Citrus Research Articles

Object Detection Algorithm for Citrus Fruits Based on Improved YOLOv5 Model

To address the challenges of missed and false detections in citrus fruit detection caused by environmental factors such as leaf occlusion, fruit overlap, and variations in natural light in hilly and mountainous orchards, this paper proposes a citrus detection model based on an improved YOLOv5 algorithm. By introducing receptive field convolutions with full 3D weights (RFCF), the model overcomes the issue of parameter sharing in convolution operations, enhancing detection accuracy. A focused linear attention (FLA) module is incorporated to improve the expressive power of the self-attention mechanism while maintaining computational efficiency. Additionally, anchor boxes were re-clustered based on the shape characteristics of target objects, and the boundary box loss function was improved to Foal-EIoU, boosting the model’s localization ability. Experiments conducted on a citrus fruit dataset labeled using LabelImg, collected from hilly and mountainous areas, showed a detection precision of 95.83% and a mean average precision (mAP) of 79.68%. This research not only significantly improves detection performance in complex environments but also provides crucial data support for precision tasks such as orchard localization and intelligent picking, demonstrating strong potential for practical applications in smart agriculture.

Therapeutic overview of sudachitin.

Citrus fruits are extensively cultivated and eaten both raw and in refined forms. Citrus fruit peels are highly concentrated in polyphenolic substances. This makes them useful resources. Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), found in citrus peels, belong to a specific subclass of flavonoids where most or all hydroxyl groups are methylated. PMFs have been documented to possess chemopreventive actions, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerosis properties, as well as neuroprotective effects. Sudachitin, a PMF, is primarily found in Citrus sudachi. Japan's Tokushima prefecture is home to this famous fruit. In recent years, there has been a growing interest among researchers in exploring the potential health benefits of sudachitin, spurred by its presence in traditional diets and its association with various positive health outcomes. Studies conducted over the past decade have revealed promising effects of sudachitin in multiple health conditions, including cancer, skin disorders, inflammatory conditions, diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders. Although these promising results exist, there is still a need for thorough preclinical and clinical research to confirm sudachitin's effectiveness in treating chronic conditions. This review seeks to summarize animal and cell studies exploring sudachitin's pharmacological properties and the potential molecular pathways underlying its therapeutic effects. Through this, we aim to clarify the clinical potential of sudachitin across various disorders, paving the way for future research and the development of sudachitin-based therapies.

Morphological Characterization, Polyphenolic Profile, and Bioactive Properties of Limoncella, an Ancient Mediterranean Variety of Sweet Citrus.

Limoncella of Mattinata, a rare and ancient Mediterranean citrus fruit, was investigated by sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions, which assigns it as a variety of Citrus medica L. Morphological, chemical, and biomolecular approaches, including light and electron microscopy, HPLC-ESI-MS/MS, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays, were used to characterize the flavedo and albedo parts, usually rich in bioactive compounds. The morphological findings showed albedo and flavedo cellular structures as "reservoirs" of nutritional components. Both albedo and flavedo hydroalcoholic extracts were rich in polyphenols, but they were different in compounds and quantity. The flavedo is rich in p-coumaric acid and rutin, whereas the albedo contains high levels of hesperidin and quercitrin. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and genoprotective effects for albedo and flavedo were found. The results confirmed the health properties of flavedo and highlighted that albedo is also a rich source of antioxidants. Moreover, this study valorizes Limoncella of Mattinata's nutritional properties, cueing its crops' repopulation.

New Trichoderma Strains Suppress Blue Mold in Oranges by Damaging the Cell Membrane of Penicillium italicum and Enhancing Both Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Defense Mechanisms in Orange Fruits

Blue mold disease, caused by Penicillium italicum (P. italicum), presents a significant challenge to orange fruits (Citrus sinensis L.) and other citrus crops globally. Biological control, particularly Trichoderma species, offers a promising alternative to synthetic fungicides. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate, identify, and evaluate the antagonistic activities of two Trichoderma isolates against P. italicum. These isolates were molecularly identified and assigned accession numbers PP002254 and PP002272, respectively. Both isolates demonstrated significant antifungal activity in dual culture assays. Moreover, the culture filtrates (CFs) of Trichoderma longibrachiatum PP002254 and Trichoderma harzianum PP002272 suppressed the mycelial growth of P. italicum by 77.22% and 71.66%, respectively. Additionally, CFs reduced the severity of blue mold on orange fruits by 26.85% and 53.81%, compared to 100% in the control group. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that treated P. italicum hyphae were shrunken and disfigured. Enzyme activities (catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) in treated oranges increased, along with total soluble phenolics and flavonoids. Conversely, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased in treated fruits. These findings suggest that T. longibrachiatum PP002254 and T. harzianum PP002272 could be effective biocontrol agents for managing blue mold and other citrus postharvest diseases.

