Unraveling the role of natural functional oils in modulating osteoarthritis related complications.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease and has been studied extensively in recent years as no promising therapy available so far for its treatment and remains a great challenge for health care specialists. Although the identification of some major mechanisms that contribute to this disease suggests a plethora of bioactive agents in tackling the associated complications yet OA's pathophysiology is still poorly understood owing to complex mechanistic changes observed. Experimental research is now exploring a wide range of therapeutically effective agents in an effort to find a way to repair OA-related joint degeneration and halt it from getting worse. Data was acquired and reviewed from most relevant and recent studies. This review summarizes the studies that are currently available and focuses on how various unconventional functional oils affect osteoarthritis and the affected joint tissues. An analysis of the recent scientific literature allowed us to highlight the potential anti-arthritic properties of edible oils and their main constituents, which seems to suggest an interesting new potential therapeutic application. Due to eccentric nature of OA, it is necessary to concentrate initially on the management of symptoms. The evidence supporting functional oils chondroprotective potential is still accumulating, underpinning a global need for more sustainable natural sources of treatment. More clinical research that focuses on the consequences of long-term treatment, possible negative effects, and epigenetic implications is necessary to get optimistic results. However, different animal or clinical studies suggest that linolenic and linoleic fatty acids decreased chondrocyte oxidative stress, cartilage breakdown, and expression of inflammatory markers. Distinct fatty acids along with minor components of oils also reduced the generation of prostaglandins and decreased oxidative stress. Furthermore, the potential roles of the main components of edible oils and possible negative results (if any) are also reported. While no severe side effects have been reported for any edible oils. Overall, these studies identify and support the use of functional oils as an adjuvant therapy for the management of OA and as a means of symptomatic alleviation for OA patients. However, to prove the effectiveness or to draw precise conclusions, high-quality clinical trials are required.

Effects of circadian rhythm on anaerobic performance and blood lactate level: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Circadian rhythm affects maximal short-term performance, and it is an important determinant of the training component. This review aimed to summarise the influence of circadian rhythm on peak and mean power output of muscle, fatigue index, and blood lactate levels. METHODS: English language articles were searched through the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, and pertinent randomized control trials were scrutinized. RESULTS: The search revealed 17,481 articles, and 29 were included in this systematic review based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Randomized control trials were selected, and the methodological validity of articles was evaluated using the 'Cochrane risk of bias tool'. Findings suggest that outcome variables muscle peak power output (p < 0.0001, Z = 7.22, I2 = 57.42, SMD = - 0.91, 95% confidence interval CI = - 1.16, - 0.67), muscle mean power output (p < 0.0001, Z = 5.66, I2 = 83.85, SMD = - 0.75, 95% CI = - 1.01, - 0.49), and fatigue index (p = 0.02, Z = 2.41, I2 = 2.49, SMD = - 0.39, 95% CI = - 0.72, - 0.07) were higher in the evening while the level of blood lactate was higher in the morning (p = 0.79, Z = 0.27, I2 = 0.73, SMD = - 0.05, 95% CI = - 0.46, - 0.35). CONCLUSION: The results show that diurnal variation affects both peak and mean power output of muscle as well as fatigue index. However, there is no remarkable effect of circadian rhythm on blood lactate level. A major factor attributed to this finding was the variation in the training experience of participants. For an effective training prescription, it is very important to consider the effect of the biological clock on muscle power output since anaerobic exercise performance is discernibly influenced by the time of the day.

Impact of domestic and industrial effluent on marine environment at Karachi Port Trust (KPT) coastal area, Pakistan.

