Citric Acid Levels Research Articles

Tapered Fiber Sensor for Citric Acid Detection

For many industries, the ability to distinguish between different solution concentrations is crucial. Modern sensors necessitate a labour-intensive and difficult approach. These problems are addressed by tapered fibre optic sensors. This fibre can be used as citric acid sensors because to its effectiveness, high sensitivity, stability, compact size, low cost, and tolerance to electromagnetic interference. The use of a tapered single-mode fibre sensor to monitor citric acid levels in deionized water is presented in this research. With increasing citric acid content, the wavelength shift of light transmitted from the fibre sensor is tracked and studied. Using a heat-pulling technique, the tapered fiber's waist diameter is reduced to 6 m. As the solution concentration increased from 400 ppm to 700 ppm, the wavelength shifted to the right, from 1524.86 nm to 1530 nm, with a sensitivity of 0.0169 nm/ppm and a linearity of 93%. This sensor has the benefits of being simple to use, inexpensive, and responsive.

Citric Acid Production by Aspergillus niger Using Solid-State Fermentation of Agricultural Processing Coproducts

The ability of Aspergillus niger strains to support citric acid production using solid-state fermentation of agricultural processing coproducts was examined in this review. Citric acid has been shown to have a number of commercial applications in the food and beverage industries. The A. niger strains capable of elevated citric acid production are known to contain genetic mutations that stimulate overproduction of the organic acid likely involving citric acid cycle reactions. The agricultural processing coproducts previously examined for their ability to support citric acid production by A. niger solid-state fermentation include fruit processing wastes, sugarcane bagasse, starch vegetable processing wastes and cereal grain processing coproducts. A comparison of citric acid production by A. niger strains using solid-state fermentation demonstrated that certain agricultural processing coproducts were more effective in supporting a high level of acid synthesis. In particular, fruit processing wastes, such as apple pomace, banana peels, grape pomace and orange peels, supported high levels of citric acid by the fungal strains following solid-state fermentation. On the other hand, processing coproducts of cereal grains, such as brans and ethanol processing coproducts, supported low levels of citric acid production by the A. niger strains using solid-state fermentation. It appeared that the cereal processing coproducts provided less available sugar content to support citric acid production by the fungal strains. It was concluded that the level of citric acid produced by the A. niger strains during solid-state fermentation was dependent on the sugar content of the agricultural processing coproduct utilized.

Cross-sectional evaluation of gut microbial-host co-metabolites in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

Gut bacteria facilitate nutrient metabolism and generate small molecules that form part of the broader "metabolome." It is unclear whether these metabolites are disturbed during chronic pancreatitis. This study aimed to evaluate the gut microbial-host co-metabolites and the relationship between them in patients with chronic pancreatitis. We collected fecal samples from 40 patients with chronic pancreatitis and 38 healthy family members with each sample undergoing 16S rRNA gene profiling and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry , to estimate the relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa between the two groups and to profile any changes in the metabolome, respectively. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate differences in metabolites and bacteria between the two groups. The abundance of Actinobacteria was lower at the phylum level, and that of Bifidobacterium was lower at the genus level in the chronic pancreatitis group metabolites had a significantly different. Oxoadipic acid and citric acid levels were positively correlated with Bifidobacterium abundance (Spearman's r = 0.306, and r = 0.33, respectively, p < 0.05),and the 3-methylindole concentration was negatively correlated with Bifidobacterium abundance (r = -0.252, p = 0.026). Gut microbiome and host microbiome metabolic products might be altered in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Evaluating gastrointestinal tract metabolite levels in this regard may further enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis and/or progression of chronic pancreatitis.