Bio-fortification with selenium (Se) improves quality and nutrient profile in citrus fruit

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for the human body. Humans can enhance Se absorption by consuming horticultural plants, particularly fruits. Therefore, there is need for Se biofortification in fruits to meet the human demand for Se. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal Se application rate, application stage and method, and to assess their impacts on improving both the quality and nutrient profile of a sweet orange cultivar 'Hongjiangcheng' (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). 'Hongjiangcheng’ is a notable variety of mandarin orange, acclaimed for its large size, thin and smooth skin, orange-red flesh, tender and juicy texture, balanced sweetness and acidityand distinctive flavor. A field experiment was conducted at the Qiaotou Town Test Base in Chengmai County, Hainan Province, China. Biofortification of Se was done through foliar and soil application methods. Treatments were: Control (C) with no application of Se, foliar application of 25 (SeF1), 50 (SeF2), 100 (SeF3) and 200 (SeF4) mg/L and soil application of 100 mg/L (SeS1) as well as a combination of 100 mg/L Se in soil along with 50 mg/L Se on leaves (SeS1F2). At start of the experiment, 189 healthy, four-year-old citrus trees of similar size and normal growth were selected. The trees were divided into three groups of 63 each. Each group received the aforementioned treatments at the young fruit, expanding fruit and premature fruit stages. The Se was applied once during each stage before 9:00 am on sunny days. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 9 biological replicates (7 treatments × 9 replicates = 63 citrus trees/ application stage). Foliar application of Se at rate of 200 mg/L (SeF4) enhanced total Se content in leaves by 105, 34 and 69 % at young fruit, expanding fruit and premature fruit stages compared to control (p≤0.05). Respective increments in fruits were 264, 22 and 21 %. The total Se content in leaves were 32 and 40 % higher in the SeF4 (foliar) compared to SeS1 and SeS1F2 (soil) treatments across all development stages (p≤0.05), respectively. The respective increments in fruits total Se content were 16 and 52 %. Only at the young fruit stage, the organic Se content in fruits was significantly higher in the SeF4 compared to soil application treatments (p≤0.05). Single fruit weight was enhanced by 16.61, 13.69 and 4.36 g by foliar than soil application at young fruit, expanding fruit and premature fruit stages, respectively. It was significantly higher (155.53 vs. 113.13 g) after application of SeF4 treatment at young fruit stage relative to all other treatments (p≤0.05). The application of SeF4 at the young fruit stage resulted in an increased seed rate (97 %), total soluble solids (28 %) and solid-to-acid ratio (75 %), while titratable acid decreased by 26 % compared to the control. Interestingly, Se application had non-significant effects on the fruit shape index, peel rate and residue rate across all stages (p>0.05). Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between fruit Se content and several quality indices like total soluble solids, solid acid ratio, fruit shape index and fruit weight at young fruit stage (p≤0.05). It is concluded that foliar application of Se at 200 mg/L (SeF4) during young fruit stage improved citrus Se content, its fruit weight and quality indices establishing these fruits as a valuable source of Se-rich food for human consumption.

Comparative Analysis of the Protective Effect of Naringenin on Cardiovascular Parameters of Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats Subjected to the Myocardial Infarction Model.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases rank as the top global cause of mortality, particularly acute myocardial infarction (MI). MI arises from the blockage of a coronary artery, which disrupts blood flow and results in tissue death. Among therapeutic approaches, bioactives from medicinal plants emerge as promising for the development of new medicines. Objectives: This study explored the effects of naringenin (NAR 100 mg/kg), a flavonoid found in citrus fruits, in normotensive (NTR) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats, both subjected to isoproterenol (ISO 85 mg/kg)-induced MI. Results: Post-treatment assessments indicated that NAR reduced blood pressure and minimized clot formation, particularly notable in the SHR group, which helps mitigate damage related to hypertension and ISO exposure. Additionally, NAR effectively restored KCl-induced contractility in the aortas of both NTR and SHR groups. NAR treatment reduced reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) values and recovered the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) in NTR groups. Moreover, myocardial damage assessed through histological analyses was reduced in groups treated with NAR. Conclusions: The results highlight significant pathophysiological differences between the groups, suggesting that NAR has protective potential against ISO-induced cardiac damage, warranting further investigation into its protective effects and mechanisms.

