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Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), acrylamide (AA), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic substances that are produced in certain foods during thermal processing by using common high-temperature unit operations such as frying, baking, roasting, grill cooking, extrusion, among others. Understanding the formation pathways of these potential risk factors, which can cause cancer or contribute to the development of many chronic diseases in humans, is crucial for reducing their occurrence in thermally processed foods. During thermal processing, food rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids undergoes a crucial Maillard reaction, leading to the production of highly active carbonyl compounds. These compounds then react with other substances to form harmful substances, which ultimately affect negatively the health of the human body. Although these toxic compounds differ in various forms of formation, they all partake in the common Maillard pathway. This review primarily summarizes the occurrence, formation pathways, and reduction measures of common toxic compounds during the thermal processing of food, based on independent studies for each specific contaminant in its corresponding food matrix. Finally, it provides several approaches for the simultaneous reduction of multiple toxic compounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Here, we presented a second-order scattering sensor based on the Zn 0.97 La 0.03 O compound (LaZnO) for selective and stable detection of glycated albumin (GA, glycemic long-term biomarker). The LaZnO sample was obtained through the co-precipitation method and then characterized using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, the selectivity, molecular interference, temporal stability, and pH effects of the LaZnO SOS signal in the absence and presence of GA were investigated. The results indicate the stability of the SOS signal over more than 60 days. Assays conducted within the pH range of 5 to 8 indicate that the detection of GA remains unaffected under the given conditions. Selectivity studies show that the SOS signal of LaZnO is reduced only upon contact with GA, while interference studies show that detection is not affected by other chemical species. Additionally, the calibration curve test showed high sensitivity of the material, with a detection limit of 0.55 µg/ml. All the results suggest that LaZnO can deliver efficiency, selectivity, accuracy, and fast response as a GA biosensor, emphasizing LaZnO's usefulness in detecting protein biomarkers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: This study, drawing on Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data, examines spatiotemporal trends in mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) linked to aortic aneurysm (AA) from high sodium intake. The aim is a comprehensive analysis globally, regionally, and nationally spanning 1990 to 2019., Methods and Results: Quantifying AA deaths and DALYs due to high sodium intake, incorporating age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR), revealed a global surge. Deaths rose by 86.09 %, DALYs by 74.02 % from 1990 to 2019. EAPC for ASMR and ASDR displayed negative trends (-0.72 and -0.77). High/middle-high Socio-demographic Index (SDI) regions bore higher burdens than lower SDI regions. Males consistently had higher burdens across SDI regions, with both genders showing a slight downward trend. Age-wise, AA deaths and DALYs rose with age, followed by decline. A positive correlation existed between SDI and global burden, inversely related to EAPC for ASMR and ASDR., Conclusion: AA burden from high sodium intake is pronounced in high SDI regions, necessitating targeted interventions. The global data highlights a significant increase in AA deaths and DALYs due to high sodium intake, urging prompt and effective control measures., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CML), a typical advanced glycosylation end product produced during the processing of meat under high temperature, poses health risks. Active substances like polyphenols are known to inhibit the formation of harmful products during the processing of food. In this study, our objective was to prepare a double network hydrogel (DN) loaded with gallic acid using amyloid fibers and chitosan as a rigid and flexible network, respectively. The network as well as the interactions between the two networks were observed and analyzed. Chitosan concentration was the key factor regulating the structure and properties of the DN. At a chitosan concentration of 0.7%wt, the structure of DN became dense and its mechanical properties were improved, with the loading capacity and loading efficiency being increased by 143.79 % and 128.21 %, compared with those of amyloid fibril alone. Furthermore, the digestibility of gallic acid in simulated intestinal fluid was increased by 215.10 %. Moreover, adding DN to the beef patties effectively inhibited the formation of CML in a dose-response dependent manner. Addition of 3 wt% DN resulted in the inhibitory rate of CML in roast beef patties reaching a high 73.09 %. The quality and palatability of beef patties were improved. These findings suggest that DN shows great potential as an application that may be utilized to deliver active substances aimed at inhibiting CML in the meat processing industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In this study, a new natural preservative, ε-polylysine (ε-PL) and chitooligosaccharides (COS) Maillard reaction products (LC-MRPs), was prepared by Maillard reaction. The preservation effect of LC-MRPs combined with slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) pretreatment (SM) on vacuum-packed sea bass during refrigerated storage was evaluated. The results showed that after 16 days, SM treatment could effectively inhibit the microbial growth and prevent water migration in sea bass. In addition, the highest water holding capacity (69.79 %) and the best sensory characteristics, the lowest malonaldehyde (MDA) (58.96 nmol/g), trimethylamine (TMA) (3.35 mg/100 g), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) (16.93 mg N/100 g), myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) (92.2 %) and TCA-soluble peptides (2.16 μmol tyrosine/g meat) were related to SM group. Combined with sensory analysis, we can conclude that the combined treatment of SAEW and LC-MRPs could prolong the shelf-life of sea bass for another 11 days compared with the DW group. Results disclosed that the composite treatment of SAEW and LC-MRPs is a promising technology to improve the shelf-life of vacuum-packed sea bass during refrigerated storage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declared that there was no conflict of commercial interest or correlative interest in relation to the work submitted., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Methylglyoxal (MGO); a reducing sugar and a dicarbonyl; attaches to the biomolecules (proteins, lipids, and DNA) leading to glycation and accumulation of oxidative stress in cells and tissues. Superoxide anion formed under such conditions entraps free nitric oxide radical (NO) to form peroxynitrite (PON). Nitro-oxidative stress due to PON is well established. Human fibrinogen plays a key role in haemostasis and is a highly vulnerable target for oxidation. Modifications of fibrinogen can potentially disrupt its structure and function. Earlier evidence suggested that glycation and nitro-oxidation lead to protein aggregation by making it resistant to lysis. This study aims to reveal the structural perturbations on fibrinogen in the presence of MGO and PON synergistically. The in vitro glyco-nitro-oxidation of human fibrinogen by MGO and PON leads to substantial structural alterations, as evident by biophysical and biochemical studies. In-silico results revealed the formation of stable