Phytosterol: nutritional significance, health benefits, and its uses in poultry and livestock nutrition.

Medicinal plants with active ingredients have shown great potential as natural and sustainable additives in livestock and poultry diets as growth promoters, performance, feed conversion ratio, digestibility of nutrient enhancers, and antioxidants and immune system modulators. Among active ingredients, phytosterols, which are plant-based bio-factors that may be found in seeds, fruits, grains, vegetables and legumes, are thought to be involved in the aforementioned activities but are also widely known in human medicine due to their efficacy in treating diabetes, coronary heart disease, and tumors. Nevertheless, phytosterols can also promote carcinogens production, angiogenesis inhibition, metastasis, infiltration, and cancer cells proliferation. This review focuses on the deepening of the biological role and health benefits of phytosterols and their new potential application in poultry and livestock nutrition.

Outcomes of Radioactive Iodine (131I) Therapy among Hyperthyroid patients.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the thyroid outcomes six-months after radioactive Iodine-131 therapy (RIT) among hyperthyroid patients and identify the factors associated with them. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre during 2013 to 2019. For the study purpose, the thyroid outcomes of 153 hyperthyroid patients were studied retrospectively for six months after RIT. The data was obtained from the medical records. Patient baseline characteristics, clinical features, laboratory investigations, results of thyroid imaging, and therapeutic investigations were acquired and recorded in a structured questionnaire. Results: Out of the 153 screened records of hyperthyroid patients, 19.6% became euthyroid, 9.2% remained hyperthyroid, and 25.5% developed hypothyroidism after six months of RIT. The observed remission rate by the end of six months was 80.95%. Three months post-RIT, gender and RAI doses had a significant effect on thyroid function. The frequency of hypothyroidism was higher among those treated with an RAI dose of ≤ 20 mCi (83.0%) than those treated with a higher dose > 20 mCi (17%). Moreover, most patients receiving > 20 mCi radioiodine became euthyroid (64.5%). Similar outcomes were observed after six months of the therapy, except gender was replaced by etiologies of hyperthyroidism (p=0.009). Conclusion: Radioactive iodine (131-I) therapy is effective for the treatment of hyperthyroidism. However, the appropriate dose is still debatable, as there was a high incidence of hypothyroidism post-therapy.

Large-scale genomic analysis reveals the genetic cost of chicken domestication.

BACKGROUND: Species domestication is generally characterized by the exploitation of high-impact mutations through processes that involve complex shifting demographics of domesticated species. These include not only inbreeding and artificial selection that may lead to the emergence of evolutionary bottlenecks, but also post-divergence gene flow and introgression. Although domestication potentially affects the occurrence of both desired and undesired mutations, the way wild relatives of domesticated species evolve and how expensive the genetic cost underlying domestication is remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the demographic history and genetic load of chicken domestication. RESULTS: We analyzed a dataset comprising over 800 whole genomes from both indigenous chickens and wild jungle fowls. We show that despite having a higher genetic diversity than their wild counterparts (average π, 0.00326 vs. 0.00316), the red jungle fowls, the present-day domestic chickens experienced a dramatic population size decline during their early domestication. Our analyses suggest that the concomitant bottleneck induced 2.95% more deleterious mutations across chicken genomes compared with red jungle fowls, supporting the "cost of domestication" hypothesis. Particularly, we find that 62.4% of deleterious SNPs in domestic chickens are maintained in heterozygous states and masked as recessive alleles, challenging the power of modern breeding programs to effectively eliminate these genetic loads. Finally, we suggest that positive selection decreases the incidence but increases the frequency of deleterious SNPs in domestic chicken genomes. CONCLUSION: This study reveals a new landscape of demographic history and genomic changes associated with chicken domestication and provides insight into the evolutionary genomic profiles of domesticated animals managed under modern human selection.

SNPs at 3'UTR of APOL1 and miR-6741-3p target sites associated with kidney diseases more susceptible to SARS-COV-2 infection: in silco and in vitro studies.