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomic analysis reveals the effects of asomate on the citrus fruit

The regulation of the sugar-acid ratio is of great significance to the improvement of citrus fruit quality. The citric acid level in fruit is influenced by many factors. Among them, cultivar selection and production practices are the most important strategies under the grower's control. In recent years, an arsenic-containing preparation called “Tianmisu”, with the main ingredient of asomate, has occasionally been reported to be used in citrus cultivation to improve the sweetness of fruits. In order to reveal the effects of the pesticide on citrus fruits, ‘Harumi’ tangor was treated with “Tianmisu”, and the impact of this pesticide on fruit quality and metabolites was investigated through UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomic analysis. Compared with the control, the concentration of titratable acidity, in particular citric acid, in the pulp of ‘Harumi’ tangor treated with the pesticide, was significantly reduced by 60.5%. The differences in metabolites between the pesticide-treated samples and the control were illustrated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). The PLS-DA analysis demonstrated a clear discrimination, with R2Y and Q2 values of 0.982 and 0.933 in the positive mode and 0.984 and 0.900 in the negative mode, respectively. A total of 155 compounds were identified, and 63 characteristic components were screened out from the pesticide-treated samples compared to the control. Aside from the upregulation observed for a few metabolites, the majority of the compounds, including citric acid and various lipids, were down-regulated in the treated citrus fruits compared to the control. This study can serve as a basis for understanding the regulatory mechanism of organic acids in citrus and will be helpful in developing different strategies to improve citrus quality.

Use of phytase and citric acid supplementation on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings fed on canola meal based diet.

Fishmeal; being a limited and costly feed ingredient is continuously been substituted with locally available plant proteins. However, the occurrence of anti-nutritional factors in plant meal suppresses its potential to be fully replaced. Therefore, in this study we aimed to study the synergistic effects of dietary additives like citric acid and phytase enzyme supplementation on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings. Canola meal (CM) was used as a test ingredient to replace fishmeal (FM) as; 0%, 25%, 50% and 75%. These four diets were further supplemented by varying levels of phytase (0 and 750 FTU kg-1) and citric acid (0% and 2.5%) to formulate total sixteen test diets as T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, T12, T13, T14, T15 and T16. Each treatment contained three replicates; applied to fish groups having 15 fingerlings each; following 3×3 factorial arrangement. 1% of chromic oxide was added as an inert marker. Maximum weight gain% (288%) and the lowest value of FCR (1.07) were recorded when fish was fed on diet T12 as compared to fish fed control diet (T1). Similarly, optimum nutrient digestibility values such as crude protein (77%), crude fat (84%) and gross energy (70%) were noted on same level. It was concluded that 50% canola meal can optimally replace fishmeal when supplemented with phytase and citric acid at the levels of 750 FTU kg-1 and 2.5%, respectively.

Wild soybean salt tolerance metabolic model: Assessment of storage protein mobilization in cotyledons and C/N balance in the hypocotyl/root axis.

Salt stress has become one of the main factors limiting crop yield in recent years. The post-germinative growth is most sensitive to salt stress in soybean. In this study, cultivated and wild soybeans were used for an integrated metabonomics and transcriptomics analysis to determine whether wild soybean can resist salt stress by maintaining the mobilization of stored substances in cotyledons and the balance of carbon and nitrogen in the hypocotyl/root axis (HRA). Compared with wild soybean, the growth of cultivated soybean was significantly inhibited during the post-germinative growth period under salt stress. Integrating analysis found that the breakdown products of proteins, such as glutamate, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and asparagine, increased significantly in wild soybean cotyledons. Asparagine synthase and fumarate hydratase genes and genes encoding HSP20 family proteins were specifically upregulated. In wild soybean HRA, levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, asparagine, citric acid, and succinic acid increased significantly, and the glutamate decarboxylase gene and the gene encoding carbonic anhydrase in nitrogen metabolism were significantly upregulated. The metabolic model indicated that wild soybean enhanced the decomposition of stored proteins and the transport of amino acids to the HRA in cotyledons and the GABA shunt to maintain carbon and nitrogen balance in the HRA to resist salt stress. This study provided a theoretical basis for cultivating salt-tolerant soybean varieties and opened opportunities for the development of sustainable agricultural practices.

