Essential Nutrient For Humans Research Articles

Emerging Roles of Vitamin B12 in Aging and Inflammation.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is an essential nutrient for humans and animals. Metabolically active forms of B12-methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin are cofactors for the enzymes methionine synthase and mitochondrial methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Malfunction of these enzymes due to a scarcity of vitamin B12 leads to disturbance of one-carbon metabolism and impaired mitochondrial function. A significant fraction of the population (up to 20%) is deficient in vitamin B12, with a higher rate of deficiency among elderly people. B12 deficiency is associated with numerous hallmarks of aging at the cellular and organismal levels. Cellular senescence is characterized by high levels of DNA damage by metabolic abnormalities, increased mitochondrial dysfunction, and disturbance of epigenetic regulation. B12 deficiency could be responsible for or play a crucial part in these disorders. In this review, we focus on a comprehensive analysis of molecular mechanisms through which vitamin B12 influences aging. We review new data about how deficiency in vitamin B12 may accelerate cellular aging. Despite indications that vitamin B12 has an important role in health and healthy aging, knowledge of the influence of vitamin B12 on aging is still limited and requires further research.

Functional Analysis of β-Carotene Oxygenase 2 (BCO2) Gene in Yesso Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis).

Carotenoids are essential nutrients for humans and animals, and carotenoid coloration represents an important meat quality parameter for many farmed animals. Increasingly, studies have demonstrated that vertebrate carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) are essential enzymes in carotenoid metabolism and are therefore potential candidate genes for improving carotenoid deposition. However, our understanding of carotenoid bioavailability and CCOs functions in invertebrates, particularly marine species, is currently quite limited. We previously identified that a CCO homolog, PyBCO-like 1, was the causal gene for carotenoid coloration in the 'Haida golden scallop', a variety of Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) characterized by carotenoid enrichment. Here, we found that another CCO-encoding gene named PyBCO2 (β-carotene oxygenase 2) was widely expressed in P. yessoensis organs/tissues, with the highest expression in striated muscle. Inhibiting BCO2 expression in P. yessoensis through RNA interference led to increased carotenoid (pectenolone and pectenoxanthin) deposition in the striated muscle, and the color of the striated muscle changed from white to light orange. Our results indicate that PyBCO2 might be a candidate gene used for improving carotenoid content in normal Yesso scallops, and also in 'Haida golden scallops'.

Contribution of elovl5a to Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Synthesis at the Transcriptional Regulation Level in Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential nutrient for humans and plays a critical role in human development and health. Freshwater fish, such as the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), have a certain degree of DHA biosynthesis ability and could be a supplemental source of human DHA needs. The elongase of very-long-chain fatty acid 5 (Elovl5) is an important enzyme affecting polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biosynthesis. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of the elovl5 gene related to DHA synthesis in freshwater fish is not clear yet. Previous studies have found that there are two copies of the elovl5 gene, elovl5a and elovl5b, which have different functions. Our research group found significant DHA content differences among individuals in Yellow River carp (Cyprinus carpio var.), and four candidate genes were found to be related to DHA synthesis through screening. In this study, the expression level of elovl5a is decreased in the high-DHA group compared to the low-DHA group, which indicated the down-regulation of elovl5a in the DHA synthesis pathways of Yellow River carp. In addition, using a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, we found that by targeting the 3'UTR region of elovl5a, miR-26a-5p could regulate DHA synthesis in common carp. After CRISPR/Cas9 disruption of elovl5a, the DHA content in the disrupted group was significantly higher than in the wildtype group; meanwhile, the expression level of elovl5a in the disrupted group was significantly reduced compared with the wildtype group. These results suggest that elovl5a may be down-regulating DHA synthesis in Yellow River carp. This study could provide useful information for future research on the genes and pathways that affect DHA synthesis.

Efficient Quantification of Milk Metabolites from 1H NMR Spectra Using the Signature Mapping (SigMa) Approach: Chemical Shift Library Development for Cows' Milk and Colostrum.

