Ultrasound treatment alleviates external pericarp browning and improves fruit quality of pomegranate during storage.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound treatment has a beneficial role in horticultural production from harvest to consumption. The quality traits and microbiological load in pomegranate fruit were explored during 30 days' storage at 20 °C after 10 min and 30 min ultrasound treatments. RESULTS: Ultrasound treatment significantly reduced the microbiological load during storage, providing a relatively clean and suitable storage environment. This was especially true for the 30 min treatment, which also maintained relatively lower weight loss and kept the browning rate below 5% during storage. Meanwhile, the fruit treated with ultrasound had higher ascorbic acid and anthocyanin content, which provided better antibacterial properties and higher nutraceutical properties until the end of storage. The 30 min ultrasound treatment significantly delayed the decrease in catalase (CAT) enzyme activity and the increase in peroxidase (POD) enzyme activity. Combined with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and correlation analysis, color indicators and antioxidant activity induced by ultrasound treatment were responsible for the relatively higher fruit quality of pomegranate. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound treatment can improve the sensory quality and nutritional characteristics of pomegranate fruits during storage, and reduce the microbiological load. Ultrasound for 30 min was better than 10 min for prolonging the storage life of pomegranate. Our results will provide valuable information for ultrasound application in other horticultural products. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A randomized control trial establishing the effectiveness of using interactive television-based art, music, and poetry therapies for treating the post-traumatic stress disorder of children exposed to traumatic events.

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of interactive television-based music, art, and poetry therapies in reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder among school children who have experienced abduction. A randomized control trial was adopted using school children from three selected secondary schools in Northern Nigeria that have experienced the issue of kidnapping. The treatment is characterized by (1) group setting, (2) TV instruction (3) school collaboration, and (4) use of artistic mediation. The study sample comprised 470 students randomly divided into a control group of 235 and an experiment group of 235. The treatment group was further divided into art (N = 78), music (N = 78) and poetry (N = 79), respectively. Results suggest that interactive television art, music and poetry therapies are an effective intervention strategy for reducing the PTSD of school children who have experienced kidnapping in Nigeria. However, art therapy is more effective in reducing PTSD. This study has offered empirical evidence that could guide the planning and implementation of therapies aimed at assisting school children to recover from traumatic experiences.

Exogenous Arginine Treatment Maintains the Appearance and Nutraceutical Properties of Hard- and Soft-Seed Pomegranates in Cold Storage.

Arginine is a natural preservative; however, its effects on the storage of different cultivars of pomegranates have not been investigated extensively. Therefore, the fruit quality of soft-seed Tunisia and hard-seed Yudazi pomegranates was investigated after treatment with arginine at four concentrations during cold storage for 80 days. Pomegranates treated with 1.0 mM arginine exhibited a relatively lower loss of vitamin C, soluble solid, total phenol, and anthocyanin contents in arils, together with a better fruit appearance. Combined with principal component analysis (PCA), the storage life of fruits treated with 1.0 mM arginine showed a higher correlation with antioxidant enzyme activity (e.g., superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT)) during the first 40 days of cold storage, whereas after 40 days of cold storage, storage life was more dependent on the integrity of the cell membrane affected by malondialdehyde (MDA) content, electrolyte leakage (EL), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation. Arginine treatment contributed significantly to the appearance and inner quality of the hard-seed pomegranate cv. Yudazi fruit during cold storage compared to those of soft-seed Tunisia. Taken together, arginine application combined with cold storage enhanced the nutraceutical properties and marketability of pomegranate fruits.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Lumbar Discectomy with Local Anesthesia for L5-S1 Disc Herniation: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: General anesthesia (GA), which is routinely applied in patients who undergo percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar lumbar discectomy (PEILD) of L5-S1 disc herniation, is closely associated with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in the elderly. Local anesthesia (LA) is an alternative pain control protocol that has not yet been fully evaluated. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of LA in PEILD compared with GA. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. SETTING: This study took place at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. METHODS: A total of 120 patients (aged 60-85 years) diagnosed with L5-S1 disc herniation and with American Society of Anesthesiologists fitness grade I or II between March 2016 and August 2017 were enrolled in the current study. Patients were randomly divided into LA group and GA group. For LA, 0.25% lidocaine was injected layer-by-layer into skin, subcutaneous tissue, fasciae, lumbar facet joint, muscle, and ligamentum flavum followed by injection of 1.33% lidocaine into epidural space; for GA, propofol, sufentanil, and cisatracurium were infused intravenously at 1 to 2 mg/kg, 0.3 µg/kg, and 0.15 mg/kg, respectively. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and MacNab Criteria (MNC) evaluated the feasibility of LA as pain control protocol in comparison to GA before and after operation. The development of POCD was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination 1 and 7 days postsurgery. Feasibility of LA as a pain control protocol was also evaluated by patient's willingness to receive the same surgical procedure immediately and 24 hours after the surgery, and intraoperative fluoroscopy use, blood loss, surgery duration, postoperative bed confinement, and duration and cost of hospital stay were also evaluated. RESULTS: Patients in both LA and GA groups had comparable VAS grade, ODI, and MNC pre- and post-PEILD, with significant pain reduction after operation. However, POCD developed only in GA group but not in LA group. In addition, compared with GA, LA group did not require postoperative bed confinement, had significantly shorter hospital stay, and lower hospital cost. Low intraoperative VAS grade and willingness to receive the same procedure reflected the acceptance of LA by patients. LIMITATIONS: The development of POCD was examined only 7 days after operation. The follow-up should be extended to 3 months and 2 years postoperation. CONCLUSIONS: LA has satisfactory pain control and low-risk of POCD in PEILD and is well accepted by patients. The benefits of LA are no postoperative bed confinement, faster recovery, shorter hospital stay, and lower hospital cost. KEY WORDS: L5-S1 disc herniation, older patients, percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar lumbar discectomy, local anesthesia, general anesthesia, postoperative cognitive dysfunction, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, Oswestry Disability Index, MacNab Criteria, Mini-Mental State Examination.