Effect of adalimumab as an anti-inflammatory agent on gene expression of retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Adalimumab (ADA) is an anti-inflammatory antibody that has FDA approval as a systemic medication for treating noninfectious uveitis. It is also provisionally being investigated as an intravitreal injection for various retinal conditions. This study aimed to assess the effect of ADA on apoptotic, inflammatory, and fibrogenesis gene expression at mRNA and protein levels in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. RPEs were treated with serial concentrations of ADA (0.5x, x, 2x, and 4x; [x = 250 µg/mL]) for 24 hours. MTT assay was done and the mRNA and protein expressions were quantified using real-time PCR and ELISA assay, respectively. The mRNA levels of IL-1b and IL-6 were significantly increased in ADA-treated RPEs at 0.5x and x concentrations. However, the increase in cytokine secretion was observed only in IL-1b at x concentration. TGF-ß was significantly upregulated in the 0.5x and 4x doses of ADA both at mRNA and protein levels. MTT assay, along with an unchanged BCL-2/BAX ratio confirmed the safety of ADA on RPEs at all studied concentrations. In conclusion, despite its safety, the 2x concentration of ADA was the only dose that did not ignite the expression of any of the studied inflammatory and fibrogenesis genes. This dosage, which is roughly equal to 2 mg intravitreal dose in a clinical setting, might be referred to as a reference starting point for future in-vivo studies in ocular conditions.

Prevalence of Thromboembolic Events, Including Venous Thromboembolism and Arterial Thrombosis, in Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Background: Many studies have evaluated thromboembolic events in COVID-19 patients, and most of them have reported a high estimation of the prevalence of such events. The present study sought to evaluate the prevalence of thromboembolic events in patients with COVID-19. Methods: This study is a systematic review with meta-analysis that investigated thromboembolic events in patients with COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic to August 31, 2021. The 4 main databases for collecting articles were Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, arterial thrombosis, and the overall rate of thromboembolic events were considered primary outcomes. Results: In a total of 63 studies (104 920 patients with COVID-19), the overall thrombosis rate was 21% (95% CI, 18% to 25%), the rate of deep vein thrombosis was 20% (95% Cl, 16% to 25%), the rate of pulmonary embolism was 8% (95% Cl, 6% to 10%), and the rate of arterial thrombosis was 5% (95% Cl, 3% to 7%). The prevalence of all primary outcomes in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) was significantly higher (P<0.05). In older patients, the prevalence of overall thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or deep vein thrombosis was significantly higher (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that COVID-19 increases the risk of thromboembolic events, especially in elderly and critically ill patients admitted to the ICU. Therefore, more strategies are needed to prevent thromboembolic events in patients with COVID-19, especially in ICU-admitted and elderly patients.

Adjuvant pomegranate juice intake improves the inflammatory status of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A randomized and placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pomegranate juice intake on the inflammatory status and complete blood count in hospitalized Covid-19 patients. METHODS: This randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial included 48 patients with two parallel arms. In addition to the standard care provided at the hospital, the patients consumed 500 mL of whole pomegranate juice (PJ) daily or a placebo for 14 days. Inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)) and complete blood count were determined at baseline and after the 14 days of intervention. RESULTS: At the end of the intervention, a significant decreased was observed in primary outcomes [mean difference (95 %CI)] including IL-6 [5.24(0.87-9.61)], CRP [23.19(11.93-34.44)] and ESR [10.52(1.54-19.50)] in the PJ group vs. before the intervention. In addition, significant changes were also observed in the some of the secondary outcomes, including neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, platelets-to-lymphocyte(PLR) and neutrophils-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratios (p < 0.05) in the PJ group compared to before the intervention. At the end of the intervention period, the mean change of IL-6 [- 7.09(-12.21 to - 1.96)], white blood cells [- 3.09(- 6.14 to - 0.05)], neutrophils [- 9.12(-18.08 to -0.15)], lymphocyte [7.05(0.17-13.92)], platelets [- 94.54(- 139.33 to - 49.75)], PLR [- 15.99(- 29.31 to - 2.67)], blood oxygen saturation [1.75(0.13-3.37)] and MCV [0.31(- 0.25 to 0.88)] levels were significantly different between groups while no difference was observed between the two groups in other blood indices. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that pomegranate juice intake might slightly improve the inflammatory status and CBC outcomes of COVID-19 patients and it may be beneficial.

