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Sweet potato tuberous roots are susceptible to chilling injury (CI) when stored below 10 °C. In this study, we investigated the mitigating effects of hot air (HA) treatment on CI. Results showed that HA45°C-3h treatment delayed the CI and internal browning during cold storage. After HA45°C-3h treatment, the cells' structural integrity was maintained, malondialdehyde accumulation and ion leakage were inhibited. Additionally, the osmoregulatory substances, such as total soluble solids, proline were maintained, and soluble protein was enhanced. Higher activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, and the antioxidant substances including ascorbic acid, glutathione, total phenols, and flavonoids were observed in sweet potato tuberous roots treated by HA45°C-3h than untreated group. Our study suggested that HA45°C-3h treatment could reduce CI and maintain a better quality of sweet potato tuberous roots following cold storage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that causes major health concerns in human and animals. Quercetin (QUE) is a flavonoid that possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. This report aims to investigate the ameliorative effects of QUE against OTA-induced hepatotoxicity in broiler chicken. Forty broiler chicks were equally allocated into 4 groups: Group I (control), Group II (OTA), Group III (QUE) and Group IV (OTA + QUE). OTA (0.5 mg/kg) and QUE (0.5 g/kg) were incorporated into the chicken feed for 42 days. The results presented a significant decrease in body weight and elevation in feed conversion ratio, and a significant elevation of the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase enzymes in the OTA birds. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in catalase activity and reduced glutathione content and a significant elevation in malondialdehyde level in the liver of OTA-exposed birds. Various hepatocellular lesions were also noticed in the OTA-exposed birds. OTA exposure up-regulated the phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and the pro-apoptotic genes and down-regulated the anti-apoptotic genes in the liver. The addition of QUE ameliorated most of the hepatotoxic effects of OTA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Heat stroke (HS) can lead to the development of pulmonary ferroptosis. The inhibition of pulmonary ferroptosis during HS improves patient prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RES) on heat stress at an ambient temperature of 42 °C., Methods: Heat stress was induced in Beas-2B cells and lung injury was induced in HS rats at an ambient temperature of 42 °C. The anti-oxidative stress and anti-ferroptotic effects of RES were confirmed through tail vein injection of nuclear factor-2 associated factor (Nrf2) shRNA recombinant adeno-associated virus 6 (AAV6-shNrf2)., Results: RES treatment attenuated the upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and alleviated glutathione inhibition in HS. In addition, RES treatment reduced the accumulation of Fe 2+ in heat-stressed Beas-2B cells and increased the ferroptosis resistance-related proteins FTH1, GPX4, and SLC7A11 as well as the anti-oxidative stress pathway proteins Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1. The antioxidant and anti-ferroptotic effects of RES in heat-stressed Beas-2B cells were effectively reversed upon treatment with Nrf2-IN-1, an Nrf2 pathway inhibitor. In the HS rat model, the antioxidant and anti-ferroptotic effects of RES were reversed by an ambient temperature of 42 °C and relative humidity of 60 ± 5%., Conclusions: RES effectively protected HS rats from lung injury, inhibited the accumulation of Fe 2+ , ROS, and MDA in the lung, and upregulated FTH1, GPX4, SLC7A11, Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Animal ethics were approved by the Experimental Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee of Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. GK-2023-XM-0091). Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multifaced crop that has the potential to be exploited for many industrial applications, and making use of salt lands is considered to be a sustainable development strategy for the hemp industry. However, no elite salt-tolerant hemp varieties have been developed, and therefore supplementing appropriate exogenous substances to saline soil is one possible solution. Calcium-containing compounds are well-known for their salt tolerance enhancing effects, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. Here, we first assessed the ameliorative effects of calcium amendments on salt-stressed hemp plants and then investigated these mechanisms on hemp using integrative analysis of proteomics and metabolomics. The stress phenotypes could be lessened by Ca 2+ treatment. Certain concentrations of Ca 2+ maintained relative electrical conductivity and the contents of malondialdehyde and chlorophyll. Ca 2+ treatment also generally led to greater accumulations of soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates and proline, and enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. Through functional classification, pathway enrichment, and network analysis, our data reveal that accumulation of dipeptides is a prominent metabolic signature upon exogenous Ca 2+ treatment, and that changes in mitochondrial properties may play an important role in enhancing the salt tolerance. Our results outline the complex metabolic alternations involved in calcium-mediated salt stress resistance, and these data and analyses would be useful for future functional studies., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease, presents a major clinical challenge, and researchers are still searching for an optimal animal model. To address this gap, we compared male and ovariectomized female C57BL/6 mice treated with 30 mg/kg aftin-4, which induces neurodegeneration, with naturally aged (15-16 months old) mice not treated with aftin-4. We performed a series of behavioral tests; measured postmortem plasma β-amyloid levels (Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42) and the levels of the oxidative stress indicators glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA); and evaluated astrocytic reactivity in the brain using glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) levels. Our results revealed no behavioral changes in the aged or aftin-4-treated mice compared with the control mice. Aftin-4 mice presented lower brain MDA levels and no detectable changes in plasma Aβ levels. In general, female mice had higher GPx and SOD levels and lower Aβ1-42 levels than male mice did. In contrast, aged and aftin-4-treated male mice presented elevated levels of GFAP, indicating astrocyte damage. Our results could not confirm that either aftin-4-treated or aged mice are reliable models for dementia. However, the observed molecular changes suggest that male animals may be more susceptible to oxidative stress and brain damage than females are. This study demonstrates the complexity of modeling dementia in animals and the importance of future studies in this area., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Cirsilineol is a trimethoxy and dihydroxy flavonoid isolated from plant species such as Artemisia vestita and has a variety of pharmacological properties. This study analyzed whether cirsilineol could prevent postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD)., Methods: A POCD mouse model induced by anesthesia/surgery induction and a cell model established with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced microglia BV-2 were employed to explore the efficacy of cirsilineol on POCD. The cognition function of the mice were assessed by carrying out behavioral tests (Morris water maze test and Y-maze test). We assessed the activation and polarization status of microglia using immunofluorescence analysis and detected the expression levels of CD86 and CD206 using the quantitative PCR (qPCR). Subsequently, cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay and apoptosis was assessed using Calcein-AM/PI staining. Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma and cell culture medium were detected using chemiluminescence. Finally, the phosphorylation levels of JAK/STAT signaling pathway-related proteins were analyzed by Western blot., Results: Cirsilineol reduced the escape latency and times of crossing island and increased spontaneous alternation (SA) rate, restoring the cognitive dysfunctions of POCD-modeled mice. Meanwhile, POCD elevated CD86 expression and malondialdehyde content and lowered the level of SOD; however, cirsilineol promoted CD206 expression and generation of SOD and inhibited malondialdehyde production. In H 2 O 2 -induced microglia BV-2, cirsilineol treatment increased SOD content and suppressed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, modulating microglia M1/M2 polarization and JAK/STAT pathway., Conclusion: Cirsilineol prevented against POCD by attenuating oxidative stress and modulating microglia M1/M2 polarization, providing novel insights for the management of POCD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Du et al.)

