Due to low consumer acceptance and the possibility of immature kernels, closed‐shell pistachio nuts should be separated from open‐shell nuts before reaching the consumer. A system using impact acoustics as a means of classifying closed-shell nuts from open-shell nuts has already been shown to be feasible and have better discrimination performance than a mechanical system.The accuracy of an impa...

BACKGROUND Positive effects of pistachio nut consumption on plasma inflammatory biomarkers have been described; however, little is known about molecular events associated with these effects. PURPOSE We studied the anti-inflammatory activity of a hydrophilic extract from Sicilian Pistacia L. (HPE) in a macrophage model and investigated bioactive components relevant to the observed effects. M...

BACKGROUND Managing cardiovascular risk factors is important for reducing vascular complications in type 2 diabetes, even in individuals who have achieved glycemic control. Nut consumption is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk; however, there is mixed evidence about the effect of nuts on blood pressure (BP), and limited research on the underlying hemodynamics. This study assessed the e...

Pistacia vera L. is the only species of Pistacia genus producing edible nuts. This paper investigates the antioxidant potential of a Sicilian variety of pistachio nut by chemical as well as biological assays and measured antioxidant vitamins and a number of antioxidant polyphenols in either the hydrophilic and/or the lipophilic nut extract. In accordance with the majority of foods, the total an...

Pistachio fruit components, including hulls (mesocarps and epicarps), seed coats (testas), and kernels (seeds), all contribute to variable aflatoxin content in pistachios. Fresh pistachio kernels were individually inoculated with Aspergillus flavus and incubated 7 or 10 days. Hulled, shelled kernels were either left intact or wounded prior to inoculation. Wounded kernels, with or without the se...

The Arabidopsis basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins INDEHISCENT (IND) and ALCATRAZ (ALC) specify tissues required for fruit opening that have major roles in seed dispersal and plant domestication. Here, we show that synthesis of the phytohormone gibberellin is a direct and necessary target of IND, and that ALC interacts directly with DELLA repressors, which antagonize ALC function but are de...

Parainvolucrella R.J. Wang, a new monotypic genus for P. scabra (Wall. ex Kurz) M.D.Yuan & R.J.Wang, combination, is segregated from the Hedyotis - Oldenlandia complex, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetically, sister to Scleromitrion , which it differs by combination of characters: herbaceous habit, terminal inflorescence with subtended leaves, heterostylous flow...

the genetic diversity of a large number of pistachio genotypes grown in iran is not exactly known. most of the studies on genetic diversity of iranian pistachio varieties are based on morphological characteristics or isozyme markers. in the present study, the genetic diversity of selected pistachio cultivars along with some wild species were evaluated by amplified fragment length polymorphism (...