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a common manifestation of COVID-19 and several cases have been reported in the setting of the high-risk APOL1 genotype (common genetic variants). This increases the likelihood that African American people with the high-risk genotype APOL1 are at increased risk for kidney disease in the COVID-19 environment. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are found in various microRNAs (miRNAs) and target genes change the miRNA activity that leads to different diseases. Evidence has shown that SNPs increase/decrease the effectiveness of the interaction between miRNAs and disease-related target genes. The aim of this study is not only to identify miRSNPs on the APOL1 gene and SNPs in miRNA genes targeting 3'UTR but also to evaluate the effect of these gene variations in kidney patients and their association with SARS-COV-2 infection. In 3'UTR of the APOL1 gene, we detected 96 miRNA binding sites and 35 different SNPs with 10 different online software in the binding sites of the miRNA (in silico). Also we studied gene expression of patients and control samples by using qRT-PCR (in vitro). In silico study, the binding site of miR-6741-3p on APOL1 has two SNPs (rs1288875001, G > C; rs1452517383, A > C) on APOL1 3'UTR, and its genomic sequence is the same nucleotide as rs1288875001. Similarly, two other SNPs (rs1142591, T > A; rs376326225, G > A) were identified in the binding sites of miR-6741-3p at the first position. Here, the miRSNP (rs1288875001) in APOL1 3'UTR and SNP (rs376326225) in the miR-6741-3p genomic sequence are cross-matched in the same binding region. In vitro study, the relative expression levels were calculated by the 2-ΔΔCt method & Mann-Whitney U test. The expression of APOL1 gene was different in chronic kidney patients along with COVID-19. By these results, APOL1 expression was found lower in patients than healthy (p < 0.05) in kidney patients along with COVID-19. In addition, miR-6741-3p targets many APOL1-related genes (TLR7, SLC6A19, IL-6,10,18, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5, SWT1, NFYB, BRF1, HES2, NFYB, MED12L, MAFG, GTF2H5, TRAF3, angiotensin II receptor-associated protein, PRSS23) by evaluating online software in the binding sites of the miR-6741-3p. miR-6741-3p has not previously shown any association with kidney diseases and SARS-COV-2 infection. It assures that APOL1 can have a significant consequence in kidney-associated diseases by different pathways. Henceforth, this study represents and demonstrates an effective association between miR-6741-3p and kidney diseases, i.e., collapsing glomerulopathy, chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), and tubulointerstitial lesions susceptibility to SARS-COV-2 infection via in silico and in vitro exploration and recommended to have better insight.

Effect of milk or milk replacer offered at varying levels on growth performance of Friesian veal calves.

The objective was to determine the growth performance of Friesian calves given milk or milk replacer (MR) at varying levels. Forty-eight male Friesian calves were divided into four groups of 12 animals each. Calves were offered either milk or MR at either 10 or 15% of body weight (BW), with upper limits of 5 and 6 L/d, respectively until week 8. The calves were weaned at 10 weeks of age by gradually reducing the offered liquid to zero. In addition, from the second week, calves were offered calf starter ration (CS) until each calf reached 120 kg. The calves raised on milk had better growth rates (610 ± 25 vs. 487 ± 25 g/d; P < 0.05), displayed higher weaning weights (71 ± 1.5 vs. 55.9 ± 1.5 kg; P < 0.05) and reached the target weight of 120 kg earlier (20.9 ± 0.8 vs. 24.1 ± 0.8 weeks; P < 0.05) than those on MR. However, growth rate was not affected (535 ± 25 vs. 568 ± 25; P > 0.05) by liquid feeding level. Cost per kg live weight gain was not affected (325 ± 8 vs. 319 ± 8; P < 0.05) by feeding source or feeding levels (317 ± 8 vs. 328 ± 8). Thus, feeding milk at 10% of body weight saves time and labour required to achieve target weight in veal calves.

Exploring genetic diversity and population structure of Punjab goat breeds using Illumina 50 K SNP bead chip.