Kola nut is commonly consumed by pregnant women to suppress symptoms of morning sickness. This study investigated the effects of kola nut on the biochemical indices of the hippocampus and its dependent memory. Kola nut extract was fed to pregnant dams from the first day of their pregnancy until parturition. The following behavioral function tests were conducted: surface righting (SR); cliff avoidance (post-natal day [PND] 4, 5, 6 & 7); open field; novel object recognition and location; and radial-arm maze (PND 21 and 56). The levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acetylcholine (ACh), and malondialdehyde (MDA) of the matched hippocampal tissues were also checked in the pups. The kola nut-treated pups showed significantly reduced behavioral indices compared to the pups in the control group: lower postural balance, higher risk avoidance memory, and lower frequency in pivoting and rearing compared to that in the control group. However, the frequency of urine and fecal bolus was significantly lower in the pups in the control group than that in the treated pups. The discrimination ratio of the control group pups in novel object recognition (NOR) and novel object location (NOL) was significantly higher than that in the treated pups, and the time taken by the treated pups to complete RAM was significantly higher. The levels of ACh and BDNF in the treated pups were increased compared to that in control pups. A positive correlation was found between MDA and SR (r = 0.7207; p = 0.0437), grooming (r = 0.7707; p = 0.0252), and fecal bolus (r = 0.7606; p = 0.0284), as well as with the BDNF level in those treated with grooming (r = 0.7570; p = 0.0297). However, negative correlations between ACh and rearing (r = -0.8261; p = 0.0115) and fecal bolus (r = -0.8066; p = 0.0156) and a positive correlation with NOL (r = 0.8358; p = 0.0098) were observed. Based on these observations, the study concluded that Kola nut affects both biochemical and hippocampal memory profiles., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Animal Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Ethical clearance certificate number: 2020/06/02/C). Consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication I write on behalf of all the authors that we, in different roles, have contributed sufficiently to this study and take public responsibility for the content. These include conceptualization, investigation, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results, and manuscript preparation. Therefore, we consent to publication. Competing interests The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Diabetes-induced neuropathy represents a major etiology of dementia, highlighting an urgent need for the development of effective therapeutic interventions. In this study, we explored the role of fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5)/Irisin in mitigating hyperglycemia-induced neurotoxicity in HT22 cells and investigated the underlying mechanisms. Our findings reveal that high glucose conditions are neurotoxic, leading to reduced viability of HT22 cells and increased apoptosis. Furthermore, the elevated expression of the intracellular ferroptosis marker Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4), along with increased levels of ferrous ions and malondialdehyde (MDA), suggests that high glucose conditions may induce ferroptosis in HT22 cells. FNDC5/Irisin treatment effectively mitigates high glucose-induced neurotoxicity and ferroptosis in HT22 cells. Mechanistically, FNDC5/Irisin enhances cellular antioxidant capacity, regulates ACSL4 expression, and improves intracellular redox status, thereby inhibiting ferroptosis and increasing HT22 cell survival under high-glucose conditions. These results highlight the neuroprotective potential of FNDC5/Irisin in high glucose environments, offering a promising avenue for developing treatments for diabetes-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Ethylene plays diverse roles in post-harvest processes of horticultural crops. However, its impact and regulation mechanism on the postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) of cassava storage roots is unknown. In this study, a notable delay in PPD of cassava storage roots was observed when ethephon was utilized as an ethylene source. Physiological analyses and quantitative acetylproteomes were employed to investigate the regulation mechanism regulating cassava PPD under ethephon treatment. Ethephon was found to enhance the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system, resulting in a significant decrease in H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The comprehensive acetylome analysis identified 12,095 acetylation sites on 4403 proteins. Subsequent analysis demonstrated that ethephon can regulate the acetylation levels of antioxidant enzymes and members of the energy metabolism pathways. In summary, ethephon could enhance the antioxidant properties and regulate energy metabolism pathways, leading to the delayed PPD of cassava., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Key Message: MT mitigates chilling damage by enhancing antioxidant system and photosystem activities, and cold-responsive genes expression in cucumbers. H 2 O 2 may act as a downstream signaling molecule in the MT-induced chilling tolerance. Melatonin (MT) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) are important endogenous signaling molecules that play multifaceted roles in plant responses to abiotic stress. However, the interactive mechanism by which MT and H 2 O 2 regulate chilling tolerance remains unclear. Here we found that MT exhibited a positive regulatory effect on the chilling tolerance of cucumbers, with an optimum concentration of 100 µM. MT markedly enhanced RBOH1 mRNA expression, activity and endogenous H 2 O 2 accumulation in cucumber seedlings. However, 1.0 mM H 2 O 2 had no significant effect on mRNA levels of TDC and ASMT, the key genes for MT synthesis, and endogenous MT content. Both MT and H 2 O 2 significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL) and chilling injury index (CI) by activating the antioxidant system, thereby alleviating chilling damage in cucumber seedlings. MT and H 2 O 2 improved photosynthetic carbon assimilation, which was primarily attributed to an increase in activity, mRNA expression, and protein levels of RuBPCase and RCA. Meanwhile, MT and H 2 O 2 induced the photoprotection for both PSII and PSI by enhancing the QA's electron transport capacity and elevating protein levels of the photosystems. Moreover, MT and H 2 O 2 significantly upregulated the expression of cold response genes. MT-induced chilling tolerance was attenuated by N', N'-dimethylthiourea (DMTU), a H 2 O 2 specific scavenger. Whereas, the MT synthesis inhibitor (p-chlorophenylalanine, p-CPA) did not influence H 2 O 2 -induced chilling tolerance. The positive regulation of MT on the antioxidant system, photosynthesis and cold response gene levels were significantly attenuated in RBOH1-RNAi plants compared with WT plants. These findings suggest that H 2 O 2 may functions as a downstream signaling molecule in MT-induced chilling tolerance in cucumber plants., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest The authors hereby affirm that they do not possess any conflicts of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Twenty Crossbred (Baladi× Brown-Swiss) male growing-calves, 6 to 8 months old, weighing an average of 115 to 125 kg were subjected for evaluating ZADO supplementary effects on blood biochemical parameters, antioxidant status, thyroid activity, and growth efficiency of calves under semi-arid conditions. The experimental units were pinned equally in two groups. The control (G1) fed the basal ration, and the 2nd, treatment group (G2) fed the basal ration + a daily supplement of 10 g ZADO (exogenous enzymes) calf - 1 day - 1 in a powder form mixed well with ration. The results showed that ZADO treatment reduced (P < 0.001) each of respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), serum malondialdehyde (MDA), urea, creatinine, and cortisol. Also, caused a marked decline in oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities. However, supplemented ZADO to growing calves diets improved antioxidant status including reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, total antioxidant capacity, serum total protein, albumin, and globulin, as well as IgG and IgM besides. ZADO enhanced (P < 0.01) thyroid activity, and feed efficacy parameters. Finally, supplementing growing calves with ZADO under semi-arid circumstances alleviates the heat stress effect, and leads to an improvement in calves' growth performance., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Consent for publication Not applicable., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction (ED) frequently arises as a complication of pelvic surgeries, including rectal and prostate surgery, and has no definitive cure. This study explored whether mitochondria-rich microvesicles (MVs) can be used to treat ED stemming from cavernous nerve injury (CNI) and investigated its potential mechanisms., Methods: We isolated MVs and mitochondria (MT) from PC12. The apoptosis rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial derived reactive oxygen species (mtROS), iron content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and endogenous antioxidant system activity of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) cultured with MVs and MT were detected in vitro. In vivo, twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham operation group and CNI group were injected with PBS, MVs and MT respectively. After fourteen days of treatment, the erectile function was measured and penile tissues were collected for histological analysis. Subsequently, inhibition of mitochondria in MV was performed to explore the mechanism of the rescue experiment., Results: The CCSMCs, PC12-MVs and PC12-MT were successfully isolated and identified. After MVs culture, apoptosis rate, ROS, mtROS, iron content and MDA content of CCSMCs were significantly decreased, while MMP and the activities of endogenous antioxidant system were increased. MVs transplantation can significantly restore erectile function and smooth muscle content in CNIED rats. The rescue experiment suggested that MVs exerted the above therapeutic effect by transferring mitochondria within it., Conclusion: MVs transplantation significantly improve erectile function in CNI ED rats. MVs may play a role in anti-OS and anti-ferroptosis at the transplant site through efficient transfer of mitochondria, providing a potential treatment vehicle for CNI ED., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Liang et al.)