Effect of Lactobacillus coryniformis FZU63 on the flavor quality of black tea beverage

The tea beverages will be endowed with distinct aroma and taste, as well as various biologically active compounds including probiotic factors, when fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). However, at present, few studies on the dynamics of flavors in tea soup at different fermentation stages were conducted. In this study, the composition of monosaccharides, aromatic components, free amino acids, and organic acids were measured, when the black tea beverages were fermented with Lactobacillus coryniformis FZU63 which was isolated from Chinese traditional kimchi. The results indicated that monosaccharides including glucose, fructose, mannose and xylose in black tea beverages are the main carbon sources for fermentation. In addition, the abundance of aromatic compounds in black tea soup are increased significantly at different fermentation stages, which endow the fermented black tea soup with fruit aroma on the basis of flowery and nutty aroma. Moreover, some bitter amino acids are reduced, whereas the content of sweet and tasty amino acids is elevated. Furthermore, the levels of lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid and other organic acids are accumulated during the fermentation. Additionally, sensory evaluation displays that black tea beverage is acquired with comprehensive high-quality after being fermented for 48 h. This study provides a theoretical basis to steer and control the flavor formation and quality of the fermented tea beverages during LAB fermentation.

Agmatine Administration Effects on Equine Gastric Ulceration and Lameness.

Osteoarthritis (OA) accounts for up to 60% of equine lameness. Agmatine, a decarboxylated arginine, may be a viable option for OA management, based on reports of its analgesic properties. Six adult thoroughbred horses, with lameness attributable to thoracic limb OA, received either daily oral phenylbutazone (6.6 mg/kg), agmatine sulfate (25 mg/kg) or a control for 30 days, with 21-day washout periods between treatments. Subjective lameness, thoracic limb ground reaction forces (GRF), plasma agmatine and agmatine metabolite levels were evaluated using an established rubric, a force platform, and mass spectrometry, respectively, before, during and after each treatment period. Gastric ulceration and plasma chemistries were evaluated before and after treatments. Braking GRFs were greater after 14 and 29 days of agmatine compared to phenylbutazone administration. After 14 days of phenylbutazone administration, vertical GRFs were greater than for agmatine or the control. Glandular mucosal ulcer scores were lower after agmatine than phenylbutazone administration. Agmatine plasma levels peaked between 30 and 60 min and were largely undetectable by 24 h after oral administration. In contrast, plasma citric acid levels increased throughout agmatine administration, representing a shift in the metabolomic profile. Agmatine may be a viable option to improve thoracic limb GRFs while reducing the risk of glandular gastric ulceration in horses with OA.

Mechanism of timosaponin AⅢ in regulation of metabolism against glioblastoma growth

Non-targeted metabonomics was used to investigate the metabolite changes in the glioblastoma orthotopic tumor-bearing mice after timosaponin AⅢ(TIA) intervention to explore the metabolic relevant mechanism of glioblastoma and TIA intervention. The mice were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, and a TIA group. HPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap Elite liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to detect the metabolite changes in the serum of rats in the three groups after treatment for 4 weeks. Principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were performed on the metabolites, and the differential metabolites were selected based on VIP values and P values(P&lt;0.05). The results showed that TIA significantly inhibited the in vivo glioblastoma growth, but it had limited influence on body weight. Serum samples were clearly distinguishable among groups. As compared with the blank group, six metabolites including ceramide, succinic acid, α-ketoglutarate acid(αKG), citric acid, indophenol sulfate, and 3 a, 6 b, 7 b-trihydroxy-5 b-cholic acid in the model group significantly decreased. As compared with the model group, five metabolites except phenol sulfate, PC[20:4(5Z,7E,11Z,14Z)-OH(9)/diMe(9,3)], o-palmitoyl carnitine, α-ketoglutarate acid, and citric acid in the TIA group significantly increased. According to the MetaboAnalyst enrichment analysis, the metabolic pathways were enriched in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamate metabolism. These results show that during the glioblastoma growth process, the metabolites including αKG and citric acid are down-regulated, and TIA exerts the anti-glioblastoma growth effect through the regulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle, and alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamate metabolism to elevate the levels of αKG, citric acid, and other metabolites.