complexes. UV-visible, intrinsic fluorescence, and circular dichroism investigations confirmed the synergistic effect of MGO and PON caused micro-structural modifications leading to secondary structural alterations. AGEs formation in MGO-modified fibrinogen reduced the free lysine and free arginine residues which were quantified by TNBS and phenanthrenequinone assays. Enhanced oxidative status was confirmed by estimating carbonyl content. ANS fluorophore validated exposure of hydrophobic patches in modified protein and thioflavin-T showed maximum binding with synergistically modified fibrinogen, indicated the formation of β-sheet. Confocal and electron microscope results corroborated the formation of aggregates. This study, therefore, evaluated the impact of MGO and PON on the structural integrity, oxidative status and aggregate formation of fibrinogen that can aggravate metabolic complications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive by-product of glycolysis, is involved in the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Elevated levels of MG have been correlated with micro-and macro-angiopathic complications in diabetes, including neuropathy, kidney disease, retinopathy, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, point-of-care devices for detecting MG may be of great use in the screening of diabetes complications. This study was designed to determine the utility of the developed electrochemical biosensor to measure the level of MG in human plasma from type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. Electrochemical studies were carried out with optimized experimental parameters using the modified Platinum-electrode. Subsequently, clinical studies using 350 blood plasma samples were conducted and the results were validated against the ELISA kit, Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT), and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The MG sensor exhibited a linear range of 1.0-7.5 μM concentration with a sensitivity of 1.02 mA µM -1 , a limit of detection of 0.21 µM, a limit of quantification of 0.70 µM and a response time less than 10 s. The sensor showed 90% correlation with ELISA data. The developed biosensor showed a significant correlation with HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose suggesting that it can be used as a point-of-care device to screen for diabetes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) are a diverse group of highly reactive molecules that play a vital role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), leading to a decline in functional and cognitive capacity. The objective of this study was to assess the intake and quantification of AGEs in individuals with PD and to correlate them with their functional and cognitive abilities., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 20 PD patients and 20 non-PD individuals as the Control group (C). The autofluorescence reader was used to evaluate skin AGEs, while food recall was used to quantify AGEs consumed for three different days. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Short Physical Performance Battery, and handgrip tests were used. PD patients demonstrated greater impairment in functional capacity compared to the control group., Results: Dominant Handgrip (p = 0.02) and motor performance, in the sit and stand test (p = 0.01) and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (p = 0.01) were inferior in PD patients than the control group. Although PD patients tended to consume less AGEs than the control group, AGE intake was negatively correlated with handgrip strength in individuals with PD (r = -0.59; p < 0.05)., Conclusion: PD patients had lower strength and functional capacity, suggesting that the effects of AGEs might be exacerbated during chronic diseases like Parkinson's., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Advanced-Glycation-Endproducts (AGEs) are known to be a major cause of impaired tissue material properties. In collagen fibrils, which constitute a major building component of human tissue, these AGEs appear as fibrillar cross-links. It has been shown that when AGEs accumulate in collagen fibrils, a process often caused by diabetes and aging, the mechanical properties of the collagen fibril are altered. However, current knowledge about the mechanical properties of different types of AGEs, and their quantity in collagen fibrils is limited owing to the scarcity of available experimental data. Consequently, the precise relationship between the nano-scale cross-link properties, which differ from type to type, their density in collagen fibrils, and the mechanical properties of the collagen fibrils at larger scales remains poorly understood. In our study, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and perform destructive tensile tests on collagen fibrils to evaluate the effect of different cross-link densities and their mechanical properties on collagen fibril deformation and fracture behavior. We observe that the collagen fibril stiffens at high strain levels when either the AGEs density or the loading energy capacity of AGEs are increased. Based on our results, we demonstrate that this stiffening is caused by a mechanism that favors energy absorption via stretching rather than inter-molecular sliding. Hence, in these cross-linked collagen fibrils, the absorbed energy is stored rather than dissipated through friction, resulting in brittle fracture upon fibrillar failure. Further, by varying multiple AGEs nano-scale parameters, we show that the AGEs loading energy capacity is, aside from their density in the fibril, the unique factor determining the effect of different types of AGEs on the mechanical behavior of collagen fibrils. Our results show that knowing AGEs properties is crucial for a better understanding of the nano-scale origin of impaired tissue behavior. We further suggest that future experimental investigations should focus on the quantification of the loading energy capacity of AGEs as a key property for their influence on collagen fibrils., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The selective adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) agonist regadenoson reduces inflammation due to lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). The objective of this study was to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms by which regadenoson reduces IRI in lung transplant recipients., Methods: Fourteen human lung transplant recipients were infused for 12 hours with regadenoson and 7 more served as untreated controls. Plasma levels of high mobility group box 1 and its soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE) were measured by Luminex. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 were measured by gelatin zymography. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 was measured by mass spectroscopy. A2AR expression on leukocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. MMP-9-mediated cleavage of RAGE was evaluated using cultured macrophages in vitro., Results: Regadenoson treatment during lung transplantation significantly reduced levels of MMP-9 (P < .05), but not MMP-2, and elevated levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (P < .05), an endogenous selective inhibitor of MMP-9. Regadenoson infusion significantly reduced plasma levels of sRAGE (P < .05) during lung reperfusion compared with control subjects. A2AR expression was highest on invariant natural killer T cells and higher on monocytes than other circulating immune cells (P < .05). The shedding of RAGE from cultured monocytes/macrophages was increased by MMP-9 stimulation and reduced by an MMP inhibitor or by A2AR agonists, regadenoson or ATL146e., Conclusions: In vivo and in vitro studies suggest that A2AR activation reduces sRAGE in part by inhibiting MMP-9 production by monocytes/macrophages. These results suggest a novel molecular mechanism by which A2AR agonists reduce primary graft dysfunction., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare peri-implant clinical and radiographic status and levels of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in peri-implant sulcular fluid (PISF) in waterpipe users and cigarette smokers., Methods: Waterpipe users, cigarette smokers, and never smokers were included. Demographic details were collected using a questionnaire. Characteristics of implants (dimensions, jaw location, depth of placement, insertion torque, and duration in function) were recorded. Peri-implant modified plaque and gingival indices (mPI and mGI), probing depth (PD), and crestal bone loss (CBL) were recorded in all groups. Volume of PISF and levels of AGEs were determined using standard techniques. Sample-size estimation was done on data from a pilot investigation, and correlation between clinicoradiographic and immunoinflammatory parameters was assessed using logistic regression models. Probability values <.05 were considered statistically significant., Results: In all, 25, 25, and 24 cigarette smokers, never smokers, and waterpipe users, respectively, were examined. All participants were male and had comparable mean ages. Cigarette smokers and waterpipe users had a smoking history of 20.2 ± 3.5 years and 18.8 ± 0.6 years, respectively. The mPI (P < .01), CBL (P < .01), PD (P < 0.01), and mGI (P < .01) were significantly higher in cigarette smokers and waterpipe users than never smokers. There was no significant difference in clinicoradiographic status and AGE concentrations in waterpipe users and cigarette smokers. A statistically significant correlation was recorded between AGEs and PD in cigarette smokers (P < .01) and waterpipe users (P < .01)., Conclusions: Waterpipe usage is not less hazardous to peri-implant tissue health than conventional cigarette smoking. It is imperative to caution patients with dental implants about the detrimental effects of tobacco products on oral health., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Dietary advanced glycation end products (AGEs) might exert adverse effects on cognition. The associations between dietary AGEs and long-term risk of dementia are yet to be assessed in large population studies. We aimed to explore whether elevated dietary AGEs intake is associated with increased risk of dementia, and whether this association might be affected by genetic risk., Methods: A prospective cohort study, which included a total of 93,830 participants (aged≥ 50 years) free from dementia at baseline of the UK Biobank study (2006-2010) and had at least two 24-h dietary assessments and were followed up until 2021. Dietary AGEs, including Nε-(1-Carboxyethyl)-l-lysine (CEL), Nε-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML), and Nδ-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1) were estimated via averaged data from the multiple 24-h food assessments according to the ultra-performance LC-tandem MS based dAGEs database. Incidence of all-cause dementia was ascertained through hospital inpatient and mortality records. Multivariable Cox regression models were utilized to estimate hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of dementia risk associated with dietary AGEs., Results: During a median follow-up of 11.9 years, 728 participants developed dementia. In multivariable adjusted model, when comparing the highest with the lowest tertile of intake level, HRs (95% CI) of dementia were 1.43 (1.16, 1.76) for total AGEs Z score, 1.53 (1.25, 1.89) for CEL, 1.27 (1.03, 1.56) for CML and 1.24 (1.02, 1.52) for MG-H1 (all P trend<0.01). There was no significant interaction between dietary AGEs intake, genetic risk and APOE ε4 carrier status for dementia., Conclusions: Higher intakes of dietary AGEs including CEL, CML and MG-H1 were associated with a higher risk of dementia, independent from genetic risk, highlighting the significance of dietary AGEs restriction for dementia prevention., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: To our knowledge the association between dietary advanced glycation end-products (dAGEs) and cardiometabolic disease is limited. Our aim was to examine the association between dAGEs and serum concentration of carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) or soluble receptor advanced glycation end-products (sRAGEs), and to assess the difference on dAGEs and circulating AGEs according to lifestyle and biochemical measures., Methods and Results: 52 overweight or obese adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were included in this cross-sectional analysis. dAGEs were estimated from a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) or from a FFQ + Home Cooking Frequency Questionnaire (HCFQ). Serum concentrations of CML and sRAGEs were measured by ELISA. Correlation tests were used to analyze the association between dAGEs derived from the FFQ or FFQ + HCFQ and concentrations of CML or sRAGEs. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and biochemical measures were analyzed according to sRAGEs and dAGEs using student t-test and ANCOVA. A significant inverse association was found between serum sRAGEs and dAGEs estimated using the FFQ + HCFQ (r = -0.36, p = 0.010), whereas no association was found for dAGEs derived from the FFQ alone. No association was observed between CML and dAGEs. dAGEs intake estimated from the FFQ + HCFQ was significantly higher among younger and male participants, and in those with higher BMI, higher Hb1Ac levels, longer time with type 2 diabetes, lower adherence to Mediterranean diet, and higher use of culinary techniques that generate more AGEs (all p values p < 0.05)., Conclusions: These results show knowledge on culinary techniques is relevant to derive the association between dAGEs intake and cardiometabolic risk factors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of Fox Green (FG) against methylthioninium chloride (MTC)-facilitated photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an adjunctive to manual scaling (MS) on the peri‑implant clinical and cytokine parameters in type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with peri‑implantitis., Methods: Patients were divided into group-A comprising 13 patients who received adjunctive FG-PDT using a diode laser (wavelength: 810 nm; irradiation power: 300 mW; irradiation time: 30 s; fluence: 56 Jcm -2 ), group-B comprising 12 patients who received adjunctive MTC-PDT using a diode laser (wavelength: 660 nm; irradiation power: 100 mW; irradiation time: 120 s/site; fluence: 30 Jcm -2 ), and group-C comprising 13 patients who received MS alone [control group]). After diagnosing the diabetics with peri‑implantitis (established on eligibility criteria), a structured questionnaire was used to gather the information of the participants. Plaque (PS) and bleeding scores (BS), along with peri‑implant probing scores (PPS) and peri‑implant bone loss (PIBL), together with immunological variables (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], and advanced glycation end products [AGEs]) were measured in all study group participants at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups., Results: A significant reduction was observed for PS, BS, and PPS within all tested groups at each follow-up visits compared from their baseline values (p<0.05). However, a substantial decrease in PIBL was observed in all study group patients at 6-month follow-up as compared to 3-month follow-up (p<0.05). Regarding the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, a substantial reduction was observed in all study groups until 6-month from their baseline scores (p<0.05). However, no changes were observed in the levels of AGEs in any group at either visit (p>0.05)., Conclusion: In DM patients with periimplantitis, adjunctive FG-PDT and MTC-PDT exhibited comparable outcomes in terms of peri‑implant clinical as well as pro-inflammatory characteristics than MS alone among peri‑implantitis patients