The extent of aquatic pollution of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) coastal area located at the south of Pakistan coast has increased considerably in the last few decades due to unrestricted discharge of sanitary waste. The current study lays emphasis on the identification of vulnerable zones severely impacted by pollution in the KPT coastal area using laboratory monitoring, geospatial techniques, and statistical analysis. During 2019, sampling was conducted along the KPT coastal area, and 54 samples of seawater were collected during pre- and post-monsoon seasons. The outcomes of physical and chemical analysis revealed that the concentrations of BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), nitrate, phosphate, phenol, cyanide, and oil and grease frequently exceeded the permitted limit of international norms and reached much greater levels. The levels of perilous metals in the seawater samples were in the order Ni>Cr>Cu>Pb>Cd>As in both phases and also reached to elevated levels as a consequence of the indiscriminate discharge of untreated industrial and domestic wastewater. Based on detailed examination during pre- and post-monsoon, six sites near KPT, Lyari River outfall, and Karachi Harbour were identified as highly polluted zones due to heavy discharge of sanitary effluents at these sites. In particular, the industrial zones present in the formal and informal sectors of Karachi are responsible for the deterioration of the KPT coastal area. Therefore, it is advised to design and build a submerged drainage system to transport and distribute massive amounts of treated municipal and industrial waste to the deep open sea in order to minimize the high pollutant levels in these locations.

Delving the role of nutritional psychiatry to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic induced stress, anxiety and depression.

BACKGROUND: The distressing COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on public mental health, and the importance of food and nutrients in several aspects of mental health has been recognized. People in isolation or quarantine suffer from severe stress, anger, panic attack, and anxiety. SCOPE AND APPROACH: Although, people who have improved and progressed through medications or vaccines have reduced anxiety levels to some extent yet the efficacy of these measures, in the long run, remains a question. The review depicts that such negative emotional reactions were particularly higher in elderly individuals in the first wave than in other phases. The emotional and behavioral response to the COVID-19 pandemic is multifactorial. From different research studies, it has been found that stress scores were considerably higher for those engaging in unhealthy eating practices. This factor relies not only on external components but on personal and innate ones as well. In the present pandemic, the sustainable development of the food system would have been a major issue; this should be carefully restored to avoid a food crisis in the future. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Changes in mind-body interactions are triggered by psychosocial stresses such as interpersonal loss and social rejection. Physiological response (in terms of psychological stress) in COVID-19 affected patients varies due to individual physical health status. This review explores the relationship between nutrition and mental health as what we eat and think is interlinked with the gut-brain-axis. The role of dietary components along with the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet and use of psychobiotics in improving psychological distress in pandemic induced stress, anxiety and depression has also been discussed.

Evaluating dual exposure by using climate-conflict vulnerability index on the coastal districts of Sindh, Pakistan.

Climate variability is widely recognized as a major concern, particularly in resource-scarce regions where it limits livelihood opportunities by putting additional strain on already depleting resources, resulting in human insecurity and conflicts. Some vulnerability assessments have created a nexus between climate variability and conflicts. The Climate-Water Conflict Vulnerability Index (CWCVI) and the Climate-Agriculture Conflict Vulnerability Index (CACVI) are applied as a tool for exploring the climate and conflict interactions, as well as contrasting the vulnerabilities of the coastal districts of Badin, Thatta, and Sujawal. The analysis incorporates a dual exposure of communities in the form of climate variability and conflict over water and agricultural resources. The study finds that aggression and feelings of insecurity about depleting resources are the main contributing indicators of climate-conflict vulnerability in the coastal districts. District Sujawal showed higher vulnerability in adaptive capacity as compared to the other districts due to poor infrastructure and high dependency on natural resources. However, the district of Badin demonstrated high vulnerability in terms of sensitivity and its exposure to conflicts over agricultural resources is high. The overall CWCVI and CACVI scores were higher in Badin and Thatta, respectively. This study identifies a number of indicators that can be used to improve the efficacy of mitigation strategies to reduce conflict vulnerability in future policy directions and resource planning.

Geospatial assessment of water quality using principal components analysis (PCA) and water quality index (WQI) in Basho Valley, Gilgit Baltistan (Northern Areas of Pakistan).