Avaliação de componentes bioquímicos e eletrolíticos do sêmen de ovinos suplementados com diferentes concentrações de selênio e sua correlação com a qualidade espermática

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to evaluate whether supplementation with different levels of selenium (Se) can change the biochemical and electrolytic components of semen, causing an improvement in seminal quality in rams. Thirty animals were kept in an intensive pen system, fed with hay and commercial ration, allocated into five groups (six animals/pen) and supplemented with a mineral mixture containing 0mg (G1), 5mg (G2), 10mg (G3), 15mg (G4) and 20mg (G5) of Se/kg. Each group received a different treatment every 56 days and treatments were rotated between groups following a dynamic sequence. Semen samples were collected by electroejaculation after the end of each treatment to evaluate the levels of fructose, citric acid, potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), Se, zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), sulfur (S) and lead (Pb). The statistical design was a 5x5 Latin square. The different levels of Se supplementation evaluated maintained the concentrations of electrolytes and minerals in the semen at the required levels and did not change the sperm quality, concluding that higher intakes of Se do not cause antagonistic effects on the absorption and subsequent action of other essential minerals supplied to the animals and still maintains electrolyte balance.

Zuogui-Jiangtang-Qinggan-Fang alleviates high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by modulating gut microbiome-metabolites-short chain fatty acid composition

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis is affected by dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and the metabolites it generates. Therefore, restoring the equilibrium between the gut microbiome and the generated metabolites may have therapeutic potential for the syndrome. Zuogui Jiangtang Qinggan Fang (ZGJTQGF) is a Chinese herbal formulation used clinically to treat type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) and fatty liver disease. However, its pharmacological mechanisms have not been well characterized. This work aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective mechanism of ZGJTQGF in T2DM with NAFLD mice by incorporating gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids（SCFAs）, and metabolomic analysis, and then to provide strong support for clinical treatment of T2DM with NAFLD. The sequencing of 16 S rRNA revealed that ZGJTQGF therapy modified the composition and abundance of the gut microbiome, raised the level of SCFAs, and restored the intestinal mucosal barrier. The non-targeted metabolomic analysis of liver tissues identified 212 compounds, of which108 were differentially expressed between the HFD and ZGJTQGF groups. Moreover, L-glutamic acid, L-Phenylalanine, Glycine, Taurine, Deoxycholic acid, and citric acid levels were also considerably altered by ZGJTQGF. Our findings suggest that ZGJTQGF ameliorates HFD-induced hepatic steatosis by modulating the gut microbiota composition and its metabolites and boosting the levels of SCFAs. More notably, ZGJTQGF may be a promising medication for preventing and treating NAFLD.

Effects of citric acid supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology and microbiota, and blood parameters of geese from 1 to 28 days of age

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of citric acid (CA) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal microbiota, and blood parameters of geese from 1 to 28 d of age and evaluate the optimum additional level of citric acid. A total of 180 one-day-old male goslings were randomly allotted to 5 treatment groups of 36 birds with 6 replications. The control group was fed a basal diet, and the other groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00% of citric acid, respectively. The results showed that goslings fed the diet supplemented with 1.00% CA had higher final body weight (FBW) and average daily gain (ADG) than other groups (P < 0.05). The CA supplementation at 0.25 to 1.00% improved the morphology of duodenum or jejunum (P < 0.05). The jejunal content pH value was significantly reduced with the addition of CA compared with the control group (P < 0.05). As citric acid levels increased, the IgA concentrations in plasma increased and then decreased, and the goslings fed 1.00% CA supplementation had the highest IgA concentrations (P < 0.05). The supplementation of 1.00% and 2.00% CA in diet significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found on some indices related to liver function in plasma (P > 0.05), while creatinine significantly increased by the 2.00% CA supplementation (P < 0.05). Besides, the higher Coliform level in cecal content and worse intestinal morphology were observed when CA supplementation was up to 2.00%. Hence, the dietary CA supplementation (especially 1.00%) in goslings improves the growth performance, intestinal morphology, immunity and antioxidant, while excessive CA addition may cause negative effects. According to the quadratic polynomial model, the addition of CA in diet for obtaining maximum average daily feed intake (ADFI) should be 1.09% (10.9 g/kg diet) for goslings from 1 to 28 d of age.