with DM., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background & Aims: A diet high in advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) is a potential risk factor for insulin resistance, beta cell dysfunction, and ultimately type 2 diabetes. We investigated associations between habitual intake of dietary AGEs and glucose metabolism in a population-based setting., Methods: In 6275 participants of The Maastricht Study (mean ± SD age: 60 ± 9, 15.1% prediabetes and 23.2% type 2 diabetes), we estimated habitual intake of dietary AGEs N ε -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), N ε -(1-carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), and N δ -(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolon-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1) by combining a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with our mass-spectrometry dietary AGE database. We determined insulin sensitivity (Matsuda- and HOMA-IR index), beta cell function (C-peptidogenic index, glucose sensitivity, potentiation factor, and rate sensitivity), glucose metabolism status, fasting glucose, HbA1c, post-OGTT glucose, and OGTT glucose incremental area under the curve. Cross-sectional associations between habitual AGE intake and these outcomes were investigated using a combination of multiple linear regression and multinomial logistic regression adjusting for several potential confounders (demographic, cardiovascular, and lifestyle factors)., Results: Generally, higher habitual intake of AGEs was not associated with worse indices of glucose metabolism, nor with increased presence of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Higher dietary MG-H1 was associated with better beta cell glucose sensitivity., Conclusions: The present study does not support an association of dietary AGEs with impaired glucose metabolism. Whether higher intake of dietary AGEs translates to increased incidence of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes on the long term should be investigated in large prospective cohort studies., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest There are no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The impacts of freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles and cooking on the basic composition, protein and lipid oxidation, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) of chicken breasts were studied. During F-T cycles, the moisture and protein contents of raw and cooked chicken breasts decreased, and protein and lipid oxidation occurred, increasing carbonyl and TBARS contents. Meanwhile, the contents of methylglyoxal, glyoxal, and hydroxymethylfurfural in raw meat increased by 2.27, 2.27, and 5 times, respectively, whereas glyoxal and hydroxymethylfurfural contents increased by 2.73 and 3 times, respectively, after cooking as F-T cycles increased. The formation of carboxymethyl lysine, pentosidine, and fluorescent AGEs in cooked samples was confirmed using an ELISA kit and fluorescent intensity. The study also revealed that AGEs contents of chicken meat were negatively correlated with moisture contents and positively correlated with carbonyl and TBARS levels. Therefore, F-T cycles and subsequent cooking promoted AGEs formation in cooked meat., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Collagen, one of the main building blocks for various tissues, derives its mechanical properties directly from its structure of cross-linked tropocollagen molecules. The cross-links are considered to be a key component of collagen fibrils as they can change the fibrillar behavior in various ways. For instance, enzymatic cross-links (ECLs), one particular type of cross-links, are known for stabilizing the structure of the fibril and improving material properties, while cross-linking AGEs (Advanced-Glycation Endproducts) have been shown to accumulate and impair the mechanical properties of collageneous tissues. However, the reasons for whether and how a given type of cross-link improves or impairs the material properties remain unknown, and the exact relationship between the cross-link properties and density, and the fibrillar behavior is still not well understood. Here, we use coarse-grained steered molecular models to evaluate the effect of AGEs and ECLs cross-links content on the deformation and failure properties of collagen fibrils. Our simulations show that the collagen fibrils stiffen at high strain levels when the AGEs content exceeds a critical value. In addition, the strength of the fibril increases with AGEs accumulation. By analyzing the forces within the different types of cross-links (AGEs and ECLs) as well as their failure, we demonstrate that a change of deformation mechanism is at the origin of these observations. A high AGEs content reinforces force transfer through AGEs cross-links rather than through friction between sliding tropocollagen molecules, which leads to failure by breaking of bonds within the tropocollagen molecules. We show that this failure mechanism, which is associated with lower energy dissipation, results in more abrupt failure of the collagen fibril. Our results provide a direct and causal link between increased AGEs content, inhibited intra-fibrillar sliding, increased stiffness, and abrupt fibril fracture. Therefore, they explain the mechanical origin of bone brittleness as commonly observed in elderly and diabetic populations. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying impaired tissue behavior due to elevated AGEs content and could enable targeted measures regarding the reduction of specific collagen cross-linking levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Glycation of human low-density protein (LDL) has an essential contribution to cardiovascular diseases. Natural compounds like rutin have been extensively studied in preventing glycation-induced oxidative stress. This study examined rutin's anti-glycation potential with glycated LDL utilizing spectroscopic and in silico methods. Glycated LDL treated with rutin, showed around 80 % inhibition in advanced glycation end-product production. Carbonyl content and lipid peroxidation like assays were used to establish the development of oxidative stress. Rutin was seen to lower the generation of oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. Using thioflavin-T assay and electron microscopy, rutin was suggested to restore the structural disturbances in glycated LDL. Moreover, CD spectroscopy suggested reinstation of secondary structure of glycated LDL treated with rutin. Mechanistic insights between rutin and LDL were observed through spectroscopic measures. Molecular docking study confirmed the LDL-rutin binding with a binding energy of -10.0 kcal/mol. The rutin-LDL complex was revealed to be highly stable by molecular dynamics simulation, with RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, and the secondary structure of LDL remaining essentially unchanged during the simulation period. Our study suggests that rutin possesses strong anti-glycating properties, which can be useful in therapeutics, as glycated LDL has an important role in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this paper declare no social or financial conflict of interest in this research., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Musa spp. (banana) is consumed globally as a healthy fruit and improves the immune system. Banana blossoms are a by-product of banana harvesting rich in active substances such as polysaccharides and phenolic compounds; however, these blossoms are typically discarded as waste. In this report, a polysaccharide, MSBP11, was extracted, purified and identified from banana blossoms. MSBP11 is a neutral homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular mass of ∼214.43 kDa and composed of arabinose and galactose at a ratio of 0.303:0.697. MSBP11 exhibited potent antioxidant and anti-glycation activities in a dose-dependent