Pakistan has 35 goat breeds. Moreover, the province of Punjab has highest goat population constituting 37% of country's total population with seven goat breeds including Beetal, Daira Deen Panah, Nachi, Barbari, Teddi, Pahari, and Pothwari. The diversity study of breeds warrants the documentation of breeds particularly using genome wide panel of markers, i.e., SNP chip. The objective of the current study was to fill this gap of information. Therefore, in current study we collected total of 879 unrelated goat blood samples along with data on body weight measurements; genomic DNA was extracted, and genotyping was carried out using 50 K SNP bead chip. Quality control measures were performed in Plink 1.07. Genetic diversity was observed among studied populations using heterozygosity and pairwise FST estimates, principal component analysis, admixture analysis in Plink software with visualization in Clumpak, and constructing phylogenetic tree in Mega 7 software. Moderate to high level of heterozygosity was observed among the studied populations. Coefficient of inbreeding varied from 0.0186 ± 0.0327 in Pahari to 0.183 ± 0.0715 in Barbari. Barbari and Daira Deen Panah had quite higher level of inbreeding coefficient as compared to all other breeds with value of 0.183 ± 0.0715 and 0.1378 ± 0.0741, respectively. PCA identified three steps of subdividing the seven goat breeds at various levels of K. All the seven breeds made independent clusters at various levels of PCA. Admixture analysis revealed the distinctness of Teddi and Barbari breeds. Genetic sub-structuring was observed in the admixture patterns of Beetal breed. Moreover, high level of genetic admixture was observed in Nachi, Pahari, Pothwari, and Daira Deen Panah breeds. Admixture results were further interpreted by calculating pairwise FST values. Our results provided first insights about genetic diversity of Pakistani goat breeds based on genomic data. To conclude, the enriched goat breed diversity in Pakistan could provide valuable genetic reservoir for national breeding schemes.

Association of BRCA1 185 del AG with early age onset of breast cancer patients in selected cohort from Pakistani population.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Large spectrum of pathogenic BRCA mutations is known as a major cause of hereditary breast ovarian cancer in human all over the world. The objective of present study was to find out the association of mutations185-del-AG and 185Ins.A at BRCA1 exon-2 with age of onset and family history of gynecological cancer among the selected cohort of breast cancer patients in Pakistani population and to provide guidelines for treatment strategies. METHODS: For the present study 115 subjects were recruited from different hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan, during May, 2017 to February, 2018. The inclusion criteria were age ≥30, without any previous BRCA testing and willingness to participate in present study. Subjects were interviewed for various demographic factors. Out of 115 subjects, 46 were selected on the basis of findings of previous studies and approximately 3 ml of blood was collected in EDTA coated vials for analysis of BRCA1 exon-2. Column based DNA extraction was performed by using commercial kit and exon specific primers were used to amplify BRCA1 exon 2 and PCR products were sent for sequencing to Eurofins Genomics. Sequences were analyzed through the BLAST program at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and Bio Edit software. Accession numbers were obtained on submission of sequences in GenBank. RESULTS: BRCA1-185-del AG mutation was found in one of the breast cancer patient who was 33 years of age at diagnosis. None of the samples revealed positive results for BRCA1-185 Ins. A. CONCLUSION: BRCA1-185 Del AG mutation has association with early age onset of breast cancer. The direct sequencing is very useful approach for BRCA analysis and exon specific selected cohort from Pakistani population.

Energy-Efficient Channel Handoff for Sensor Network-Assisted Cognitive Radio Network.