Hyperspectral transmittance imaging detection of early decayed oranges caused by Penicillium digitatum using NFINDR-JMSAM algorithm with spectral feature separating

Decay caused by Penicillium spp. is the main cause of postharvest citrus quality loss, moreover, the fungus can quickly infect entire batches of citrus fruit resulting in significant economic losses. However, effective detection of early decay remains a challenge due to the lack of distinct visual features. In this study, a Vis-NIR hyperspectral imaging system was developed to acquire full-transmittance images and an NFINDR-JMSAM algorithm was proposed to segment different image pixels. By extracting pure pixels and separating spectral features, the overall classification accuracy of 99.3 % was obtained for all tested samples. The proposed method can also effectively identify scars on the flavedo, citrus stem-end and navel, thereby eliminating their interference with the detection of decayed orange fruit. This study provided a new idea for accurately detecting the early decayed citrus fruit and visualizing the detection results for different tissues by combining hyperspectral transmittance imaging and NFINDR-JMSAM algorithm.

Analysis of genetic diversity and environmental associations of wild citron (Citrus medica L.) in northeast India

Citron (Citrus medica L.) is a major citrus fruit crop known for its medicinal, nutritional, and aromatic uses. Native to northeast India, Myanmar, and south China, citron is cultivated mostly in the Mediterranean and South Asian countries. The truly wild populations of citron are found in the hills and valleys of northeast India. The extent of genetic diversity in wild citron in relation to environmental variables has not been documented. In the present study, we analyzed genetic diversity and environmental association of wild populations of C. medica in northeast India using 15 polymorphic nuclear SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers and 21 environmental variables. SSR profiling revealed a moderate genetic diversity (Ho = 0.40; He = 0.41; I = 0.70). Neighbor-joining (NJ) and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) grouped 16 natural populations into two genetic clusters. Bayesian structure results showed two genetic populations with a high admixture of individuals. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed low genetic differentiation (Fst = 0.14; P < 0.001), indicative of high gene flow (Nm = 1.53) in citron. The isolation by distance (IBD) analysis showed a weak correlation, indicating that geographic distance was not a determining factor for genetic distance in C. medica populations. The higher metrics of outcrossing rate (tm > 0.9) revealed outbreeding nature of the species. The genetic diversity of citron showed a positive correlation with precipitation of driest month and precipitation of coldest quarter, but negative with mean diurnal range and isothermality. Overall, the results of the present study could benefit the conservation and management of citron resources and their natural habitat in northeast India. Genetically highly diverse populations identified in the present study can be used for conservation and utilization of citron genetic resources.

CsbHLH6 positively regulates abscisic acid-mediated citrus fruit coloration during postharvest storage

As is well known, postharvest abscisic acid (ABA) treatment of citrus fruits can significantly enhance fruit coloration by promoting the accumulation of carotenoids, however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we further confirmed the effect of ABA treatment in promoting citrus fruit coloration by activating the expression of 4 key carotenoid metabolism genes (CsPSY, CsLCYB, CsHYD, and CsNCED2) during postharvest storage. A novel basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, CsbHLH6, was identified using the promoters of 3 key ABA-induced carotenoid metabolism genes (CsLCYB, CsHYD, and CsNCED2) by yeast one-hybrid screening. Overexpression of CsbHLH6 enhanced carotenoid accumulation in citrus fruits and calli. Interference with CsbHLH6 expression in citrus calli and fruits indicated that CsbHLH6 was essential for ABA-induced carotenoid biosynthesis and fruit coloration. As a nucleus-localized transcriptional activator, CsbHLH6 directly bound to the promoters of 6 key carotenoid metabolism genes (CsPSY, CsLCYB, CsLCYE, CsHYD, CsZEP, and CsNCED2), subsequently activating their expression in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, ABA signaling significantly raised CsbHLH6 promoter activity, thus enhancing the regulation of carotenoid accumulation by CsbHLH6. In summary, our study reveals the molecular mechanism by which CsbHLH6 regulates ABA-induced citrus fruit coloration during postharvest storage, which is crucial for improving the postharvest appearance quality of citrus fruits.