Public health quality in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) is at threat due to multiple water-borne diseases. Anthropogenic activities are accelerating the burden of pollution load on the glacio-fluvial streams and surface water resources of Basho Valley in Skardu district of GB. The present research has investigated the drinking water quality of the Basho Valley that is being used for domestic purposes. The study also comprehends public health status by addressing the basis drinking water quality parameters. A total of 23 water samples were collected and then analyzed to elucidate the current status of physico-chemical, metals, and microbial parameters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied and three principal components were obtained accounting 53.04% of the total variance, altogether. PCA identified that metallic and microbial parameters are the major factor to influence the water quality of the valley. Meanwhile, water quality index (WQI) was also computed and it was observed that WQI of the valley is characterized as excellent in terms of physico-chemical characteristics; however, metals and microbial WQI shows most of the samples are unfit for drinking purpose. Spatial distribution is also interpolated using the Inverse distance weight (IDW) to anticipate the results of mean values of parameters and WQI scores. The study concludes that water quality is satisfactory in terms of physico-chemical characteristics; however, analysis of metals shows that the concentrations of copper (Cu) (0.40 ± 0.16 mg/L), lead (Pb) (0.24 ± 0.10 mg/L), zinc (Zn) (6.77 ± 27.1 mg/L), manganese (Mn) (0.19 ± 0.05), and molybdenum (Mo) (0.07 ± 0.02 mg/L) are exceeding the maximum permissible limit as set in the WHO guidelines for drinking water. Similarly, the results of the microbial analysis indicate that the water samples are heavily contaminated with fecal pollution (TCC, TFC, and TFS > 3 MPN/100 mL). On the basis of PCA, WQI, and IDW, the main sources of pollution are most likely to be concluded as the anthropogenic activities including incoming pollution load from upstream channels. A few underlying sources by natural process of weathering and erosion may also cause release of metals in surface and groundwater. This study recommends ensuring public health with regular monitoring and assessment of water resources in the valley.

Addressing COVID-19 contagion through the HVAC systems by reviewing indoor airborne nature of infectious microbes: Will an innovative air recirculation concept provide a practical solution?

As the world continues to grapple with the reality of coronavirus disease, global research communities are racing to develop practical solutions to adjust to the new challenges. One such challenge is the control of indoor air quality in the COVID-19 era and beyond. Since COVID-19 became a global pandemic, the "super spread" of the virus has continued to amaze policymakers despite measures put in place by public health officials to sensitize the general public on the need for social distancing, personal hygiene, etc. In this work, we have reviewed the literature to demonstrate, by investigating the historical and present circumstances, that indoor spread of infectious diseases may be assisted by the conditions of the HVAC systems. While little consideration has been given to the possibility of indoor airborne transmission of the virus, the available reports have demonstrated that the virus, with average aerodynamic diameter up to 80-120 nm, is viable as aerosol in indoor atmosphere for more than 3 h, and its spread may be assisted by the HVAC systems. Having reviewed the vulnerability of the conventional ventilation systems, we recommend innovative air circulation concept supported by the use of UVGI in combination with nanoporous air filter to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other harmful microbes in enclosed spaces.

Transthyretin at Admission and Over Time as a Marker for Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Trauma Patients: A Prospective Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND: Transthyretin (TTR) has been described as a predictor for outcomes in medical and surgical patients. However, the association of TTR on admission and over time on outcomes has not yet been prospectively assessed in trauma patients. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study including trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a large Level I trauma center 05/2014-05/2015. TTR levels at ICU admission and all subsequent values over time were recorded. Patients were observed for 28 days or until hospital discharge. The association of outcomes and TTR levels at admission and over time was assessed using multivariable regression and generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 237 patients with TTR obtained at admission were included, 69 of whom had repeated TTR measurements. Median age was 40.0 years and median ISS 16.0; 83.1% were male. Below-normal TTR levels at admission (41.8%) were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality (p = 0.042), more infectious complications (p = 0.032), longer total hospital length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.013), and ICU LOS (p = 0.041). Higher TTR levels over time were independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality (p = 0.015), fewer infections complications (p = 0.028), shorter total hospital and ICU LOS (both p < 0.001), and fewer ventilator days (0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In critically ill trauma patients, below-normal TTR levels at admission were independently associated with worse outcomes and higher TTR levels over time with better outcomes, including lower in-hospital mortality, less infectious complications, shorter total hospital and ICU LOS, and fewer ventilator days. Based on these results, TTR may be considered as a prognostic marker in this patient population.