Cow milk contains essential nutrients for humans, and its bulk composition is usually analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The higher sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can augment the extractible qualitative and quantitative information from milk to nearly 60 compounds, enabling us to monitor the health of cows and milk quality. Proton (1H) NMR spectroscopy produces complex spectra that require expert knowledge for identifying and quantifying metabolites. Therefore, an efficient and reproducible methodology is required to transform complex milk 1H NMR spectra into annotated and quantified milk metabolome data. In this study, standard operating procedures for screening the milk metabolome using 1H NMR spectra are developed. A chemical shift library of 63 milk metabolites was established and implemented in the open-access Signature Mapping (SigMa) software. SigMa is a spectral analysis tool that transforms 1H NMR spectra into a quantitative metabolite table. The applicability of the proposed methodology to whole milk, skim milk, and ultrafiltered milk is demonstrated, and the method is tested on ultrafiltered colostrum samples from dairy cows (n = 88) to evaluate whether metabolic changes in colostrum may reflect the metabolic status of cows.

GRAIN - BRAN QUALITY PARAMETERS and AGRONOMIC TRAITS of BREAD WHEAT CULTIVARS

Wheat (Triticum avestivum L.) has a wide adaptation limit and it is used as an important source of essential nutrients for both humans and animals. Wheat bran is also a by-product of the milling of wheat grain. It has a unique nutritional composition due to the amount and quality of proteins, mineral content and B complex vitamins content and dietary fiber content. One of the aims of this study was to determine the grain yield, yield components and quality traits of 36 wheat cultivars between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. The other aim was to determine the nutritional properties of the bran obtained from these cultivars. Plant height, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, grain yield, thousand grain weight, test weight, wet gluten and sedimentation value traits were determined only in the whole grain, while ash content, protein content, starch content, fat content, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium traits were determined both in the whole grain and in the bran. It is expected that the data obtained in this study will be reported in the literature, evaluated in terms of product quality and taken into account in breeding programs.

In situ stannous reagent generator (SRG): An alternative hexavalent chromium treatment technology in drinking water industry

Access to safe drinking water is a basic necessity for human health. Rock and soil are rich sources of chromium, a metal that is present naturally. Chromium commonly exists in two oxidation states: trivalent chromium (chromium-3, Cr (III), Cr3+) and hexavalent chromium (chromium-6, Cr (VI), Cr6+), in the natural environment, as well as in the water treatment and distribution systems. While Cr (III) is an essential nutrient for humans, Cr (VI) is a dangerous pollutant that can build up in both the environment and the tissues of living things. The Cr (VI) treatment traditionally uses techniques such as electrodialysis reversal, ion exchange, electrochemical, reduction, coagulation, oxidation and filtration systems. Chemical costs, secondary waste production, and unintentional regeneration of Cr (VI) after treatment are difficulties with standard Cr (VI) treatment. In order to remediate Cr (VI) in raw water, this study looks into the in-situ stannous reagent generator (SRG) package as a potential disruptive green technology. SRG was able to reduce roughly 40 parts per billion (ppb) of Cr (VI) to below 1.0 ppb after being installed on a raw water source site for a 10-day trial period. The In Situ SRG technology provides an efficient and safe method for treating Cr (VI) in drinking water, reduces the health risks associated with Cr (VI) exposure by converting it to a less toxic form and reduces chemical handling risks. Reductive Cr (VI) treatment technologies based on the use of stannous tin hold tremendous promise in the future to overcome green-house gas (GHG) emissions and other anthropogenic environmental change, in addition to effectively reducing Cr (VI) in drinking water to the permissible limits and high energy cost challenges. In Situ Stannous Reagent Generator (SRG) technology is designed to convert Cr (VI) to its less toxic trivalent form, Cr (III), which is less harmful and easier to remove from water.