manner and can be used as a potential natural antioxidant and inhibitor of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs). In addition, banana blossoms have been shown to decrease the levels of AGEs in chocolate brownies, which might possibly be developed as functional foods for diabetic patients. This study provides a scientific basis to further research the potential application of banana blossoms in functional foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background and Aims: The multi-ligand receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its ligands AGEs and S100/calgranulin proteins are important mediators of inflammation and oxidative stress whereas the soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE) by acting as a decoy and the antioxidant PARK7/DJ-1 exert antiatherogenic effects. We examined whether sRAGE and its ligands AGEs, S100A8/A9, S100B, S100A12 and DJ-1 are associated with the presence of angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic patients with and without diabetes., Methods and Results: Plasma levels of RAGE ligands, sRAGE and DJ-1 were determined in 50 patients with angiographically proven CAD and in 50 age-matched healthy controls. In the whole cohort, lower levels of sRAGE and higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), the RAGE ligands S100B, S100A12 and the AGEs/sRAGE ratio were associated with CAD. In patients without diabetes (n = 72), lower levels of sRAGE and DJ-1 and higher levels of IL-6 and AGEs/sRAGE ratio were associated with CAD. In multivariable analysis, AGEs/sRAGE ratio was an independent predictor of CAD both in the whole cohort (p = 0.034, OR = 1.247, [95%CI: 1.024, 1.0519]) and in the subgroup of patients without diabetes (p = 0.021, OR = 1.363, 95%CI [1.048, 1.771]) on top of established cardiovascular risk factors., Conclusion: Alterations in plasma RAGE axis inflammatory mediators are associated with atherosclerosis, and higher levels of AGEs/sRAGE ratio are independently associated with CAD in asymptomatic patients and may act as a novel biomarker for predicting CAD. DJ-1 emerges as promising marker of oxidative stress in CAD patients without diabetes, a finding that deserves further study., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant plasma protein and is sensitive to glycation in vivo. The chronic hyperglycemic conditions in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) induce a nonenzymatic Maillard reaction that denatures plasma proteins and forms advanced glycation end products (AGEs). HSA-AGE is a prevalent misfolded protein in patients with DM and is associated with factor XII activation and downstream proinflammatory kallikrein-kinin system activity without any associated procoagulant activity of the intrinsic pathway., Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relevance of HSA-AGE toward diabetic pathophysiology., Methods: The plasma obtained from patients with DM and euglycemic volunteers was probed for activation of FXII, prekallikrein (PK), and cleaved high-molecular-weight kininogen by immunoblotting. Constitutive plasma kallikrein activity was determined via chromogenic assay. Activation and kinetic modulation of FXII, PK, FXI, FIX, and FX via in vitro-generated HSA-AGE were explored using chromogenic assays, plasma-clotting assays, and an in vitro flow model using whole blood., Results: Plasma obtained from patients with DM contained increased plasma AGEs, activated FXIIa, and resultant cleaved cleaved high-molecular-weight kininogen. Elevated constitutive plasma kallikrein enzymatic activity was identified, which positively correlated with glycated hemoglobin levels, representing the first evidence of this phenomenon. HSA-AGE, generated in vitro, triggered FXIIa-dependent PK activation but limited the intrinsic coagulation pathway activation by inhibiting FXIa and FIXa-dependent FX activation in plasma., Conclusion: These data indicate a proinflammatory role of HSA-AGEs in the pathophysiology of DM via FXII and kallikrein-kinin system activation. A procoagulant effect of FXII activation was lost through the inhibition of FXIa and FIXa-dependent FX activation by HSA-AGEs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests There are no competing interests to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Raman spectroscopy (RS) is sensitive to the accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and it measures matrix-sensitive properties that correlate with the fracture toughness of human cortical bone. However, it is unclear whether sugar-mediated accumulation of AGEs affects the fracture toughness of human cortical bone in a manner that is consistent with the negative correlations between amide I sub-peak ratios and fracture toughness. Upon machining 64 single-edge notched beam (SENB) specimens from cadaveric femurs (8 male and 7 female donors between 46 years and 61 years of age), pairs of SENB specimens were incubated in 15 mL of phosphate buffered saline with or without 0.1 M ribose for 4 weeks at 37 °C. After acquiring 10 Raman spectra per bone specimen (n = 32 per incubation group), paired SENB specimens were loaded in three-point bending at a quasi-static or a high loading rate approximating 10 -4 s -1 or 10 -2 s -1 , respectively (n = 16 per incubation group per loading rate). While 2 amide I sub-peak ratios, I 1670 /I 1640 and I 1670 /I 1610 , decreased by 3-5% with a 100% increase in AGE content, as confirmed by fluorescence measurements, the ribose incubation to accumulate AGEs in bone did not affect linear elastic (K Ic ) nor non-linear elastic (K Jc ) measurements of bone's ability to resist crack growth. Moreover, AGE accumulation did not affect the change in these properties when the loading rate changed. Increasing the loading rate increased K Ic but decreased K Jc . Ribose incubation did not affect mineral-related RS properties such as mineral-to-matrix ratios, Type B carbonate substitutions, and crystallinity. It did however increase the thermal stability of demineralized bone (differential scanning calorimetry), without affecting the network connectivity of the organic matrix (i.e., maximum slope during a hydrothermal isometric tension test of demineralized bone). In conclusion, RS is sensitive to AGE accumulation via the amide I band (plus the hydroxyproline-to-proline ratio), but the increase in AGE content due to ribose incubation was not sufficient to affect the fracture toughness of human cortical bone., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Home blood glucose monitoring can be effective for the self-management of diabetic patients. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a widely used marker that reflects the average blood glucose within 1-2 months but does not sensitively respond to behavioral changes. Self-monitoring of blood glucose, continuous glucose monitoring, and flush glucose monitoring are sensitive; however, the cost and invasiveness of these tests prevent their widespread use. We focused on glycated albumin (GA), which reflects the average blood glucose levels over 1-2 weeks, and established a GA measurement method for self-sampling, finger-prick blood, which may be submitted for testing through postal service to receive weekly results., Methods: A high-performance liquid chromatography assay was established to measure GA levels in finger-prick blood samples from 103 diabetic patients and the results were compared with venous blood measurements using an enzymatic method. Furthermore, conditions for sending blood samples by mail were evaluated. Under these conditions, samples from 27 healthy and 32 patient volunteers sent through postal service were compared with samples stored in the laboratory., Results: GA levels were measured in samples containing > 20 μg albumin, which resulted in a CV less than 0.3%. The correlation between the GA levels of finger-prick blood measured using HPLC and the GA levels of venous blood