Double Jeopardy in Penetrating Trauma: Get FAST, Get It Right.

BACKGROUND: In hypotensive patients with thoracoabdominal penetrating injuries, trauma surgeons often face a considerable dilemma, which cavities and when to explore. We hypothesized that the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) would be accurate enough to determine the need and sequence of cavity exploration. METHODS: We conducted a 4-year retrospective study at a level 1 trauma center with high penetrating trauma volume. Patients with potential multi-cavity thoracoabdominal injuries were selected based on the location and number of external wounds. Findings in the operation or on computed tomography were used as references to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of pericardial and abdominal FAST. RESULTS: A total of 2851 patients with penetrating injury were admitted from 2012 to 2015. Of those, 103 patients (3.6%) met our inclusion criteria (stab wounds 56.3%, gunshot wounds 43.7%). Median age: 32, male gender: 89.3%, median injury severity score: 17, in-hospital mortality rate: 11.7%. Thirty-seven patients (35.9%) required surgical exploration of more than one cavity. Although the pericardial FAST was falsely negative in only one case with large left hemothorax, all cardiac injuries were treated without delay (12/13, 92.3% sensitivity). Sensitivity and specificity of the abdominal FAST was 68.5 and 93.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In hypotensive patients following penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries, the pericardial FAST was highly sensitive and could reliably determine the need to explore the pericardium. While positive findings of abdominal FAST warrant an exploratory laparotomy, negative abdominal FAST does not exclude the abdominal cavity as a bleeding source.

Punicic acid: A striking health substance to combat metabolic syndromes in humans.

Punicic acid, a bioactive compound of pomegranate seed oil has gained wide attention for their therapeutic potential. Different studies conducted on animal and human models have revealed that punicic acid is very effective against various chronic diseases. Substantial laboratory works has been carried out to elaborate punicic acid effectiveness and mechanism of action in animals. The intention of this review article is to explore the facts about the clinical trials of punicic acid and to discuss different future strategies that can be employed to use it in human clinical trials. Although punicic acid may represent a novel therapeutic unconventional approach for some disorders, still further experimental studies are required to demonstrate its effects in human beings.

Assessment of groundwater quality in the coastal area of Sindh province, Pakistan.

Groundwater is a highly important resource, especially for human consumption and agricultural production. This study offers an assessment of groundwater quality in the coastal areas of Sindh province in Pakistan. Fifty-six samples of groundwater were taken at depths ranging from 30 to 50 m. Bacteriological and physico-chemical analyses were performed using the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. These were supplemented with expert interviews and observations to identify the usage of water and potential sources of pollution. The quality of the groundwater was found to be unsuitable for human consumption, despite being used for this purpose. The concentrations of sulfate and phosphate were well within the tolerance limits. Most critical were the high levels of organic and fecal pollution followed by turbidity and salinity. Metal concentrations (As, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were also determined, and Ni and Pb strongly exceeded health standards. The study stresses the need for significant improvements of the irrigation, sanitation, and sewage infrastructure.

