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Exposure to cadmium (Cd 2+ ) can result in cell death, but the molecular mechanisms of Cd 2+ cytotoxicity in plants are not fully understood. Here, we show that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cell suspension cultures underwent a process of programmed cell death when exposed to 100 and 150 mM CdCl 2 and that this process resembled an accelerated senescence, as suggested by the expression of the marker senescence-associated gene12 (SAG12). CdCl 2 treatment was accompanied by a rapid increase in nitric oxide (NO) and phytochelatin synthesis, which continued to be high as long as cells remained viable. Hydrogen peroxide production was a later event and preceded the rise of cell death by about 24 h. Inhibition of NO synthesis by N G -monomethylarginine monoacetate resulted in partial prevention of hydrogen peroxide increase, SAG12 expression, and mortality, indicating that NO is actually required for Cd 2+ -induced cell death. NO also modulated the extent of phytochelatin content, and possibly their function, by S-nitrosylation. These results shed light on the signaling events controlling Cd 2+ cytotoxicity in plants.

A simple and fast reversed-phase HPLC method using diode array detection was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of trans-resveratrol and quercetin in Sicilian red wine from the Nero d'Avola red grape variety. Investigation was also extended to the quantitative determination of resveratrol and quercetin in grape skins and winemaking byproducts obtained from the same cultivar. Samples were eluted using a C18 narrow-bore column under isocratic conditions in less than 20 min. Quantification of trans-resveratrol and quercetin in red wine was performed without any sample pretreatment, whereas the determination of these phenolic compounds in grape skins and wine pomage required a solvent extraction procedure. Linearity was demonstrated over the 0.39-12.5 and 0.45-57.6 microg/mL range for trans-resveratrol and quercetin, respectively. Detection limits in real samples were in the low ppm level (0.07 mg/L for trans-resveratrol and 0.12 mg/L for quercetin). The HPLC-UV/DAD method was applied for the routine analyses of red wine and grape skin and winemaking byproduct extracts to evaluate their trans-resveratrol and quercetin content. In particular, a very high content of quercetin was found in wine pomace, suggesting the use of this wine byproduct as a potential source of this health-promoting phenolic compound.

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A trained sensory panel assessed 20 Italian-type dry-cured hams and the data were submitted to Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Results showed that aged, salty and acid tastes, as well as aged and fresh pork odors were the most important descriptors of this type of ham. Chemical analyses on the same samples, made up a set of 26 compositional or nonvolatile parameters and a block of 122 volatile components. Partial-least squares regression, applied to relate each taste attribute to non-volatile data and each odor term to volatile components, showed that the hams with highest acceptability scores had high levels of free tyrosine and lysine, (nonvolatile components) and of methyl-branched short-chain esters and alcohols (volatiles).

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