Search Results (2,899)

Plant polyphenols, particularly flavonoids, are prominent bioactives in preventive/complementary therapeutic strategies. This article analyzes how some polyphenols can mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation. These processes are involved in cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. Polyphenols are explored through the integration of direct antioxidant chemistry (radical scavenging via hydrogen atom transfer/single-electron transfer/metal chelation), redox signaling (Keap1–Nrf2/ARE and inflammatory pathways), endogenous antioxidant enzyme systems, and mitochondrial quality control. Unlike previous descriptive reviews, a novel aspect of this manuscript is its evidence-based synthesis, fully supported by structured summary tables that explicitly detail limitations, contradictions, and context dependencies in in vitro, in vivo, and human studies, and identify clinically interpretable endpoints for their application. We describe relevant flavonoids and dietary sources, along with functional outcomes in cardiometabolic–cognitive/neuroprotective–immunometabolic contexts. We integrate representative clinical interventions and nutraceutical applications, highlighting where reported benefits are supported and where the evidence is preliminary. Bioavailability, microbiota-driven biotransformation, and dose realism are considered the primary determinants of in vivo relevance, rather than secondary or descriptive considerations. Future research should prioritize standardized exposure and metabolite profile, dose-appropriate interventions, harmonized clinical endpoints, and stratification strategies that account for microbiome-driven interindividual variability to improve reproducibility and inform nutraceutical and therapeutic use. Full article

Oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii exhibit remarkable resistance to environmental stressors and most conventional disinfectants. Despite its ability to infect a wide variety of host species, sexual reproduction and oocyst formation occur exclusively within felid definitive hosts. Despite the epidemiological significance of oocyst-mediated transmission, the molecular mechanisms governing oocyst production and sporulation remain incompletely understood. Glutaredoxin, serving as a central regulator of cellular redox homeostasis and multiple vital cellular processes in cells, is a potential regulator for oocyst sporulation. Here, we investigated the role of TGME49_227100 (glutaredoxin 5, Grx5) in the T. gondii Pru strain-a type II strain capable of oocyst formation, with a particular focus on its functions during oocyst formation and sporulation. We found that Grx5-knockout tachyzoites exhibited no defects in growth or virulence. Neither in vitro nor in vivo tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite differentiation was affected compared to wild-type parasites. Notably, Grx5 deletion significantly reduced oocyst production in cats by approximately 70%. Additionally, the collected oocysts showed a 50% decrease in sporulation rate. These results indicate that Grx5 plays a predominant role within feline host and the external environmental stage of sporulation, which of these is likely to provide a crucial molecular target for developing a transmission-blocking vaccine. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by progressive degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system and α-synuclein (α-syn) pathology, with disease progression driven by convergent mechanisms including neuroinflammation, mitochondrial injury, oxidative stress, and regulated cell-death programs such as ferroptosis. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) constitute a key signaling system in the central nervous system, influencing not only neuronal survival and glial states but also intersecting with networks governing redox homeostasis and iron metabolism. Accumulating evidence indicates that, beyond classical neurotrophic actions, FGF–FGFR signaling can modulate mitochondrial quality control, glial inflammatory activation, and lipid peroxidation-related processes, thereby reshaping cellular susceptibility to ferroptotic injury. This review summarizes current advances in understanding FGF signaling networks in Parkinson’s disease, synthesizes their potential mechanistic links to the interplay among neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and redox imbalance as well as to ferroptosis regulation, and discusses the experimental basis and translational challenges of targeting the FGF pathway as a disease-modifying therapeutic strategy. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early childhood caries (ECC) and saliva have been studied across disparate domains, including microbiome, fluoride, immune, oxidative-stress, and neuroendocrine research. However, the ECC–saliva literature has not previously been mapped as a connected system using modern natural language processing (NLP). This study treats PubMed titles and abstracts as data to identify major themes, emerging topics, and candidate neuroimmune axes in ECC–saliva research. Methods: Using the NCBI E-utilities API, we retrieved 298 PubMed records (2000–2025) matching (“early childhood caries” [Title/Abstract]) AND saliva [Title/Abstract]. Text was cleaned with spaCy and embedded using a transformer encoder; BERTopic combined UMAP dimensionality reduction and HDBSCAN clustering to derive thematic topics. We summarised topics with class-based TF–IDF, constructed keyword co-occurrence networks, defined an internal topic-level Novelty Index (semantic distance plus temporal dispersion), and mapped high-novelty topics to gene ontology and Reactome pathways using g:Profiler. Prophet was used to model temporal trends and forecast topic-level publication trajectories. Finally, we generated a fully synthetic neuroimmune salivary dataset, based on realistic ranges from the literature, to illustrate how the identified axes could be operationalised in future ECC cohorts. Results: Seven coherent ECC–saliva topics were identified, including classical microbiome and fluoride domains as well as antioxidant/redox, proteomic, peptide immunity, and Candida–biofilm themes. High-novelty topics clustered around total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and peptide-based host defence. Keyword networks and ontology enrichment highlighted “Detoxification of Reactive Oxygen Species”, “cellular oxidant detoxification”, and cytokine-mediated signalling as central processes. Temporal forecasting suggested plateauing growth for classical epidemiology and fluoride topics, with steeper projected increases for antioxidant and peptide-immunity themes. A co-mention heatmap revealed a literature-level Candida–cytokine–neuroendocrine triad (e.g., Candida albicans, IL-6/TNF, cortisol), which we propose as a testable neuro-immunometabolic hypothesis rather than a confirmed mechanism. Conclusions: AI-assisted topic modelling and network analysis provide a reproducible, bibliometric map of ECC–saliva research that highlights underexplored antioxidant/redox and neuroimmune salivary axes. The synthetic neuroimmune dataset and modelling pipeline are illustrative only, but together with the literature map, they offer a structured agenda for future ECC cohorts and mechanistic studies. Full article

