Development of a Screening Method for Sulfamethoxazole in Environmental Water by Digital Colorimetry Using a Mobile Device

Antibiotic resistance is a major health concern of the 21st century. The misuse of antibiotics over the years has led to their increasing presence in the environment, particularly in water resources, which can exacerbate the transmission of resistance genes and facilitate the emergence of resistant microorganisms. The objective of the present work is to develop a chemosensor for screening of sulfonamides in environmental waters, targeting sulfamethoxazole as the model analyte. The methodology was based on the retention of sulfamethoxazole in disks containing polystyrene divinylbenzene sulfonated sorbent particles and reaction with p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde, followed by colorimetric detection using a computer-vision algorithm. Several color spaces (RGB, HSV and CIELAB) were evaluated, with the coordinate a_star, from the CIELAB color space, providing the highest sensitivity. Moreover, in order to avoid possible errors due to variations in illumination, a color palette is included in the picture of the analytical disk, and a correction using the a_star value from one of the color patches is proposed. The methodology presented recoveries of 82–101% at 0.1 µg and 0.5 µg of sulfamethoxazole (25 mL), providing a detection limit of 0.08 µg and a quantification limit of 0.26 µg. As a proof of concept, application to in-field analysis was successfully implemented.

The Genetic Components of a Natural Color Palette: A Comprehensive List of Carotenoid Pathway Mutations in Plants

Carotenoids comprise the most widely distributed natural pigments. In plants, they play indispensable roles in photosynthesis, furnish colors to flowers and fruit and serve as precursor molecules for the synthesis of apocarotenoids, including aroma and scent, phytohormones and other signaling molecules. Dietary carotenoids are vital to human health as a source of provitamin A and antioxidants. Hence, the enormous interest in carotenoids of crop plants. Over the past three decades, the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway has been mainly deciphered due to the characterization of natural and induced mutations that impair this process. Over the year, numerous mutations have been studied in dozens of plant species. Their phenotypes have significantly expanded our understanding of the biochemical and molecular processes underlying carotenoid accumulation in crops. Several of them were employed in the breeding of crops with higher nutritional value. This compendium of all known random and targeted mutants available in the carotenoid metabolic pathway in plants provides a valuable resource for future research on carotenoid biosynthesis in plant species.

Aquatecture of a city Park: A methodological experiment in the design process for Belgrade Linear park

The aim of this paper is to interpret the term Aquatecture in the design process for Zone 8 of Belgrade Linear Park, as a case study for understanding the concept and methodology used, as well as their application in operational architectural and urban practice. The paper describes the methodological procedure applied to structuring the space using water, with the aim of designing ambiences inspired by nature. This methodological experiment is illustrated with graphical representations of the process itself, in which the colors and shapes of water are analyzed through the observation of water droplets under the microscope. The research hypothesis is that one drop of water contains information important for architectural activities, and therefore the research offers a set of procedures and methods that can be applied and controlled through the creative act of coloring and shaping, or more precisely the creation of Spatial Images. The methodological procedure in the research can be described as poetic and artistic, at the same time containing a scientific element in the analysis and observation of the water sample under the microscope. All other visual perceptual observations and results in the interpretation of the observed environment and the water droplets, as well as their colors and shapes, are offered as extremely intuitive. The research is presented in the form of a Tableau consisting of seven parts and a set of photographs, drawings and images, as well as tone maps (color palette), according to which the results are applied through Spatial Images. Spatial images are interpreted as Ambience inspired by nature, at a specific location: Zone 8 of Belgrade Linear Park, as a case study for researching this methodological procedure. The data obtained in this way is applied in the structuring of the park's aquatecture and pavilions. The waterflows in the park itself are explained in the text, as well as the spatial structures such as the landscape fountain on the square and the main park pavilion itself, which is interpreted as a one-of-a-kind House of water. Therefore, as a product of the work, an environmental project inspired by nature is offered as the Aquatecture of Zone 8 in Belgrade Linear Park, illustrating the practical application of water as a methodological tool, and an inspiration in the processes of architectural design and water space structuring. In this way, the case study of the Conceptual Architectural and Urban Design of Zone 8 of the Linear Park in Belgrade offers new interpretations and understandings of Aquatecture in Belgrade in professional practice. More precisely, it re-examines ways of applying and understanding the concepts of the Blue Green Dream (BGD) and Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in shaping public spaces in the city.