Understanding the off-target effects of neonicotinoid insecticides, including acetamiprid, which is the most commonly applied agricultural chemical, is crucial as it may be an important factor of negative impact on pollinator insects causing a number of problems such as colony collapse disorder (CCD) of honey bees. While CCD is known as a multifactorial disease, the role of pesticides in this context is not negligible. Therefore, it is essential to gain a deeper comprehension of the mechanisms through which they function. The aim of this research was to study the effects of sublethal acetamiprid doses on honey bees, specifically focusing on the redox homeostasis of the brain. According to our findings, it can be confirmed that acetamiprid detrimentally impacts the redox balance of the brain increasing hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels, suggesting consequential lipid peroxidation and membrane damage as consequences. Moreover, acetamiprid had negative effects on the glutathione system and total antioxidant capacity, as well as key enzymes involved in the maintenance of redox homeostasis. In summary, it can be concluded that acetamiprid adversely affected the redox balance of the central nervous system of honey bees in our study. Our findings could potentially contribute to a better understanding of pesticide-related consequences and to improvement of bee health., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Hypothyroidism is one of the most prevalent thyroid pathologies, which causes oxidative stress by disrupting antioxidant mechanisms. In mammals, the thyroid glands regulate metabolism, development, and growth. Dysfunction of the thyroid gland can result in hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer. Whey protein is a widely consumed protein supplement containing abundant sulphur-containing amino acids and bioactive peptides. Here, we analysed the effect of whey protein on oxidative stress in hypothyroidism. In vivo studies were conducted in two phases for 30 and 90 days, respectively. Hypothyroidism was induced in Wistar albino rats by administering 0.05% propylthiouracil (PTU) through drinking water. Five hypothyroid groups and the normal control group were maintained in the first 30 day phase of the study. Among these, one group served as the induced control group, three groups received whey protein at different concentrations (100, 300, and 500 mg per kg body weight), and the last group received L-thyroxine (2 μg per 100 g body weight) as a positive medication. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione- S -transferase, were analysed, and the levels of total antioxidants, glutathione, and malondialdehyde were determined. Ca 2+ ATPase and Na + /K + ATPase activities were detected by estimating the inorganic phosphate content. Histopathological analysis was carried out on the thyroid and liver tissues of all groups. Antioxidant activity was notably increased for higher doses of whey protein compared to that in the diseased control group ( p < 0.05). From this initial study, the dose that achieved the desired therapeutic effect was 500 mg kg -1 , which was considered for the next 90 day phase of the study. The 90 day phase of the study was conducted with five groups: normal, whey protein-supplemented, hypothyroid, whey protein-supplemented hypothyroid, and levothyroxine-supplemented hypothyroid. All the PTU-treated groups showed degenerative alterations in thyroid histology. Whey protein supplementation causes a considerable decrease in MDA levels with an increase in the major antioxidant enzyme and ATPase activities, with p < 0.05. As a nutritional supplement, whey protein, at a 500 mg kg -1 dose, effectively boosts antioxidant activity without causing any toxicological concerns in long-term use.

When insects harm plants, they activate relevant enzyme systems for defense, and changes in enzyme activity, to a certain extent, reflect the host plant's ability to resist insect damage. Alfalfa leaf weevils (Hypera postica Gyllenhal) are the main economic insect pest of alfalfa, which seriously affect its yield and quality. To clarify the effects of feeding induction by alfalfa leaf weevil larvae and adults on defense enzymes in alfalfa, 'Zhongmu No. 1' variety was used as the experimental material. Comprehensive correlation analysis and principal component analysis were used to evaluate the corresponding patterns of 12 physiological indicators of alfalfa induced by insect feeding of different densities. Results showed that after feeding induction by adult and larval alfalfa leaf weevils, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), lipoxygenase (LOX), chymotrypsin inhibitors (CI), trypsin inhibitor (TI), and jasmonic acid (JA) in the alfalfa leaves increased with increasing feeding time. However, activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and polyphenolic oxidase (PPO) in alfalfa leaves first increased and then decreased, showing a downward trend., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Main Conclusion: The HIPP proteins are involved in low-temperature stress, the growth of sweet cherry, and may be potential targets for genetic improvement. PavHIPP16 improved cold resistance in Arabidopsis. In response to abiotic stressors, the heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant protein (HIPP) proteins play a crucial regulatory role. Although the function of HIPP has been identified in some plants, there have been fewer systematic studies conducted on sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.). Therefore, we performed a comprehensive analysis and expression profiling of PavHIPPs using bioinformatics, RT-PCR, and qRT-PCR techniques. Our findings revealed that 28 PavHIPP genes were unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes. We predicted nine motifs in PavHIPP proteins and observed similar gene structures among highly homologous proteins. The promoter sequences of PavHIPPs contained numerous regulatory elements associated with an adversity of stress. The expression levels of some members showed varying degrees of change under low-temperature treatment. These genes were differentially expressed during flower and fruit development. Arabidopsis overexpressing the PavHIPP16 (OE) gene showed significantly lower relative conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared with the wild-type (WT) plants under cold environment. Conversely, peroxidase (POD) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and proline content were significantly higher in OE Arabidopsis than in WT plants. Overall, our results suggest that PavHIPP16 OE Arabidopsis thaliana exhibited enhanced adaptability compared to WT plants under cold conditions. This study provides a foundation for future investigations of the pathways regulating sweet cherry growth and development mediated by the HIPP genes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Freeze-thaw (FT) aging can change the physicochemical characteristics of microplastics (MPs). The toxic impacts of FT-aged-MPs to soil invertebrates are poorly understood. Here the toxic mechanisms of FT-aged-MPs were investigated in earthworms after 28 d exposure. Results showed that FT 50 µm PE-MPs significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 5.78-9.04 % compared to pristine 50 µm PE-MPs (41.80-45.05 ng/mgprot), whereas FT 500 µm PE-MPs reduced ROS by 7.52-7.87 % compared to pristine 500 µm PE-MPs (51.44-54.46 ng/mgprot). FT-PP-MPs significantly increased ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in earthworms by 14.82-44.06 % and 46.75-110.21 %, respectively, compared to pristine PP-MPs (40.56-44.66 ng/mgprot, 0.41-2.53 nmol/mgprot). FT-aged PE- and PP-MPs caused more severe tissue damage to earthworms. FT-aged PE-MPs increased the alpha diversity of the gut flora of earthworms compared to pristine MPs. Earthworm guts exposed to FT-aged-MPs were enriched with differential microbial genera of contaminant degradation capacity. FT-PE-MPs affected membrane translocation by up-regulating lipids and lipid-like molecules, whereas FT-PP-MPs changed xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism by down-regulating organoheterocyclic compounds compared to the pristine PE- and PP-MPs. This study concludes that FT-aged MPs cause greater toxicity to earthworms compared to pristine MPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of foliar application of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ) and magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) on the growth, physiology, and gas exchange parameters of two varieties of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under cadmium (Cd) stress were examined. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with 72 pots. Two varieties of S. oleracea (Desi Palak & Lahori Palak) were used. Two concentrations of Cd (0 µM and 150 µM) in the form of cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) were used. Two levels of SNP (0 ppm and 100 ppm) and two levels for each form of Mg i.e. MgSO 4 and MgO-NPs (0 and 200 ppm) were foliar sprayed on plants in control and Cd stress. Both varieties behaved similarly under Cd stress and caused reductions in growth, physiology, gas exchange, water content parameters and inorganic ion uptake. However, the biochemical parameters like relative membrane permeability (RMP), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) contents were increased. However, all foliar spray treatments increased growth, physiological and gas exchange parameters, water content and inorganic ion uptake. However, this reduced the MDA, RMP, and H 2 O 2 contents. Desi Palak showed the more positive results under foliar application of MgO-NPs. However, Lahori palak showed more positive results under the SNP + MgO-NP treatment. It is concluded that foliar application of SNP, MgSO 4 and MgO-NPs could be an innovative approach to alleviated the heavy metals (Cd) toxicity in crop plants., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We investigated the potential role of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) as a novel therapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in diabetic rats. A single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) was applied to the rats for the diabetic rat models. Sodium bisulfide (50 μmol/kg/d) was injected intraperitoneally daily for 2 weeks as H 2 S treatment. Electromyogram, haematoxylin eosin staining, transmission electron microscopy, western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were then performed. H 2 S treatment did not affect body weights, blood glucose levels or liver function of diabetic rats, while the creatine levels of the H 2 S-treated diabetic rats decreased compared with the diabetic control rats. H 2 S treatment for 2 weeks did not affect the sciatic nerve conduction velocity of the diabetic rats. However, H 2 S treatment relieved neurons loss and cell atrophy of dorsal root ganglion, and axon degeneration of sciatic nerve in diabetic rats. Serum super oxide dismutase (SOD) levels and SOD2 levels in the sciatic nerve of diabetic rats were lower than the non-diabetic rats but were restored after H 2 S treatment. Serum and sciatic nerve homogenate malondialdehyde and aldose reductase expression were higher in diabetic rats but decreased significantly after H 2 S treatment. Our study revealed that H 2 S alleviates neural degeneration in diabetic rats probably by reducing oxidative stress and downregulating aldose reductase expression., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Although plant-derived smoke solutions (SSs) have exhibited growth-promoting properties in various plant species, their potential role in mitigating heavy metal stress, specifically in grapevines, has remained unexplored and unreported. This knowledge gap prompted the present study to evaluate the efficacy of foliar application of SSs derived from vineyard pruning waste at concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% in mitigating Cadmium (Cd) phytotoxicity in grape saplings. In our study, cadmium stress was induced by applying 10 mg/kg CdCl 2 to the root area of the saplings, in conjunction with fertilizers. Our findings showed that exposure to Cd toxicity impeded the growth of grapevine saplings, adversely affecting shoot and root length, as well as fresh weight. Furthermore, it resulted in a reduction in chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and leaf water content while significantly increasing membrane damage and lipid peroxidation. Notably, the application of 0.5% SS enhanced grapevine sapling growth and alleviated Cd stress-induced damage by more effectively regulating physiological and biochemical responses compared to the control and other concentrations. Based on our results, under Cd stress conditions, the application of 0.5% SS effectively increased chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance (1.79 mmol.m -2 .sn -1 ), and total phenolic content (1.89 mg.g -1 ), whereas it significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and membrane damage (1.35 nmol.g -1 ). Additionally, it significantly elevated the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) (2.16 U.mg -1 ), catalase (CAT) (1.55 U.mg -1 ), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (3.03 U.mg -1 ). The study demonstrated that plant-derived SS mitigates Cd stress in grapevines by enhancing antioxidative defence mechanisms., (© 2024 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.)