Patterns And Determinants Of Breast Feeding Among Mother Infant Pairs In Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Proper breastfeeding practices are effective ways for reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. The objective of the present study was to determine the patterns and explore the determinants associated with breast feeding practices among the nursing women in Dera Ghazi Khan. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted on randomly selected lactating mother infant pairs in Dera Ghazi Khan. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Analysis was done by using SPSS, chi square test was applied to see the association between breast feeding practices and its determinants such as knowledge of breast feeding practices. RESULTS: Majority 372 (93%) of mothers mentioned that they had ever breastfed the youngest child. About 292 (73%) mothers gave colostrum to the child, and 48 (12%) exclusively breastfed. Weaning babies before four month of age was practiced by 84 (21%) of the mothers, 120 (55%) mothers started weaning at 4-6 months of child age, while 72 (18%) started to give additional food after baby turned six months old. Out of total 276 (69%) mothers reported that they had knowledge regarding breast feeding. Significant association was found between knowledge of breastfeeding and initiation and Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF) practices (p-values <0.05). Income, family type, mode of delivery and assistance for child were significantly associated with initiation of breastfeeding within one hour after birth (p-value <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Breast feeding practices in the studied area were not up to the mark. There is a strong need to improve the breastfeeding practices by Behavior Change Communication.

Effect of thermal treatment on meat proteins with special reference to heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs).

Meat is one of the most imperative protein sources available with respect to its production and consumption. It is the richest source of some valuable nutrients like proteins, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals like iron, zinc, and selenium. Thermal treatment produces conformational changes in protein structure as well as flavor, texture, and appearance, and chemical properties of the ingredients are also changed. Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), potent mutagens/carcinogens, are formed during the cooking of meat at high temperature. The review paper highlights the effects of various cooking methods, i.e., pan-frying, deep-frying, charcoal grilling, and roasting, on the formation of HAAs. The levels of HAAs produced in cooked meats vary depending upon the cooking method, time of cooking, and the type of meat being cooked. Metabolic behavior of HAAs is very unique, they interfere in the activity of many enzymes, modify the metabolic pathways, and lead to the adduct formation of DNA. The application of black pepper and several other spices during processing may reduce the formation of these (HAAs) mutagenic compounds.

Recent developments in minimal processing: a tool to retain nutritional quality of food.

The modernization during the last century resulted in urbanization coupled with modifications in lifestyles and dietary habits. In the same era, industrial developments made it easier to meet the requirements for processed foods. However, consumers are now interested in minimally processed foods owing to increase in their awareness to have fruits and vegetables with superior quality, and natural integrity with fewer additives. The food products deteriorate as a consequence of physiological aging, biochemical changes, high respiration rat,e and high ethylene production. These factors contribute substantially to discoloration, loss of firmness, development of off-flavors, acidification, and microbial spoilage. Simultaneously, food processors are using emerging approaches to process perishable commodities, along with enhanced nutritional and sensorial quality. The present review article is an effort to utilize the modern approaches to minimize the processing and deterioration. The techniques discussed in this paper include chlorination, ozonation, irradiation, photosensitization, edible coating, natural preservative use, high-pressure processing, microwave heating, ohmic heating, and hurdle technology. The consequences of these techniques on shelf-life stability, microbial safety, preservation of organoleptic and nutritional quality, and residue avoidance are the limelight of the paper. Moreover, the discussion has been made on the feasibility and operability of these techniques in modern-day processing.

Geospatial quality assessment of locally available ice for heavy metals and metalloids and their potential risks for human health in Karachi, Pakistan.