Color in Architecture: Before and After Industry Revolution

Color as a visual element cannot be separated from architectural design. The development of knowledge about color involved artists and scientists. In the past, color was always associated with the activities of artists as creators of decorative works using pigments produced by nature. Artists and scientists assume that color occurs due to the influence of light and dark which is homogeneous. This was later refuted by Newton's findings that color is produced by heterogeneous light. Different colors are a result of different refractive indexes. The discovery of artificial colors by Perkin encouraged the industry to create colors not only to produce colors that exist in nature, but also according to the wishes of the user as an individual. The opportunity to use colors according to the needs of individual users then encourages businesses to control colors so that the industry does not suffer losses if the colors of the products they produce do not sell well in the market. They work closely with color forecasters and color designers to determine color trends according to the interests of producers through color cards. This condition is followed by architects who create color schemes based on their own favorite color palette. This article finds out how the development of science positions color in architectural works? The research was conducted with a historical approach and data interpretation methods through a literature review.

Color and Coloristic Tasks in the Organization of the Methodology of Educational Projects in the Training of Architects and Designers at the University

The article is devoted to the meaning and use of the possibilities of color and pictorial combinations in architecture and design, when performing educational project tasks. The study examines the emerging problems in the organization of educational work. The purpose of the study is to create a comprehensive design methodology with the inclusion of a module of coloristic and color aspects. Possible methods of organizing project educational work are proposed. The advantages and disadvantages of performing these tasks are analyzed. The methods of project work are aimed at creating convenient and at the same time aesthetic architectural objects. The methods under consideration are based on practical work, which is the basis of any educational activity in the training of higher school specialists. When forming the educational methodology, the nature and technological possibilities of using color in the design of architectural and design solutions were taken into account. The presented project proposals are based on a practical experiment and demonstrate the possibilities of planning coloristic tasks. The study determines the problem based on the analysis of modern buildings and its architectural solutions. The analysis of this topic highlights the insufficient training of future specialists in the field of using the possibilities of color in architecture and design of residential and public buildings. The research suggests and analyzes artistic and aesthetic technologies of space organization. The results of the study put forward new tasks in the planning of educational design solutions, using color, harmony of the color palette, subordinate to the color and coloristic unity of the environment.

Anthocyanins: Factors Affecting Their Stability and Degradation

Anthocyanins are secondary metabolites and water-soluble pigments belonging to the phenolic group, with important functions in nature such as seed dispersal, pollination and development of plant organs. In addition to these important roles in plant life, anthocyanins are also used as natural pigments in various industries, due to the color palette they can produce from red to blue and purple. In addition, recent research has reported that anthocyanins have important antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which can be used in the chemoprevention of various diseases such as diabetes, obesity and even cancer. However, anthocyanins have a major disadvantage, namely their low stability. Thus, their stability is influenced by a number of factors such as pH, light, temperature, co-pigmentation, sulfites, ascorbic acid, oxygen and enzymes. As such, this review aims at summarizing the effects of these factors on the stability of anthocyanins and their degradation. From this point of view, it is very important to be precisely aware of the impact that each parameter has on the stability of anthocyanins, in order to minimize their negative action and subsequently potentiate their beneficial health effects.

Sensory landscape of the Russian empire in “The Letters from Russia” (1856–1857) by Juan Valera

The article considers new perspectives in working with travel notes as a historical source. Through the careful reading of “The Letters from Russia” (1856-1857) by Spanish diplomat and writer Juan Valera (1824-1905), the article examines the role of sensory impressions and their place in constructing Russia’s image. Particular attention focuses on the analysis of methods and approaches of sensory history. By applying content analysis, it was possible to identify four topics addressed by the Spanish diplomat: colours, tastes, sounds, and smells. Thanks to the interdisciplinary approach, we reconstructed the author’s percep- tion of Russia’s visual and sound landscape, his attitude to the Russian elite’s and the ordinary people’s tastes (food and drinks), the smells that he encountered during the trip. For example, the Russian empire seemed to the Spanish author brilliant, golden and silver, and its sound perception was characterized by the loud sound of local bells and melodic singing of church choirs. At the same time, a Spanish diplomat was openly disappointed with the common people’s food and its smell, and the Russian countryside, in general, seems colourless to him. The Spaniard’s idea of Russia was established under the influence of his native environment and by the St. Petersburg elite. Given the fact that the author spent most of his time in the company of the Russian elite, he managed to recreate Russia’s holistic sensual landscape only in the context of its sounds and smells. In the case of Russian food and colours, readers can observe an unfinished image that only partially reproduces the author’s vision of “folk” and “parade” Russia. For example, due to the author’s limited mobility, the text contains almost no information about the color palette of a Russian city or village. Despite this, the study of these phenomena not only revealed the basic features of the then Russian everyday life but also allowed a better understanding of the personality of Juan Valera and the way of forming his ideas.