Bacteriological quality of raw cow milk at a collection center in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria

Dairy milk provides essential nutrients for humans, but microbial contamination can occur from the point of milking to storage. There has been sparsity of data on quality of raw cow milk (RCM) at collection points in Nigeria. This study investigated the bacteriological quality of RCM from a bulk-tank in Iwo, Osun State, South-West Nigeria. Raw milk samples were collected from the storage tank during a six-week period and evaluated for aerobic plate count (APC), aerobic spore-formers count, Enterobacteriaceae count, salmonella and shigella count and Staphylococcus count. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan’s multiple range test were used to compare differences in means among the various bacterial counts assessed, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SSPS). The mean aerobic plate count (8.2±1.71 log CFU/ml) and Enterobacteriaceae count (5.8±1.12 log CFU/ml) obtained were significantly different (P≤0.05) and were higher than the acceptable threshold limits of 5.0 log CFU/ml and 3.0 log CFU/ml, respectively. The bacteriological profile found in the milk samples included Enterobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. Enterobacter spp. and Staphylococcus aureus had the highest and least occurrence of 30 % and 2.5 %, respectively. Good sanitary practices are recommended at every stage of the milking process prior to storage in a bulk-tank so as to ensure safe dairy derivative products.

Selenium quantification in wastewaters from selected coal-fired power plants and river waters in South Africa using ICP-MS

South Africa mainly relies on Eskom's coal-fired power plants for electricity generation. However, the use of coal causes several adverse environmental impacts, including the release of selenium into the hydrosphere. Selenium is an essential nutrient for humans, animals, and microbes, but excess selenium is toxic. This paper describes the determination of total dissolved selenium in wastewater from selected coal-fired power plants and river waters near coal-fired power plants in South Africa. A sensitive and robust inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method for determining total dissolved selenium in wastewater and river water was developed using a certified reference material (NIST SRM 1640a Trace Elements in Natural Water). The results agreed with the certified values, with percentage recoveries ranging from 92–96%. The method detection limit was 0.13 µg/L. Total Se concentrations in wastewater samples from Kriel and Lethabo Power Stations ranged between 4.86 and 8.53 µg/L, and in river water samples from the Olifants and Wilge Rivers, the concentrations ranged from 2.63–8.20 µg/L. These results indicate that the Se levels in the wastewater are too low to pose a health hazard to humans and livestock but pose an environmental threat to aquatic life. The low concentrations in the river samples also show that there may be slight Se pollution (regarding aquatic life) from the selected coal-fired power plants in South Africa. There may be slight Se pollution (with regards to aquatic life) from Duvha and Kendal Power Stations because an increase from 2–8 µg/L was observed in river water samples collected near these selected coal-fired power plants.

Transcriptome and network analyses reveal key pathways and genes involved in response to carotenoid deposition in scallop muscle

Carotenoids are essential nutrients for humans and animals, and carotenoid content has become an important trait to evaluate the nutritional value of many cultured animals. Marine animals provide humans with diverse carotenoids, and developing carotenoid-enriched varieties has been the focus of marine animal breeding. Understanding the molecular mechanism of carotenoid deposition could benefit marine animal breeding for carotenoid content improvement. In the present study, transcriptomic analysis of adductor muscle was performed between Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) with white muscle (WM) and carotenoid-enriched orange muscle (OM). A total of 683 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 302 and 381 genes being up- and down-regulated in OM scallop. Gene co-expression network analysis identified four carotenoid accumulation−related modules, including three up-regulated modules and one down-regulated module. The genes in up-regulated modules mainly participate in the pathways of translation and transcription (MEgreen), immune system (MElightyellow), and lipid metabolism (MEpink), while the down-regulated module is mainly enriched with genes involved in various metabolic pathways (MEturquoise). As the causal gene responsible for muscle coloration in scallop, PyBCO-like 1 is the hub gene of MEturquoise and showed strong connectivity with NR2F1A, a transcriptional factor involved in the regulation of retinoic acid. In addition, the up-regulated DEGs, including WDR3, RPP29, TBL3, RIOK2, and NOB1 from “ribosome biogenesis”, HSP70s and HSP702Bs from “antigen processing and presentation”, and ACOX1 from “PPAR signaling pathway” were identified as hub genes, indicating the potential regulatory role of these genes and pathways in response to carotenoid accumulation. Our data contribute to a deeper understanding of the regulatory and response mechanisms of carotenoid accumulation in marine animals.