Encapsulation of Heracleum persicum essential oil in chitosan nanoparticles and its application in yogurt.

Heracleum percicum essential oil (HEO) at various levels was encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles and its potential application in yogurt was investigated. The values obtained for encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, mean particle size, and zeta potential of nanoparticles were 39.12-70.22%, 9.14-14.26%, 201.23-336.17 nm, and + 20.19-46.37 mV, respectively. The nanoparticles had spherical shape with some holes as a result of drying process. In vitro release studies in acidic solution and phosphate buffer solution indicated an initial burst effect followed by slow release with higher release rate in acidic medium. Results of antibacterial activity revealed that Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium with inhibition zones of 21.04-38.10 and 9.39-20.56 mm were the most sensitive and resistant bacteria to HEO, respectively. Incorporation of encapsulated HEO into yogurt decreased pH and increased titratable acidity due to stimulation of starters' activity. Interaction of nanoparticles with proteins decreased syneresis in yogurt. Regarding antioxidant activity, a higher value was observed in yogurt containing encapsulated HEO after 14 days of storage due to degradation and release of essential oil from nanoparticles. In conclusion, application of HEO nanoparticles in yogurt could be a promising approach for development of functional food products such as yogurt with enhanced antioxidant properties.

A comprehensive review on yogurt syneresis: effect of processing conditions and added additives.

Yogurt, produced by the lactic fermentation of milk base, is an important dairy product worldwide. One of the essential sensory properties of yogurt is the texture, and some textural defects such as weak gel firmness and syneresis likely occur in various types of yogurts, affecting consumer acceptance. In this regard, various strategies such as enrichment of milk-based with different additives and ingredients such as protein-based components (skimmed milk powder (SMP), whey protein-based powders (WP), casein-based powders (CP), and suitable stabilizers, as well as modification of processing conditions (homogenization, fermentation, and cooling), can be applied in order to reduce syneresis. The most effective proteins and stabilizers in syneresis reduction are CP and gelatin, respectively. Furthermore, yogurt's water holding capacity and syneresis can be affected by the type of starter cultures, the protolithic activity, production of extracellular polysaccharides, and inoculation rate. Moreover, optimizing the heat treatment process (85 °C/30 min and 95 °C/5 min), homogenization (single or dual-stage), incubation temperature (around 40 °C), and two-step cooling process can decrease yogurt syneresis. This review is aimed to investigate the effect of fortification of the milk base with various additives and optimization of process conditions on improving texture and preventing syneresis in yogurt.

Biosorption of cadmium from aqueous solution by combination of microorganisms and chitosan: response surface methodology for optimization of removal conditions.

The food-grade adsorbents of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (108 CFU/mL), Bifidobacterium longum (108 CFU/mL) and chitosan (1%w/v) alone or in combination were used for biosorption of cadmium (Cd) from aqueous solution. Among the tested adsorbents, combination of B. longum and chitosan had the highest efficiency. Therefore, biosorption process with B. longum/chitosan as the most efficient biosorbent was optimized by variables of pH (3-6), temperature (4-37 °C), contact time (5-180 min) and Cd concentrations (0.01-5 mg/L) using RSM. Twenty-seven tests were carried out and the data fitted to the second-order polynomial models. Results revealed that 99.11% of Cd was reduced within 180 min at concentration of 2.5 mg/L, pH 6 and temperature of 20.5 °C that were considered as the optimal conditions for Cd removal. The trend of isotherm was more fitted to the Langmuir model and maximum biosorption capacity was obtained about 3.61 mg/g. The pseudo-second-order fitted the biosorption kinetics for Cd ions. The B. longum/chitosan biosorbent exhibited the high affinity to Cd ion in the presence of coexisting metal ions. It could remove 81.18% of Cd from simulated gastrointestinal tract. Thus, B. longum/chitosan can have good potential as an effective adsorbent for Cd biosorption from aqueous solutions and human body.

Short-term inflow forecasting in a dam-regulated river in Southwest Norway using causal variational mode decomposition.