Implementasi Color Quantization pada Kompresi Citra Digital dengan Menggunakan Model Clustering Berdasarkan Nilai Max Variance pada Ruang Warna RGB

<p class="Abstrak">Kompresi citra dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan <em>color quantization</em> di mana dengan mengurangi jumlah warna yang terdapat pada citra maka akan dapat mengurangi jumlah bit yang digunakan untuk merepresentasikan warna – warna tersebut. Semakin rendah jumlah warna yang dikurangi dalam rangka mencapai rasio kompresi yang optimal berdampak pada terdegradasinya kualitas dari citra. Secara umum <em>color quantization</em> menggunakan model <em>clustering </em>dalam proses pembentukan <em>color palette</em> yang akan digunakan sebagai referensi pada saat kuantisasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan model <em>clustering</em> berdasarkan nilai <em>max variance</em> pada <em>channel</em> RGB secara terpisah. Proses <em>clustering</em> dilakukan dengan membelah populasi <em>cluster </em>sebelumnya menggunakan nilai <em>mean</em> dari <em>channel </em>RGB yang memiliki nilai <em>variance </em>tertinggi. <em>Color palette</em> kemudian dibentuk menggunakan <em>centroid</em> hasil dari proses <em>clustering</em>. Percobaan pada beberapa citra uji dengan format 32bpp yang kemudian dikompresi menggunakan kuantisasi warna pada format 8bpp dan 4bpp memberikan kualitas dan rasio kompresi yang cukup baik yang diukur menggunakan ukuran MSE, PSNR dan CR di mana nilai MSE yang diperoleh berkisar 3.87 sampai 6.3 pada kuantisasi 8bpp dan 13.39 sampai 19.62 pada kuantisasi 4bpp. Sedangkan rasio kompresi yang diperoleh adalah sebesar 1.44 sampai 2.09 pada kuantisasi 8bpp dan 2.87 sampai 4.23 pada kuantisasi 4bpp.</p><p class="Abstrak"> </p><p class="Abstrak"><em><strong>Abstract</strong></em></p><p class="Judul2"><em>Image compression can be done by using color quantization where by reducing the number of colors contained in the image it can reduce the number of bits used to represent the colors. The lower the number of colors reduced in order to achieve the optimal compression ratio has an impact on the quality of the image. In general, color quantization uses clustering models in the process of constructing color palette that will be used as a reference during quantization. This study uses a clustering model based on the max variance value on the RGB channel separately. The clustering process is done by dividing the previous cluster population using the mean value of the RGB channel which has the highest variance value. The color palette is then formed using centroids resulting from the clustering process. Experiments on some test images in 32bpp format which are then compressed using color quantization in 8bpp and 4bpp formats provide a fairly good quality and compression ratio </em><em>with</em><em> MSE, PSNR and CR</em><em> assessment where the MSE values obtained ranged from 3.87 to 6.3 at 8bpp quantization and 13.39 to 19.62 at 4bpp quantization. While the compression ratio obtained is 1.44 to 2.09 at 8bpp quantization and 2.87 to 4.23 at 4bpp quantization </em></p><p class="Abstrak"><em><strong><br /></strong></em></p>

Near-infrared imaging in fission yeast by genetically encoded biosynthesis of phycocyanobilin

Near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) is a bright and stable fluorescent protein with near-infrared excitation and emission maxima. Unlike the other conventional fluorescent proteins, iRFP requires biliverdin (BV) as a chromophore. Here, we report that phycocyanobilin (PCB) functions as a brighter chromophore for iRFP than BV, and biosynthesis of PCB allows live-cell imaging with iRFP in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We initially found that fission yeast cells did not produce BV, and therefore did not show any iRFP fluorescence. The brightness of iRFP-PCB was higher than that of iRFP-BV in vitro and in fission yeast. We introduced SynPCB, a PCB biosynthesis system, into fission yeast, resulting in the brightest iRFP fluorescence. To make iRFP readily available in fission yeast, we developed an endogenous gene tagging system with iRFP and all-in-one integration plasmids carrying the iRFP-fused marker proteins together with SynPCB. These tools not only enable the easy use of the multiplexed live-cell imaging in fission yeast with a broader color palette, but also open the door to new opportunities for near-infrared fluorescence imaging in a wider range of living organisms.