This study meticulously explored the oxidative stress effects induced by lanthanum (III) oxide (La 2 O 3 ), erbium (III) oxide (Er 2 O 3 ), and yttrium (III) oxide (Y 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles on Artemia salina, with the objective of evaluating the environmental toxicity of rare earth oxide nanoparticles. The characterization of the nanoparticles was conducted using a suite of advanced techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis. Artemia salina, a widely recognized model organism in ecotoxicological research, was exposed to these nanoparticles under meticulously controlled laboratory conditions. The investigation focused on quantifying oxidative stress markers, such as reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The findings revealed significant alterations in these biomarkers, indicating nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress, which varied according to the type of nanoparticle and the duration of exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Ciprofloxacin (CIP) toxicity and salinity stress in agricultural soils cause risk to environmental and food safety. Consequently, it is essential to devise or use more effective techniques for mitigating salinity and ciprofloxacin-induced stress in soil. This study includes the nZVI-loaded biochar synthesis, integrating the unique characteristics of raw biochar with nZVI. The present study examined the impact of raw and nZVI-loaded biochar on soil quality and the mitigation of salinity stress and Ciprofloxacin toxicity in wheat plants. The results showed that the application of nZVI-loaded biochar treatments led to substantial enhancement in shoot biomass, root biomass, grain biomass, and spike biomass by 152.1, 54.3 %, 59.8 %, and 151 %, respectively compared to control treatment. The treatment with nZVI-loaded biochar significantly increased the rates of photosynthesis and transpiration, as well as the conductance of stomata. It also resulted in higher levels of intercellular CO 2 , photosynthetic pigments, and water use efficiency with increases of 49 %, 59 %, 57 %, 37 %, 40 %, and 95 %, respectively. The nZVI-loaded biochar significantly decreased electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide levels compared to the NaCl treatment alone. It also enhanced the activities of enzymatic antioxidants such as peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). The non-enzymatic antioxidants including total soluble sugars (TSS), flavonoids, total soluble proteins (TSP), phenolics, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin, proline, and glycine betaine significantly influenced by the nZVI-loaded biochar. The nZVI-loaded biochar effectively alleviates the stress of soils that are contaminated with hazardous amounts of Ciprofloxacin while improving the soil and plant health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] has significant adverse effects on the environment and human health, particularly on the male reproductive system. Previously, we observed ferroptosis and autophagy in rat testicular injury induced by Cr(VI). In the present study, we focused on the association between ferroptosis and autophagy in mouse Sertoli cells (TM4) exposed to concentrations of 2.5 μМ, 5 μМ, and 10 μМ Cr(VI). Cr(VI) exposure altered mitochondrial ultrastructure; increased intracellular iron, malondialdehyde, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels; decreased glutathione content; increased TfR1 protein expression; and decreased GPX4, FPN1, and SLC7A11 protein expression, ultimately resulting in ferroptosis. Additionally, we observed ferritinophagy, increased expression of BECLIN1, LC3B, and NCOA4, and decreased expression of FTH1 and P62. Inhibition of autophagy and ferritinophagy via 3-MA and small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of NCOA4 ameliorated changes in ferritinophagy- and ferroptosis-associated protein expression, and reduced ROS levels. Rats exposed to Cr(VI) exhibited atrophy of testicular seminiferous tubules, a reduction in germ and Sertoli cells, and the occurrence of ferritinophagy and ferroptosis in cells of the rat testes. These results indicate that ferroptosis, triggered by NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy, is one of the mechanisms that contribute to Cr(VI)-induced damage in Sertoli cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: Although it has been reported that different molecules are effective in preventing ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, the most effective treatment is still unknown., Materials and Methods: The rats were divided into four groups of eight rats each. Group C: 1 ml intraperitoneal (IP) isotonic + laparotomy + IP 2 ml isotonic +I/R. Group D: 100 μg kg -1 /1 ml IP dexmedetomidine + laparotomy + IP 2 ml isotonic +I/R. Group L: 1 ml IP isotonic + laparotomy + IP levobupivacaine (2.5 mg kg -1 /2 ml) +I/R. Group DL: 100 μg kg -1 /1 ml IP dexmedetomidine + laparotomy + IP levobupivacaine (2.5 mg kg -1 /2 ml) +I/R. Brain, heart, lung, and liver tissue samples were collected for histopathological examination. Biochemically, levels of aspartate amino transaminase, alanine amino transaminase, serum glucose, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status, ischemia modified albumin, and malondialdehyde were measured in blood samples., Results: Group D mean blood TAS levels were found to be statistically significantly higher than those in Group C and Group L (p=0.037, p=0.048 respectively). Group DL oxidative stress index (OSI) value was found to be statistically significantly lower than that of Group C (p=0.010)., Conclusion: Both dexmedetomidine and levobupivacaine demonstrated protective effects in I/R injury. When used in combination, the effects of these treatments were further enhanced, reaching statistical significance. As our literature review found no studies on the combined use of dexmedetomidine and levobupivacaine in I/R injury, it is anticipated that supporting these results with clinical studies may significantly contribute to clinical practice., (Copyright © 2024, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Pesticides including insecticides are applied in agricultural practices to control insect pests. However, their excessive usage often poses a severe threat to the growth, physiology, and biochemistry of plants. Here, responses of chickpea and greengram seedlings exposed to three fipronil (FIP) concentrations i. e. 100 (1×), 200 (2×) and 300 (3×) μg mL -1 was evaluated under in vitro. Among doses, 3× had a greater negative impact on germination attributes, root-shoot elongation, vigor indices, length ratios, and survival of seedlings. Besides, the morphological distortion in root tips, oxidative stress generation, and cellular death in fipronil-supplemented root seedlings were observed under scanning electron (SEM) and confocal laser scanning (CLSM), respectively. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) and pronounced upsurge in plant stressor metabolites such as proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) content, and antioxidants enzymes in plant seedlings further confirmed the fipronil toxicity. In addition, a concentration-dependent decrease in respiration efficiency (RE) and ATP content in FIP-treated seedlings was observed. Reduced mitotic index (MI) and numerous chromosomal anomalies (CAs) in root meristematic cells of seedlings are a clear indication of insecticide-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, a dose-dependent increase in DNA damage in root meristematic cells of greengram revealed the genotoxic potential of fipronil. Conclusively, fipronil suggested phyto and cyto-genotoxic effects that emphasize their careful monitoring in soils before application and their optimum addition in soil-plant systems. It is high time to prepare both target-specific and slow-released agrochemical formulations for crop protection with concurrent safeguarding of the soil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors certify that the work mentioned in this publication has not been influenced by competing financial or personal links between them., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and polyethylene microplastic (PE-MP) have been designated as emerging and persistent pollutants, respectively. The combined effects of those pollutants are still unknown, especially to organisms like phytoplankton that may adsorb to their surface. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate for the first time the effects of PE-MP alone and in combination with PCP on the microalgae Isochrysis galbana, clone t-ISO following 72 h of exposure. Photosynthetic pigments amounts, carotenoid, protein, carbohydrate and fatty acids have been assessed. Acute toxicity test showed that the 72 h median inhibition concentration (72 h-EC 50 ) was 148.2, 0.66 and 087 mg L -1 for PE-MP, PCP and their mixture. The utmost effects in growth inhibition rates were noted with 0.5 and 1.25 mg L -1 PCP (23% and 85%, respectively), and 100 and 300 mg L -1 PE-MP (49% and 64%, respectively). Moreover, it was found that those concentrations had a major impact on the photosynthetic pigments, protein, carbohydrate, and fatty acids amounts in algal cells. Furthermore, levels of H 2 O 2 and Malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), indicated the induction of an oxidative stress in algal cells. It appears that adding PE-MP at a no-effect concentration (25 mg L -1 ) reduces the toxicity caused by PCP due to its adsorption to polyethylene microplastics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) have been proven to protect the eyes by inhibiting apoptosis. This study was designed to investigate the effect of LBPs on DNA damage and oxidative stress induced by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs)., Methods: HCECs were divided into a control group, UVB group and UVB + LBP group and treated with varying concentrations of LBP (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 mg/mL). Then, the effects of LBP on the viability and apoptosis of HCECs were detected via MTT assay and flow cytometry. Additionally, the contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells of each group were measured to evaluate the level of oxidative stress., Results: LBP at a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL showed the best effect on promoting the viability and inhibiting the apoptosis of HCECs. Compared with the control group, the UVB and UVB + LBP groups exhibited significantly decreased levels of cell viability and SOD and notably increased apoptosis, MDA, ROS, tail DNA percentage, olive tail moment, p-CHK2, and gamma histone (γH2AX). In contrast to the UVB group, the UVB + LBP group presented notably upregulated levels of cell viability and SOD and downregulated apoptosis, MDA, ROS, tail DNA percentage, olive tail moment, p-CHK2, and γH2AX., Conclusions: The optimal concentration of LBP to promote the viability and reduce the apoptosis of HCECs is 0.4 mg/mL. Moreover, LBP can alleviate DNA damage and oxidative stress induced by UVB in HCECs.

Glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide, has been associated with environmental pollution and potential health risks to aquatic organisms. This study investigated the effects of glyphosate on the muscle metabolism of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) following exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations. Over a 14-day exposure period to varying glyphosate levels, significant disruptions were observed in antioxidant capacity and muscle health. These disruptions were evidenced by reductions in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and decreases in activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and catalase (CAT). Furthermore, exposure to glyphosate resulted in a reduction of vitamin E content and an elevation of hormonal levels, suggesting the potential for endocrine disruption. Metabolomics analysis identified 605 distinct metabolites, with notable alterations in amino acid, carbohydrate, and nucleotide metabolism pathways. Specifically, arginine and glutathione metabolisms were severely impacted, with decreases in key amino acids such as glycine and glutathione at higher glyphosate concentrations. Nucleotide metabolism, particularly purine synthesis, was also significantly affected, with reduced levels of deoxyguanosine and other purine-related compounds. The study further investigated the origins of these differential metabolites using the MetOrigin platform, suggesting a potential involvement of the intestinal microbiota in the metabolic response to glyphosate. These findings highlight the multifaceted adverse effects of glyphosate on fish muscle, including oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation, which may contribute to diminished muscle quality and health risks for aquatic organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.The author is an Editorial Board Member/Editor-in-Chief/Associate Editor/Guest Editor for [Aquatic Toxicology] and was not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article.The authors Jian Han and Bingsheng Zhou are Editorial Board Members for Aquatic Toxicology and were not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Our investigation aims to appraise the neuroprotective impact of Bone Marrow-Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BM-MSCs) derived exosomes against Ag NPs-inducing neurotoxicity in rats., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four albino rats were divided into 3 groups. Group I (control negative), Group II (intraperitoneally injected with Ag NPs for 28 days, whereas Group III (intraperitoneally injected with Ag NP and BM-MSCs derived exosomes., Results: There was a marked elevation of Malondialdehyde (MDA) along with a reduction of brain antioxidants, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) in the Ag NPs receiving group. Ag NPs upregulated c-Jun N-terminal Kinases (JNK) genes and c-Myc and downregulated the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1) and Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) genes. Otherwise, the co-treatment of BM-MSCs derived exosomes with Ag NPs could markedly increase the rat's body weight, activity and learning while, decreasing anxiety, restoring all the toxicological parameters and improving the microscopic appearance of different brain areas., Conclusion: BM-MSCs-derived exosomes downregulated both apoptotic and inflammatory mediators and upregulated the antiapoptotic genes. BM-MSCs-derived exosomes exhibit a great therapeutic effect against the neurotoxic effects of Ag NPs.

T-2 toxin (T-2) is a highly toxic mycotoxin that threatens organism health, yet its hepatoxicity on ducks remains unknown. The present study aimed to assess the hepatoxicity and redox reactions induced by T-2 in ducks. Sixty 7-day-old ducklings were divided into 4 groups and exposed to 0, 200, 400 and 800 μg/kg bodyweight of T-2 through oral gavage for 2 weeks. The growth performance, liver histopathology, biochemical indicators, antioxidant capacity and hepatic damage-related genes of ducks were analyzed. The results revealed that 800 µg/kg T-2 inhibited the growth and feed intake of ducks, whereas liver index increased with the elevation of T-2 concentration. Histological examinations exhibited that T-2 caused hepatic cord disappeared and severe steatosis. Moreover, serum AST, ALT and TG were substantially higher in 400 μg/kg group, while γ-GT and ALB were reduced under 800 μg/kg T-2 exposure. In addition, significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver, decrease of hepatic total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were observed in all T-2 groups. Furthermore, T-2 disrupted lipid metabolism and oxidative stress-related genes expression in liver. The transcript level of fatty acid binding protein 1 (FABP1) was markedly raised in all T-2 groups, and hepatic acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) was significantly raised in 200 and 400 μg/kg T-2 groups. Under 800 μg/kg T-2, significant induction of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha, carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A (CPT1A), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1α), GPx1, catalase (CAT) mRNA levels were observed. Therefore, we conclude that T-2 caused liver injury through lipid metabolism disruption and oxidative stress in ducks, which reinforces understanding about the hepatoxicity mechanisms of T-2 and provides new targets for detoxication and prevention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study examines the impact of the combination of sitagliptin and L-theanine on the testis tissue of rats with experimental diabetes. Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic illness, significantly reduces quality of life and can cause male infertility by decreasing sperm count, motility, and testosterone levels. Rats were allocated to five separate groups: control, diabetes, L-theanine, sitagliptin, and combination therapy. The measurements encompassed blood glucose levels, body weight, serum insulin levels, and the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). The histological examination of testicular tissue was conducted using H&E, PASH, caspase-12, and PCNA staining techniques, in addition to a TUNEL assay to detect apoptosis. Levels of oxidative stress indicators, including glutathione peroxidase (GPX), malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase, were also evaluated. The results showed that the group of individuals with diabetes had significantly higher levels of blood glucose, apoptotic indices, GPX, catalase, and MDA levels and activities in comparison with the control group. Although both the L-theanine and sitagliptin groups exhibited some improvement, the combination therapy demonstrated the most significant decrease in histopathological damage and apoptotic markers. These results indicate that the combination of sitagliptin and L-theanine may significantly decrease testicular damage caused by diabetes, making it a promising therapeutic strategy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Harvested longan fruit is prone to pericarp browning, which restricts preservation quality and shortens fruit shelf life. The antioxidant system can defend against oxidative stress-mediated quality deterioration such as fruit browning. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) on anti-browning ability of longan fruit in association with redox metabolism. The results indicated that the application of 0.02% TBHQ significantly suppressed the progression of pericarp browning. In comparison with control, TBHQ treatment decreased the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), superoxide radical (O 2 - ⋅), and malondialdehyde, and retained high levels of ascorbic acid (AsA), glutathione (GSH), total phenolics as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging rate. Enhanced enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase, and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), but decreased activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase were also observed in TBHQ-treated fruit. Gene expression analysis indicated that redox metabolism-related genes, including DlSOD, DlCAT, DlGR, and DlAPX, were upregulated after TBHQ treatment. Correlation analysis suggested that antioxidants, including AsA, GSH, CAT, APX, SOD, and DHAR, were negatively correlated to reactive oxygen species production and percarp browning. These results suggest that TBHQ is effective in alleviating pericarp browning by increasing antioxidant capacity of longan fruit., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists.)