Regional Sources and Sinks of Atmospheric Particulate Selenium in the United States Based on Seasonality Profiles.

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for humans and enters our food chain through bioavailable Se in soil. Atmospheric deposition is a major source of Se to soils, driving the need to investigate the sources and sinks of atmospheric Se. Here, we used Se concentrations from PM2.5 data at 82 sites from 1988 to 2010 from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network in the US to identify the sources and sinks of particulate Se. We identified 6 distinct seasonal profiles of atmospheric Se, grouped by geographical location: West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, and North Northeast. Across most of the regions, coal combustion is the largest Se source, with a terrestrial source dominating in the West. We also found evidence for gas-to-particle partitioning in the wintertime in the Northeast. Wet deposition is an important sink of particulate Se, as determined by Se/PM2.5 ratios. The Se concentrations from the IMPROVE network compare well to modeled output from a global chemistry-climate model, SOCOL-AER, except in the Southeast US. Our analysis constrains the sources and sinks of atmospheric Se, thereby improving the predictions of Se distribution under climate change.

Chinese cabbage: an emerging model for functional genomics in leafy vegetable crops.

Leafy vegetable crops (LVCs) are consumed worldwide and offer essential nutrients for humans. Unlike model plant species, systematic characterisation of gene function is lacking, although whole-genome sequences (WGSs) are available for various LVCs. Several recent studies in Chinese cabbage have reported high-density mutant populations linking genotype to phenotype, providing blueprints for functional LVC genomics and beyond.

Effect of Soil Texture, Nanoparticle Size, and Incubation Period on the Dissolution of ZnO Nanoparticles

Zinc is an essential plant and human nutrient and its primary source is Zn-rich food consumption. The only way to enrich plants with Zn is through the application of Zn fertilizers including various chemical and organic sources of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The Zn bioavailability from ZnO NPs must be considered for their recommendation as a fertilizer, and very little is known about the efficacy of such fertilizers in the Hungarian soil environment. In the present investigation, we prepared ZnO NPs of different sizes and applied them in two distinct textures of soils (sandy loam (SL) and silty clay (SC)) in an incubation experiment. The prepared ZnO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). ZnO NPs were applied in both soil types at 500 mg L−1 in the form of a suspension, and ZnSO4 was applied in the form of a solution. The soils were incubated for 7 and 14 days. Column leaching was performed to analyze the dissolved Zn. Retained Zn in the soil matrix was extracted using 0.05 M EDTA. The results showed that approximately 21–23% and 10–13% higher Zn was observed in the pore water of SL and SC soils, respectively, when spiked with small-sized NPs compared to large-sized NPs, while 14–26% higher dissolved Zn was observed in SL soil compared to SC soil. It is concluded that the size of NPs and the soil texture are the main factors that play important roles in deciding the fate of NPs under an alkaline soil environment.

A Potential Association of Zinc Deficiency and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Induced Hand-Foot Skin Reaction.

Hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) is a common skin-related adverse event induced by multikinase inhibitors targeting both platelet-derived growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, possibly due to inadequate repair following frictional trauma. Zinc is a trace element and essential nutrient in humans that plays critical roles in the development and differentiation of skin cells. Zinc transporters (Zrt- and Irt-like proteins and Zn transporters) and metallothioneins are involved in zinc efflux, uptake, and homeostasis and have been reported to be involved in skin differentiation. The underlying mechanism of HFSR remains unclear, and the association between HFSR and zinc has not been previously studied. However, some case reports and case series provide potential evidence to suggest that zinc deficiency may be involved in HFSR development and zinc supplementation may relieve HFSR symptoms. However, no large-scale clinical studies have been conducted to examine this role. Therefore, this review summarizes the evidence supporting a possible link between HFSR development and zinc and proposes potential mechanisms underlying this association based on current evidence.

Impact of inorganic iron and haem on the human gut microbiota; An in vitro batch-culture approach.

