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We demonstrated a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor based upon vanadium-doped nickel oxide composite with graphitic carbon nitride. The g-C 3 N 4 was prepared by annealing Urea at 550 °C for 3 h in a muffle furnace. The nanocomposite was synthesized using a microwave-assisted method, followed by thermal annealing at different temperatures. The successful formation of V–NiO/g-C 3 N 4 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. SEM images show the layered sheets with porous structure, which depends on annealing temperature; as we increase the temperature, the porosity increases. Afterwards, the electrochemical sensing properties were verified by CV, LSV, DPV, and amperometric studies in 0.2 M KOH in the presence of Ascorbic acid and Dopamine. The experimental results show that our prepared sample has excellent electrochemical biosensing abilities towards AA and DA with LOD 1.16 μM and 0.16 μM, respectively. It also offers good selectivity, exceptional reproducibility, and long-term stability owing to the combined effect of NiO and g-C 3 N 4. Finally, the electrochemical sensing of H 2 O 2 was detected in the same environment by conducting CV and amperometric studies. Our modified electrode has proven its noble ability to sense H 2 O 2 with excellent repeatability, stability and low LOD 0.2 μM with a wide linear working range (0.5 mM–4 mM). It has the potential to be used for multi-molecule selection biosensing with excellent selectivity and sensitivity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramics is a promising material that has been widely used as artificial bones. However, most available investigations were devoted to new material development and implant structure design, while few of studies focused on innovative hybrid implants that can act not only as implants but also as surgery tools for solving specific health issues. This paper innovatively designed and additively-manufactured a zirconia ceramic surgery tool, which can not only act as a drilling tool, but also retain itself in the drilled hole after the surgery as bone scaffold, at the meantime delivery active ingredient (Vitamin C) for fast recovery. To achieve early intervention, the proposed zirconia ceramic tool was additively manufactured with inter-connected pore structures that can benefit the recovery. The zirconia ceramic surgery tools (with 50 %, 70 % and 80 % porosity) showed the required mechanical properties to act as a drilling tool. The tool also showed drug releasing function with the different diffusion rates based on drug diffusion experiments. The zirconia ceramic tool with Vitamin C coating also showed enhanced cell adhesion and accelerated cell growth based on the osteoblast induction assessment. Based on above, the proposed zirconia ceramic tool is expected to bring new possibilities for wide applications of ceramic tools in surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Novacetimonas hansenii SI1, previously known as Komagataeibacter hansenii , produces bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) with unique ability to stretch. The addition of vitamin C in the culture medium increases the porosity of the membranes and their stretchability making them highly moldable. To better understand the genetic background of this strain, we obtained its complete genome sequence using a hybrid sequencing and assembly strategy. We described the functional regions in the genome which are important for the synthesis of BNC and acetan-like II polymer. We next investigated the effect of 1% vitamin C supplementation on the global gene expression profile using RNA sequencing. Our transcriptomic readouts imply that vitamin C functions mainly as a reducing agent. We found that the changes in cellular redox status are balanced by strong repression of the sulfur assimilation pathway. Moreover, in the reduced conditions, glucose oxidation is decreased and alternative pathways for energy generation, such as acetate accumulation, are activated. The presence of vitamin C negatively influences acetan-like II polymer biosynthesis, which may explain the lowered yield and changed mechanical properties of BNC. The results of this study enrich the functional characteristics of the genomes of the efficient producers of the N. hansenii species. Improved understanding of the adaptation to the presence of vitamin C at the molecular level has important guiding significance for influencing the biosynthesis of BNC and its morphology. [Display omitted] • Complete genome of N. hansenii SI1 displays characteristic features of the N. hansenii species. • Transcriptomic readouts show that vitamin C at 1% acts mainly as a reducing agent. • Changes in cellular redox status are balanced by strong repression of the sulfur assimilation pathway. • Vitamin C induces glucose uptake in the cytosol and reductive activation of alternative pathways for energy generation. • Repression of acetan-like II biosynthesis may contribute to the reduced yield and changed mechanical properties of BNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs) completely changed the paradigm of enzyme-based oxyfunctionalization reactions, as these enzymes can transform a wide variety of substrates with a relatively simple reaction mechanism. The fact that UPO can exert both peroxygenative and peroxidative activity in either aromatic or aliphatic carbons, represents a great potential in the production of high value-added products from natural antioxidants. In this work, the flavonoid rutin has been considered as possible substrate for UPO from Agrocybe aegerita , and its peroxygenation or its peroxidation and successive oligomerization have been studied. Different experiments were performed in order to reduce the range of process variables involved and gaining insight on the behavior of this enzyme, leading to a multivariable optimization of UPO-based rutin modification. While trying to preserve enzyme activity this optimization aimed for maximizing the production of more soluble antioxidants. Reusability of the enzyme was evaluated recovering UPO using an enzymatic membrane reactor, revealing challenges in enzyme stability due to inactivation during the filtration stages. The influence of the radical scavenger ascorbic acid on product formation was investigated, revealing its role in directing the reaction towards hydroxylated rutin derivatives, hence indicating a shift towards more soluble and bioactive products. [Display omitted] • UPO transforms rutin to more soluble products with enhanced antioxidant activity. • H 2 O 2 feeding rate, initial enzymatic activity and reaction time were optimized. • Peroxygenative and peroxidative activities are crucial to increase both bioactivity and solubility. • A poor stability of the enzyme limits its reuse in successive cycles. • Ascorbic acid concentration allows modulation of the characteristics of the products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mutual extension of an increasing demand for LiFePO 4 (LFP) is the need to develop a synthesis technique that enables improved particle morphology and size control at different scales. In this study, the polyol method was used for this purpose and modified to allow in-situ interventions, which, in turn, increased flexibility in particle design. Ethylene glycol was used as a reaction medium, and pure, porous, hierarchical LFP nanoparticles were synthesized at the lowest temperature reported in the literature. The primary and secondary particle size and morphology could be altered almost independently by controlling the amount and the addition sequence of the ascorbic acid (AA) and citric acid (CA). It was possible to control the particle features at different scales after the individual and combined effects of the acids were revealed. Particles with equiaxed small primaries (∼20 nm) and a mild aspect ratio in the secondaries (∼1.5) led to tap densities of 1.98 g/cm3, which is the highest value reported in the literature. Even though the heat treatment applied in this work had limitations in inducing a fully graphitized layer of carbon on LFPs, the added boost from the increased tap densities was observable in the high volumetric discharge capacities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates into the synthesis, characterization, and multifaceted analysis of a composite material comprised of copper vanadium oxide (CVO) and graphitic Carbon Nitride g-C 3 N 4 (GCN). The fabrication of the composite was achieved through wet-chemical method followed by annealing at 600 °C for 3 h, ensuring controlled composition and structure. The characterization process encompassed X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV–visible spectroscopy, unveiling the composite's crystalline structure, novel nano-rod morphology with decorated flakes, and UV–visible light activation capability. The obtained band gap of approximately 2.7 eV signified the composite's optical properties. Electrochemical analysis, including cyclic voltammetry (CV), highlighted the composite's robust biosensing attributes, particularly in response to ascorbic acid. The conducting and metallic characteristics of the composite enhanced its reactivity, promising applications in biosensors and energy storage devices. This comprehensive investigation elucidates the multifaceted potential of the CVO/GCN nano-composite across diverse optoelectronic realms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-harvest management of oranges is critical in Iran, given their importance as an agricultural commodity and a significant source of income for farmers. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of nutritional treatments and storage coatings on the yield and quality of Thomson Novel oranges in post-harvest conditions. A two-year factorial experiment was conducted in Sari, Mazandaran, Iran, to evaluate the effects of four nutritional treatments and nine storage coatings on the quality parameters of Thomson Novel oranges during post-harvest storage. The quality traits were monitored at 45-day intervals over the course of the study. Based on the results of ANOVA, both the individual effects of nutritional treatments and storage coatings were found to be statistically significant for all measured parameters, including fruit texture firmness, fruit peel thickness, vitamin C, titratable acidity, fruit sugar, fruit pH, and fresh weight. However, the interaction effects of nutritional treatments and storage coatings were only significant for fresh weight. The study found that the foliar application of potassium had a positive effect on post-harvest orange quality, while nylon and Xeda wax were the most effective storage coatings for improving various fruit quality parameters. These findings highlight the importance of using appropriate nutritional treatments and storage coatings to enhance the quality and prolong the shelf life of oranges during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Melatonin, zinc and multivitamins were ones of the most recommended supplements for coronavirus disease 2019. • Melatonin only may be not enough to treat patients infected with Sars-Cov2, in a multicenter retrospective observational study involving 58 562 adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19, melatonin use (N = 272) at a mean daily dose of 2.6 mg was not associated with reduced mortality. • This is a multicenter prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial to examine the efficacy and safety of the association. Melatonin, zinc, and multivitamins are among most recommended supplements in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of this association in the treatment of COVID-19 and COVID-like illnesses. We conducted a multicenter prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Patients with no medical history consulting the emergency department for covid and covid-like illness and who were not hospitalized were included. Patients were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the treatment or the placebo group. The primary outcome was studying the effectiveness of zinc multivitamin supplement and melatonin in the treatment of COVID and -like illnesses symptoms' according to the time from randomization to clinical improvement. The pre-specified secondary outcomes were date of disappearance of symptoms present on admission, appearance of an adverse effect due to the administration of the treatment, number of patients developing complications, requiring hospitalization, requiring respiratory support. One hundred sixty four patients were eligible for the study and were randomized to either the treatment group or the placebo group. Overall, 128 of the 164 patients had a PCR for SARS-CoV-2, yielding a positive PCR result in 49.1% of them. Regarding the disappearance of all initial presenting symptoms: on the 5th day of the follow-up, there was a significant difference between the two groups with a p value 0.04;On the 10th day, there was a significant difference too with p value of 0.038. There were no significant differences between the two groups in recovery during the 15th day of follow-up p>0.5. Finally, 100% of patients fully recovered in the treatment group vs 98.8% in the placebo group. No severe adverse events were reported throughout the trial. Our results showed that daily doses of Melatonin, zinc and vitamins did significantly reduce the duration of symptoms accelerating its disappearance among patients consulting with COVID-19 or COVID-19 like illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli O157:H7 poses a threat to humans. Traditional ELISA is not a sensitive method for the detection of E. coli O157:H7. Here, an efficient method was designed for improving the load capacity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) with streptavidin scaffolded DNA tetrad (SS-DNAt). With more ALP, more ascorbic acid 2-phosphate was catalyzed to ascorbic acid that was used to synthesize fluorescence poly adenine-thymine–templated copper nanoclusters. Based on SS-DNAt, fluorescence ELISA was successfully proposed for improving the sensitivity for detection of E. coli O157:H7 in milk samples. The method showed a linear range of 104 to 106 cfu/mL. The limit of detection of fluorescence ELISA was 3.75 × 103 cfu/mL and 6.16-fold better than that of traditional ELISA. The recovery of the fluorescence ELISA was 86.7 to 93.6% with the coefficient of variation of 5.6 to 10.5% in milk. This method could be used to detect hazardous material in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urate transporters play a pivotal role in urate handling in the human body, but the urate transporters identified to date do not account for all known molecular processes of urate handling, suggesting the presence of latent machineries. We recently showed that a urate transporter SLC2A12 is also a physiologically important exporter of ascorbate (the main form of vitamin C in the body) that would cooperate with an ascorbate importer, sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2). Based on the dual functions of SLC2A12 and cooperativity between SLC2A12 and SVCT2, we hypothesized that SVCT2 might be able to transport urate. To test this proposal, we conducted cell-based analyses using SVCT2-expressing mammalian cells. The results demonstrated that SVCT2 is a novel urate transporter. Vitamin C inhibited SVCT2-mediated urate transport with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 36.59 μM, suggesting that the urate transport activity may be sensitive to physiological ascorbate levels in blood. Similar results were obtained for mouse Svct2. Further, using SVCT2 as a sodium-dependent urate importer, we established a cell-based urate efflux assay that will be useful for identification of other novel urate exporters as well as functional characterization of nonsynonymous variants of already-identified urate exporters including ATP-binding cassette transporter G2. While more studies will be needed to elucidate the physiological impact of SVCT2-mediated urate transport, our findings deepen understanding of urate transport machineries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontal inflammation are inflammation of supporting tissues of periodontium. The microbial factor can cause infection which is polymicrobial in origin and causes dysbiosis and shift in oxidative stress with compromised antioxidant capacity. This study focused at determination of the effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) and vitamin C supplementation on total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) in chronic periodontitis patients (ChP). A total of 70 ChPand 35 periodontally healthy subjects (control) were recruited in this study. Further, ChP group was subdivided into ChP1 group (n = 35) which received NSPT only and ChP 2 group (n = 35) which received NSPT with vitamin C 500 mg once daily for 3 months. Serum and saliva samples were taken at baseline and at 3 months postNSPT for measurement of TAOC. Clinical parameters measured were measured at 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month interval. Lower levels of serum and salivary TAOC levels were observed in ChP patients than healthy subjects (p < 0.05). Improvement in Clinical parameters was observed in both the groups ChP1 and ChP 2 group post therapy (p < 0.05). The periodontal treatment showed insignificant changes in serum and salivary TAOC levels (p > 0.05). The supplemental dose of vitamin C didn't have any additional benefits (p > 0.05). There lies an association of oxidative stress with periodontitis, low serum and salivary TAOC levels were seen in chronic periodontitis patients. NSPT improved the periodontal inflammatory status. However, benefits of vitamin C as an adjunct to NSPT remains inconclusive and needs to be further explored by multicentre longitudinal studies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple co-precipitation technique was adopted to prepare MoO 3 nanostructures using a variety of surfactants, including SDS, PVP, and CTAB. The prepared samples were characterized using a variety of physicochemical methods. The MoO 3 nanostructures with and without surfactants were crystallized in the orthorhombic phase, according to the microstructural analysis. Due to SDS's diminished impact on particle size reduction, a surface morphology study of SDS-assisted MoO 3 reveals that it is made up of rod-like, elongated particles with a size of 28 nm or less. The enhanced photocatalytic abilities of the synthesized samples were examined for photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under ultraviolet light irradiation. The SDS-MoO 3 photocatalyst, which outperforms all other produced MoO 3 nanostructures in terms of photocatalytic activity, was found to destroy 95.4% of RhB molecules after 140 min in the vicinity of it. Furthermore, the mechanism of the deteriorating process was examined by calculating the rate constant (k) and half-life (t 1/2). The trapping experiment shows that the addition of two radicals (Ascorbic acid and Methanol) had great influence on the photocatalytic degradation percentage of the samples, and the degradation rate was less than 50%. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saudi Arabia has an overall smoking rate of 15.9%. The link between smoking and periodontal disease has been studied extensively. It is possible for human gingival fibroblasts to accumulate nicotine intracellularly over a period of four hours. Additionally, unmetabolized nicotine is released into the environment. Tobacco presence can impair tissue inflammation, wound healing, and organ development. To counterbalance tobacco toxins, vitamin C has been added to a variety of products. This study aims to analyze the RNA expression of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing proteins in human gingival fibroblasts from smokers and nonsmokers using polymerase chain reaction. hGFs were extracted from clinically healthy periodontium sites of adult male subjects. Both heavy cigarette smokers and never-smokers participated as subjects. Cells were cultured and subcultured in supplemented growth medium. Vitamin C was inducted in the medium at the experimental 6th passage. RNA expression analysis (qRT-PCR) was performed to analyze adhesion, proliferation, and extracellular matrix expression. The results revealed marked expression of a wound healing gene (VEGF-A) in never-smokers (p value = 0.016). GPX3 and SOD3 represent antioxidants that are highly expressed in treated never-smoker cells. SOD2 significantly increased (p value = 0.016) in smokers after vitamin C exposure. The anti-inflammatory markers IL-6 and IL-8 were lower among smokers than among nonsmokers (p < 0.0001). Tobacco smoking suppressed gingival fibroblasts' abilities to regenerate, heal, combat inflammation, and resist free radicals. Vitamin C at cellular levels was beneficial and should be considered in the treatment component of smokers in the dental clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ascorbic acid triggered ROS/Ca2+ dependent necrosis. • Extracellular Fe2+/Fe3+ abrogated the cytotoxicity of ascorbic acid in vitro. • Fe2+/Fe3+ supplement diminished the anti-cancer effects of ascorbic acid in vivo. The anti-cancer effect of high concentrations of ascorbic acid (AA) has been well established while its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The association between iron and AA has attracted great attention but was still controversial due to the complicated roles of iron in tumors. Our study aims to explore the anti-cancer mechanisms of AA and the interaction between AA and iron in cancer. The MTT and ATP assays were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of AA. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, calcium (Ca2+), and lipid peroxidation were monitored with flow cytometry. Mitochondrial dysfunction was assessed by mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) detection with JC-1 or tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining. Mitochondrial swelling was monitored with MitoTracker Green probe. FeSO 4 (Fe2+), FeCl 3 (Fe3+), Ferric ammonium citrate (Fe3+), hemin chloride (Fe3+) were used as an iron donor to investigate the effects of iron on AA's anti-tumor activity. The in vivo effects of AA and iron were analyzed in xenograft zebrafish and allograft mouse models. High concentrations of AA exhibited cytotoxicity in a panel of cancer cells. AA triggered ROS-dependent non-apoptotic cell death. AA-induced cell death was essentially mediated by the accumulated intracellular Ca2+, which was partly originated from endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Surprisingly, exogenous iron could significantly reverse AA-induced ROS generation, Ca2+ overloaded, and cell death. Especially, the iron supplements significantly impaired the in vivo anti-tumor activity of AA. Our study elucidated the protective roles of iron in ROS/Ca2+ mediated necrosis triggered by AA both in vitro and in vivo , which might shed novel insight into the anti-cancer mechanisms and provide clinical application strategies for AA in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed to synthesize and characterize spinel vanadium nano-ferrite (VFe 2 O 4) for the electrochemical sensing of acetaminophen (Ac) in pharmaceutical and biological samples. The VFe 2 O 4 was synthesized by hydrothermal method followed by characterization of structural, magnetic, and electrochemical properties. The XRD and SEM analysis confirmed the cubic single-phase spinel crystalline structure and irregular shaped VFe 2 O 4 micro-grains respectively. The VFe 2 O 4 exhibited excellent superparamagnetic properties with a low value of coercivity. The VFe 2 O 4 coated on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface by drop costing method for the fabrication of the VFe 2 O 4 /GCE. The oxidative peak at a lower potential onto the surface of VFe 2 O 4 /GCE confirmed its modification for the electrocatalytic oxidative sensing of Ac. The proposed electrochemical method was optimized for quantitative sensing of Ac followed by the linear response (R2 = 0.9897) with limits of detection and quantification as 8.20 and 27.5 nM, respectively. Interference studies of possible competing species (glucose, ascorbic acid, uric acid, fructose, glycine, alanine, naproxen, and methocarbamol) proved the selectivity of the proposed method. The proposed VFe 2 O 4 /GCE was successfully utilized for quantitative routine sensing of Ac in the biological fluids and pharmaceutical samples (recovery of Ac > 98.0% and relative standard deviation < 2.0%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at 3R recovery, reuse, and recycling of metals from spent printed circuit boards (PCBs). Here, soft magnetic FeSiAl alloy cores of spent PCBs were used to synthesize α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles (NPs) for visible-light-driven degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs were synthesized by dissolving FeSiAl in a mixture of mild organic acids such as citric acid and ascorbic acid. The α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs were characterized by powder XRD, TG-DSC, FESEM-EDX, HRTEM, UV–Vis DRS, and BET isotherm. The synthesized α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs were flat spindle shaped and a few were oval with a particle size between 20 and 30 nm. Under visible light irradiation, the α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs showed high efficiency for the degradation of MB dye in the presence of H 2 O 2. To get optimum conditions, various experiments such as catalyst dosage, volume of H 2 O 2 , [MB], and nature of light were studied. Thus, it can be proposed that the present study is simple, environmentally benign, and highly efficient for the synthesis of α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs and subsequent degradation of MB dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the clinical efficacy of vitamin C-containing therapy for patients with sepsis. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to July 27, 2022. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing vitamin C-containing therapy and placebo or alternative treatment for patients with sepsis were included, and the primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Sixteen RCTs involving a total of 2985 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, no significant difference in 28-day mortality was observed between the study group, who received vitamin C-containing treatment, and the control group (odds ratio [OR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71–1.08; P =.20). In subgroup analysis of eight RCTs focusing on patients with septic shock, there was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the study and control groups (OR, 1.09; 95% CI: 0.89–1.34; P =.41). In addition, no significant difference was observed between the study and control groups in intensive care unit-mortality (OR, 1.03; 95% CI: 0.84–1.25; P =.81), in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.06; 95% CI: 0.85–1.13; P =.60), and 90-day mortality (OR, 1.23; 95% CI: 0.75–2.02; P =.40). The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that adjunctive vitamin C-containing therapy did not help improve the clinical outcomes of patients with sepsis/septic shock. Our findings do not support the additional use of vitamin C for septic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colistin is considered a valuable and last-resort therapeutic option for MDR gram-negative bacteria. Nephrotoxicity is the most clinically pertinent adverse effect of colistin. Vivo studies suggest that administering oxidative stress-reducing agents, such as ascorbic acid, is a promising strategy to overcome colistin-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN). However, limited clinical data explores the potential benefit of adjunctive ascorbic acid therapy for preventing CIN. Therefore, this study aims to assess the potential nephroprotective role of ascorbic acid as adjunctive therapy against CIN in critically ill patients. This was a retrospective cohort study at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) for all critically ill adult patients who received IV colistin. Eligible patients were classified into two groups based on the ascorbic acid use as concomitant therapy within three days of colistin initiation. The primary outcome was CIN odds after colistin initiation, while the secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, ICU, and hospital LOS. Propensity score (PS) matching was used (1:1 ratio) based on the patient's age, SOFA score, and serum creatinine. A total of 451 patients were screened for eligibility; 90 patients were included after propensity score matching based on the selected criteria. The odds of developing CIN after colistin initiation were similar between patients who received ascorbic acid (AA) as adjunctive therapy compared to patients who did not (OR (95 %CI): 0.83 (0.33, 2.10), p-value = 0.68). In addition, the 30-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, ICU, and hospital LOS were similar between the two groups. Adjunctive use of Ascorbic acid during colistin therapy was not associated with lower odds of CIN. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidants are sensitive to oxidation and are immediately converted into their oxidized forms that can react with proteins. We have recently found that proteins incubated with oxidized vitamin C (dehydroascorbate) gain a new function as a histone-binding ligand. This finding led us to predict that antioxidants, through conversion to their oxidized forms, may generally have similar functions. In the present study, we identified several natural polyphenols as a source of histone ligands and characterized the mechanism for the interaction of protein-bound polyphenols with histone. Through screening of 25 plant-derived polyphenols by assessing their ability to convert bovine serum albumin into histone ligands, we identified seven polyphenols, including (-)-epigallocatechin-3-Ogallate (EGCG). Additionally, we found that the histone tail domain, which is a highly charged and conformationally flexible region, is involved in the interaction with the polyphenolmodified proteins. Further mechanistic studies showed the involvement of a complex heterogeneous group of the polyphenol-derived compounds bound to proteins as histonebinding elements. We also determined that the interaction of polyphenol-modified proteins with histones formed aggregates and exerted a protective effect against histone-mediated cytotoxicity toward endothelial cells. These findings demonstrated that histones are one of the major targets of polyphenolmodified proteins and provide important insights into the chemoprotective functions of dietary polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • OF boosted phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin C levels in pakchoi. • IF promoted nitrogen metabolism and significantly expedited N 2 O emissions. • Metagenomics showed that OF reduced the pathogenic virulence factor accumulation. • Metabolomics revealed that OF enhanced the upregulation of valuable substances. The application of organic fertilizers enhances soil fertility and alters the function and structure of the soil microbial communities. When subjected to aerobic composting, kitchen waste is transformed into organic fertilizer. However, the ecological benefits and safety risks of kitchen waste organic fertilizers (OF) in soil require further evaluation. Therefore, this study conducted a pot experiment to investigate the effects and mechanisms of OF application on soil properties, crop growth, nitrogen transformation, plant pathogenic virulence genes, and metabolites. The results indicated that OF treatment promoted vitamin C synthesis in pakchoi (35.23–48.00 %) and reduced soil N 2 O emissions during cultivation compared with inorganic fertilizer (IF) (65.50–68.08 %) (P <0.01). IF treatment significantly increased the abundance of Rhodanobacter (6.41 %) and Nitrobacter (3.16 %), leading to increased N 2 O emissions (17.94 mg kg−1). Key nitrogen metabolism enzymes and functional genes indicated that nitrification and denitrification pathways were the primary contributors to N 2 O production. Metagenomic results revealed that IF treatment enhanced virulence gene pathogenicity through quorum sensing (QS), whereas OF treatment reduced virulence gene accumulation in plant pathogenic bacteria. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that OF treatment significantly upregulated substances beneficial to soil activity and plant growth, while inhibiting pollutant expression. PLS-PM results indicated that soil properties played a pivotal role in shaping the intricate relationships among microbial communities, functional genes, and substance metabolism. This study demonstrated that OF application contributed to the promotion of plant health and optimization of soil ecosystems, thereby providing theoretical support for the further expansion of OF applications in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Clinical drug iron dextran with high iron content and biosafety was used as a source of iron ions in chemodynamic therapy (CDT). • Ascorbic acid was used for regulating the concentration of H 2 O 2 at the tumor sites. In addition, ascorbic acid can be also considered as a Fe2+-producing reagent and a GSH-depleting reagent to enhance the effect of CDT. • Photothermal therapy (PTT) is used to enhance the therapeutic effect of CDT. The combination of PTT and CDT showed better tumor inhibition. • The nanoplatforms prepared with clinical drugs provided a new idea for the design of nanoprobes of tumor therapy with clinical translational potential. The current limitations of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) are mainly due to the lack of metal ions (Fe2+, Cu+, etc.), glutathione overexpression, and insufficient hydrogen peroxide level in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we constructed a safe and effective nanoplatform (abbreviate as MPCF, M: 4T1 cell membranes; P: polydopamine; C: calcium phosphate; F: iron dextran) for tumor CDT applications based on ascorbic acid and iron dextran, which is clinically used in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia. The MPCF was fabricated by encapsulating iron dextran nanoparticles within porous calcium phosphate nanoparticle carriers and surface modifying with polydopamine and 4T1 tumor cell membranes. The MPCF can efficiently accumulate at tumor sites and gradually degrade to release the encapsulated iron dextran nanoparticles in response to the acidic tumor microenvironment. Intraperitoneally injected ascorbic acid not only generated hydrogen peroxide at the tumor site, but also synergistically acted with endogenous glutathione to reduce trivalent iron ions in the iron dextran to divalent iron ions, leading to depletion of the excess glutathione at the tumor site and amplification of oxidative stress effects. In addition, polydopamine-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) can further enhance the CDT effect. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the combination therapy of CDT and PTT based on the MPCF exhibited effective tumor inhibition and good biosafety properties. Therefore, the nanoplatforms prepared with the clinical drug iron dextran provide a new idea for the design of nanoprobes of tumor therapy with clinical translational potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokines regulate immune responses essential for maintaining immune homeostasis, as deregulated cytokine signaling can lead to detrimental outcomes, including inflammatory disorders. The antioxidants emerge as promising therapeutic agents because they mitigate oxidative stress and modulate inflammatory pathways. Antioxidants can potentially ameliorate inflammation-related disorders by counteracting excessive cytokine-mediated inflammatory responses. A comprehensive understanding of cytokine-mediated inflammatory pathways and the interplay with antioxidants is paramount for developing natural therapeutic agents targeting inflammation-related disorders and helping to improve clinical outcomes and enhance the quality of life for patients. Among these antioxidants, curcumin, vitamin C, vitamin D, propolis, allicin, and cinnamaldehyde have garnered attention for their anti-inflammatory properties and potential therapeutic benefits. This review highlights the interrelationship between cytokines-mediated disorders in various diseases and therapeutic approaches involving antioxidants. [Display omitted] • Cytokines, produced by immune cells, are pivotal players in many health conditions. • The imbalance of cytokines results in an excessive immune response. • Antioxidants provide therapeutic benefits in inflammatory conditions. • Antioxidants combined with radiotherapy can be an effective therapeutic option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • New 1,2,3-triazole derivatives based on 4-Chlorobenzenesulfonyl were synthesized. • Antioxidant activities of the compounds using DPPH, ABTS and CUPRAC methods. • Cholinesterase (AChE and BuChE) inhibition activity of the compounds, • The anticancer properties against Caco-2 and PC3 cancer cell lines were investigated. • Detailed ADMET analyses of hybrid structures and molecular docking studies supported results. New hybrid structures containing 4-chlorosulfonamide and 1,2,3-triazole units were designed and synthesized. Antioxidant, cholinesterase (AChE and BuChE) and anticancer activities of these hybrid structures were investigated. Especially the DPPH activity of compound 8a (IC 50 : 8.659 μg/mL) was found to be higher than ascorbic acid (IC 50 : 4.780 μg/mL), α-Tocopherol (IC 50 : 9.229 μg/mL) and BHT (IC 50 : 7.948 μg/mL). Compounds 8d, 8 g and 8b also had good activity values. The anticancer activities of the hybrid structures were determined using PC3 (prostate cancer) and Caco-2 (colon adenocarcinoma) cell lines. 5-Fu (IC 50 : 4.34 ± 1.29) was used as standard. Compounds 8c (IC 50 : 3.82 ± 1.86 µM) for PC3 and 8 h (IC50: 6.39 ± 1.14 µM) for Caco-2 were found to have outstanding activity values. All synthesized compounds' AChE and BuChE inhibitory activities were determined using Galantamine as a standard. Especially 8b (IC50: 0.29 ± 0.003 mM) had about 28 times better activity than the standard Galantamine (IC 50 : 8 ± 0.05 mM). After a thorough examination, the ADMET properties of the molecules were found to meet the rigorous standards required for pharmaceutical applicability. Furthermore, their impressive oral absorption capability is linked to their ability to effectively navigate the blood–brain barrier and the gastrointestinal tract. In-vitro evaluations were further validated through molecular docking studies conducted in silico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We report metabolites of TCA cycle scavenge hydroxyl radicals. Reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals, are strongly associated with diseases and aging. Superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide are scavenged by superoxide dismutase and catalase, respectively. These scavenging reactions are supported by enzymes. In contrast, hydroxyl radicals are scavenged by non-enzymatic compounds, such as ascorbic acid, glutathione, and phenolic compounds. Recently, metabolites of glucose and ethanol have been shown to act as hydroxyl radical scavengers. In this study, we evaluated hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity of metabolites of the TCA cycle. We found that these metabolites have a scavenging activity against hydroxyl radicals. In particular, citrate exhibited significant scavenging activity at the cellular level. Additionally, citrate protected superoxide dismutase from hydroxyl radicals. We also confirmed the protective role of citrate against hydroxyl radical-induced DNA strand breakage. The previously reported rate constants and intracellular concentrations did not rule out a protective role in mitochondria. Collectively, our results indicate that citrate acts as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithocholic acid (LCA), a secondary bile acid, has emerged as a potential early diagnostic biomarker for various liver diseases. In this study, we introduce a novel near-infrared (NIR) polymethine dye-based biosensor, capable of sensitive and selective detection of LCA in phosphate buffer and artificial urine (AU) solutions. The detection mechanism relies on the formation of J-aggregates resulting from the interplay of 3,3-Diethylthiatricarbocyanine iodide (DiSC 2 (7)) dye molecules and LCA, which induces a distinctive red shift in both absorption and fluorescence spectra. The biosensor demonstrates a detection limit for LCA of 70 μM in PBS solution (pH 7.4), while in AU solution, it responds to an LCA concentration as low as ∼60 μM. Notably, the proposed biosensor exhibits outstanding selectivity for LCA, effectively distinguishing it from common interferents such as uric acid, ascorbic acid, and glucose. This rapid, straightforward, and cost-effective spectrometer-based method underscores its potential for early diagnosis of liver diseases by monitoring LCA concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive chemical characterization (water-soluble ions, organic and elemental carbon, water- and methanol-soluble organic carbon, levoglucosan, and major and trace metals) of PM 10 samples collected in a rural area located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula was performed. Additionally, the oxidative potential of the samples, used as an indicator of aerosol toxicity, was determined by the ascorbic acid (OPAA) and dithiothreitol (OPDTT) assays. The average concentration of PM 10 during the study period, spanning from late winter to early spring, was 20.2 ± 10.8 μg m−3. Nitrate, carbonate and calcium (accounting for 20% of the average PM 10 mass concentration) and organic matter (with a contribution of 28%) were the main chemical components of PM 10. Average concentrations of traffic tracers such as elemental carbon, copper and zinc (0.31 μg m−3, 3 ng m−3, and 9 ng m−3, respectively) were low compared with those obtained at an urban site in the same region, due to the almost total absence of traffic in the surrounding of the sampling site. Regarding levoglucosan and K+, which can be considered as tracers of biomass burning, their concentrations (0.12 μg m−3 and 55 ng m−3, respectively) were in the lower range of values reported for other rural areas in Europe, suggesting a moderate contribution form this source to PM 10 levels. The results of the Pearson's correlation analysis showed that volume-normalised OPAA and OPDTT levels (average values of 0.11 and 0.32 nmol min−1 m−3, respectively) were sensitive to different PM 10 chemical components. Whereas OPAA was not strongly correlated with any of the species measured, good correlation coefficients of OPDTT with water-soluble organic carbon (r = 0.81) and K+ (r = 0.73) were obtained, which points to biomass burning as an important driver of the DTT activity. [Display omitted] • PM 10 mainly made up of organic matter and crustal components. • WSOC and MSOC come from combustion sources and secondary aerosol formation. • OPAA was not strongly correlated with any of the species measured. • Moderate to strong correlations between OPDTT and biomass burning tracers. • PM 10 is not a good metric for aerosol toxicity in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, high entropy alloys (HEA) were fabricated by