Seminal fructose and citric acid concentrations relative to sperm parameters among men for fertility evaluation in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Aim: Given the male infertility’s pluri-etiological nature, thorough examinations are needed for its evaluation. Fructose and citric acid are simple biomolecules, easy to assay, which provide reliable information on the seminal vesicles and prostate, respectively. This study aimed to compare the seminal fructose and citric acid levels in men undergoing fertility evaluation and determine the relation between these markers and sperm parameters. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on consenting male participants. Following 2010 seminal fluid analysis (SFA) manual of World Health Organization (WHO), semen samples were analyzed for several sperm parameters, seminal fructose and citric acid. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 24.0 software. Significant statistical difference was considered at P &lt; 0.05. Results: There is no significant difference between seminal fructose and citric acid levels amongst men with normal and abnormal sperm parameters as median seminal fructose and citric acid levels were 11.1 (7.4–17.1) mg/mL and 11.4 (7.3–15.2) mg/mL respectively (P ≥ 0.05). However, a high level of fructose was observed in the two groups according to the reference value. The study revealed a significant positive correlation between seminal fructose levels and semen volume (coefficient rho = 0.663; P = 0.001) and between seminal citric acid levels and semen volume (coefficient rho = 0.319; P = 0.004). Conclusions: These biomarkers secretions can serve as markers of the state of their respective secreting glands and hence play a vital role in the investigation of male infertility.

The impact of asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 on sperm characteristics

Background: Although the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is characterized by mostly mild and asymptomatic cases (more than 80%), it appears important to assess the potential risks for the male reproductive system, in particular, for the parameters of the sperm. Aim: To study the effect of a mild and asymptomatic course of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) on the male sperm's parameters. Methods: The study included 397 patients who applied for a spermogram. All the patients underwent a spermogram study according to the WHO protocol, with the additionally measured degree of sperm DNA fragmentation, acrosine activity, fructose level, zinc level, citric acid level, neutral-glucosidase activity. A test for sperm binding to hyaluronic acid (HBA test) was performed, and the serum antibodies (IgM and IgG) against SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed. The study was conducted twice with an interval of 35 months. Results: At the first examination, normozoospermia was found in 33.5% (n=133) of patients, pathospermia in 66.5% (n=264). All the patients had no antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). When the analysis was repeated after 35 months, antibodies (IgG) against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 144 patients: in 14.6% (n=21) the coronavirus infection was mild, and in 85.4% (n=123) it was asymptomatic. Those patients who received some type of a treatment (andrologic, anticovid, and/or other) were excluded from the further study. The subsequent analysis of the data from the untreated patients (131 patients without antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and 93 patients with antibodies (IgG) against SARS-CoV-2) was performed using the Student's paired test. For all the parameters of the standard spermogram according to the WHO protocol, the found changes after the mild and asymptomatic form of COVID-19 were not statistically significant. Also, the changes in the degree of fragmentation of sperm DNA, the enzymatic activity of acrosine, and other estimated parameters of the sperm (levels of fructose, citric acid, zinc, and the activity of neutral-glucosidase) were not statistically significant. The results of the test for the spermatozoa's interaction with hyaluronic acid (HBA test) worsened and had statistically significant differences after the coronavirus infection in both the mild form (p=0.006) and asymptomatic form (p=0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in the sperm parameters (including those from the HBA test) in the patients who had not had the new coronavirus infection. Conclusions: No statistically significant data were obtained on the effect of mild and asymptomatic forms of the course of the new coronavirus infection on the parameters of the standard spermogram, on the degree of fragmentation of spermatozoa's DNA and the enzymatic activity of acrosin. Mild and asymptomatic forms of the new coronavirus infection course can negatively affect the interaction of spermatozoa with hyaluronic acid (HBA test), that indicates the impairment of the spermatozoa binding to the zona pellucida. One should pay attention to the HBA test when examining the sperm of patients who have suffered the new coronavirus infection.

CONTENT AND COMPOSITION OF SUGARS AND ORGANIC ACIDS IN STRAWBERRIES, GROWN IN THE RIGHT-BANK FOREST- STEPPE ZONE OF UKRAINE