The visiting and less-privileged status of the secondary users (SUs) in a cognitive radio network obligates them to release the occupied channel instantly when it is reclaimed by the primary user. The SU has a choice to make: either wait for the channel to become free, thus conserving energy at the expense of delayed transmission and delivery, or find and switch to a vacant channel, thereby avoiding delay in transmission at the expense of increased energy consumption. An energy-efficient decision that considers the tradeoff between energy consumption and continuous transmission needs to be taken as to whether to switch the channels. In this work, we consider a sensor network-assisted cognitive radio network and propose a backup channel, which is sensed by the SU in parallel with the operating channel that is being sensed by the sensor nodes. Imperfect channel sensing and residual energy of the SU are considered in order to develop an energy-efficient handoff strategy using the partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP), which considers beliefs about the operating and backup channels and the remaining energy of the SU in order to take an optimal channel handoff decision on the question "Should we switch the channel?" The objective is to dynamically decide in each time slot whether the SU should switch the channel or not in order to maximize throughput by utilizing energy efficiently. Extensive simulations were performed to show the effectiveness of the proposed channel handoff strategy, which was demonstrated in the form of throughput with respect to various parameters, i.e., detection probability, the channel idle probabilities of the operating and backup channels, and the maximum energy of the SU.

Prospects of raising Sahiwal cow calves for veal production under tropical environment.

The objective of present study was to evaluate the growth potential of Sahiwal calves for veal production on whole milk or whole milk and milk replacer combined in a ratio of 50:50 (MMR). For this purpose, 48 Sahiwal calves (both male and female) were assigned to four dietary treatments having 12 animals/treatment. Calves in the treatments A and B were offered whole milk at 15 or 20% of their body weight (BW), respectively, up to day 84 adjusted on weekly basis. The calves in treatments C and D received the same amount of milk as in treatments A and B until day 21, respectively, after which 50% of the milk offered was replaced with a blend of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) flour and vegetable (corn) oil mixed in water (MR) until day 84. The constituted MR had 3.1, 2.8, and 14.3%, CP, EE, and DM, respectively. The growth and intake data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis, with MIXED Procedures of SAS in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The two factors were feeding level and feeding source. Calves offered whole milk grew faster (P<0.05) and had greater weaning weights (P<0.05) than those offered MMR (606.4 ± 18.1 vs 331.3 ± 18.1 g/day and 70.4 ± 1.5 vs 47.8 ± 1.5 kg, respectively). Greatest daily BW gain (656 ± 26 g/day) and weaning weight (74.6 ± 2.1 kg) were observed in calves given treatment B while the lowest production cost/kg of BW gain (≈US$3.6 ± 0.2) was observed in calves given treatment A. The daily BW gain of calves fed milk ad libitum was 716 ± 40 and 836 ± 40 g/day, during 5-8 and 9-12 weeks, respectively. The number of days calves exhibited scours was higher in calves offered MMR than those offered whole milk. Replacement of 50% milk with a blend of chickpea flour and vegetable oil, as an alternative to milk replacer, did not support growth equivalent to whole milk and was not effective in reducing feeding cost during the weaning period. Sahiwal calves may have promise for being raised for veal production under tropical environments.

The severity of COVID-19 in hypertensive patients is associated with mirSNPs in the 3' UTR of ACE2 that associate with miR-3658: In silico and in vitro studies.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus targets the antigen converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, thus resulting in elevated morbidity and an increased risk of severe and fatal COVID-19 infection in individuals with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the association between increased susceptibility and severity in order to evaluate their impact in hypertensive COVID-19 patients using in vitro and in silico models. Methods: We identified 80 miRNA binding sites on ACE2 (for different miRNAs) as well as various 30 SNPs in the miRNA binding sites of the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) in the ACE2 gene using different online software and tools. From August 2020 to August 2021, a total of 200 nasopharyngeal/mouth swabs samples were collected from Multan, Pakistan. In order to quantify the cDNA of ACE2 and miR-3658 genes, we used Rotor Gene qRT-PCR on hypertensive patients with COVID-19 as well as healthy controls. Results: Interestingly, the binding site of miR-3658 corresponding to the 3' UTR of ACE2 featured three SNPs (rs1457913029, C>T; rs960535757, A>C, G; rs1423809569, C>T), and its genomic sequence featured a single SNP (rs1024225815, C>T) with the same nucleotide variation (rs1457913029, C>T) which potentially increases the severity of COVID-19. Similarly, three other SNPs (rs1557852115, C>G; rs770335293, A>G; rs1024225815, C>T) were also found on the first binding site positions of miR-3658. Our in vitro study found that ACE2 gene expression had an effect on miR-3658 in COVID-19 patients who also had hypertension. In both cases, our analysis demonstrated that the in silico model captured the same biological mechanisms as the in vitro system. Conclusion: The identified SNPs could represent potential informative signatures owing to their position in the splicing site of the ACE2 gene.