In composite membranes, non-woven substrates are often included to offer higher mechanical strength. The use of non-wovens is currently limited in electrochemical applications, apart from lab-made electrospun non-woven membranes. In this manuscript, three commercial non-wovens are compared to test their potential use in acid-based electrochemical applications, for instance redox flow batteries, and are also compared to a woven fabric substrate. The three non-wovens are found to have variable suitability in terms of the stability of solvents used in further membrane processing. However, all are deemed limiting due to their relatively high area resistance (0.37–1.47 ohm.cm²). In comparison, free-standing and selective commercial ion exchange membranes have area resistances around 0.08–0.27 ohm.cm². More open substrate backings such as a woven structure are recommended instead to allow for lower resistance of the resulting composites. Full article

Cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cumulative oxidative stress (OS) are the main causes of the progressive decreases in oocyte and sperm quality that define reproductive age. There is growing evidence that these processes are controlled by systemic variables, such as metabolites produced from the gut microbiome and extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated intercellular communication, rather than being exclusively regulated at the tissue level. Antioxidant enzymes, regulatory microRNAs, and bioactive lipids that regulate mitochondrial redox balance, mitophagy, and inflammatory signaling are transported by EVs derived from reproductive organs, stem cells, immune cells, and the gut microbiota. Concurrently, microbiome-derived metabolites such as urolithin A, short-chain fatty acids, and polyphenol derivatives enhance mitochondrial quality control, activate antioxidant pathways, and suppress senescence-associated secretory phenotypes. This narrative review integrates the most recent research on the relationship between redox homeostasis, mitochondrial function, gut microbiota activity, and EV signaling in the context of male and female reproductive aging. We propose an emerging gut–EV–mitochondria axis as a unified framework through which systemic metabolic and antioxidant signals affect gamete competence, reproductive tissue function, and fertility longevity. Finally, we discuss therapeutic implications, including microbiome modulation, EV-based interventions, and senotherapeutic strategies, highlighting key knowledge gaps and future research directions necessary for clinical translation. Full article