Extreme hot conditions during summers, high poverty rate and continuous electricity load shedding affect commercial manufacturing and sale of ice in many countries. The vendors prepared ice using untreated piped water, tanker water and ground water. These waters may contain hazardous pollutants and ice made from them will pose a potential human health risk. Thus, it is important to regularly monitor the chemical composition of water sources and the quality of the manufactured ice. A contemporary examination was carried out to evaluate the physico-chemical properties and heavy metals and metalloids in the ice sold in all the districts of Karachi, Pakistan. This pioneering study was an innovative effort to assess the ice quality in relation to potential pollutant hazards to human health; with concomitant geospatial information. The geospatial distribution of ice quality and major constituents were among the measured parameters; carefully associated with further geospatial information, determined using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and PCA (Principal Component Analysis) techniques. Interestingly, the physico-chemical analyses revealed that the ice quality was marginally adequate and the total mean metal-metalloid contents were in the sequence of Pb > Ni > Zn > Fe > Cr > As. The concentrations of these metals were above the upper allowable limits with reference to the recommended WHO guidelines. We observed that 57.1% and 35.7% ice samples had good physico-chemical properties assessed using the Ice Quality Index (IQI). Conversely, the IQI for metals showed that the ice was unsafe for human consumption. In terms of health risk assessment, the overall mean CDI (Chronic Daily Intake) and HQ (Hazard Quotient) values were in the order of Pb () > Ni (3.2) > Zn (2.3) > Fe (2.1) > Cr (1.6) > As (0.5) and Pb (7.4) > As (1.7) > Cr (0.5) > Ni (0.4 > Zn (0.008) > Fe (0.003), respectively. This study highlighted that routine monitoring of the water supplies available for making ice is required to protect public health.

Application of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for the identification of wheat varieties.

Quality characteristics of wheat are determined by different physiochemical and rheological analysis by using different AACC methods. AACC methods are expensive, time consuming and cause destruction of samples. Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is one of the most important and emerging tool used for analyzing wheat for different quality parameters. This technique is rapid and sensitive with a great variety of sampling techniques. In the present study different wheat varieties were analyzed for quality assessment and were also characterized by using AACC methods and FTIR technique. The straight grade flour was analyzed for physical, chemical and rheological properties by standard methods and results were obtained. FTIR works on the basis of functional groups and provide information in the form of peaks. On basis of peaks the value of moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates and hardness of grain were determined. Peaks for water were observed in the range 1,640 cm(-1) and 3,300 cm(-1) on the basis of functional group H and OH. Protein was observed in the range from 1,600 cm(-1) to 1,700 cm(-1) and 1,550 cm(-1) to 1,570 cm(-1) on the basis of bond amide I and amide II respectively. Fat was also observed within these ranges but on the basis of C-H bond and also starch was observed in the range from 2,800 and 3,000 cm(-1) (C-H stretch region) and in the range 3,000 and 3,600 cm(-1) (O-H stretch region). As FTIR is a fast tool it can be easily emplyed for wheat varieties identification according to a set criterion.

Dry needling in the management of tendinopathy: A systematic review of randomized control trials.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study is to evaluate the best available evidence on the effectiveness of DN in the management of tendinopathy. METHODS: Seven randomized control trials were selected following an electronic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases. To be included in the current systematic review, the study had to be an RCT conducted on human participants, which investigated the effect of the DN technique on the management of tendinopathies. Only studies in the English language published in peer-reviewed journals between 1999 and 2020 were included. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale. RESULTS: The PEDro score of the studies ranged from 5 to 9 with a mean score of 6.7 ± 1.2 (mean ± SD). A total of 357 participants were enrolled in the seven included studies, which were on greater trochanteric pain syndrome, lateral epicondylitis, supraspinatus tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy. DN was compared with various interventions, including platelet-rich plasma injection, autologous blood injection and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. All the selected studies reported a significant positive effect of DN on pain intensity and other outcome measures, such as patient-specific functional score, disability index, range of motion and health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that DN appears to be as effective as other treatment methods at relieving pain and other symptoms of tendinopathy immediately after treatment and up to 6 months. DN can be considered among the many options available for the management of tendinopathy.

Effect of iron-fortified jamun leather on the Asunra-induced anemia in Sprague Dawley rats.