Effect of diet on preweaning performance of Sahiwal calves.

The objective was to study the growth potential of Sahiwal calves given milk or milk replacer with or without concentrates. For this purpose, forty-eight Sahiwal calves were divided into four groups of 12 animals each with equal sex ratio. In each group, the calves were offered either milk or a milk replacer (MR) at a rate of 10% of their body weight adjusted weekly. In addition to this, calves were fed either a starter ration plus Egyptian clover hay (SR + H) or hay only (H) until the end of trial. The milk or MR was withdrawn gradually from day 56 until animals were weaned completely by day 84. Calves offered milk grew faster than those offered MR (357 ± 9 vs. 162 ± 9 g/day; p < 0.05) and displayed higher weaning weights (51.6 ± 0.8 vs. 35.2 ± 0.8 kg; p < 0.05). The calves offered SR + H grew faster (311 ± 9 vs. 208 ± 9 g/day; p < 0.05) and displayed higher weaning weights (48.7 ± 0.8 vs. 38.1 ± 0.8 kg; p < 0.05) than those fed H alone. Calves offered milk plus SR + H showed the highest growth rate and weaning weights (401 ± 13 g/day and 56.3 ± 1 kg, respectively). The lowest growth rate and weaning weights were observed in calves offered MR and H only (115 ± 13 g/day and 30.3 ± 1 kg, respectively). Calves offered the MR had higher number of scour days than those offered milk (13.5 vs. 3.3). The feeding of whole milk in combination with the starter ration and hay resulted in superior growth rates, higher weaning weights, and healthier calves than the other feeding regimens.

Genome wide association study identifies novel candidate genes for growth and body conformation traits in goats.

Pakistan is third largest country in term of goat population with distinct characteristics of breeds and estimated population of 78.2 million. Punjab province has 37% of country's total population with seven important documented goat breeds namely Beetal, Daira Din Pannah, Nachi, Barbari, Teddi, Pahari and Pothwari. There is paucity of literature on GWAS for economically important traits i.e., body weight and morphometric measurements. Therefore, we performed GWAS using 50 K SNP Chip for growth in term of age adjusted body weight and morphometric measurements in order to identify genomic regions influencing these traits among Punjab goat breeds. Blood samples were collected from 879 unrelated animals of seven goat breeds along with data for body weight and morphometric measurements including body length, body height, pubic bone length, heart girth and chest length. Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped using 50 K SNP bead chip. Association of genotypic data with the phenotypic data was performed using Plink 1.9 software. Linear mixed model was used for the association study. Genes were annotated from Capra hircus genome using assembly ARS1. We have identified a number of highly significant SNPs and respective candidate genes associated with growth and body conformation traits. The functional aspects of these candidate genes suggested their potential role in body growth. Moreover, pleiotropic effects were observed for some SNPs for body weight and conformation traits. The results of current study contributed to a better understanding of genes influencing growth and body conformation traits in goat.