mixing Ni, Co, Cr, Fe, and Mn powders and then subjected to spark plasma sintering (SPS). Samples were coated by Al-Zn-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles (NPs), SiO 2 coated Al-Zn-layered double hydroxide NPs (LDH@Sio 2), and zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF-8 NPs) using the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. To enhance immune response, antiviral effects, and iron uptake, ascorbic acid was intercalated within LDHs and ZIF-8 NPs layers via the ion-exchange method. Microstructural properties were examined using the X-ray diffraction method (XRD), optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The corrosion behavior of the specimens was investigated by a potentiodynamic polarization scan (PDS). A UV–visible evaluation test was conducted to assess drug release from the coated samples. SEM images demonstrated a homogenous microstructural coating, and XRD results confirmed that successful incorporation of vitamin C into LDH NPs, as indicated by an increase in layer distance from 7.36 to 7.46 Å. UV–visible studies revealed that LDH@SiO 2 NPs exhibited a vitamin C release rate exceeding 5 % compared to other coatings. Cell adhesion and proliferation assays using the MTT assay further confirmed the biocompatibility of the samples and their appropriate biological response to MG63 cells. [Display omitted] • Zn/Al-LDH@SiO2 core shells, Zn/Al-LDH and ZIF-8 are introduced as drug delivery systems for vitamin C • Zn/Al-LDH-VC, Zn/Al-LDH-VC@SiO2 and,VC@ZIF-8 nanohybrids on high entropy alloys can decrease the release rate of Vitamin C • Corrosion resistant and surface hydrophilicity of alloys can be improved by the nanolayer coating of LDH and ZIF-8 • Cell adhesion and seeming proliferation were proper on the Zn/Al-LDH-VC, Zn/Al-LDH-VC@SiO2 and VC@ZIF-8 coating • The best equation to model the release rate was second-order relation with a correlation factor of R2>0.99 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper vanadate and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) are pivotal materials in the realm of advanced materials science, owing to their distinctive optical and electronic conductive properties. In the context of environmental photocatalysis and biosensing applications, their synergistic combination holds significant promise. Copper vanadate, renowned for its optical and electronic properties, complements the unique architecture and optical conduction characteristics of g-C 3 N 4. Together, these materials exhibit immense potential for driving advancements in environmental sustainability and diagnostic techniques. In this study, we report the synthesis of copper vanadate (Cu 0.261 V 2 O 5) and its composite with graphitic carbon nitride. XRD confirms the synthesis of the novel phase, FESEM and TEM analysis reveals hierarchical nanoflowers and UV-Visible spectroscopy divulges the visible light activation of the synthesized material and aids in the calculation of the optical bandgap. Interfacial charge transfer was studied with the help of EIS and Mott-Schottky analysis was employed to reveal the semiconductor type (n or p type) and determine the band edges. The as-prepared material was tested for the photocatalytic removal of methylene blue (MB), followed by the study of reaction kinetics, cyclic stability and active radicals participating in the photocatalysis process. The synthesized heterojunction showed 100 % removal of MB within a tenure of 90 minutes. The results of the experiment revealed that Cu 0.261 V 2 O 5 decorated with g-C 3 N 4 displays 1.5 and 1.4 times better photocatalytic degradation capability than pure Cu 0.261 V 2 O 5 and g-C 3 N 4 , respectively. Furthermore, the synthesized material was evaluated for electrochemical biosensing of ascorbic acid in PBS (pH 7) analyte using a 3-electrode system. Compared to the pure material, the heterojunctions drew 1.9 times more current and provided near unity correlation (R2). It is evident that Cu 0.261 V 2 O 5 decorated with g-C 3 N 4 can be implemented for commercial eco-remediation and electrochemical ascorbic acid sensing. [Display omitted] • Synthesis of novel Cu 0.261 V 2 O 5 and g-C 3 N 4 hierarchical nanoflowers for photocatalysis and biosensing. • Characterization via XRD, FESEM, UV-Vis, EIS and Mott-Schottky plot. • Visible light activation and favorable optical bandgap observed. • Exceptional photocatalytic efficiency, outperforming individual constituents. • Electrochemical biosensing for ascorbic acid with near unity correlation R2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free radicals are harmful reactive species that cause various problems in the human body. Antioxidant compounds, such as xanthones found in natural products, can help prevent these effects. This study focuses on the antioxidant behavior of ravenelin (RVL) and ravenelin B (RVLB), a newly discovered xanthone in the Exserohilum rostratum fungus. Both experimental and in silico tests were conducted, comparing them to ascorbic acid, a standard antioxidant. The results showed that RVL has a lower bond dissociation energy (312 kJ/mol) than ascorbic acid (313 kJ/mol), indicating comparable antioxidant performance. This difference is mild but agrees with the experiment that indicates RVL efficiency is equivalent to ascorbic acid at low concentrations. RVLB, however, demands higher dissociation energy (323 kJ/mol) and consequently it has a lower antioxidative efficiency. Thus, antioxidant capacity is found as RVL > ascorbic acid > RVLB. From experimental assays, the RVL performance was confirmed through experimental tests at different solute concentrations. The study also examines the effects of solvents and intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Ravenelin molecules present three hydroxyl groups involved in intramolecular OH⋯O interactions. However, analysis based on the infrared spectra, as well as Bader's theory and non-covalent interactions done in water solvent showed that the two strongest H-bonds (≈−37 kJ/mol) better stabilize the molecular structure, but are not favorable to antioxidant reactions, indicating that hydrogen scavenging occurs at the less hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl group. The solvent also plays an active role first in facilitating hydrogen abstraction besides changing the hydrogen scavenging mechanism according to the environmental polarizability. Additionally, the antioxidant mechanism of ravenelin molecules changes from nonpolar to polar solvents, allowing for hydrogen abstraction. • The antioxidant capacity of a new xanthone and its isomer is reported. • Polar solvents improve the hydrogen scavenging procedure. • Better performances than ascorbic acid at low concentrations. • Experimental tests show dependency concerning concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new, highly sensitive and selective sensor based on CuAl-LDH has been developed for electrochemical determination of dopamine. • A one-step coprecipitation method was used to prepare Cu-Al layered double hydroxide composites. • The propsed sensor indicated wide linear range (4.194–1151.54 μM) and low detection limit (0.33 μM). • Dopamine in pharmaceutical ampoules and plasma samples was measured satisfactorily using this sensor. This study provides a unique electrochemical sensor that exhibits both excellent sensitivity and selectivity, while also being environmentally friendly. The CuAl-LDH/GCE sensor, proposed as the recommended sensor, was synthesized using a straightforward one-step co-precipitation procedure. It was first used to measure dopamine levels using differential pulse voltammetry. At the ideal pH level of 8, dopamine has a positive charge, but ascorbic acid and uric acid have a negative charge. LDH, on the other hand, carries a negative charge and exhibits high electrostatic attraction towards dopamine, but is electrostatically repelled by negatively charged ascorbic acid and uric acid. Hence, CuAl-LDH/GCE has the potential to specifically ascertain the existence of dopamine in the presence of these particular species. The examination of the composition and morphology of CuAl-LDH was conducted using various analytical techniques, including scanner electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), element mapping (MAP), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XRD), and Raman techniques. Under ideal circumstances, the calibration graph of dopamine was generated using differential pulse voltammetry. A linear range of 4.194–1151.54 μM was achieved for dopamine, with a limit of detection of 0.33 μM. The findings of the study indicate that the sensor created for dopamine determination has exceptional stability, repeatability, and reproducibility. The sensor that was presented was effectively used for the measurement of dopamine in both pharmaceutical ampoules and human plasma samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The DESs in this study were non-toxic and environmentally friendly, aligning with green chemistry principles. • Choline chloride glycine (Ch/Gly) and choline chloride ascorbic acid (Ch/Asb) DESs exhibit chaperone-like properties. • Aminoacid-based synthesized DESs only impact the primary nucleation of insulin fibrillation that occurs in the lag phase. • The main effect of amino acid-based synthesized DESs can be described by their hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity characteristics. Protein microenvironment is critical to study protein function and stability. In the current study, the ability of synthesized choline-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as additives to inhibit and disaggregate amyloid fibrils of human insulin was investigated. The DESs synthesized in this study were nontoxic and can be classified as green chemistry. Utilizing various biophysical methods indicated that choline-chloride glycine (Ch/Gly) and choline-chloride ascorbic acid (Ch/Asb) exhibited chaperone-like properties. This was attributed to their inhibitory effects on the lag phase by stabilizing insulin monomers and on the saturation phase by disaggregating mature insulin fibrils. In contrast, choline-chloride histidine (Ch/His) accelerated the aggregation of insulin. Our results suggest that antioxidant and hydrophobic properties, combined with lower surface activity and higher hydrogen bond formation ability, are the main features describing the inhibitory effect of DESs on protein aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular gels with metal ion-responsiveness are an important kind of smart materials due to their potential application in environmental monitoring. In this study, a novel l -glutamine-contained 1,8-naphthalimide derivative (NDG) has been designed and synthesized as an organogelator. NDG could self-assemble into stable supramolecular organogels in different kind of solvents, and the gelation process showed bright blue aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The self-assembly behavior, morphology and structure of NDG gels were thoroughly studied by various techniques. Interestingly, the obtained NDG organogel exhibited a fluorescence "turn-off" response for Fe3+ and formed a stable metallogel NDG -Fe3+. The detection limit (LOD) of NDG in diluted solution and gel states for Fe3+ was calculated to be 30.8 nM and 11.5 nM, respectively, indicating high sensitivity. In addition, the blue fluorescence emission of the gel system was restored in the presence of ascorbic acid and then quenched again with oxygen, which showed reversible fluorescence sensing effect and employed as a logic gate at the molecular level. Furthermore, xerogel-based film of NDG emitted strong blue emission and could be utilized as paper-based chemosensor to detect Fe3+. And also, the NDG gel had potential application in fluorescence display material. [Display omitted] • A l -glutamine-contained 1,8-naphthalimide gelator was synthesized with AIE effect. • The organogel exhibited a fluorescence response for Fe3+ by gel-gel transition. • The gel system was potentially constructed as a molecular logic gate. • Paper-based gel film was used in Fe3+ recognition and as display material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A general strategy for fabricating 1D bimetallic Zn-Co BTC MOFs is presented. • The graphitization of the derived carbon products is affected by the Zn/Co ratio. • The amorphous Co/C hybrid shows a sensitivity of 0.0995 nA nM−1 cm−2 for dopamine sensing. • The amorphous Co/C hybrid has a good limit of detection of 40 nM for dopamine. In this work, we report the preparation of one-dimensional (1D) bimetallic zinc-cobalt BTC (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate) metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with varying Zn/Co ratios and their conversion to hierarchical porous Co/C hybrids with a trace amount of Zn (<0.05 wt%). The crystallinity, surface area, and degree of graphitization of the resulting Co/C hybrid are governed by the Zn/Co ratio of the parent Zn-Co BTC MOF. The Co/C product derived from the Zn-rich Zn-Co BTC MOF (ZC31-BTC with a Zn/Co precursor ratio of 3:1) shows higher surface area and more amorphous structure than that derived from the Co-rich Zn-Co BTC MOF (ZC13-BTC with a Zn/Co precursor ratio of 1:3). When used for the electrochemical sensing of dopamine (DA), the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with ZC31-BTC 700°C (ZC31-BTC carbonized at 700 °C) shows a sensitivity of 0.0995 nA nM−1 cm−2, a wide linear range of 0.1–500 µM, and a low limit of detection (LoD) of 0.04 µM (signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) = 3). The superior DA sensing performance of ZC31-BTC 700°C is attributed to its high density of defects (evidenced by the high I D / I G ratio), rich mesopores (including small (<5 nm) and large mesopores (>5 nm)), and high surface area, leading to improved ion/electron transfer (based on the EIS analysis), and more electrochemically active sites (confirmed by ECSA measurements) to promote a greater oxidation of DA molecules. The anti-interference test of this ZC31-BTC 700°C -modified GCE (ZC31-BTC 700°C /GCE) indicates its high selectivity toward DA even in the presence of interferents, such as glucose, ascorbic acid, and uric acid. Moreover, the stability test indicates the good retainment of the current response of ZC31-BTC 700°C /GCE toward DA over a period of 2 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing three-dimensional (3D) metal organic frameworks (MOFs) via heterogeneous epitaxial growth on metal hydroxide arrays are effective for constructing electrochemical sensor. However, the growth of MOFs is difficult to control, resulting in thick and irregular morphologies and even damage the metal hydroxide template. In this work, Cu 3 (HHTP) 2 (HHTP = 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11-hexahydroxytriphenylene) films with controllable thickness and morphology were successfully prepared on Cu(OH) 2 nanowire arrays (NWAs) through layer-by-layer (LBL) growth method. We have discovered that the LBL cycle and the reaction solvent composition are crucial for growing homogenous MOF thin films. The Cu 3 (HHTP) 2 based ascorbic acid (AA) sensor, fabricated in ethanol within 10 LBL cycles, generated an ultrahigh sensitivity of 821.64 μA mM−1 cm−2 in the range of 6–981.41 μM, a low detection limit of 60 nM as well as the great selectivity, stability and reproducibility. Moreover, the relative deviation for AA detection in two fruit juices were 3.22 % and 3.71 %, and the test result for human sweat fall within the normal AA concentration range, verifying the feasibility of as-prepared sensor for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composed of choline chloride (ChCl) and ascorbic acid (AA) were investigated using the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The analyses of the configuration, radial distribution function (RDFs), coordination number, spatial distribution function (SDFs), interaction energies, hydrogen bond number, and self-diffusion coefficient of the ChCl/AA binary systems of different concentrations showed that the stability of the hydrogen bond network and the mutual attraction between systems were the strongest at the experimental eutectic concentration (molar ratio of 2:1). In our simulated temperature range from 303.15 to 353.15 K, the hydrogen bonding network of ChCl/AA DES does not undergo considerable alterations, indicating that its stability was insensitive to temperature. In addition, the influence of the water content on the ChCl/AA DES system was further investigated. The simulated results revealed that the water molecules could disrupt the formation of the hydrogen bonding network by occupyin positions that are essential for the formation of hydrogen bonds within the DES system. [Display omitted] • The deep eutectic solvents composed of choline chloride and ascorbic acid was studied by molecular dynamics simulation. • The structure and interaction energies of the studied eutectic system were investigated. • The effect of temperature on deep eutectic solvents was analyzed. • The addition of water molecules will destroy the hydrogen bond network between choline chloride and ascorbic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascorbic acid (AA) is a powerful antioxidant in food safety and disease treatment. It is of great significance to develop a low-cost, high-stability, and easy-to-operate colorimetric method for quantitative detection of AA in food or human body. Although various nanozymes have been developed for the colorimetric detection of AA, the size regulation of the catalytic center of nanozymes remains a challenge. In this work, we propose a combined strategy of flow chemistry synthesis and pyrolysis to realize the controllable adjustment of the catalytic center size of nanozymes. Zinc-cobalt zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZnCo-ZIFs) with different sizes are synthesized by flow chemistry. Nitrogen-doped carbon materials with different Co catalytic centers (80 nm–10 nm) are then obtained by pyrolysis of ZnCo-ZIFs precursors. Among them, cobalt quantum dot embedded nitrogen-doped carbon (Co QDs/N-C) exhibits excellent oxidase activity, with V max and K m of 4.19 × 10−7 M s−1 and 0.12 mM. Therefore, a simple, low-cost, and stable colorimetric method for the detection of AA is established with a good linear relationship (3–500 μM) and low detection limit (0.40 μM). This work has certain guiding significance for the size regulation of catalytic center of nanozyme, and the detection method has broad application prospects in biochemical sensing field. • This work proposes a synthesis strategy that combines flow chemistry and pyrolysis. • The Co QDs/N-C with excellent oxidase activity is synthesized by above strategy. • The Michaelis-Menten constant of Co QDs/N-C for TMB is as low as 0.12 mM. • A sensing platform based on Co QDs/N-C nanozyme is developed for the detection of AA, with a LOD 0.40 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In the present study, fifty-four accessions of lablab bean were analyzed for protein, phenol, vitamin C, micronutrients and minerals. • Almost all the traits had shown presence of significant variability for studied nutrient traits in lablab bean accessions. • The significant correlation of zinc with copper and potassium with manganese indicated their association in tight linkage. • Principal component analysis explained 71.94% of total variability from first 5 PCs of evaluated genotypes. • The accessions IIHR b DB 52 and IIHR b DB 56 were evaluated as most potential accessions to be utilized in future lablab bean improvement program for biofortification. Worldwide prevalent malnourishment associated with human health could be improved by biofortification of climate-resilient vegetable crops through breeding strategies. Nutritional diversity of lablab bean accessions evaluated for nutritional composition and association among the traits. A core set of 54 cultivated accessions of lablab bean collected from different locations of Eastern ghats and scored for 10 nutritional traits which ranged as protein (0.81–5.92 g/100 g), vitamin C (2.49–7.87 mg/100 g), phenol (0.84–3.17 mg/g), calcium (3.45–39.51 ppm), iron (8.80–34.32 ppm), copper (1.10–11.88 ppm), manganese (4.14–26.27 ppm), zinc (25.3–57.5 ppm), phosphorous (16.24–50.21%) & potassium (8.65–75.19%) and exhibited substantial variability among genotypes and significant differences (p < 0.001) except vitamin C content. The genotypes IIHR-B-DB-52 and IIHR-B-DB-56 recorded the highest magnitude for micronutrients (iron; 34.32 ppm & zinc; 57.5 ppm) and protein; 5.92 g/100 g, respectively. The correlation studies among traits indicated the strong and significant association of zinc with copper (0.45) and iron (0.29) while potassium showed a moderate association with manganese (0.41), zinc (0.34), and calcium (0.33); therefore these traits may be targeted together for lablab bean improvement programs. The Principal Component analysis showed that the first 5 PCs explained 71.94% of total variability from evaluated genotypes and all nutrient traits contributed to overall genetic variations. These genotypes were segregated into five clusters which were observed neutral to nutrient traits dispersal and geographical distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Short-term randomized trials suggest that a 500 mg/d vitamin C supplement reduces serum urate, whereas observational studies show vitamin E is inversely associated with gout risk. Objectives We evaluated the effect of supplemental vitamin C (prespecified primary exposure) and vitamin E (prespecified secondary exposure) on new diagnoses of gout. Methods We performed a post hoc analysis of data from the Physicians' Health Study II, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled factorial trial of randomized vitamin C (500 mg/d) and vitamin E (400 IU every other day). The primary outcome was new gout diagnoses, self-reported at baseline and throughout the follow-up period of ≤10 y. Results Of 14,641 randomly assigned male physicians in our analysis, the mean age was 64 ± 9 y; 1% were Black, and 6.5% had gout prior to randomization. The incidence rate of new gout diagnoses during follow-up was 8.0 per 1000 person-years among those assigned vitamin C compared with 9.1 per 1000 person-years among those assigned placebo. The vitamin C assignment reduced new gout diagnoses by 12% (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.99; P  = 0.04). These effects were greatest among those with a BMI <25 kg/m 2 (P -interaction = 0.01). Vitamin E was not associated with new gout diagnoses (HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.19; P  = 0.48). Conclusions Vitamin C modestly reduced the risk of new gout diagnoses in middle-aged male physicians. Additional research is needed to determine the effects of higher doses of vitamin C supplementation on serum urate and gout flares in adults with established gout. The Physicians' Health Study II is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT00270647). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The benefit of a Mediterranean-style diet in reducing frailty is not well established in older Americans. Objectives We sought to determine associations of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern and related antioxidants with frailty onset and worsening of the Fried phenotype in adults. Methods This prospective study included 2384 nonfrail adults from the Framingham Offspring Study with a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern score (MSDPS) and data on antioxidant intakes (vitamin C, E, and total carotenoids) estimated from an FFQ at the index examination (1998–2001) and 1 prior examination (if available), as well as a frailty assessment at the index examination and at least 1 follow-up. Frailty onset was defined as ≥3 of 5 Fried frailty phenotype criteria at follow-up and the worsening of the Fried frailty phenotype was defined as an increased number of frailty criteria over follow-up (yes or no). Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations estimated ORs and 95% CIs, adjusting for confounders. Analyses were stratified by age (<60 and ≥60 years) for significant interactions. Results The mean ± SD age was 60 ± 9 years (range, 33–86 years) and 55% were female. In adjusted models, a 1-unit higher MSDPS reduced the odds of frailty by 3% (OR, 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96–0.99). Each 10-mg higher total carotenoid and vitamin E intake reduced the odds of frailty by 16% (OR, 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73–0.98) and 1% (OR, 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–1.00), respectively. No association with vitamin C (P = 0.36) was observed. The associations among participants aged <60 years of age were stronger for each 1-unit higher MSDPS (OR, 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89–0.96) and total carotenoid intake (OR, 0.59; 95% CI: 0.41–0.82) than those observed in older individuals [ORs, 0.98 (95% CI: 0.97–1.00) and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.79–1.08), respectively]. Conclusions Our findings suggest that adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet and higher total carotenoid intake are associated with frailty prevention over time, particularly in adults <60 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Aim: to investigate the effect of different plant spacing S 1 (60×45 cm), S 2 (45×45 cm) and S 3 (45×30 cm) on different qualities attributes in sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea l var. italica Plenck) c.v. Palam Samridhi, palam vichitra and palam kanchan. • Methodology : 40 days old (5–6 leaves stage) seedling of three different cultivars; V 1 -Palam Samridhi, V 2 - Palam Vichitra and V 3 - Palam Kanchan were transplanted 3rd december in field at three different plant spacing such as S 1 (60×45 cm), S 2 (45×45 cm) and S 3 (45×30 cm) respectively. Nine treatment in toto viz; V 1 S 1, V 1 S 2, V 1 S 3, V 2 S 1, V 2 S 2, V 3 S 1, V 3 S 2, and V 3 S 3 every 1.8 × 1.8 m consisting of three replications were used for investigation. Effect of treatment and their interaction was recorded on ascorbic acid (Vit-c), total soluble solid (T.S.S), total sugar content, reducing and non-reducing sugar content. • Results: from the above study, it is concluded that the effect of different plant spacing on different varieties of sprouting broccoli was found significant except non-reducing sugar content. Among the cultivars; V 3 (Palam Kanchan) performed best at wider plant spacing S 1 (60×45 cm) concerning various qualities traits of sprouting broccoli. The interaction effect has been found that the treatment combination V 3 S 3 showed maximum ascorbic acid while, treatment combination V 3 S 1 found maximum T.S.S, total sugar, reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar content than others treatment. • Interpretation : wider plant spacing has been shown profound effect and significant improvement of various quality traits in sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea l var. italica Plenck). The effects of plant spacing on broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck) commercial characteristics are well determined such as yield, growth and quality parameter. However, it is not completely clear how the broccoli plant respond to changes in quality traits as a result of different plant densities. According to recent field tests, wider spacing contributes towards larger and heavier heads while, yield per hectare can be increased by close spacing. Hence, it is necessary to optimize proper plant spacing for obtaining higher yield with better quality. The study evaluated effects of the plant spacing S 1 (60×45 cm), S 2 (45×45 cm) and S 3 (45×30 cm) on ascorbic acid, total soluble solid, total sugar, reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar contents of sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea L var. italica Plenck). cvs. Palam Samridhi (V 1), Palam Vichitra (V 2) and Palam Kanchan (V 3). The cv. Palam Kanchan had the highest ascorbic acid (78.64 mg/100 g), 'Palam Vichitra' had the highest total soluble solids (11.21%), total (4.084%) and reducing sugar (5.62%) content was highest in 'Palam Samridhi'. Plant spacing of 60×45 cm had the highest total soluble solids (11.15%), total sugar (4.058%) and reducing sugar (5.02%), maximum ascorbic acid (78.35 mg/100 g) content for spacing 45×30 cm. The interaction effect of variety and spacings affected all but non-reducing sugar content, maximum ascorbic acid content was recorded for the interaction of the Palam Kanchan (V 3) and S 3 (45×30 cm) was found (82.28 mg/100 g) while maximum total soluble solids (11.38%), total sugar (4.38%), reducing sugar (6.73%) and non-reducing sugar (0.8%) content was recorded for the treatment combination V 3 S 1. This study aimed to determine the effect of plant spacing on the quality parameter of sprouting broccolis. Increasing the area per plant resulted in a shortening of the time to the beginning of head formation, technical maturity; harvest and increased content of various quality attributes such as ascorbic acid, total sugar and reducing sugar content in spear than close planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It is an annual type having densely foliaged with dark green broad leaves (54.5 cm long and 35.2 cm width), possessing drought tolerance.The plants grows up to 405.6 cm and spreads 330.2 cm (E-W) and 390.4 cm (N-S) (Table 1). • It is a comparatively late flowering and late maturing comes to harvest during March-May. Each plant produces about 314 fruits in a year, and its yield potential of 53–54.7t/ha. It is superior in fruit size and yield (185.6%) over PKM-1 (Table 3). • No fled infestation of leaf eating caterpillars and pods are least affected by fruit fly resulting higher per cent of marketable pods (20 and 30%) as compared to the commercially popular varieties like PKM-1 and PKM-2, respectively (Table 4). • This variety suits for table/export purpose due to uniformly parrot green and very long pod having more flesh content with seeds uniformly spaced. • It has high protein (9.3 g), vitamin A (9783IU) and vitamin C content (246 mg) per 100 g of fresh edible pods. It also have recorded highest antioxidants contents and activity viz. total phenols, total flavonoids, DPPH, FRAP and CUPRAC in pods as well as leaves as compared check (Table 7 & 8). • The proposed genotype recorded highest dry matter (85.84%), protein (10.25 mg/100 g), nitrogen, potassium, calcium (438.38), sulphur (4397.18), iron (44.6), zinc (3.79), manganese (20.55) and Cu (1.15) in (mg/100 g dry leaves powder) as compared to check(Fig 1, Table 5 & 6). The drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.) variety Thar Harsha is an annual type having densely foliaged with dark green broad leaves (54.5 cm long and 35.2 cm width). The plants grows up to 405.6 cm and spreads 330.2 cm (E-W) and 390.4 cm (N-S). The fruiting in Thar Harsha starts late (March to May) as compared to PKM-1 (February-March). Each plant produces about 314 pods in a year, and its yield potential of 53–54.7t/ha. It is superior in pod size and yield (85.6%) over PKM-1. It has high protein (9.3 g), Vitamin A (9783IU) and Vitamin C content (246 mg) per 100 g of fresh edible pods. It have recorded comparatively higher antioxidants contents and activity viz. total phenols (657.69 and 36.23 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoids (406.28 and 298.46 CE mg/100 g), DPPH (29.07 and 21.53 µmol TE/g), FRAP (66.37 and 34.41 µmol TE/g)and CUPRAC (99.07 and 44.64 µmol TE/g) in leaves and pods, respectively. The variety Thar Harsha recorded comparatively highest dry matter (25.52 and 20.69%), protein (20.25 and 9.33 mg/100 g), nitrogen (3868.03 and 3653.16), phosphorus (187.91 and 113.60) potassium (1714.12 and 942.33), Calcium (4318.38 and 1983.15), Sulphur (4397.18 and 2038.49), Iron (44.6 and 32.76), Manganese (3.79 and 1.21), zinc (20.55 and 12.14) and Cu (1.15 and 0.83) in (mg/100 g dry powder) leaves and pods, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• Natural compounds are beneficial for maintaining the table grape quality. • Salicylic acid (SA) delayed of table grapes fruit deterioration and softening. • Salicylic acid (SA) + Aloe vera (AV) was the most effective treatments as compared to control. • SA increased the anthocyanins in table grapes fruit. This study aimed to investigate the effect of preharvest salicylic acid (SA) (2 and 3 mM) and postharvest Aloe vera gel (AV) coating (25% and 33%) on the postharvest characteristics of Vitis vinifera L. fruits stored 4 ± 0.5℃ for 32 days. The results showed that all SA + AV treatments significantly reduced the incidence of decay and weight loss of grapes. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that SA (2 and 3 mM) combined with AV (25%) coating had the most significant effect on increasing the grape's ascorbic acid and anthocyanin content. Besides, SA (2 and 3 mM) combined with AV (33%) coating had a stronger promoting effect on solid soluble content, firmness, total phenol content, antioxidant capacity, titrable acidity, and peroxidase activity. Overall, it is concluded that foliar-applied SA alone was not effective in increasing physicochemical properties, and using AV coating after foliar-applied SA can have the greatest effect on traits. These results showed that the preharvest and postharvest treatments of grapes with SA and AV, respectively, could prolong the storage life of table grapes and maintain their quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves and bark of Salix babylonica L. trees yielded 11 compounds; catechol (1), methyl trans -4-hydroxycinnamate (2), luteolin (3), apigenin-7- O - β – d -(4″- p- coumaroyl) glucoside (4), populoside B (5), salicin (6), luteolin-7- O - β - d -glucoside (7), catechin (8), acmophyllin B (9), 1- O - p -coumaroyl- β - d -glucopyranoside (10) and chrysoeriol-7- O - β - d -glucuronyl methyl ester (11). Their structures were established using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. Compounds 2, 4, 5 and 8–10 are reported from S. babylonica L. for the first time in this study. Antioxidant activity was determined using in vitro ABTS radical scavenging assay. Compounds 8, 7 and 4 exhibited potent antioxidant activities compared with ascorbic acid. The isolated compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activity. Amongst the tested compounds; compounds 3, 7 and 2 showed the strongest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 0.55, 0.70 and 0.88 μmole/L, respectively. Compound 8 exhibited potent anti-quorum sensing activity followed by compounds 7 and 3. Compound 11 , which is a new compound and is thought to be formed as an artifact during the extraction process by the action of the methanol used for extraction, showed cytotoxic activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC 50 = 0.210 ± 0.151 and 0.437 ± 0.251 μmole/L, respectively) compared with the standard 5-FU (IC 50 = 0.869 ± 0.066 and 1.257 ± 0.128 μmole/L, respectively). [Display omitted] • The leaves and bark of Salix babylonica L. trees were phytochemically investigated. • Eleven compounds were isolated and were tested for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing activities. • One compound exhibited potent antiquorum-sensing activity followed by two compounds showing strong antiquorum-sensing activity. • Three compounds exhibited potent antioxidant activity compared to that of the standard used ascorbic acid. • One of the compounds showed potent cytotoxic activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Longer shape and less flushing is the aim of pepper producer, which is achieved in the full light greenhouse with P3 and then in P5 pruning. • Pruning (P3 and P5) due to improved nutrient distribution enhanced the carotenoid accumulation. • There was not a certain pattern in Ca and N absorption by light and pruning, although it seems that P5 may be more productive, and Ca absorption was greater in full light greenhouse compare with low light. Pruning and light quality and quantity can affect the fruit load, fruit shape, nutritional value, and quality of sweet pepper. The experiment was arranged as a split-plot conducted in a randomized block design. Treatments consisted of keeping 3, 5, and 7 fruits on the bush, and having un-pruned (P3, P5, and P7 Pnon=without pruning) sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L., cv. Lumos) with 3 replications. Two greenhouses including 14,000 for the full-light one and 6000-Lux for the low one were designed. The results showed that carotenoid biosynthesis and accumulation were highly related to light, with a significant effect in the full light greenhouse, as compared with the low one. Leaves carbohydrate content was raised in P3 and P5 for both greenhouses and this was more significant in the full light greenhouse, as compared with the low one. TSS was higher in full light with pruning (P3, P5, P7); the highest TSS in the low-light greenhouse was seen in P3. Phenol, antioxidant, vitamin C, and organic acid were higher in the full light greenhouse, as compared with the low one. Conclusively, pruning was more effective on weight after increased growth of bush in the second or third harvest. Longer shape and less flushing are favored by pepper producers. This can be achieved in the full light greenhouse with P3 and then P5 pruning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diabetes is associated with low plasma vitamin C concentrations. Objectives We investigated the contribution of dysregulated vitamin C renal physiology, its prevalence, and associated clinical characteristics. Methods An essential prerequisite was determination of normal vitamin C renal threshold, the plasma concentration at which vitamin C first appears in urine. Using data from 17 healthy participants who underwent vitamin C depletion–repletion studies with a vitamin C dose range of 15–1250 mg daily, renal threshold was estimated using physiology-based pharmacokinetics modeling. Applying renal threshold 95% CIs, we estimated the minimal elimination threshold, the plasma concentration below which no vitamin C was expected in urine of healthy people. Renal leak was defined as abnormal presence of vitamin C in urine with plasma concentrations below the minimal elimination threshold. Criteria were tested in a cross-sectional cohort study of individuals with diabetes (82) and nondiabetic controls (80) using matched plasma and urine samples. Results Vitamin C renal thresholds in healthy men and women were [mean (SD)] 48.5 (5.2) µM and 58.3 (7.5) µM, respectively. Compared with nondiabetic controls, participants with diabetes had significantly higher prevalence of vitamin C renal leak (9% compared with 33%; OR: 5.07; 95% CI: 1.97, 14.83; P  < 0.001) and 30% lower mean plasma vitamin C concentrations (53.1 µM compared with 40.9 µM, P  < 0.001). Fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, BMI, micro/macrovascular complications, and protein/creatinine ratio were predictive of vitamin C renal leak. Conclusions Increased prevalence of vitamin C renal leak in diabetes is associated with reduced plasma vitamin C concentrations. Glycemic control, microvascular complications, obesity, and proteinuria are predictive of renal leak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Depression is a major contributor to heart failure (HF) progression. • Chronic HF patients with depression had a lowered citrus fruit intake. • Dietary intakes of antioxidants were also decreased in depressed HF patients. • A lowered intake of citrus fruits was associated with depression in HF patients. The full impact of the intake of citrus fruits on the risk of depression in individuals with chronic heart failure (HF) is unknown. Here, we examined the associations between the estimated habitual intakes of citrus fruits and depressive symptoms in patients with chronic HF. We enrolled 150 stable outpatients with chronic HF who had a history of worsening HF. To assess the patients' daily dietary patterns, we used a brief self-administered diet-history questionnaire to calculate the daily consumption of foods and nutrients. To assess the patients' mental state, we used a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Twelve patients (8%) were identified as having moderate-to-severe depression (PHQ-9 score ≥10). The patients with PHQ-9 ≥10 had lower daily intakes of citrus fruits compared to those with no or mild depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 <10). The daily intakes of various antioxidants, including vitamin C, β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin, all of which are abundant in citrus fruits, were reduced in the patients with PHQ-9 ≥10, accompanied by higher serum levels of 8-isoprostane (an oxidative stress marker). A multivariate logistic regression analysis using forward selection showed that a lowered daily intake of citrus fruits was an independent predictor of the comorbidity of moderate-to-severe depression in patients with chronic HF, after adjustment for age, gender, and the hemoglobin value. A lower daily consumption of citrus fruits was associated with higher prevalence of depression in patients with chronic HF. Our findings support the hypothesis that a daily consumption of citrus fruits has a beneficial effect on the prevention and treatment of depression in chronic HF patients. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Stunting and anemia in pregnant women and under-five children remain a challenge in developing countries, including Indonesia. One of the significant contributors to these problems is inadequate nutrient intake. Objectives The aim of the study was to identify, using a linear programming (LP) approach, problem nutrients and optimized food-based recommendations for under-five children and pregnant women in 10 stunting-prioritized districts in Indonesia. Methods LP analysis was done using the Optifood tool on dietary data collected using single 24-h dietary recall in the National Monitoring of Nutrient Consumption (Pemantauan Konsumsi Gizi), conducted by the Ministry of Health from 10 stunting-prioritized districts in Indonesia. Problem nutrients and nutrient-dense foods were identified, and all alternative food-based recommendations or complementary feeding recommendations were compared to identify which recommendation will best contribute to fulfill dietary adequacy. Results The number of problem nutrients in each district ranged from 0 to 7 nutrients for under-five children and 1 to 6 nutrients for pregnant women. The top 3 problem nutrients were: iron, zinc, and folate (for children aged 6–11 mo); zinc, folate, and calcium (for 12–23-mo-olds and 24–35-mo-olds); folate, zinc, and vitamin C/riboflavin (for 36–59-mo-olds); and iron, folate, and calcium (for pregnant women). The findings showed that problem nutrients identified using LP were in line with nutritional problems in under-five children (stunting and anemia) and pregnant women (anemia). Food-based recommendations (FBRs)/complementary feeding recommendations were developed that best meet dietary adequacy for the nutrients. Conclusions Despite the similarity in stunting prevalence across the districts, there was variation in number and types of problem nutrients. The developed FBRs that promoted nutrient-dense foods suited to the problem nutrients in each area need to be promoted to improve nutrient intakes of under-five children and pregnant women in these areas with high stunting prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]