measured using the enzymatic method was R 2  = 0.988 with the slope ∼ 1.0, suggesting that the two were nearly equivalent. GA levels were stable for four days at 30 °C and two days at 37 °C. Mail-delivered samples exhibited a high correlation with samples that were not sent (R 2  > 0.99)., Conclusions: We established a method to measure GA levels in self-sampled, finger-prick blood sent through postal service in Japan. The method is applicable for weekly feedback of GA levels, which is potentially useful for motivating behavioral changes. In addition to markers such as HbA1c and blood glucose, GA can be used as a marker for assessing dietary and physical activities. This study highlighted the importance of GA monitoring by developing a suitable measurement method for weekly monitoring of GA levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Provigate Inc. has sponsored the joint research project with Naoto Kubota, Masakazu Aihara, Keiko Yasukawa, and Yutaka Yatomi of the University of Tokyo Hospital. No other potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article are reported., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Glycated albumin (GA) may assess glycometabolic control over a short period of time respect to HbA 1c , and its use to screen for gestational diabetes in pregnancy has been suggested. To this regard few data on reference intervals (RI) for GA on Europid women have been collected, only from cross-sectional investigations. Aim of this work has been to collect trimester-specific RI for GA in physiological pregnancies, following a longitudinal prospective study., Methods: Forty-five healthy pregnant Europid women have been enrolled for whom a GDM screening test was scheduled at 24-28 weeks, in 5 different Italian centers. Only those negative to the OGTT were included. The women had 4 successive visits at 6-10 weeks of gestation, at 16-18 weeks, at 24-28 weeks and at the end of pregnancy. ALT, AST, total bilirubin, C-reactive protein, cholinesterase, creatinine, GGT, glycated albumin, iron, total serum proteins, transferrin were measured in duplicate on aliquots of serum samples by a central laboratory., Results: The RI (2.5-97.5 percentiles) for GA were 11.1-14.8 % (I visit), 10.9-15.6 % (II visit), 10.6-14.1 % (III visit) and 10.7-14.3 % (IV visit). The RI of other biomarkers confirmed previously published data. The RI for serum cholinesterase we present are novel, and were 5049-9906 U/L (Iv), 4212-8965 U/L (IIv), 3518-8470 U/L (IIIv) and 3945-8727 U/L (IVv)., Conclusions: Trimester-specific RI are important for using GA and serum cholinesterase in pregnancy. However, considering the high inter-individual variability of both markers, the use of longitudinal interpretations of the individual variations of both proteins during pregnancy should be preferred., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

It has been suggested that adverse changes in bone quality due to the accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) may play a role in the increased skeletal fragility. These non-enzymatic glycation mediated crosslinks are caused due to the presence of sugars in the extracellular space and can be induced in-vitro. AGEs exist naturally in bone, but with diseases such as type-2 diabetes, they are found at higher levels. While previous studies have examined the relationships between AGE accumulation and some mechanical properties, there is a lack of understanding of how AGE accumulation affects the fracture mechanics behaviour of bone tissue at fall-related loading rates. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between AGE accumulation and the fracture mechanics of cortical bone tissue. An in vitro glycation model was used to simulate diabetic conditions in twenty anatomically adjacent pairs of bone from a single bovine femur, which reduced the possibility of inter-specimen variability. Mechanical characterisation was carried out using 3-point bend, fracture toughness and nanoindentation testing, while bone composition was analysed by quantifying the accumulation of fluorescent AGEs. Under three-point bend testing, it was found that the yield stress, ultimate flexural strength, and secant modulus of the glycated samples were significantly higher than the controls. Furthermore, fracture toughness testing showed that the critical fracture toughness was increased by 16% in glycated samples compared to controls. These results provide no evidence that AGEs alone play a role in bone fragility at fall-related loading rates, with AGE accumulation actually found to enhance several pre- and post-yield properties of the tissue., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Non-enzymatic glycation of biomolecules results in advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are responsible for secondary complications in diabetes. Inhibiting methyl glyoxal (MGO) induced advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation is the only way to alleviate diabetic complications. This study aimed to look into the abilities of herbal extract Kigelia africana and K. africana synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) to inhibit the emergence of MG-derived AGEs. The study intended to determine antioxidant and AGE inhibition of the plant extract and ZnONPs. ZnONPs were tested for the efficiency of anti-diabetic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wister rats. We discovered that the MGO-trapping effects on the prevention of AGE production were mediated by the downregulation of the amplification of MGO-trapping impacts on the hypoglycemic and antihyperlipidemic mechanisms of ZnONPs. According to histological findings, the treatment with ZnONPs also successfully lowers inflammation in the hepatic and renal tissues. Overall, future mechanistic research could establish ZnONPs potential anti-diabetic properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Dicarbonyls are major reactive precursors of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). Dicarbonyls are formed endogenously and also during food processing. Circulating dicarbonyls and AGEs are associated with inflammation and microvascular complications of diabetes, but for dicarbonyls from the diet these associations are currently unknown., Objectives: We sought to examine the associations of dietary dicarbonyl intake with low-grade inflammation and microvascular function., Methods: In 2792 participants (mean ± SD age: 60 ± 8 y; 50% men; 26% type 2 diabetes) of the population-based cohort the Maastricht Study, we estimated the habitual intake of the dicarbonyls methylglyoxal (MGO), glyoxal (GO), and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) by linking FFQ outcome data to our food composition database of the MGO, GO, and 3-DG content of >200 foods. Low-grade inflammation was assessed as six plasma biomarkers, which were compiled in a z score. Microvascular function was assessed as four plasma biomarkers, compiled in a zscore; as diameters and flicker light-induced dilation in retinal microvessels; as heat-induced skin hyperemic response; and as urinary albumin excretion. Cross-sectional associations of dietary dicarbonyls with low-grade inflammation and microvascular function were investigated using linear regression with adjustments for age, sex, potential confounders related to cardiometabolic risk factors, and lifestyle and dietary factors., Results: Fully adjusted analyses revealed that higher intake of MGO was associated with a lower z score for inflammation [standardized β coefficient (STD β): -0.05; 95% CI: -0.09 to -0.01, with strongest inverse associations for hsCRP and TNF-α: both -0.05; -0.10 to -0.01]. In contrast, higher dietary MGO intake was associated with impaired retinal venular dilation after full adjustment (STD β: -0.07; 95% CI: -0.12 to -0.01), but not with the other features of microvascular function. GO and 3-DG intakes were not consistently associated with any of the