Microbial Profile and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background This study aimed to assess the bacterial profile of diabetes patients with an infected foot and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology We conducted a six-month prospective study at a hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. Demographics and clinical characteristics such as age, sex, type and duration of diabetes, glycemic control, presence of retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, ulcer size, outcomes, and the number of admitted days at the facility were collected. Pus or discharges from the ulcer base and debrided necrotic tissue were obtained. Gram staining was performed on the samples which were isolated on chocolate agar and MacConkey agar. Incubation was done for 24 hours at a temperature of 37°C, and isolates were identified using standard bacteriological methods. The Kirby-Bauer testing method was used to assess antibiotic susceptibility. Results A total of 200 patients received a diagnosis of diabetic foot ulcer at the hospital during the study period. The age of the patients ranged from 24 to 92 years, with a mean age of 58.12 years (standard deviation (SD) = 12.494). The mean HbA1c level was 9.33% (SD = 2.050). The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 12.3 years (SD = 6.181). In total, 96 (66.2%) isolates were gram-negative bacteria, while 49 (33.8%) were gram-positive bacteria. Among the gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. was the most reported (15.9%), whereas methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most reported gram-positive bacteria (20.7%). Amikacin was found to be the most effective (45%) in treating diabetic foot ulcers, followed by tineam and meropenem being equally effective at a susceptibility of 44%. The highest resistance of the microbes was to the drug trimethoprim (44.5%). Conclusions The pathogens causing diabetic foot ulcers show sensitivity to many of the routinely used medications. However, resistance is being developed to some of the antibiotics such as trimethoprim. Therefore, the culture of the specimen to identify the causative agent and adequate knowledge of the susceptibility pattern are critical for the appropriate management of diabetic foot ulcers.

Risk Assessment and Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients of Medical Ward of Northwest General Hospital and Research Center, Peshawar, Pakistan: A Quality Improvement Project.

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in veins. Hospitalization increases the risk of VTE so timely risk assessment and adequate prophylaxis for VTE should be done to prevent this potentially fatal complication. Local problem Data from developing countries regarding VTE prophylaxis is scarce. VTE is a neglected area of research in Pakistan. So this closed-loop clinical audit was conducted to evaluate the VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis practices and to analyze the importance of educational intervention in improving the standard of care. Patients and methods We adopted the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for VTE prophylaxis as an audit standard. We collected data on a specially designed proforma by prospectively reviewing the hospital notes of patients in the Medical Ward of Northwest General Hospital and Research Center, Peshawar, Pakistan. Phase A included 60 patients and after educational intervention, Phase B was conducted with 90 patients. Intervention The results of Phase A were presented in the Clinicopathological Conference (CPC) meetings of the hospital. Healthcare workers were educated regarding the risks of VTE and the importance of timely prophylaxis. Posters were also displayed in the ward for highlighting the importance of VTE prophylaxis. Results In Phase A, only 5% of patients were risk assessed for VTE and of those eligible for prophylaxis only 22.2% received the prescription. Phase B showed a significant adherence to standard practices. In Phase B, 100% of patients were risk assessed for VTE and 75% received the prophylaxis. Conclusion There was poor compliance with standard VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis prescribing practices. However, a simple and effective educational intervention markedly improved patient care in terms of VTE strengthening the impact of clinical audits in the improvement of care.

Lagenaria siceraria fruit: A review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology, and promising traditional uses.

Since ancient times, the Cucurbitaceae family is used as a therapeutic option in human medicine. This family has around 130 genera and 800 species. Researchers have studied the various plants of this family including Lagenaria siceraria due to their medicinal potential. Various properties are beneficial for human health, that have been attributed to L. siceraria like antioxidant, hypolipidemic, diuretic, laxative, hepatoprotective, analgesic, antihypertensive, cardioprotective, central nervous system stimulant, anthelmintic, free radical scavenging, immunosuppressive, and adaptogenic. The fruit of this plant is commonly used as a vegetable that has a low-calorie value. The species possess a diverse set of biological compounds like flavonoids, sterols, saponins, and terpenoids. Vitamins, choline, flavonoids, minerals, proteins, terpenoids, and other phytochemicals are also found in the edible parts of this plant. Besides 17 different amino acids, many minerals are reported to be present in the seeds of L. siceraria. According to the USDA nutritional database per 100 g of L. siceraria contains 14 Kcal energy, 3.39 g carbohydrates, 0.62 g protein, 0.2 g fat, and 0.5 g fiber. L. siceraria performs a wide range of pharmacological and physiological actions. The literature reviewed from various sources including PubMed, Science Direct, Google scholar, etc. shows the remarkable potential to treat various human and animal illnesses due to its' potent bioactive chemicals. The key objective of this thorough analysis is to present a summary of the data about the beneficial and harmful effects of L. siceraria intake on human health, as well as in veterinary fields.