Climate change affects patterns and uncertainties associated with river water regimes, which significantly impact hydropower generation and reservoir storage operation. Hence, reliable and accurate short-term inflow forecasting is vital to face climate effects better and improve hydropower scheduling performance. This paper proposes a Causal Variational Mode Decomposition (CVD) preprocessing framework for the inflow forecasting problem. CVD is a preprocessing feature selection framework that is built upon multiresolution analysis and causal inference. CVD can reduce computation time while increasing forecasting accuracy by down-selecting the most relevant features to the target value (inflow in a specific location). Moreover, the proposed CVD framework is a complementary step to any machine learning-based forecasting method as it is tested with four different forecasting algorithms in this paper. CVD is validated using actual data from a river system downstream of a hydropower reservoir in the southwest of Norway. The experimental results show that CVD-LSTM reduces forecasting error metric by almost 70% compared with a baseline (scenario 1) and reduces by 25% compared to an LSTM for the same composition of input data (scenario 4).

Dietary intake and biomarkers of linoleic acid and risk of prostate cancer in men: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Findings on the association of dietary intake and tissue biomarkers of linoleic acid (LA) with the risk of prostate cancer are conflicting. Also, no meta-analysis summarized available findings in this regard. Therefore, the current systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis were done to summarize the findings of prospective cohort studies that assessed dietary intake and tissue biomarkers of LA in relation to prostate cancer risk in adults. We conducted a systematic search using online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science, to identify eligible articles published up to January 2023. We included prospective cohort studies that examined the associations of dietary intake and tissue biomarkers of LA with the risk of prostate cancer (total, advanced, and fatal prostate cancer). Summary relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the highest versus lowest intakes/tissue levels of LA using a fixed-effects model. Also, linear and non-linear dose-response analyses were conducted. In total, 15 prospective cohort studies were included. These studies recruited a total sample size of 511,622 participants with an age range of ≥18 years. During the follow-up periods ranging from 5 to 21 years, 39,993 cases of prostate cancer, 5,929 cases of advanced prostate cancer, and 1,661 cases of fatal prostate cancer were detected. In the meta-analysis, we found that higher tissue levels of LA were associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer (RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.96) so that in the dose-response analysis, each 5% increase in levels of LA was associated with a 14% lower risk of prostate cancer. Such a significant association was not seen for advanced prostate cancer (RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.65-1.13). Also, we found no significant association between dietary intake of LA and risk of total (RR:1.00, 95% CI: 0.97-1.04), advanced (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.90-1.07), and fatal prostate cancer (RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.83-1.13). Our findings support the protective association between tissue levels of LA and the risk of prostate cancer in men.

Effect of vitamin E intake on glycemic control and insulin resistance in diabetic patients: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Since a 2014 meta-analysis, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of vitamin E intake on glycemic indices and insulin resistance in adults with diabetes have reached inconsistent conclusions. Therefore, we updated the previous meta-analysis to summarize the current evidence in this regard. Online databases including PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant studies published up to September 30, 2021, using relevant keywords. Random-effects models were used to obtain overall mean difference (MD) comparing vitamin E intake with a control group. In total, 38 RCTs with a total sample size of 2171 diabetic patients (1110 in vitamin E groups and 1061 in control groups) were included. Combining the results from 28 RCTs on fasting blood glucose, 32 RCTs on HbA1c, 13 RCTs on fasting insulin, and 9 studies on homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) showed a summary MD of -3.35 mg/dL (95% CI: -8.10 to 1.40, P = 0.16), -0.21% (95% CI: -0.33 to -0.09, P = 0.001), -1.05 µIU/mL (95% CI: -1.53 to -0.58, P < 0.001), and -0.44 (95% CI: -0.82 to -0.05, P = 0.02), respectively. This indicates a significant lowering effect of vitamin E on HbA1c, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, while no significant effect on fasting blood glucose in diabetic patients. However, in subgroup analyses, we found that vitamin E intake significantly reduced fasting blood glucose in studies with an intervention duration of < 10 weeks. In conclusion, vitamin E intake has a beneficial role in improving HbA1c and insulin resistance in a population with diabetes. Moreover, short-term interventions with vitamin E have resulted in lower fasting blood glucose in these patients. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO with code CRD42022343118.