Garden strawberry is a valuable berry crop in Ukraine, the harmonious taste of its berries depends on the ratio of sugars and organic acids. Among the factors affecting the quantitative and qualitative composition of sugars and organic acids in berries, the area of cultivation and the pomological variety are distinguished. The article presents the results of studies of strawberry berries of Dukat, Honey and Polka varieties grown in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine for the content and composition of sugars and organic acids using the methods of high-performance liquid chromatography on an Agilent Technologies chromatograph (model 1100) using a carbohydrate chromatographic column size 7,8×300 mm, "Supelcogel-C610H". It was found that the sugar content in strawberry berries of the Dukat, Honey and Polka varieties during the research period ranged from 5.0 to 8.6%. Berries of the Honey variety were distinguished by a significantly higher level of sugars – 8.6%. The content of reducing sugars in berries, according to the average data, was 4.9-7.7%. Among the investigated varieties, Polka berries had the lowest minimum amount of reducing sugars – 3.2%. The mass fraction of fructose was 2.1-4.4%, which is 42.0-51.1% of the sum of sugars, while glucose was 1.1-3.5% (22.0-40.7%) for a small amount of sucrose - 0.3-1.3, which is 6.0-15.1% of the total sugar content in berries. According to the results of the dispersion analysis, no significant influence of the pomological variety of berries on the content of reducing sugars was found. The mass fraction of organic acids in the berries of three strawberry varieties during the research period fluctuated within the limits 0.9-1.4% and significantly depended on the pomological variety of berries. The maximum amount of organic acids was found in Dukat berries - 1.4%. Organic acids in strawberries are represented by citric and malic acids with the dominance of citric acid – 57.0-68.1% of the total acid content. A higher level of citric acid was noted in strawberry berries of the Honey variety, while berries of the Ducat variety were distinguished by the level of apple acid. The sugar-acid index in all studied varieties of strawberry exceeded the value of 5.3, which made it possible to determine the taste of the berries as sweet and sour. In berries of the Dukat variety, it was lower due to the high content of organic acids.

Bioactive Compounds, Nutritional Quality and Antioxidant Capacity of the Red-Fleshed Kirkwood Navel and Ruby Valencia Oranges.

Kirkwood Navel and Ruby Valencia are two spontaneous bud-mutations of the ordinary Washington Navel and Valencia late oranges characterized by the red coloration of their flesh. The purpose of this study was to analyze the physiological features, internal fruit quality, contents of relevant bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in the pulps of the red-fleshed fruits compared with the ordinary oranges during late development and maturation. In general, the content of sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, tocopherols, total phenolics and flavonoids, the hydrophilic antioxidant capacity and their changes during maturation were similar in the red-fleshed oranges and in the corresponding blond oranges. However, the mature Ruby fruits contained lower concentrations of sugars, malic and succinic acid and higher levels of citric acid than the ordinary Valencia. The major difference between the pulps of the Kirkwood and Ruby oranges and those of the ordinary oranges was the higher lipophilic antioxidant capacity and SOAC (singlet oxygen absorption capacity) of the former. Together, the high and unique content and composition of carotenoids in Kirkwood and Ruby may contribute to an enhanced antioxidant capacity without any detrimental effects on other fruit-quality attributes, making these varieties good sources of phytochemicals for the fresh-fruit and juice-processing citrus industries.

The Changes in Yield Response Factor, Water Use Efficiency, and Physiology of Sunflower Owing to Ascorbic and Citric Acids Application Under Mild Deficit Irrigation

Under arid and semi-arid climates, adopting the appropriate tools for alleviating water deficit impacts is a critical factor that affects the physiological characteristics and yield of sunflower. Therefore, in order to find promising field practices in sunflower cultivation, the strip plots design in randomized complete block arrangement was used to examine the effects of two irrigation regimes as 100% (FI) and 85% (DI) of crop evapotranspiration and five antioxidant treatments on physiological and agronomic traits, yield response factor, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) of sunflower. The antioxidant treatments involved two rates of ascorbic acid (150 and 300 mg L−1) and two rates of citric acid (250 and 500 mg L−1), in addition to the check treatment (tap water). The study was conducted for two growing seasons of 2019 and 2020 at the Experimental Farm of Ain Shams University, Egypt, located in a semi-arid environment. Findings showed that exogenous application of higher rate of ascorbic acid, i.e. 300 mg L−1 with FI exhibited the highest increase of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and the lowest proline content compared to other interaction treatments. Seed yield was significantly higher with FI plus ascorbic acid 300 mg L−1 and DI plus ascorbic acid 300 mg L−1 treatments than with their counterpart check treatment in both growing seasons. Under DI, IWUE was improved with antioxidant-treated plants compared to untreated plants. Yield response factor as an indicator of crop tolerance to drought was higher than the unit (> 1) under all ascorbic acid and citric acid levels. It could be concluded that ascorbic acid and citric acids partially mitigated the reductions in growth and yield caused by low water supply. However, yield response factor demonstrated that the crop is still sensitive to drought. Thus, other applicable patterns should be adopted to increase the yield potential of sunflower for counteracting the adverse impacts of drought.