Introduction: Micronutrients such as minerals and vitamins are required in a minute quantity but play a pivotal role in the functioning of the body. Therefore, deficiency in one of them can lead to lethal health conditions. Iron deficiency anaemia is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies across the world and is affecting women and children. Methods: The present study aimed to investigate the anti-anaemic effect of fortified jamun leather on anaemia biomarkers and haematology in anaemic female Sprague Dawley rats. A total of 40 Sprague Dawley rats were used in 4 groups. Iron deficiency anaemia was induced by oral administration of the Asunra drug. The treatments were fed at two dosage levels i.e., 40 and 60% iron-fortified leather. All animals were treated for 60 days and the parameters including biochemical, and histopathology of the kidney and liver were examined. Results: The experiment's findings showed that the group fed with iron-fortified leather (G3) succeeded significantly (P < 0.05) in restoring the serum iron (98.68 ± 2.88 µg/dL), haemoglobin (12.41 ± 0.32 g/dL), ferritin (24.54 ± 1.98 ng/mL) and haematocrit levels (39.30 ± 1.66%) at the end of the 60 days period. Additionally, the treated group's mean values for transferrin and total iron binding capacity were lower than those of the anaemic rats, indicating an improvement in iron levels. The microscopic analysis revealed that treatments had no toxic effects on the kidney and liver tissues, except in the diseased group, which had necrosis and irregular cell structure. Conclusion: Conclusively, iron-fortified jamun leather helped improve iron deficiency biomarkers and imparted a non-toxic effect on tissues in rats.

Development and bioassessment of high nutria-omega 5 cookies through animal modeling.

The food industry generates a diverse range of waste byproducts during fruit processing, which can be repurposed to create functional foods and other valuable commodities. In this particular study, leftover agro-waste from pomegranate juice was valorized to obtain pomegranate seed oil (PSO), while utilizing sunflower oilseed cake to produce sunflower meal protein concentrate (SMPC). These two extracted components were then combined as ingredients to produce High Nutria Omega 5 (HNO5) cookies. To ensure the quality and viability of pomegranate seed oil, a comprehensive set of laboratory analytical procedures were employed to evaluate its characteristics. Subsequently, different ratios of pomegranate seed oil and sunflower meal protein concentrate were utilized to develop the HNO5 cookie products. These cookies underwent thorough sensory, physicochemical, storage, and proximate evaluations as well as efficacy studies to assess their overall nutritional quality and shelf-life properties. As compared to the control feed, the findings of the renal and liver functional tests indicated a favorable effect on ALT, AST, ALP, serum urea, creatinine, albumin, globulins, total proteins, and A/G ratio. The results revealed that PSO and SMPC cookies containing 15% PSO and 15% SMPC exhibited stability in numerous physicochemical and sensory assessments. The punicic acid in HNO5 cookies significantly reduced the effects of starvation in rats and progressively improved several metabolic processes and overall health profiles. Graphical Abstract.

Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of COVID-19 in a Primary Care Center in the South Batinah Region of Oman.

Objectives The main purpose of this study was to identify the clinical and biochemical profile of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and sex differences in Rustaq Polyclinic in South Batinah Governorate. Methods This study is a retrospective chart review of COVID-19 patients diagnosed in Rustaq Polyclinic in the South Batinah region of Oman. The medical charts of 150 patients from November 10, 2020, to November 24, 2021, at Rustaq Polyclinic were retrospectively reviewed, and clinical and laboratory parameters were extracted. Information regarding the patients' demographics, risk factors, clinical symptoms or signs, and laboratory findings on admission were obtained. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results A total of 150 study participant data were added to the analysis. Of those, 97 (64.7%) were male and 53 (35.3%) were female, with a median age of 32 and 39 among males and females, respectively. Male and female age (p=0.017) and marital status (p=0.003) were significantly different. No significant difference (p≥0.05) was observed between male and female study participants regarding their history of travel, history of contact with COVID-19-positive patients, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and home management. Similarly, no significant difference (p≥0.05) was observed between males and females regarding their clinical presentations. Conclusion Many symptomatic patients have shown influenza-like symptoms such as fever, respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, headache, myalgia, and loss of smell. The spectrum of symptomatic infection ranges from mild to severe, and most infections are not severe. It is imperative to equip ourselves with adequate understanding and protective measures such as vaccination and diverse treatment modalities against the constantly changing nature of novel coronaviruses.