Present investigations were undertaken to record the vulnerability of testis to nickel oxide nano and microparticles in Wistar rat with special reference to their preferred bioaccumulation, consequent generation of reactive species, reciprocal influence on testosterone synthesis, DNA damage in spermatids and histopathological changes. Suitable numbers of rats were gavaged NiONPs or NiOMPs (5 mg/kg b.w.each) for 15 and 30 days. Testes en bloc were removed and processed for the estimation of selected parameters. Results showed that rat testes could accumulate nickel in an exposure time dependent manner. Generation of malondialdehyde, a denominator of ROS, increased significantly in the testes of NiONPs treated rats. Moreover, serum testosterone values also increased in NiONPs treated rats. Higher DNA damage in sperms was also recorded. Nano and microparticles of nickel, both could induce specific dose and time dependent lesions in the testis of rat. Histopathological results revealed degeneration of germinal epithelium and spermatocytes; hypertrophy of seminiferous tubules and necrosis. SEM results also indicated specific morphological changes in cellular components of tubules. This study suggests that testis is also vulnerable to the adverse effects of NiONPs alike liver and kidney. Both micro and nanoparticles of nickel elicited differential effects in a dose and exposure time dependent manner. However, NiONPs induced greater overall toxicity than NiOMPs. The results are expected to be helpful in determining the human reproductive health risks, associated with environmental/ occupational exposure to nanoparticles of nickel., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society for Reproductive Investigation.)

Acute kidney injury (AKI), with a high mortality and morbidity, is known as a risk factor for developing progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). Targeting transition of AKI to CKD displays an excellent therapeutic potential. This study aims at investigating the role of CGS-21680, selective A2AR agonist, in deferring Cis-induced AKI-CKD transition. The AKI-CKD transition model was induced in C57/BL6 mice by repeated low doses of Cis (2.5 mg/kg i.p for 5 consecutive days in two cycles with a recovery phase of 16 days between two cycles). CGS-21680 was administered daily for 6 weeks (0.1 mg/kg, i.p). Urine, blood, and kidney were collected at three different time points to track the disease progression. CGS-21680 administration preserved kidney function and attenuated tubular damage as evidenced by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) histopathology. CGS-21680 significantly restored oxidative status as reflected by reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC). CGS-21680 showed anti-inflammatory effect as indicated by decreased TNF-α and iNOS. Additionally, CGS-21680 ameliorated endothelial dysfunction and enhanced renal vasodilation as evidenced by upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) expression and down regulation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its receptor endothelin-A (ET-A) receptor expression. CGS-21680 also attenuated renal fibrosis as reflected by the reduction of percentage of fibrosis in Masson's trichome-stained renal sections and down regulation of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) protein expression in IHC-stained renal sections. In conclusion, CGS-21680 could defer Cis-induced AKI-CKD transition via its vasodilatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Despite advancements in healthcare and increased lifespan, aging populations face numerous challenges, including declining cognitive function, increased susceptibility to chronic diseases, and reduced quality of life. This study investigated Aging impaired Locomotors and Biochemical Activities in Drosophila melanogaster Oregon R (Fruit Fly) Model with the aim to elucidate the mechanism involved. Adult wild-type Drosophila melanogaster Oregon R was used for this study. Survival assay, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and total protein (TP) concentration were investigated. Data obtained were analyzed using R studio and GraphPad Prism. The result indicated low survival in male flies compared to female flies and the highest survival rate was observed with both flies reared together in the same vial. There was impaired locomotor activity in the flies with age. There was a significant decrease in the level of SOD, CAT, GSH and TP with age with a corresponding significant increase in the level of MDA. This finding demonstrated that locomotor activity decreased with aging with decrease performance index and also established the involvement of oxidation through the activities of antioxidant enzymes in aging; decreased (p < 0.05) concentration of antioxidant enzymes and increased (p < 0.05) lipid peroxidation. Also, it demonstrated that female species had longer lifespan compared to males while co-habiting of male and female species extended lifespan., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Acrylamide (ACR) is an obligate human neurotoxicant ubiquitously produced and found in foods processed at high temperature. There is an increasing public health concern regarding its probable carcinogenic potential. Its prevailing toxicity mechanism is oxidative inflammation and apoptosis. Herein, we explored whether thymoquinone (TQ), a bioactive quinone in Nigella sativa seed, could mitigate ACR-induced cerebellar toxicity in rats. Our study design featured four rat groups: control, TQ (5 mg/kg bw), ACR (50 mg/kg bw), and TQ + ACR (5 mg/kg + 50 mg/kg). After 14 days of respective treatments, cerebellar homogenate was used to estimate acetylcholinesterase activity (AchE) activity, antioxidant enzymes (catalase [CAT], superoxide dismutase [SOD], and glutathione peroxidase [GPx]), malondialdehyde (MDA), inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IL-4, and IL-10), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), caspase-3, and caspase-9. The level of DNA damage by fragmentation and histopathological lesions was also determined in the cerebellum. The rat exposure to ACR caused significant decreases in the cerebellar activities of AchE, CAT, SOD, and GPx, IL-4, IL-10, and expression of Nrf2, whereas the levels of MDA, IL-6, TNF-α, caspase-3, and caspase-9 were prominently increased compared with the control. ACR induced significant DNA fragments and cerebellar lesions when compared with the control. Contrarily, TQ treatment inhibited the depression of CAT, SOD, and GPx activities and reversed the MDA level and expression of Nrf2/NF-κB, cytokines, and caspases. These effects were confirmed by reduced DNA damage and cerebellar histopathological lesions in comparison with the ACR. TQ afforded neuroprotection via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic mechanisms in rats.