Global data analysis and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality of COVID-19.

This review was focused on global data analysis and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 from different countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Central Eastern Europe, Egypt, India, Iran, Pakistan, and South Asia, Africa, Turkey and UAE. Male showed higher confirmed and death cases compared to females in most of the countries. In addition, the case fatality ratio (CFR) for males was higher than for females. This gender variation in COVID-19 cases may be due to males' cultural activities, but similar variations in the number of COVID-19 affected males and females globally. Variations in the immune system can illustrate this divergent risk comparatively higher in males than females. The female immune system may have an edge to detect pathogens slightly earlier. In addition, women show comparatively higher innate and adaptive immune responses than men, which might be explained by the high density of immune-related genes in the X chromosome. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 viruses use angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter the host cell, and men contain higher ACE2 than females. Therefore, males may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 than females. In addition, smoking habit also makes men susceptible to COVID-19. Considering the age-wise distribution, children and older adults were less infected than other age groups and the death rate. On the contrary, more death in the older group may be associated with less immune system function. In addition, most of these group have comorbidities like diabetes, high pressure, low lungs and kidney function, and other chronic diseases. Due to the substantial economic losses and the numerous infected people and deaths, research examining the features of the COVID-19 epidemic is essential to gain insight into mitigating its impact in the future and preparedness for any future epidemics.

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad (Bitter Apple Fruit): Promising Traditional Uses, Pharmacological Effects, Aspects, and Potential Applications.

Health consciousness and increased knowledge about the side effects of synthetic drugs have enhanced interest in traditional medicines. Medicinal plants offer cures for various diseases, leading to improved living standards. This has brought ethnomedicinal studies into the spotlight and increased demand for herb-based medicines. Citrullus colocynthis is an herbaceous plant containing an abundance of nutrients that play a key role in the improvement of wellbeing. C. colocynthis has many biological properties, such as antioxidative, hypoglycemic, antibacterial, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, gastrointestinal tract, reproduction, protection, anti-microbial, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antineoplastic, profibrinolytic, anti-allergic, pesticidal, and immune-stimulatory. There are numerous bioactive compounds like cucurbitacin, flavonoids, and polyphenols in C. colocynthis that give it medicinal properties. Herein, we have extensively compiled, reviewed, and analyzed significant information on C. colocynthhis from the best published available evidence in PubMed, Scopus (Embase), Web of Science (Web of Knowledge), Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, etc. Scientific literature evidenced that owing to the bioactive constituents, including cucurbitacin, polyphenols, flavonoids, and other potent molecules, C. colocynthis has many pharmacological and physiological functions. It possesses multi-beneficial applications in treating various disorders of humans and animals. So, the primary purpose of this comprehensive review is to provide an overview of the findings of positive impacts and risks of C. colocynthis consumption on human health, especially in poultry and veterinary fields. In the future, this narrative article will be aware of discoveries about the potential of this promising natural fruit and its bioactive compounds as the best nutraceuticals and therapeutic drugs in veterinary and human medicine.

Resveratrol (RV): A pharmacological review and call for further research.

