3N4 composite was prepared by sol-gel method followed by hydrothermal treatment. The self-assembled 3D “sandwich” structure consisting of kaolin, CeO2 and g-C3N4 nanosheets, was systematically characterized by appropriate techniques to assess its physicochemical properties. In the prerequisite of visible-light irradiation, the removal efficiency of ciprofloxacin (CIP) over the kaolin/CeO2/g-C3N4 composite was about 90% within 150 min, 2-folds higher than those of pristine CeO2 and g-C3N4. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the improved photo-induced charge separation efficiency and the large specific surface area, which was determined by electrochemical measurements and N2 physisorption methods, respectively. The synergistic effect between the kaolin and CeO2/g-C3N4 heterostructure improved the photocatalytic performance of the final solid. The trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments demonstrated that the hole (h+) and superoxide radicals (•O2−) played an important role in the photocatalytic process. The photocatalytic mechanism for CIP degradation was also proposed based on experimental results. The obtained results revealed that the kaolin/CeO2/g-C3N4 composite is a promising solid catalyst for environmental remediation.