Prolonged or high-dose exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) can cause damage to normal tissues of the body. Therefore, it is imperative to find effective radiation protective agents to mitigate IR-induced damage. This study evaluated the effects of sodium alginate (SA) on the radiation protection and modulatory effects of gut microorganisms using a 60 Coγ-induced damage model in mice. Results showed that SA could reduce the damage of hematopoietic system; and alleviate the oxidative damage in irradiated mice by inhibiting the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in serum, spleen, jejunum and liver. Moreover, SA treatment ameliorated IR-induced small intestine lesions and alleviated liver injury. This was consistent with decreased levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and increased levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) after SA treatment. Furthermore, SA treatment reversed IR-induced gut dysbiosis, elevated the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, increased the beneficial bacteria and reduced the pathogenic bacteria in the small intestine. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that SA exerted good radioprotective effect by improving hematopoietic system, alleviating oxidative stress, attenuating liver injury and inflammatory response, and modulating the intestinal microbiota in irradiated mice., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Research Question: Can atorvastatin, with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties, improve ovarian function and follicular reserve in rats with cyclophosphamide-induced premature ovarian insufficiency (POI)?, Design: In this experimental study, 24 adult female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control; POI; POI + atorvastatin; and atorvastatin. After treatment with atorvastatin, serum concentrations of total antioxidant capacity, glutathione, malondialdehyde, FSH, oestradiol, anti-Müllerian hormone, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were evaluated. Additionally, mRNA and protein expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and VEGF-A; number of follicles; and total volume of the ovary, and volumes of the cortex and medulla were examined., Results: The results showed that serum concentrations of total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.001), glutathione, oestradiol and anti-Müllerian hormone (P < 0.05); mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF-A (P < 0.05); number of primordial and primary follicles (P < 0.001), and preantral and antral follicles (P < 0.01); and total volume of the ovary, and volume of the cortex (P < 0.05) increased significantly in the POI + atorvastatin group compared with the POI group. Serum concentrations of malondialdehyde, FSH, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6; and mRNA and protein expression of Bax decreased significantly in the POI + atorvastatin group compared with the POI group (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Atorvastatin reduces the detrimental effects of cyclophosphamide in the POI model significantly by reducing oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines; regulating the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and VEGF-A; and improving ovarian function and follicular reserve., (Copyright © 2024 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Soil salinization has been considered as a major environmental threat to plant growth. Different types of salt in saline soil have different effects on germination and seedling growth. Effect of NaCl on germination and seedling establishment in Suaeda liaotungensis have been reported, but its response to alkali stress remains unclear. Our results showed that brown seeds had higher germination rate, however, black seeds had higher germination recovery percentage under alkali stress. Na 2 CO 3 had stronger inhibitory effect on germination and seedling growth than NaHCO 3 . As the concentration of alkali stress increased, the ROS level of brown seeds gradually ascended, while that of black seeds decreased first and then ascended. MDA content of dimorphic seeds significantly increased under alkali stress. The trend of SOD, POD and CAT activity between dimorphic seeds was similar under the same type of alkali stress. Alkali stress enhanced proline content of dimorphic seeds, and dimorphic seeds in NaHCO 3 solution had higher proline content than Na 2 CO 3 solution. Moreover, radicle and shoot tolerance indexes of seedlings in NaHCO 3 solution were significantly higher than that of Na 2 CO 3 solution. Under strong alkali stress, seedlings in NaHCO 3 solution had significantly lower ROS level and MDA content as well as higher antioxidant enzyme activity than Na 2 CO 3 solution. This study comprehensively compared the morphological and physiological characteristics in germination and seedlings to better reveal the saline-alkali tolerance mechanisms in S. liaotungensis., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Botanical Society of Japan.)

Brain lipidic peroxidation is closely associated with the pathophysiology of various psychiatric diseases including depression. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a reactive aldehyde produced in lipid region, serves as a crucial biomarker for lipid peroxidation. However, techniques enabling real-time detection of MDA are still lacking due to the inherent trade-off between recognition dynamics and robustness. Inspired by the structure of phospholipid bilayers, amphiphilic carbon dots named as CG-CDs targeted to cell membrane are designed for real-time monitoring of MDA fluctuations. The design principle relies on the synergy of dynamic hydrogen bonding recognition and cell membrane targetability. The latter facilitates the insertion of CG-CDs into lipid regions and provides a hydrophobic environment to stabilize the labile hydrogen bonding between CG-CDs and MDA. As a result, recognition robustness and dynamics are simultaneously achieved for CG-CDs/MDA, allowing for in situ visualization of MDA kinetics in cell membrane due to the instant response (<5 s), high sensitivity (9-fold fluorescence enhancement), intrinsic reversibility (fluorescence on/off), and superior selectivity. Subsequently, CG-CDs are explored to visualize nerve cell membrane impairment in depression models of living cells and zebrafish, unveiling the extensive heterogeneity of the lipid peroxidation process and indicating a positive correlation between MDA levels and depression., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Objective: To investigate the correlation between oxidative stress in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and the clinical characteristics of severe MPP (SMPP) and refractory MPP (RMPP)., Methods: Clinical and BALF-related data were collected from 83 patients with MPP, of which 29 had SMPP and 54 had general MPP (GMPP); 37 patients were in the RMPP group and 46 in the non-RMPP group. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) as well as the activity levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in BALF were detected. Logistic regression analyses were performed on MDA, AOPP, SOD, GSH-PX, gender, heat peak, neutrophil percentage, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, d-dimer, lung consolidation, sputum embolus, and pleural effusion., Results: The levels of MDA and AOPP in the BALF of the MPP group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < .05), whereas SOD and GSH-PX levels were lower than those in the control group (p < .05). The BALF AOPP levels in the RMPP group were higher than those in the non-RMPP group, and the SOD and GSH-PX levels in the BALF were lower than those in the non-RMPP group; the difference was statistically significant (p < .05). The levels of MDA and AOPP in the BALF of children in the SMPP group were higher than those in the GMPP group, and the levels of SOD and GSH-PX were lower than those in the GMPP group, with statistically significant differences (p < .05). The C-index of the logistic regression model was 0.960 (95% confidence interval 0.958-0.963), which indicates that the model has good predictive ability., Conclusion: Advanced oxidation protein products may be a marker for predicting the conditions of SMPP and RMPP, and the prediction model can assess the risk of progression in children to RMPP, which is conducive to clinical diagnosis and treatment., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The impact of acute ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) stress on the antioxidant, immune, and metabolic capabilities of the liver in juvenile yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is not yet fully understood. This study set NH 3 -N concentrations at 0 (natural seawater, control group), 5, and 10 mg/L, and sampled the liver at 6, 24, and 36 h for analysis. As time progresses, NH 3 -N exposure leads to an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the relative expression levels of related genes, as well as the activity of immune enzymes and ATPase, decrease. The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) exhibit different fluctuation patterns. Low concentrations of NH 3 -N increase the activity of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GHS-PX) and the relative expression levels of the Na + K + -ATPase gene. The relative expression levels of the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6r) gene show a decreasing trend. High concentrations of NH 3 -N decrease the activity of CAT, GSH-PX, and the relative expression levels of related genes. When the NH 3 -N concentration is below 5 mg/L, the stress duration should not exceed 36 h. When the NH 3 -N concentration is between 5 and 10 mg/L, the stress duration should not exceed 24 h, otherwise, it will have a negative impact on the liver of the juvenile yellowfin tuna. This study provides scientific data for the artificial breeding and recirculating aquaculture of juvenile yellowfin tuna., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests. Zhenhua Ma reports financial support was provided by Hainan Major Science and Technology Project. Zhenhua Ma reports financial support was provided by Project of Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City. Zhenhua Ma reports financial support was provided by Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund. Zhenhua Ma reports financial support was provided by Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute. Zhengyi Fu reports financial support was provided by Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China. Zhenhua Ma reports financial support was provided by Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Stevia rebaudiana boasts a wide range of medical and food applications and contains polysaccharides that exert beneficial effects against oxidative stress. In this study, we optimised the extraction of a polysaccharide (SRRP) from S. rebaudiana roots by employing a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. The optimal extraction conditions were as follows: 93.57 min, 71.67 °C, and a water-to-raw material ratio of 21.40 mL/g. Under these conditions, 14.00 ± 0.35% of crude polysaccharide was obtained. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with SRRP prior to the addition of H 2 O 2 , a major contributor to oxidative damage, significantly increased cell viability. In addition, SRRP increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde in RAW264.7 cells. Therefore, SRRP can provide effective protection against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative damage. These findings indicate the potential of SRRP as a natural antioxidant in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and selenium (Se) on vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) nephropathy., Methods: A total of 44 rabbits in 7 groups, namely group 1 (Control), group 2 (VUR + sterile urine), group 3 (VUR + sterile urine + NAC), group 4 (VUR + sterile urine + Se), group 5 (VUR + infected urine), group 6 (VUR + infected urine + NAC) and group 7 (VUR + infected urine + Se), were used. 99m Tc Dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan (DMSA), cystogram and urine culture were performed both at the beginning and end of the study. Left VUR was created surgically, and E. coli was inoculated in infected urine groups. NAC and Se were administered daily for 21 days. Malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement, inflammatory response scores (IRSs), and cicatrization response scores (CRSs) in renal tissues were evaluated., Results: VUR did not reduce left renal uptake values in neither group 2 nor group 5. MDA levels of the left kidney were significantly higher in group 5 compared to group 1 (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in MDA levels between group 5 and group 6, and between group 5 and group 7. Left kidney IRSs were found to be higher in all other groups except group 2 compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Left kidney CRSs were significantly higher in group 5 compared to group 2 (p = 0.026), group 6 (p < 0.001) and group 7 (p = 0.006)., Conclusion: A decrease in renal functions was not observed in VUR, even if there was infection. When CRSs were evaluated, NAC and Se had protective effects in terms of scar formation in VUR nephropathy., Type of Study: Experimental animal study., Levels of Evidence: N/A., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Proteins and essential fatty acids are crucial components of the human diet. However, lipids and proteins are susceptible to oxidative modification during food processing resulting in changes to their structural characteristics and functional properties. Food products rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids are highly susceptible to lipid peroxidation and generate bifunctional reactive aldehydes. Bifunctional aldehydes such as malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), and 4-oxo-2-nonenal (4-ONE) readily bind to protein nucleophiles and lead to intra- or intermolecular protein cross-linking. In comparison with lipid oxidation, the degradation of proteins by prooxidants appears to be more intricate and results in a greater diversity of oxidation products. Although individual oxidation processes involving lipids and proteins received increasing attention in the past decades, the interactions between those aldehydes and protein oxidation in food have not been extensively explored. Studies indicate that the reactions of lipid and protein oxidation may take place simultaneously or independently, but oxidation products that arose from one reaction may further interact with lipids or proteins. The present review presents a perspective on reactive aldehydes and the role of aldehydes in inducing protein oxidation in muscle foods. Emphasis is focused on the interaction mechanism of the lipid, protein, and myoglobin protein oxidations. In addition, the occurrence of aldehydes derived from lipid oxidation in food systems as well as the endogenous antioxidant peptides or amino acids in meat and plant proteins are also briefly described.