Changes in the nutritional, flavor, and phytochemical properties of Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. ‘Dahongpao’ whole fruits during enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation

IntroductionCurrently, the large-scale consumption of fresh citrus fruits in the form of juices, jams, and purees results in significant quantities of waste consisting of citrus peels, pulp, and seeds.MethodsTo improve the utilization rate of whole citrus fruits and reduce the generation of processing waste, the best pre-optimized enzymatic fermentation conditions were used to treat whole citrus fruits and to analyse the changes in nutritional and active components (Enzymatic: pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase added at a ratio of 1:1:1 for 63.326 min at a temperature of 60°C, with 0.506% of each enzyme added; Fermentation: Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus TR08, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. Plantarum CICC 6257, and Limosilactobacillus fermentum CCFM1139 were added at a ratio of 1:1:1 for 30 h, with the concentration was 108 CFU/mL, and the total amount added was 6%).ResultsResults showed that after enzymatic hydrolysis, the mineral elements (Nitrogen, phosphorus), total amino acid, vitamin C, and organic acid content increased. For soluble sugars, the contents of fructose and glucose increased, whereas the sucrose content decreased. Fermentation had a minimal effect on the mineral content; however, the total amino acid, vitamin C, and soluble sugar contents decreased. Additionally, when comparing the samples after enzymatic fermentation to those after enzymatic hydrolysis alone, the total phenols, total flavonoids, carotenoids and antioxidant activities were significantly increased by 1.39, 1.49, 1.21 and 3.79 folds, respectively.DiscussionThis study addresses the challenges of utilizing fruit residue in the current market, including high treatment costs and environmental pollution, by providing a novel perspective on the enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of whole red oranges. Furthermore, it aims to improve the nutritional, functional, and health benefits of citrus fruit products.

Prevalence and Determinants of Self-Medication Among Pregnant Women at an Antenatal Clinic at Soba Teaching Hospital, Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND Rates of self-medication among pregnant women are high, due to the promotion of herbal and dietary supplements and lack of awareness of possible adverse effects. This study evaluated self-medication in pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic at Soba Teaching Hospital, Sudan. MATERIAL AND METHODS A quantitative study was conducted using a pre-tested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, which consisted of 25 questions divided into 4 sections: demographic and obstetric; self-medication source, recommendations, and conditions; most commonly used medications and herbal medicine; reasons for self-medications. A total of 230 pregnant women were included in the study. The chi-square test was used to test associations between variables and the binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between self-medication practice and explanatory variables. A P value of <0.05 was deemed significant in the final model. RESULTS Of the 230 pregnant women interviewed, 67% were multigravida, 184 (80%) practiced self-medication, 45.6% used pharmaceutical products, commonly analgesics (32.5%), and 21.9% used herbal remedies, including peppermint (19.4%) and citrus fruits (17.5%). Self-medication was used for nausea (49.5%) and heartburn (46.2%). Reasons for self-medication included belief in safety (40%) and the expense of physician fees (28.1%). Socio-demographic characteristics and the prevalence of self-medication in pregnant women showed no significant associations. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study showed that the prevalence of self-medication reported by pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Sudan was high and included approved drugs and herbal medicines, mainly from pharmacies, and was driven by the perception that all medications supplied by pharmacies were safe.

Characterization of ATP-dependent phosphofructokinase genes during ripening and their modulation by phytohormones during postharvest storage of citrus fruits (Citrus reticulata Blanco.)

The level of sweetness in citrus fruit is crucial for consumer appeal and market competitiveness, determined mainly by soluble sugars and organic acids. ATP-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase is central to regulating sugar metabolism, yet its role in citrus fruit ripening and postharvest storage remains underexplored. We characterized phosphofructokinase genes in citrus, identifying eight genes classified into pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFP) and ATP-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK) subgroups using phylogenetic analysis, genomic architectures, and protein motifs. Comparative genomic analysis with other plants highlighted significant protein homology among CitPFKs. The motif analysis indicated conserved phosphofructokinase domains in CitPFK sequences, with upstream promoter regions containing diverse cis-regulatory elements, most notably light-responsive (LREs). The gene expression profiling throughout fruit development and ripening revealed differential patterns, with responses to gibberellic acid and salicylic acid phytohormones during postharvest indicating their roles in regulating CitPFK genes. The analysis of the transcriptome showed high expression of ATP-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase 3 (CitPFK3) during fruit development, indicating a positive role in fruit maturation. Consequently, silencing CitPFK3 through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) increased hexose sugar content, suggesting its function in sugar accumulation. These findings improve our understanding of PFKs in citrus, particularly CitPFK3's pivotal role in regulating hexose sugar dynamics and their modulation by exogenous phytohormones after harvest. This study provides a foundation for optimizing soluble sugar regulation to enhance fruit quality and postharvest handling in citrus production.