Large outcrops of ophiolites from exposed land surfaces can potentially impact the geochemistry of much greater areas through transport and weathering. Derived soil and sediments contain significant concentrations of heavy metals, including chromium and nickel. In the context of environmental risk analysis, there is a necessity to obtain more information about the distribution of Cr and Ni in serpentine rocks and their derived associated geological matrices, and about how easily Cr could be released and then oxidized in the environment, causing pollution of groundwater. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of Cr and Ni in the geochemical fractions containing Fe and Mn and the role of Fe and Mn oxides (crystalline and non-crystalline) in redox processes leading to the formation of Cr(VI) during serpentine soil weathering. Through the combination of chemical selective sequential extraction (SSE) and X-ray diffraction, solid samples belonging to ophiolitic rocks and their derived soils and sediments in southern Tuscany were investigated. The applied SSE method followed the established extraction scheme commonly used in sequential selective extraction procedures. The extraction was accomplished in seven successive steps, using appropriate reagents to destroy the binding agents between the target metal and the specific soil fraction to release the heavy metals selectively from their structural context. The results indicated significant differences in the availability and mobility of Cr and Ni in soils, with Cr concentrations ranging from 200 to 950 μg/g and Ni from 274 to 665 μg/g in reactive fractions. Cr is tightly bound to well-crystallized Fe-oxides and primary rock-derived phases, whereas Ni is substantially more mobile, being mainly controlled by Mn-oxides and amorphous Fe-oxides. Weakly acidic solutions or systems with high redox potential increase Cr and Ni mobility in the environment due to Fe/Mn hydroxides produced by the weathering of serpentinites. An ORP higher than 1000 mV leads to the formation of Cr(VI) by oxidation of Cr(III), increasing the mobility of Cr in groundwater and the hazard for human health. The analytical activity carried out in this research can be used to identify the potential risk of Cr(VI) release in groundwater from serpentine and derived geomaterials. Full article

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) readily accumulates cadmium (Cd), posing dietary exposure risks in populations dependent on rice-based diets. This study investigated how sulfur (S) redox processes regulate Cd mobility in S-deficient, Cd-contaminated paddy soil under waterlogged conditions. A pot experiment was conducted with two S treatments (−S and +S, 30 mg kg⁻¹) throughout the rice growing season. S addition markedly increased pore water S²⁻ concentrations during early growth (tillering) and mid-season (booting) and suppressed the diffusion of SO₄²⁻ from non-rhizosphere to rhizosphere at later stages (filling–maturity). Consequently, Cd in soil pore water was significantly lower in +S than −S treatments at all stages. Sulfur-amended soil showed a redistribution of Cd from labile fractions (exchangeable and carbonate-bound) to more stable fractions (Fe/Mn oxide-bound). Sulfur application also altered the rhizosphere microbiome: the relative abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) increased at the booting and filling stages, while sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) became more dominant at maturity. Additionally, +S enhanced Cd sequestration on rice root iron plaque by 32–67% during the grain-filling and maturity stages compared to −S. Throughout the rice growing period, redox-driven shifts in the S²⁻/SO₄²⁻ ratio emerged as a key control on Cd behavior, with low pe + pH (strongly reducing conditions) promoting Cd sulfide precipitation and high pe + pH (more oxidizing conditions) causing Cd remobilization. Full article