outcomes., Conclusion: Higher habitual intake of MGO was associated with less low-grade inflammation. This novel, presumably beneficial, association is the first observation of an association between MGO intake and health outcomes in humans and warrants further investigation., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Abstract: Beef is an important red meat that contains essential nutrients for human growth and development. Baking is a popular beef cooking method. Temperature and time play key roles in the final quality of beef. How temperature and time affect the changes of nutrients and the formation of harmful products in beef is not clear. The purpose of this study was to measure the content of water, fat, protein, ash, nitrite, total volatile base nitrogen, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their precursors, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at different temperatures (150, 190, 230, 270, and 310°C) for 20 min and at 190°C for different times (10, 20, and 30 min), so as to discuss the effect of different temperatures and times on beef nutrients and harmful products. The results showed that the moisture content of beef decreased with increased baking temperature and time, resulting in the increase of the relative content of fat, protein, and ash. The content of total volatile base nitrogen increased continuously. Compared with the control group, the content of glyoxal in beef decreased, whereas the content of methylglyoxal, pentosidine, and fluorescent AGEs increased, indicating the continuous accumulation of AGEs in beef. A total of 13 PAHs were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentrations of 13 PAHs in beef increased with increases in baking temperature and time. The concentrations of BkP and BaP, which are the most carcinogenic to humans, were 0.36 and 0.35 μg/kg in raw meat, respectively; these were increased by high temperature and long baking times. After beef was baked at 270 and 310°C for 20 min, the concentration of BkP increased to 9.49 and 5.66 μg/kg, respectively, and the concentration of BaP increased to 5.45 and 4.42 μg/kg, respectively. After baking at 190°C for 30 and 40 min, the concentration of BkP increased to 4.81 and 24.20 μg/kg, respectively, and the concentration of BaP increased to 3.85 and 17.79 μg/kg, respectively., (Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection.)

The Maillard reaction reduces the gastrointestinal digestibility of ovalbumin (OVA) in vitro. However, the regulatory effects of OVA and its Maillard reaction products (MRPs) on gut microbiota disorders remain unknown. In this study, the influence of OVA and its MRPs on the modulation of gut microbiota in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis was investigated. The results revealed that OVA and its MRPs intake could alleviate the symptoms of colitis and improve the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota. Moreover, the results revealed that the Maillard reaction would block the release of lysine and essential amino acids in vivo, but they variously regulated the gut microbiota and the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) due to their indigestible properties. These findings provide a basic theory for the rational utilization of OVA and its MRPs as nutraceutical food ingredients in regulating the gut microbiota for maintaining intestinal health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this study., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background and Aim: Advanced glycation end products are involved in age-related multisystem decline. They accumulate in body tissues with age, diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and can be measured non-invasively by the skin autofluorescence (SAF). We studied the relation between SAF and later mortality in old adults., Methods and Results: The SAF was measured using an AGE-Reader in 451 individuals from the general population aged over 75 years, and all-cause mortality was assessed during an average follow-up of 6.4 years. The association between SAF and mortality was analyzed using a multivariate Cox survival model, adjusted for age and gender. Analyses were further adjusted for diabetes and stratified on the presence of CKD due to its interaction with SAF for the risk of mortality. Participants were 82 years old on average (SD 4.1). Their mean SAF was 2.8 AU (SD 0.6). One hundred and forty-four individuals (31.9%) died during the follow-up. Adjusted for age and gender, SAF was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.44, 95%CI: 1.14-1.82 for a one-AU increase of SAF). The association was no longer significant after adjustment for diabetes. However, after stratification for the presence of CKD, higher SAF was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in the participants with CKD at baseline (HR 1.68, 95%CI: 1.11-2.55), whereas there was no association among participants without CKD (HR 0.95, 95%CI: 0.63-1.44)., Conclusion: Skin autofluorescence is associated with increased all-cause mortality in older adults already suffering from CKD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Thirty-three natural products were isolated from the aerial parts of Antidesma bunius, Euphorbiaceae, a plant used in Vietnamese traditional medicine against rheumatoid arthritis. All compounds were reported the first time for this species, and nine constituents resembled undescribed natural products, noticeably three coumarinolignans with 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane moiety, two cyclopeptides, and two furofuran-type lignans connected with a phenylpropanoid moiety. The individual structures were elucidated by combining NMR and MS data, and their configuration was established by NOESY and ECD experiments and NMR calculations. Compounds with sufficient amount were analyzed for their inhibition of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) formation, metabolites involved in many diseases like Alzheimer, joint diseases or diabetes. With IC 50 values below 0.2 mM rutin and p-hydroxyphenethyl trans-ferulate showed to be moderately active, both still being 10-times more active than the positive control aminoguanidine., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Glycated albumin (GA) reflects short-term glycemic control, but few data are available on its association with hard clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between GA levels and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in people with and without a previous diagnosis of diabetes., Methods and Results: Serum GA levels were measured in 12147 people from the general population (1319 with and 10828 without diabetes) that participated in the 1999-2004 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We evaluated the association between GA and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality through December 2015 by linking NHANES data with data from the National Death Index. Associations were compared with those observed for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). After a median follow-up of 13 years, 2785 participants (619 with and 2166 without diabetes) died, 651 of cardiovascular causes. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models showed that higher baseline GA levels were significantly associated with a higher incidence of both outcomes in participants with (all-cause: HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04; cardiovascular: HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.07) and without diabetes (all-cause: HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.08; cardiovascular: HR: 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14); on the other hand, we found a trend for increased mortality with increasing HbA1c levels in patients with known diabetes, but not in participants without., Conclusions: For a novel measure of hyperglycemia to be considered useful, its association with hard, long term clinical outcomes is of great importance. We showed that GA is associated with mortality in the general population independently of a previous diagnosis of diabetes., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest All authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2022 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Advanced glycation end-products accumulation in tissue as measured by Skin autofluorescence (SAF) is related to diastolic function in specific patient populations. This analysis aims at investigating this relationship in a general population of older persons., Methods and Results: Based on data from the CARLA cohort at first follow-up, 245 subjects were analyzed and stratified according to cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF). We used linear regression to investigate the association between diastolic function evaluated by echocardiography, HFA-PEFF score, and SAF. Univariable regression analysis showed an association of SAF with septal-E/e' (standardised beta = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.51-1.71) and A (3.42, 95% CI = 0.72-6.12), the former persisting after adjustment for age, sex and CVRF (0.67, 95% CI = 0.05-1.28). Septal-E/e' remained related to SAF only in the high cardiovascular risk stratum (1.16, 95% CI = 0.26-2.06). SAF was related to HFA-PEFF score (0.27, 95% CI = 0.10-0.43) but not after correcting for age and sex (0.16, 95% CI = 0.00-0.32) and CVRF and glomerular filtration rate (0.12, 95% CI = -0.07 - 0.27). SAF was related to the HFA-PEFF score only for participants with high cardiovascular risk (0.23, 95% CI = 0.02-0.45)., Conclusion: In a general community-dwelling older population, SAF is related to diastolic function as measured by septal-E/e'. Further research is necessary to assess if SAF is a potential screening tool for diastolic dysfunction in advanced age., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nanoparticles and protein bioconjugates have been studied for multiple biomedical applications. We sought to investigate the interaction and structural modifications of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The IONPs were green synthesized using E. crassipes aqueous leaf extract following characterization using transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction. Two different concentrations of native/glycated albumin (0.5 and 1.5 mg/ml) with IONPs were allowed to interact for 1 h at 37 °C. Glycation markers, protein modification markers, cellular antioxidant, and hemolysis studies showed structural modifications and conformational changes in albumin due to the presence of IONPs. UV-visible absorbance resulted in hyperchromic and bathochromic effects of IONPs-BSA conjugates. Fluorescence measurements of tyrosine, tryptophan, advanced glycated end products, and ANS binding assay were promising and quenching effects proved IONPs-BSA conjugate formation. In FTIR of BSA-IONPs, transmittance was increased in amide A and B bands while decreased in amide I and II bands. In summary, native PAGE, HPLC, and FTIR analysis displayed a differential behaviour of IONPs with native and glycated BSA. These results provided an understanding of the interaction and structural modifications of glycated and native BSA which may provide fundamental repercussions in future studies., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Glycated albumin(GA), a biomarker which has great potential to replace glycated hemoglobin in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, is being extensively studied by scientists, especially in preventive medicine. Aptamers, as novel probes, have attracted much attention due to their high specificity, wide storage conditions, and simple preparation. However, the interaction mechanism between GA and its aptamer is still unclear, hindering the progress of diabetic aptamer sensors into clinical testing. In this study, the interaction mechanism between GA and its aptamer was evaluated for the first time using surface plasmon resonance by changing the pH value, salt concentration and temperature. The successful preparation of the sensor chip is proved by the water contact angle, Atomic Force Microscope, and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This study shows that the pH can greatly affect the formation of a complex from the interaction between the aptamer and GA. The interaction mechanism between GA aptamer and GA was caused by electrostatic force. Otherwise, this is the first time to detect protein isoelectric point (pI) using SPR. This study provides an important reference for researchers of aptamer sensors from the perspective of detection environment, and promotes the use of aptamer sensors to the clinic., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aims/hypothesis: Lens autofluorescence ratio (LFR) is a novel approach to detect advanced glycation end products in a time-saving and non-invasive manner. However, its associations with glycemia and diabetes remain unclear. We conducted this study to address this issue in Chinese adults., Methods: We enrolled a total of 4,705 participants aged 20-70 years in China between May 2020 and January 2021 in a cross-sectional study. LFR was determined by biomicroscopy (ClearPath DS-120). Diabetes was ascertained by oral glucose tolerance test, self-reported history, and/or antidiabetic medication use. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were performed., Results: LFR was higher in participants with diabetes than those without (23.27 ± 6.51 vs. 19.45 ± 5.08, p < 0.001). LFR correlated with fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c in the overall and diabetes-stratified populations. The odds of diabetes was increased by 6% per one percent higher of LFR after multivariable-adjustment (odds ratio (OR) 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.08, p < 0.001). Participants in the highest quartile of LFR had higher odds of diabetes compared with those in the lowest quartile (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.33-2.52, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that, insulin resistance, as assessed by triglyceride-glucose index, may underline the relationship between high LFR and increased odds of diabetes., Conclusions: LFR, a non-invasive indirect measure of advanced glycation end products, appears to be associated with glycemia and the risk of developing diabetes in Chinese adults., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Refractory Maillard reaction products (MRPs) produced during thermal hydrolysis pretreatment (THP) of waste activated sludge (WAS) may negatively impact the performance of downstream anaerobic digestion (AD) and nitrogen removal processes. Operating THP at lower temperature can mitigate the production of MRPs and improve biodegradability of WAS, while solubilization of WAS is reduced. This study intends to develop a method to reduce the refractory MRPs of WAS without compromising on the solubilization. Fe 3+ was introduced into THP process (165 °C, 30 min) to mitigate Maillard reaction. Effects of Fe 3+ on solubilization of WAS, reduction of refractory residuals, accumulative methane production, and microbial community shift were studied. Results confirm that solubilization of WAS was improved and refractory residuals were reduced with the amendment of 10 mg-Fe/L FeCl 3 . MRPs mitigation mechanisms were investigated and mainly attributed to Fe 3+ -triggered Fenton-like reactions. Methane production was enhanced by 10.4 ± 0.8% and attributed to the improved biodegradability of THP liquor, as well as to the enrichment of protein degradation and methane production related microbial community. This work provides a simple, economical, and safe strategy to reduce refractory residuals discharged from THP-AD system and to enhance methane production for more energy recovery., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)