The Influence of Citric Acid on the Corrosion Process of Different Metallic Materials

Abstract The paper presents the results from a study of the corrosion behaviour of different metallic materials, such as copper, aluminium and OL 52 steel in the presences of various concentrations of citric acid added in neutral solution (Na2SO4 0.25 M). Citric acid (2-hydroxy-1, 2, 3-propanetricarboxylic acid) is among the most commonly utilized compounds in the food and beverage sectors. This non-toxic chemical can be derived from natural, renewable sources such as citrus fruits, pineapples, kiwis, raspberries, strawberries, and both black and red currants. Corrosion studies carried out previously demonstrated a mixed effect of citric acid, it can be a good inhibitor for aluminum alloys in a strongly acidic or strongly basic media as well as in neutral NaCl media, for low carbon-steel and copper in an acidic environment, but also, a good, accelerated corrosion agent in an alkaline solution for metals such as iron, copper, zinc and tin. Potentiodynamic polarization and chronoamperometry techniques were used in the experimental part of this paper to evaluate the inhibition efficiency of the citric acid in test solutions. Also, Tafel method for the kinetic parameters determination for studied corrosion process.

Herbal Self-medication Practice for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Sudan: A Public Survey, 2021

Background: the COVID19 emerged in China in late 2019 with high rate of spread and transmission. As there was no recognized therapy many people worldwide used herbs in attempt to help their body overcome the disease. This study aimed to document Sudanese patients experience in using herbs to treat the disease and decrease its severity. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based online survey was done targeting those who experienced COVID-19 among Sudanese through an online internet-based questionnaire distributed on social media platforms (mainly Facebook and WhatsApp). Descriptive statistics used to summarize data and present it as frequency tables and graphs. Multivariate logistic regression was used to quantify the association between independent variables (comorbidities and use of herbs) and the outcome variable reflecting the severity of the disease (hospitalization). Results: a total of 204 responses received from COVID-19 former and active cases. Typical symptoms of the disease were identified; fever (68.1%), cough (52.7%), shortness of breathing (59.3%), sore throat (76.5%), and loss of smelling and/or taste (67.2%). All the respondents reported using traditional herbs or plants for cure with strong statement of their usefulness. Citrus plants like lemon, orange and grape fruits, were the commonest, used by 94%, followed by the local herbs, Acacia (65%), Ginger (56%), Baobab (46%), Hibiscus (45%), Black Seed (45%) and Cinnamon (17%). Other used plants included onion (29%) and garlic (24%). An adjusted analysis found that obesity was associated with higher hospital admission, while using herbs had no effect on hospital admission. Conclusions: all participants reported the use of herbs for cure beside other treatment. The most commonly used herbs were citrus fruits followed by Acacia and Ginger and other herbs. All participants stated that herbs were useful for their recovery, however our analysis revealed no significant effect on rate of hospitalization. We recommend further deeper, well-designed study to better assess the effect of herbs.

Kinetics of the inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 activity by jabara juice and identification of the responsible inhibitory components

Some citrus fruits are known to cause clinically significant drug interactions by inhibiting intestinal cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. This in vitro study aimed to investigate the kinetics of the inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 by the juice of jabara, a Japanese citrus fruit that does not contain furanocoumarins such as 6′,7′-dihydroxybergamottin, and to identify the inhibitory compound(s).CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 activity levels were determined in vitro using recombinant CYP preparations and their respective substrates. The ethyl acetate extract (EAE) of jabara juice was separated to isolate and identify the compound(s) that inhibited CYP3A4. Then, the time-dependent kinetics of the inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 by the EAE and its inhibitory compound(s) were analyzed.The EAE of jabara juice was found to inhibit CYP3A4 in a time-dependent manner. Two flavonoids, 3,3′,4′,5,6,7,8-heptamethoxyflavone (HpMF) and 3,3′,4′,5,6,7-hexamethoxyflavone (HxMF), were identified as the responsible compounds. HpMF and HxMF inhibited CYP3A4 activity in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, with inhibition constants (KI) of 10.0 and 7.90 µM and maximal inactivation rate constants (kinact,max) of 0.00856 and 0.0134 min−1, respectively. The EAE did not inhibit CYP2C19, even when preincubation was employed. These findings imply that jabara juice may cause food-drug interactions via time-dependent inhibition of intestinal CYP3A4.