Although iron is an essential nutrient for humans, as well as for almost all other organisms, it is poorly absorbed (~15%) from the diet such that most passes through the upper gut into the large intestine. The colonic microbiota is thus exposed to, and potentially influenced by, such residual iron which could have an impact on human health. The aim of the research described here is to determine how the major forms of dietary iron (inorganic iron and haem) influence metabolic activity and composition of the human gut microbiota by utilizing an in vitro parallel, pH-controlled anaerobic batch culture approach. Controlled iron provision was enabled by the design of a 'modified' low-iron gut-model medium whereby background iron content was reduced from 28 to 5 μM. Thus, the impact of both low and high levels of inorganic and haem iron (18-180 μM and 7.7-77 μM, respectively) could be explored. Gut-microbiota composition was determined using next generation sequencing (NGS) based community profiling (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and flow-fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Metabolic-end products (organic acids) were quantified using gas chromatography (GC) and iron incorporation was estimated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results showed that differences in iron regime induced significant changes in microbiota composition when low (0.1% w/v) fecal inoculation levels were employed. An increase in haem levels from 7.7 to 77 μM (standard levels employed in gut culture studies) resulted in reduced microbial diversity, a significant increase in Enterobacteriaceae and lower short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. These effects were countered when 18 μM inorganic iron was also included into the growth medium. The results therefore suggest that high-dietary haem may have a detrimental effect on health since the resulting changes in microbiota composition and SCFA production are indicators of an unhealthy gut. The results also demonstrate that employing a low inoculum together with a low-iron gut-model medium facilitated in vitro investigation of the relationship between iron and the gut microbiota.

The use of selenium for controlling plant fungal diseases and insect pests.

The selenium (Se) applications in biomedicine, agriculture, and environmental health have become great research interest in recent decades. As an essential nutrient for humans and animals, beneficial effects of Se on human health have been well documented. Although Se is not an essential element for plants, it does play important roles in improving plants' resistances to a broad of biotic and abiotic stresses. This review is focused on recent findings from studies on effects and mechanisms of Se on plant fungal diseases and insect pests. Se affects the plant resistance to fungal diseases by preventing the invasion of fungal pathogen through positively affecting plant defense to pathogens; and through negative effects on pathogen by destroying the cell membrane and cellular extensions of pathogen inside plant tissues after invasion; and changing the soil microbial community to safeguard plant cells against invading fungi. Plants, grown under Se enriched soils or treated with Se through foliar and soil applications, can metabolize Se into dimethyl selenide or dimethyl diselenide, which acts as an insect repellent compound to deter foraging and landing pests, thus providing plant mediated resistance to insect pests; moreover, Se can also lead to poisoning to some pests if toxic amounts of Se are fed, resulting in steady pest mortality, lower reproduction rate, negative effects on growth and development, thus shortening the life span of many insect pests. In present manuscript, reports are reviewed on Se-mediated plant resistance to fungal pathogens and insect pests. The future perspective of Se is also discussed on preventing the disease and pest control to protect plants from economic injuries and damages.

Isolation, characterization, and molecular docking analyses of novel calcium-chelating peptide from soy yogurt and the study of its calcium chelation mechanism.

Calcium is an essential dietary mineral nutrient for humans. Digestive instability limits the bioavailability of calcium ions. Peptide-calcium chelate has been proven to excite higher calcium absorption than amino acid-calcium chelate, organic and inorganic calcium. Soy yogurt, which is produced via liquid-state fermentation using lactic acid bacteria, has a high amount of bioavailable calcium. In this study, a novel peptide with high calcium binding affinity was purified and identified from soy yogurt. The binding mechanism of peptide and calcium was then analyzed by bioinformatics and spectral analysis. Furthermore, the effect of the novel peptide on gastrointestinal stability by the Caco-2 cell model and calcium bioavailability in vivo were investigated by the zebrafish model. The results showed that a novel peptide was purified and identified as DEDEQIPSHPPR (CBP). Calcium ions probably coordinate with Glu-2 and Glu-4 carboxyl groups via salt bridges and interact with Asp-1, Asp-3, and Arg-12 in CBP via charge pairing. The calcium binding activity of the CBP was 36.64 ± 0.04 mg g-1 . Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed that calcium spontaneously bound to the amino group nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the carboxyl group. The binding mode is either bidentate or unidentate, depending on the circumstances. More importantly, the CBP peptide substantially increased the bone mass in a zebrafish osteoporosis model. The more glutamic acid and aspartic acid, the high was the calcium affinity with peptide. Soy yogurt-derived peptides can be used as carriers of calcium ions throughout the gastrointestinal tract, which may be clinically useful for osteoporosis therapy. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Wool keratin as a novel alternative protein: A comprehensive review of extraction, purification, nutrition, safety, and food applications.

