Vitamin c—sources, physiological role, kinetics, deficiency, use, toxicity, and determination

Vitamin C (L‐ascorbic acid) has been known as an antioxidant for most people. However, its physiological role is much larger and encompasses very different processes ranging from facili-tation of iron absorption through involvement in hormones and carnitine synthesis for important roles in epigenetic processes. Contrarily, high doses act as a pro‐oxidant than an anti‐oxidant. This may also be the reason why plasma levels are meticulously regulated on the level of absorption and excretion in the kidney. Interestingly, most cells contain vitamin C in millimolar concentrations, which is much higher than its plasma concentrations, and compared to other vitamins. The role of vitamin C is well demonstrated by miscellaneous symptoms of its absence—scurvy. The only clini-cally well‐documented indication for vitamin C is scurvy. The effects of vitamin C administration on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infections are rather minor or even debatable in the general population. Vitamin C is relatively safe, but caution should be given to the administration of high doses, which can cause overt side effects in some susceptible patients (e.g., oxalate renal stones). Lastly, analytical methods for its determination with advantages and pitfalls are also discussed in this review

Vitamin K - sources, physiological role, kinetics, deficiency, detection, therapeutic use, and toxicity

Vitamin K is traditionally connected with blood coagulation, since it is needed for the posttranslational modification of 7 proteins involved in this cascade. However, it is also involved in the maturation of another 11 or 12 proteins that play different roles, encompassing in particular the modulation of the calcification of connective tissues. Since this process is physiologically needed in bones, but is pathological in arteries, a great deal of research has been devoted to finding a possible link between vitamin K and the prevention of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, the current knowledge does not allow us to make a decisive conclusion about such a link. One possible explanation for this is the diversity of the biological activity of vitamin K, which is not a single compound but a general term covering natural plant and animal forms of vitamin K (K1 and K2) as well as their synthetic congeners (K3 and K4). Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) is found in several vegetables. Menaquinones (MK4-MK13, a series of compounds known as vitamin K2) are mostly of a bacterial origin and are introduced into the human diet mainly through fermented cheeses. Current knowledge about the kinetics of different forms of vitamin K, their detection, and their toxicity are discussed in this review

Biological Properties of Vitamins of the B-Complex, Part 1: Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5

This review summarizes the current knowledge on essential vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B5 . These B-complex vitamins must be taken from diet, with the exception of vitamin B3, that can also be synthetized from amino acid tryptophan. All of these vitamins are water soluble, which determines their main properties, namely: they are partly lost when food is washed or boiled since they migrate to the water; the requirement of membrane transporters for their permeation into the cells; and their safety since any excess is rapidly eliminated via the kidney. The therapeutic use of B-complex vitamins is mostly limited to hypovitaminoses or similar conditions, but, as they are generally very safe, they have also been examined in other pathological conditions. Nicotinic acid, a form of vitamin B3, is the only exception because it is a known hypolipidemic agent in gram doses. The article also sums up: (i) the current methods for detection of the vitamins of the B-complex in biological fluids; (ii) the food and other sources of these vitamins including the effect of common processing and storage methods on their content; and (iii) their physiological function

Presence of Oxygen in Ti-Al-C MAX Phases-Based Materials and their Stability in Oxidizing Environment at Elevated Temperatures

International audienceThe Ti3AlC2-, (Ti,Nb)3AlC2- and Ti2AlC-based materials turned out to be more resistant than Crofer JDAsteel in oxidizing atmosphere as 1000 h long tests at 600◦C have shown. But the amounts of oxygen absorbed bythe materials during testing were different. The Ti2AlC-based material demonstrated the lowest oxygen uptake,(Ti,Nb)3AlC2-based absorbed a somewhat higher amount and the highest amount was absorbed by Ti3AlC2-basedmaterial. Scanning electron microscopy and the Auger study witnessed that amounts of oxygen in the MAXphases before the exposure in air were as well different: the approximate stoichiometries of the matrix phases ofmaterials were Ti3.1−3.2AlC2−2.2, Ti1.9−4Nb0.06−0.1AlC1.6−2.2O0.1−1.2and Ti2.3−3.6AlC1−1.9O0.2−0.6, respectively.The higher amount of oxygen present in the MAX phase structures may be the reason for higher resistanceto oxidation during long-term heating in air at elevated temperature. The studied materials demonstrated highstabilities in hydrogen atmosphere as well. The bending strength of the Ti3AlC2- and (Ti,Nb)3AlC2-based materialsafter keeping at 600◦C in air and hydrogen increased by 10–15%, but the highest absolute value of bending strengthbefore and after being kept in air and hydrogen demonstrated the Ti2AlC-based material (about 590 MPa)

Presence of Oxygen in Ti-Al-C MAX Phases-Based Materials and their Stability in Oxidizing Environment at Elevated Temperatures

The Ti₃AlC₂-, (Ti,Nb)₃AlC₂- and Ti₂AlC-based materials turned out to be more resistant than Crofer JDA steel in oxidizing atmosphere as 1000 h long tests at 600°C have shown. But the amounts of oxygen absorbed by the materials during testing were different. The Ti₂AlC-based material demonstrated the lowest oxygen uptake, (Ti,Nb)₃AlC₂-based absorbed a somewhat higher amount and the highest amount was absorbed by Ti₃AlC₂-based material. Scanning electron microscopy and the Auger study witnessed that amounts of oxygen in the MAX phases before the exposure in air were as well different: the approximate stoichiometries of the matrix phases of materials were Ti_{3.1-3.2}AlC_{2-2.2}, Ti_{1.9-4}Nb_{0.06-0.1}AlC_{1.6-2.2}O_{0.1-1.2} and Ti_{2.3-3.6}AlC_{1-1.9}O_{0.2-0.6}, respectively. The higher amount of oxygen present in the MAX phase structures may be the reason for higher resistance to oxidation during long-term heating in air at elevated temperature. The studied materials demonstrated high stabilities in hydrogen atmosphere as well. The bending strength of the Ti₃AlC₂- and (Ti,Nb)₃AlC₂-based materials after keeping at 600°C in air and hydrogen increased by 10-15%, but the highest absolute value of bending strength before and after being kept in air and hydrogen demonstrated the Ti₂AlC-based material (about 590 MPa)