Heavy metal pollution in forest and agroforestry soils represents a persistent environmental challenge with direct implications for ecosystem functioning, food security, and human health. In tropical and subtropical regions, intense weathering, rapid organic matter turnover, and dynamic redox conditions strongly modulate metal mobility, bioavailability, and long-term soil vulnerability. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the sources, biogeochemical mechanisms, ecological impacts, monitoring approaches, and restoration strategies associated with heavy metal contamination in forest and agroforestry systems, with particular emphasis on tropical landscapes. We examine natural and anthropogenic metal inputs, highlighting how atmospheric deposition, legacy contamination, land-use practices, and soil management interact with mineralogy, organic matter, and hydrology to control metal fate. Key processes governing metal behavior include sorption and complexation, Fe–Mn redox cycling, pH-dependent solubility, microbial mediation, and rhizosphere dynamics. The ecological consequences of contamination are discussed in terms of soil health degradation, plant physiological stress, disruption of ecosystem services, and risks of metal transfer to food chains in managed systems. The review also evaluates integrated monitoring frameworks that combine field-based soil analyses, biomonitoring, and geospatial technologies, while acknowledging methodological limitations and scale-dependent uncertainties. Finally, restoration and remediation strategies—ranging from phytotechnologies and soil amendments to engineered Technosols—are assessed in relation to their effectiveness, scalability, and relevance for long-term functional recovery. By linking mechanistic understanding with management and policy considerations, this review provides a process-oriented framework to support sustainable management and restoration of contaminated forest and agroforestry soils in tropical and subtropical regions. Full article

The synthesis of monocyclic and bicyclic compounds plays a fundamental role in organic chemistry, and the need for novel synthetic methodologies is still under investigation. In particular, α,β-unsaturated (bis)enones have emerged as valuable precursors for the formation of cyclic (both mono and bicyclic) structures through single-electron transfer (SET) processes. Single-electron transfer (SET) is a redox process where one electron moves from a donor species to an acceptor, generating radical ions or neutral radicals that drive unique reaction pathways. Thanks to the advent of radical chemistry, it was possible to discover an entirely new reactivity of α,β-unsaturated (bis)enones, which, after a SET event, undergo the formation of cyclic molecules, both in intra and inter-molecular reactions, under several possible pathways, including formal [2+2] cycloaddition reaction (22CA) and 5-exo-trig cyclization, for ring closure. Today, the generation of radical species can be broadly classified into three main approaches: photochemical and photocatalytic, metal-driven and electrochemical processes. In this review, we summarize the progress achieved to date in the synthesis of cyclic molecules from α,β-unsaturated (bis)enones via single-electron transfer events under these three main classes of processes. Whenever possible, the reaction pathway and fate of the radical species generated through SET is discussed. Full article

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the GLA gene, leading to α-galactosidase A deficiency, accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), and progressive multiorgan involvement. Increasing evidence indicates that oxidative stress plays a central role in disease pathogenesis. This review aims to synthesize current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying oxidative stress, the relevance of oxidative damage biomarkers, and potential therapeutic implications. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using terms related to Fabry disease, Gb3 metabolism, mitochondrial and endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory signaling, and oxidative stress markers. Clinical, experimental, and translational studies were included. Available data demonstrate that Gb3 accumulation disrupts mitochondrial function and activates NADPH oxidase, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling pathways, resulting in excessive production of reactive oxygen species. These processes contribute to cellular injury, particularly within the cardiovascular, renal, and nervous systems. Biomarkers such as malondialdehyde, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, glutathione redox status, and antioxidant enzyme activities appear useful for assessing oxidative burden and monitoring therapeutic responses. Overall, current evidence underscores the pivotal role of oxidative stress in the progression of Fabry disease and highlights the need for further research into targeted antioxidant and disease-modifying therapeutic strategies. Full article

The article presents an extensive review of modern technological solutions for pulverized coal combustion, with emphasis on combustion modifiers and biomass co-firing. It highlights the role of coal in the national energy system and the need for its sustainable use in the context of energy transition. The pulverized coal combustion process is described, along with factors influencing its efficiency, and a classification of modifiers that improve combustion parameters. Both natural and synthetic modifiers are analyzed, including their mechanisms of action, application examples, and catalytic effects. Special attention is given to the synergy between transition metal compounds (Fe, Cu, Mn, Ce) and alkaline earth oxides (Ca, Mg), which enhances energy efficiency, flame stability, and reduces emissions of CO, SO₂, and NO_x. The article also examines biomass-coal co-firing as a technology supporting energy sector decarbonization. Co-firing reduces greenhouse gas emissions and increases the reactivity of fuel blends. The influence of biomass type, its share in the mixture, and processing methods on combustion parameters is discussed. Finally, the paper identifies directions for further technological development, including nanocomposite combustion modifiers and intelligent catalysts integrating sorption and redox functions. These innovations offer promising potential for improving energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of coal-fired power generation. Full article