The growing global population and lifestyle changes have increased the demand for specialized diets that require protein and other essential nutrients for humans. Recent technological advances have enabled the use of food bioresources treated as waste as additional sources of alternative proteins. Sheep wool is an inexpensive and readily available bioresource containing 95%-98% protein, making it an outstanding potential source of protein for food and biotechnological applications. The strong structure of wool and its indigestibility are the main hurdles to achieving its potential as an edible protein. Although various methods have been investigated for the hydrolysis of wool into keratin, only a few of these, such as sulfitolysis, oxidation, and enzymatic processes, have the potential to generate edible keratin. In vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity studies reported no cytotoxicity effects of extracted keratin, suggesting its potential for use as a high-value protein ingredient that supports normal body functions. Keratin has a high cysteine content that can support healthy epithelia, glutathione synthesis, antioxidant functions, and skeletal muscle functions. With the recent spike in new keratin extraction methods, extensive long-term investigations that examine prolonged exposure of keratin generated from these techniques in animal and human subjects are required to ascertain its safety. Food applications of wool could improve the ecological footprint of sheep farming and unlock the potential of a sustainable protein source that meets demands for ethical production of animal protein.

The Effect of Ascorbic Acid Supplementation on the Time of Healing of Rats Submitted to Neurosurgical Procedures

Abstract Introduction Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for both humans and rats and has been noted for its beneficial properties, among them, healing. Objective To verify the effect of oral and subcutaneous vitamin C supplementation on the healing time of surgical wounds of rats skulls. Statistical Methodology Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: 10 from the control group (GI), 10 from the group treated with oral vitamin C (GII), and 10 from the group treated with subcutaneous vitamin C (GIII). Vitamin C was administered to GI and GIII animals from the 3rd to the 7th postoperative day, totaling 10 days of administration at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day. On the 4th day of the study, the rats were submitted to a surgical procedure consisting of a 2-cm incision of the skin of the animals' heads and suturing with single stitches. After a determined period, the rats were killed and submitted to the collection of material for study by the picrosirius red technique for the evaluation of collagen types I and III, the degree of hematoxylin and eosin healing, and the rate of contraction of the wound on subsequent days. The results were described in averages, medians, minimum and maximum values, and standard deviations. For the comparison of the three groups, the analysis of variance with one factor (one-way ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test was used. The normality of the variables was evaluated by the Shapiro-Wilk test. Values of p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. The data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, v.20.0. software. (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results The amount of collagen type III was higher in the groups that received vitamin C, however, without significant difference (n = 0.292). In relation to the rate of contraction of the surgical wound, it was higher in the groups treated with vitamin C, with a significant difference between groups I and II (p = 0.001), and between groups I and III (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found between the groups that were treated with vitamin C (p = 0.227). Conclusion Healing was more effective in the groups treated with vitamin C than in the group that did not receive vitamin supplementation. There was no significant difference in healing between the groups receiving oral or subcutaneous vitamin C.

Effects of Neem Leaf Extract on the Soil Properties, Growth, Yield, and Inorganic Nitrogen Contents of Lettuce