Antioxidant Effect of Naringin Demonstrated Through a Bayes' Theorem Driven Multidisciplinary Approach Reveals its Prophylactic Potential as a Dietary Supplement for Ischemic Stroke.

Naringin (NAR), a flavanone glycoside, occurs widely in citrus fruits, vegetables, and alcoholic beverages. Despite evidence of the neuroprotective effects of NAR on animal models of ischemic stroke, brain cell-type-specific data about the antioxidant efficacy of NAR and possible protein targets of such beneficial effects are limited. Here, we demonstrate the brain cell type-specific prophylactic role of NAR, an FDA-listed food additive, in an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model of cerebral ischemia using MTT and DCFDA assays. Using Bayes' theorem-based predictive model, we first ranked the top-10 protein targets (ALDH2, ACAT1, CTSB, FASN, LDHA, PTGS1, CTSD, LGALS1, TARDBP, and CDK1) from a curated list of 289 NAR-interacting proteins in neurons that might be mediating its antioxidant effect in the OGD model. When preincubated with NAR for 2days, N2a and CTX-TNA2 cells could withstand up to 8h of OGD without a noticeable decrease in cell viability. This cerebroprotective effect is partly mediated by reducing intracellular ROS production in the above two brain cell types. The antioxidant effect of NAR was comparable with the equimolar (50µM) concentration of clinically used ROS-scavenger and neuroprotective edaravone. Molecular docking of NAR with the top-10 protein targets from Bayes' analysis showed the lowest binding energy for CDK1 (- 8.8kcal/M). Molecular dynamics simulation analysis showed that NAR acts by inhibiting CDK1 by stably occupying its ATP-binding cavity. Considering diet has been listed as a risk factor for stroke, NAR may be explored as a component of functional food for stroke or related neurological disorders.

A fruit edible coating machine to protect the morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties of citrus fruits

A fruit edible coating machine to protect the morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties of citrus fruits

Population density of aphids infesting some citrus trees species and its predators and parasitoids in recently reclaimed areas in Skarkia province, Egypt

Population density of aphids infesting some citrus trees species and its predators and parasitoids in recently reclaimed areas in Skarkia province, Egypt

Design and experiment of citrus picking system based on dual robot collaboration

AbstractFor citrus trees cultivated by dwarf dense planting, the fruits are randomly distributed in space, which poses difficulties for mechanized picking. To improve picking efficiency, a citrus picking system based on dual robot collaboration is designed and a global scanning picking scheme that scans the entire fruit tree to achieve orderly fruit picking is proposed in this research. The dual‐robot calibration with the iterative method and closed‐form method is completed in the research. The picking problem is attributed to the single traveling salesman problem, and the trajectory planning and the picking task are completed with genetic algorithm in the research. The picking experiments are designed in the research. As a result, in the picking experiments, the average time for planning the picking sequence of citrus was 0.1184 s, the longest time is 0.1560 s. In each group of citrus picking experiments, the total picking time averaged 158.9 s, the longest group took 170 s, the picking success rate is 82%. The picking results show that the built dual‐machine system can effectively complete the picking task and meet the real‐time requirement of picking. The proposed dual‐robot picking system can provide a reference for the establishment of other picking robot system.

Naringin and Naringenin: Potential Multi-Target Agents for Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative dementia. The etiology of AD is multifactorial, and its complex pathophysiology involves tau and amyloid-β deposition, increased oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, metabolic disorders, and massive neuronal loss. Due to its complex pathology, no effective cure for AD has been found to date. Therefore, there is an unmet clinical need for the development of new drugs against AD. Natural products are known to be good sources of compounds with pharmacological activity and have potential for the development of new therapeutic agents. Naringin, a naturally occurring flavanone glycoside, is predominantly found in citrus fruits and Chinese medicinal herbs. Mounting evidence shows that naringin and its aglycone, naringenin, have direct neuroprotective effects on AD, such as anti-amyloidogenic, antioxidant, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and anti-neuroinflammatory effects, as well as metal chelation. Furthermore, they are known to improve disordered glucose/lipid metabolism, which is a high risk factor for AD. In this review, we summarize the latest data on the impact of naringin and naringenin on the molecular mechanisms involved in AD pathophysiology. Additionally, we provide an overview of the current clinical applications of naringin and naringenin. The novel delivery systems for naringin and naringenin, which can address their widespread pharmacokinetic limitations, are also discussed. The literature indicates that naringin and naringenin could be multilevel, multitargeted, and multifaceted for preventing and treating AD.