The present pilot study tested the efficiency of nanoTiO₂ sunscreen to prevent the oxidative stress/inflammation caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation using biomarkers in subjects’ blood, urine, and exhaled breath condensate (EBC). In addition, the skin absorption of nanoTiO₂ was studied. Six identical subjects participated in three tests: (A) nanoTiO₂ sunscreen, (B) UV radiation, and (C) sunscreen + UV. The first samples were collected before the test and the second after sunscreen application and/or UV exposure. On day 4, the third samples were collected, and the sunscreen was washed off, and the fourth samples were collected on day 11. The following biomarkers were measured: malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxy-trans-hexenal, 4-hydroxy-trans-nonenal, aldehydes C6-C12, 8-iso-Prostaglandin F2α, o-tyrosine, 3-chlorotyrosine, 3-nitrotyrosine, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, 8-hydroxyguanosine, 5-hydroxymethyl uracil, and leukotrienes, using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry. Titania was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and TiO₂ nanoparticles by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Sunscreen alone did not elevate the markers, but UV increased the biomarkers in the plasma, urine, and EBC. The sunscreen prevented skin redness, however it did not inhibit the elevation of oxidative stress/inflammatory markers. Titania and nanoTiO₂ particles were found in the plasma and urine (but not in the EBC) in all sunscreen users, suggesting their skin absorption.

Dicarbonyl stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications that precede the formation of advanced glycation end products, and contributes to the development of renal dysfunction. In renal cells, toxic metabolites like methylglyoxal lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and protein structure modifications. In our study, we investigated the effect of methylglyoxal on metabolic, transcriptomic, metabolomic and proteomic profiles in the context of the development of kidney impairment in the model of metabolic syndrome. Dicarbonyl stress was induced by intragastric administration of methylglyoxal (0.5 mg/kg bw for 4 weeks) in a strain of hereditary hypertriglyceridaemic rats with insulin resistance and fatty liver. Methylglyoxal administration aggravated glucose intolerance (AUC_0–120 p < 0.05), and increased plasma glucose (p < 0.01) and insulin (p < 0.05). Compared to controls, methylglyoxal-treated rats exhibited microalbuminuria (p < 0.01). Targeted proteomic analysis revealed increases in urinary secretion of pro-inflammatory parameters (MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8), specific collagen IV fragments and extracellular matrix proteins. Urine metabolomic biomarkers in methylglyoxal-treated rats were mainly associated with impairment of membrane phospholipids (8-isoprostane, 4-hydroxynonenal). Decreased levels of glutathione (p < 0.01) together with diminished activity of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes contributed to oxidative and dicarbonyl stress. Methylglyoxal administration elevated glyoxalase 1 expression (p < 0.05), involved in methylglyoxal degradation. Based on comparative transcriptomic analysis of the kidney cortex, 96 genes were identified as differentially expressed (FDR < 0.05). Network analysis revealed an over-representation of genes related to oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory signalling pathways as well as an inhibition of angiogenesis suggesting its contribution to renal fibrosis. Our results support the hypothesis that dicarbonyl stress plays a key role in renal microvascular complications. At the transcriptome level, methylglyoxal activated oxidative and pro-inflammatory pathways and inhibited angiogenesis. These effects were further supported by the results of urinary proteomic and metabolomic analyses.

Water plays a central role in agricultural production, food processing, and food matrices, influencing plant growth, nutrient transport, mass transfer, colloidal stability, and product quality. This study investigated whether water passed through an inline mineral-composite conditioning device (PCW) was associated with subtle physicochemical variations and responses in brewing and exploratory agricultural systems. Compared with untreated water, PCW showed subtle variations in hydrogen-bond-sensitive spectral regions, including an NIR O–H first-overtone shift (Δλ = 1.8 nm, p < 0.05), a slight downfield shift of the ¹ H NMR water resonance (Δδ ≈ 0.15 ppm), minor FTIR band shifts and broadening, and slightly higher measured density ( p = 0.027), dynamic viscosity ( p = 0.0020), and kinematic viscosity ( p = 0.0028), without detectable changes in chemical composition. In the exploratory agricultural evaluation, PCW was associated with a numerically higher mean radish yield than untreated water (47.12 vs. 27.50 t ha ⁻¹ ), whereas maize grain yield was similar (11.09 vs. 10.91 t ha ⁻¹ ). In the evaluated brewing batches, PCW was associated with significantly higher foam quality ( p = 0.02) and carbonation scores ( p = 0.03), together with significantly lower perceived cloudiness scores ( p < 0.01), while the remaining sensory attributes did not differ significantly. Overall, passage of water through the inline mineral-composite conditioning device was associated with subtle physicochemical variations and system-dependent responses. Accordingly, the findings should be interpreted as associative and system-dependent rather than as evidence of a defined molecular-scale mechanism, while the agricultural observations should be considered exploratory and hypothesis-generating rather than evidence of efficacy.