While lettuce offers essential human nutrients, it also contains anti-nutrients, particularly nitrate (NO3−). The use of neem leaf extract as a natural nitrification inhibitor has proven itself promising to remediate lettuce tissue NO3− content. This study evaluated the effects of neem leaf extract on soil properties, soil nitrification, lettuce growth, yield, and NO3− content. Five nitrification inhibitor treatments were evaluated: (i) no inhibitor (control), (ii) nitrapyrin, and three rates of neem leaf extract based on the dry weight of the raw material: (iii) 1 g kg−1 soil (Neem1), (iv) 2 g kg−1 soil (Neem2), and (v) 4 g kg−1 soil (Neem4). Neem leaf extract generally increased soil concentrations: P (47.6–55.8 mg kg−1), K (45.8–62.7 mg kg−1), Ca (129–164 mg kg−1), and Mg (29.0–35.7 mg kg−1) compared with the control (50.6 mg P kg−1, 35.3 mg K kg−1, 123 mg Ca kg−1, and 24.8 mg Mg kg−1). Neem leaf extracts significantly increased soil NH4+–N concentrations (13.9–30.2 mg kg−1) and nitrification inhibition (12.5–70.5%), but significantly decreased soil NO3−–N concentrations (6.4–13.2 mg kg−1) and net nitrification rates (0.08–0.23 mg N kg−1 day−1) relative to the control (6.6 mg NH4+–N kg−1, 14.7 mg NO3−–N kg−1, 0.26 mg N kg−1 day−1, and 0% nitrification inhibition). The neem leaf extracts significantly decreased shoot fresh weight (13.5–43.1 g plant−1), shoot dry weight (0.84–3.91 g plant−1), and root dry weight (0.14–0.27 g plant−1) compared with the control (52.3 g shoot fresh weight plant−1, 5.36 g shoot dry weight plant−1, and 0.35 g root dry weight plant−1). The significant decreases in the lettuce biomass in the neem extract treatments paralleled the significant decreases in the shoot’s tissue NO3−–N contents and significant increases in tissue NH4+–N content and soil Al concentrations.

Secondary Metabolite Profile and Pharmacological Opportunities of Lettuce Plants following Selenium and Sulfur Enhancement.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace nutrient for humans and animals owing to its role in redox regulation, thyroid hormone control factors, immunity, inflammatory reactions, brain activities, and carbohydrate regulation. It is also important to support muscle development, as well as for reproductive and cardiovascular well-being. Furthermore, sulfur is known to be a healing element, due to the remarkable function of specialized and secondary S-containing compounds. The scope of the current study was to determine the impact of Se and S enrichment on the secondary metabolite accumulation and antibacterial and NO inhibition activities in green and red leaf lettuce (V1 and V2, respectively). The plants were grown in a hydroponic system supplied with different S concentrations (S0: 0, S1: 1 mM and S2: 1.5 mM K2SO4) via the nutrient solution and foliar-applied varying levels of Se (0, 0.2 and 2.6 µM). Electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF/MS) combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was used to identify the secondary metabolites in green and red lettuce. The results indicated that extracts of the biofortified lettuce were not cytotoxic to Vero kidney cells at the highest concentration tested of 1 mg/mL. The ESI/MS of the tentatively identified metabolites showed that the response values of 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, quercetin 3-O-(6''-acetyl-glucoside) and quercetin 3-O-malonylglucoside were induced synergistically under higher Se and S levels in red lettuce plants. The acetone extract of red lettuce had antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.156 and 0.625 μg/mL under S2/Se1 and S2/Se2 treatments, respectively. As with antibacterial activity, the acetone extract of green (V1) lettuce treated with adequate (S1) and higher S (S2) under Se-limiting conditions showed the ability to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) release from macrophages. NO production by macrophages was inhibited by 50% at respective concentrations of 106.1 ± 2.4 and 101.0 ± 0.6 μg/mL with no toxic effect on the cells, in response to S1 and S2, respectively, under Se-deficient conditions (Se0). Furthermore, the red cultivar (V2) exhibited the same effect as the green cultivar (V1) regarding NO inhibition, with IC50 = 113.0 ± 4.2 μg/mL, in response to S1/Se2 treatments. Collectively, the promising NO inhibitory effect and antibacterial activity of red lettuce under the above-mentioned conditions might be attributed to the production of flavonoid glycosides and phenylpropanoic acid esters under the same condition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show the novel approach of the NO inhibitory effect of Se and S enrichment in food crops, as an indicator for the potential of Se and S as natural anti-inflammatory agents.