Effect of Citric Acid and Mowing on Enhancing the Remediation of Cadmium Contaminated Soil by Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum)

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of citric acid application and mowing frequency on the remediation of cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil by napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum). Three levels of citric acid were divided into three applications of 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mmol·kg-1. The mowing frequency of the plants was divided into no mowing, one mowing, and two mowing treatments. The results showed that:① 1.25 mmol·kg-1 citric acid increased the biomass of the upper part of the plant by 39.11% with one mowing, and multiple mowing treatments and high citric acid application were not beneficial to the biomass increase. ② Both citric acid application and mowing had the effect of increasing the Cd content in stems and leaves, and Cd content in stems harvested in the last mown crop was larger and increased by approximately six times under the 5 mmol·kg-1 citric acid application. ③ Citric acid application and mowing reduced the rhizosphere soil pH and organic matter and also reduced the total soil Cd content and TCLP-Cd content by a maximum of 14.29% and 10.17%, respectively. ④ Under the 1.25 mmol·kg-1citric acid application and one mowing treatment (L1), the best Cd extraction by Napier grass was achieved with 6.95 mg·plant-1 of above-ground parts, accounting for 9.38% of the total Cd content in the potted test soil. Therefore, the L1 treatment can be considered to improve the remediation efficiency when using napier grass to remediate Cd-contaminated soil in the future.

Predicting Mandarin Fruit Acceptability: From High-Field to Benchtop NMR Spectroscopy.

Recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have led to the development of low-field benchtop NMR systems with improved sensitivity and resolution suitable for use in research and quality-control laboratories. Compared to their high-resolution counterparts, their lower purchase and running costs make them a good alternative for routine use. In this article, we show the adaptation of a method for predicting the consumer acceptability of mandarins, originally reported using a high-field 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, to benchtop 60 MHz NMR systems. Our findings reveal that both instruments yield comparable results regarding sugar and citric acid levels, leading to the development of virtually identical predictive linear models. However, the lower cost of benchtop NMR systems would allow cultivators to implement this chemometric-based method as an additional tool for the selection of new cultivars.

High serum levels of L-carnitine and citric acid negatively correlated with alkaline phosphatase are detectable in Koreans before gastric cancer onset.

Monitoring metabolic biomarkers could be utilized as an effective tool for the early detection of gastric cancer (GC) risk. We aimed to discover predictive serum biomarkers for GC and investigate biomarker-related metabolism. Subjects were randomly selected from the Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II cohort and matched by age and sex. We analyzed baseline serum samples of 160 subjects (discovery set; control and GC occurrence group, 80 each) via nontargeted screening. Identifiedputative biomarkers were validated in baseline serum samples of 140 subjects (validation set; control and GC occurrence group, 70 each) using targeted metabolites analysis. The final analysis was conducted on the discovery set (control, n = 52 vs. GC occurrence, n = 50) and the validation set (control, n = 43 vs. GC occurrence, n = 44) applying exclusion conditions. Eighteen putative metabolite sets differed between two groups found on nontargeted metabolic screening. We focused on fatty acid-related energy metabolism. In targeted analysis, levels of decanoyl-L-carnitine (p = 0.019), L-carnitine (p = 0.033), and citric acid (p = 0.025) were significantly lower in the GC occurrence group, even after adjusting for age, sex, and smoking status. Additionally, L-carnitine and citric acid were confirmed to have an independently significant relationship to GC development. Notably, alkaline phosphatase showed a significant correlation with these two biomarkers. Changes in serum L-carnitine and citric acid levels that may result from alterations of fatty-acid-related energy metabolism are expected to be valuable biomarkers for the early diagnosis of GC risk.