This study examined the impact of dietary guanidino acetic acid (GAA) and rumen-protected methionine (RPM) on beef quality in Simmental bulls. For 140 days, forty-five bulls (453.43 ± 29.05 kg) were randomly divided into control (CON), 0.1% GAA (GAA), and 0.1% GAA + 0.1% RPM (GAM) groups with 15 bulls in each group and containing 3 pen with 5 bulls in each pen. Significant improvements in eye muscle area, pH 48h , redness (a*) value, and crude protein (CP) content of longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles were observed in the GAA and GAM groups (P < 0.05). Conversely, the lightness (L*) value, drip loss, cooking loss, and moisture contents decreased (P < 0.05). Additionally, glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-P X ) concentrations of LL muscles in GAM were higher (P < 0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) content of LL muscles in GAA and GAM groups were lower (P < 0.05). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) profiles were enriched in beef from GAM group (P < 0.05). The addition of GAA and RPM affected the expression of genes in LL muscle, such as HMOX1, EIF4E, SCD5, and NOS2, which are related to hypoxia metabolism, protein synthesis, and unsaturated fatty acid synthesis-related signaling pathways. In addition, GAA and RPM also affected the content of a series of metabolites such as L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, and PC (O-16:0/0:0) involved in amino acid and lipid metabolism-related signaling pathways. In summary, GAA and RPM can improve the beef quality and its nutritional composition. These changes may be related to changes in gene expression and metabolic pathways related to protein metabolism and lipid metabolism in beef., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Nickel phytotoxicity has been attributed, among others, to oxidative stress. However, little is known about Ni-induced phospholipid modifications, including the oxidative ones. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidative enzyme activities, malondialdehyde and the early lipid oxidation products contents, membrane permeability, phospholipid profile as well as phospholipid unsaturation degree were studied in the 1st and the 2nd leaves of hydroponically grown cucumber seedlings subjected to Ni stress. Compared to the 2nd leaf the 1st one showed stronger visual Ni toxicity symptoms, higher Ni, O 2 .- and H 2 O 2 accumulation as well as greater enhancement in membrane permeability. Enzyme activities were differently influenced by Ni stress, however most pronounced changes were generally found in the 1st leaf. Ni treatment resulted in oxidation of leaf lipids, which was evidenced by appearance of increased contents of MDA and the early produced oxylipins. Among the latter 9-hydroxyoctadecatrienoic acid (9-HOTrE) and 13-hydroxyoctadecatrienoic acid (13-HOTrE) contents showed the most pronounced increase in response to Ni treatment. Exposure to the metal led to the changes in the leaf phospholipid profile and increased degree of phospholipid unsaturation. The obtained results have been discussed in relation to the difference in Ni stress severity between the 1st and the 2nd leaves., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Blueberries are vulnerable to chilling injury (CI). This can lead to limited longevity when they are subjected to cold storage conditions. This study investigated the effectiveness of a preharvest spray containing 0.02% hexanal in reducing CI and improving the postharvest storage quality of 'Star' and 'Biloxi' blueberries. The blueberries were stored for a period of 5 weeks at 2 °C and in 90% relative humidity (RH). The findings revealed that the preharvest hexanal spraying of both cultivars delayed senescence by mitigating CI, as evidenced by the bolstering of the antioxidant defense system through increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzyme activity. The treated fruit also maintained elevated levels of total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), and vitamin C, demonstrating enhanced free radical scavenging capacity (FRSC), while exhibiting reduced polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), and H 2 O 2 content in comparison with the control group. The preharvest hexanal treatment also suppressed fruit softening by maintaining greater firmness and higher membrane stability index (MSI) scores, inhibiting the activity of polygalacturonase (PG), pectinmethylesterase (PME), xylanase, and α-amylase, and reducing microbial counts (MC) and incidence of decay (DI) in comparison with the control. Preharvest hexanal treatment also improved the overall storage quality by reducing weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, and the TSS/acid ratio, while increasing titratable acidity (TA) in comparison with the control during cold storage. The findings suggest that hexanal, as a preharvest application, delays senescence effectively and preserves overall quality by enhancing cold tolerance through antioxidant defense mechanisms in blueberry storage under cold conditions. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Portal hypertension leads to lethal complications in liver cirrhosis. Oxidative stress induced hepatic vascular dysfunction, which exaggerated vasoconstriction and increases hepatic vascular resistance (HVR). Gut dysbiosis further exacerbates portal hypertension. Fructooligosaccharides are prebiotics with potent antioxidant effect. This study aimed to evaluate the roles of fructooligosaccharides in portal hypertension-related vascular dysregulation and gut microbiome., Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats received bile duct ligation to induce cirrhosis or sham operation as controls. The rats then randomly received fructooligosaccharides or vehicle for 4 weeks. Experiments were performed on the 29th day after operations., Results: Fructooligosaccharides did not affect portal pressure. Interestingly, fructooligosaccharides significantly attenuated HVR (p = .03). Malondialdehyde, an oxidative stress marker, reduced significantly in the liver in fructooligosaccharides-treated group. In addition, superoxide dismutase and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity increased in the treatment group. On the other hand, vasodilatation-related protein expressions, GTPCH and phospho-eNOS, enhanced significantly. Fructooligosaccharides had no adverse vasodilatation effects on splanchnic vascular system or porto-systemic collateral systems. Locomotor function was not affected by fructooligosaccharides. Faecal microbiota analysis showed that Negativicutes, Selenomonadales and Lactobacillus salivarius reduced in the fructooligosaccharides-treated group., Conclusion: In conclusion, fructooligosaccharides attenuate hepatic vascular dysfunction in cirrhotic rats via at least partly, ameliorate of dysbiosis and oxidative stress., (© 2024 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In this study, water-soluble polysaccharides purified from burdock root were used to intervene in carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced acute liver injury (ALI) of BRL3A hepatocytes and rats. Our results indicated that CCl 4 significantly inhibited hepatocyte viability and upregulated the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), and the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. However, Arctium lappa L. root polysaccharides (ALP) could effectively ameliorate liver function and histopathology, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers. In addition, ALP reduced the expression of apoptotic markers and promoted the proliferation of damaged hepatocytes. In conclusion, ALP possesses a hepatoprotective effect mediated by attenuating oxidative damage, inflammation and apoptosis in ALI.