Resveratrol (RV) is a well-known polyphenolic compound in various plants, including grape, peanut, and berry fruits, which is quite famous for its association with several health benefits such as anti-obesity, cardioprotective neuroprotective, antitumor, antidiabetic, antioxidants, anti-age effects, and glucose metabolism. Significantly, promising therapeutic properties have been reported in various cancer, neurodegeneration, and atherosclerosis and are regulated by several synergistic pathways that control oxidative stress, cell death, and inflammation. Similarly, RV possesses a strong anti-adipogenic effect by inhibiting fat accumulation processes and activating oxidative and lipolytic pathways, exhibiting their cardioprotective effects by inhibiting platelet aggregation. The RV also shows significant antibacterial effects against various food-borne pathogens (Listeria, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli) by inhibiting an electron transport chain (ETC) and F0F1-ATPase, which decreases the production of cellular energy that leads to the spread of pathogens. After collecting and analyzing scientific literature, it may be concluded that RV is well tolerated and favorably affects cardiovascular, neurological, and diabetic disorders. As such, it is possible that RV can be considered the best nutritional additive and a complementary drug, especially a therapeutic candidate. Therefore, this review would increase knowledge about the blend of RV as well as inspire researchers around the world to consider RV as a pharmaceutical drug to combat future health crises against various inhumane diseases. In the future, this article will be aware of discoveries about the potential of this promising natural compound as the best nutraceuticals and therapeutic drugs in medicine.

Survey data to identify the selection criteria used by breeders of four strains of Pakistani beetal goats.

This article presents raw data from a survey conducted to identify the selection criteria of breeders raising either of four strains of Beetal goats, namely Beetal Faisalabadi, Beetal Makhi-Cheeni, Beetal Nuqri, and Beetal Rahim Yar Khan. After a pre-survey, a questionnaire was developed and a survey was conducted at four sites of the Punjab province of Pakistan: Faisalabad/Sahiwal, Bahawalpur/Bahawalnagar, Rajanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan. Each of these sites was the home tract of one strain. During the survey breeders (n = 162) were asked to rank the traits of their selection criteria based on the relative importance of those traits. Furthermore, the prevailing production system was also characterized by the breeders. For the interpretation of the results of this survey the readers are referred to Ref. [1]. The raw data set provided in this article can be extended in the future to include more strains of Beetal goats as well as other goat breeds. The selection criteria of breeders can change over time. This data set can also be used in future studies to investigate the temporal changes in the relative importance of different traits for the breeders. The factors potentially influencing those changes can also be investigated. This data set can further be utilized to design community based breeding plans tailored to the needs of the goat farming community.

Phytogenic Additives Can Modulate Rumen Microbiome to Mediate Fermentation Kinetics and Methanogenesis Through Exploiting Diet-Microbe Interaction.

Ruminants inhabit the consortia of gut microbes that play a critical functional role in their maintenance and nourishment by enabling them to use cellulosic and non-cellulosic feed material. These gut microbes perform major physiological activities, including digestion and metabolism of dietary components, to derive energy to meet major protein (65-85%) and energy (ca 80%) requirements of the host. Owing to their contribution to digestive physiology, rumen microbes are considered one of the crucial factors affecting feed conversion efficiency in ruminants. Any change in the rumen microbiome has an imperative effect on animal physiology. Ruminal microbes are fundamentally anaerobic and produce various compounds during rumen fermentation, which are directly used by the host or other microbes. Methane (CH4) is produced by methanogens through utilizing metabolic hydrogen during rumen fermentation. Maximizing the flow of metabolic hydrogen in the rumen away from CH4 and toward volatile fatty acids (VFA) would increase the efficiency of ruminant production and decrease its environmental impact. Understanding of microbial diversity and rumen dynamics is not only crucial for the optimization of host efficiency but also required to mediate emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from ruminants. There are various strategies to modulate the rumen microbiome, mainly including dietary interventions and the use of different feed additives. Phytogenic feed additives, mainly plant secondary compounds, have been shown to modulate rumen microflora and change rumen fermentation dynamics leading to enhanced animal performance. Many in vitro and in vivo studies aimed to evaluate the use of plant secondary metabolites in ruminants have been conducted using different plants or their extract or essential oils. This review specifically aims to provide insights into dietary interactions of rumen microbes and their subsequent consequences on rumen fermentation. Moreover, a comprehensive overview of the modulation of rumen microbiome by using phytogenic compounds (essential oils, saponins, and tannins) for manipulating rumen dynamics to mediate CH4 emanation from livestock is presented. We have also discussed the pros and cons of each strategy along with future prospective of dietary modulation of rumen microbiome to improve the performance of ruminants while decreasing GHG emissions.