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide. CVDs are associated with multiple factors, including oxidative stress, mediated endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, and atherothrombosis. Although traditional antioxidant supplementation (such as vitamins C, E, and β-carotene) has shown promising results in rigorous animal model studies, it has consistently failed to demonstrate clinical benefit in most human trials. Consequently, there is a substantial unmet need for novel paradigms involving mechanistically and biologically relevant pharmaceutical-grade antioxidant therapies (“next-generation antioxidants”). Rapid advancements in redox biology, nanotechnology, genetic modulation of redox processes, and metabolic regulation have enabled the development of new antioxidant therapeutics, including mitochondrial-targeted agents, NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitors, selenoprotein and Nrf2 activators, engineered nanoparticles, catalytic antioxidants, and RNA-based and gene-editing strategies. These interventions have the potential to modulate specific oxidative pathways that contribute to CVD pathogenesis. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of current oxidative stress–modulating modalities and their potential to inform personalized cardiovascular prevention and treatment strategies. Full article

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) relies on the thioredoxin (Trx)–thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) system to maintain intracellular redox homeostasis and to support Trx-dependent DNA synthesis and repair, making TrxR a potential target for anti-tuberculosis therapy. Gold nanoclusters have been reported to inhibit human TrxR and suppress tumor growth, suggesting that gold-based nanomaterials can modulate TrxR activity. In this study, we report a previously uncharacterized oxidized crystal structure of M. tuberculosis TrxR containing two dimers in the asymmetric unit and use this structure to investigate inhibition by a glutathione-coated gold nanocluster (GSH-AuNC). Biolayer interferometry and enzymatic assays show that GSH-AuNC binds directly to M. tuberculosis TrxR and efficiently inhibits its catalytic activity at the purified enzyme level. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that GSH-AuNC can occupy a surface pocket proximal to the active site, providing a plausible structural basis for enzyme engagement. AlphaFold3 modeling of the M. tuberculosis TrxR-Trx heterodimeric complex defines the interaction interface required for productive electron transfer and provides a structural hypothesis for how GSH-AuNC disrupts this process. Together, these results provide structural and mechanistic insights into the biochemical modulation of M. tuberculosis TrxR by GSH-AuNC, while the antimycobacterial activity of GSH-AuNC remains to be evaluated in future studies. Full article

Solid base catalysts hold significant promise for replacing traditional homogeneous bases with green chemical processes. However, the construction of their strong basic sites typically relies on high-temperature calcination, which often leads to the collapse of the carrier structure and high energy consumption. This study proposes a novel “carrier reducibility tuning” strategy, which involves endowing the carrier with intrinsic reducibility to induce the low-temperature decomposition of alkali precursors via a redox pathway, thereby enabling the mild construction of strong basic sites. Low-valence Cr³⁺ was doped into a mesoporous zirconia framework, successfully fabricating an MCZ carrier with a mesostructure and reducible characteristics. Characterization results indicate that a significant redox interaction between the Cr³⁺ in the carrier and the supported KNO₃ occurs at 500 °C. This interaction facilitates the complete conversion of KNO₃ into highly dispersed, strongly basic K₂O species, while Cr³⁺ is predominantly oxidized to Cr⁶⁺. This activation temperature is approximately 300 °C lower than that required for the conventional thermal decomposition pathway and effectively preserves the structural integrity of the material. In the transesterification reaction for synthesizing dimethyl carbonate, the prepared catalyst exhibits superior catalytic activity, significantly outperforming classic solid bases like MgO and other reference catalysts. Full article