Soy isoflavone intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in adults: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

We examined the association between soy isoflavone intake and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes in adults. We searched the online databases for relevant studies published up to September 2021. In total, 13 publications were included in the systematic review and 12 in the meta-analysis. We found that a high intake of soy isoflavones was significantly associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among whole populations (Pooled RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85-0.99, I2 = 41.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.10) and a lower risk of overall CVD (Pooled RR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.98, I2 = 30.7%, Pheterogeneity = 0.19) and CHD (Pooled RR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.96, I2 = 14.4%, Pheterogeneity = 0.32) among Western population. In the linear dose-response analysis, a 3 mg/day increase in soy isoflavone intake was associated with 16% and 14% lower risks of overall CVD and CHD, respectively, among Western population. In conclusion, we found that soy isoflavone intake was associated with a lower risk of overall CVD and CHD in adults, particularly among Western population.

An Overview of Antimicrobial Activity of Lysozyme and Its Functionality in Cheese.

Due to the concern of consumers about the presence of synthetic preservatives, researchers and food manufacturers have recently conducted extensive research on the limited use of these preservatives and the introduction and use of natural preservatives, such as herbal extracts and essential oils, bacteriocins, and antimicrobial enzymes. Lysozyme is a natural enzyme with antimicrobial activity that has attracted considerable attention to be potentially utilized in various industries. Since lysozyme is an intrinsic component of the human immune system and has low toxicity; it could be considered as a natural antimicrobial agent for use in food and pharmaceutical industries. Lysozyme exerts antimicrobial activity against microorganisms, especially Gram-positive bacteria, by hydrolyzing 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine in the cell wall. In addition, increased antimicrobial activity of lysozyme against Gram-negative bacteria could be achieved by the modification of lysozyme through physical or chemical interactions. Lysozyme is presented as a natural preservative in mammalian milk and can be utilized as a bio-preservative in dairy products, such as cheese. Both bacteria and fungi can contaminate and spoil the cheese; especially the one that is made traditionally by raw milk. Furthermore, uncontrolled and improper processes and post-pasteurization contamination can participate in the cheese contamination. Therefore, besides common preservative strategies applied in cheese production, lysozyme could be utilized alone or in combination with other preservative strategies to improve the safety of cheese. Hence, this study aimed to review the antimicrobial properties of lysozyme as natural antimicrobial enzyme and its functionality in cheese.

Antimicrobial Activity of Films and Coatings Containing Lactoperoxidase System: A Review.

The production of safe and healthy foodstuffs is considered as one of the most important challenges in the food industry, and achieving this important goal is impossible without using various processes and preservatives. However, recently, there has been a growing concern about the use of chemical preservatives and attention has been focused on minimal process and/or free of chemical preservatives in food products. Therefore, researchers and food manufacturers have been induced to utilize natural-based preservatives such as antimicrobial enzymes in their production. Lactoperoxidase, as an example of antimicrobial enzymes, is the second most abundant natural enzyme in the milk and due to its wide range of antibacterial activities, it could be potentially applied as a natural preservative in various food products. On the other hand, due to the diffusion of lactoperoxidase into the whole food matrix and its interaction and/or neutralization with food components, the direct use of lactoperoxidase in food can sometimes be restricted. In this regard, lactoperoxidase can be used as a part of packaging material, especially edible and coating, to keep its antimicrobial properties to extend food shelf-life and food safety maintenance. Therefore, this study aims to review various antimicrobial enzymes and introduce lactoperoxidase as a natural antimicrobial enzyme, its antimicrobial properties, and its functionality in combination with an edible film to extend the shelf-life of food products.

Zingiber officinale essential oil-loaded chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles: Fabrication, characterization and in-vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Zingiber officinale essential oil (ZEO) was encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles at different concentrations using the emulsion-ionic gelation technique and its antioxidant and antibacterial effects were investigated. The results indicated that ZEO level had a significant effect on encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity (LC), particle size and zeta potential. The value obtained for EE, LC, mean particle size and zeta potential were 49.11%-68.32%, 21.16%-27.54%, 198.13-318.26 nm and +21.31-43.57 mV, respectively. According to scanning electron micrographs, the nanoparticles had a spherical shape with some invaginations due to the drying process. The presence of essential oil within the chitosan nanoparticles was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In vitro release studies in simulated gastrointestinal fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) indicated an initial burst effect followed by slow release with higher release rate in acidic medium of SGF. ZEO-loaded nanoparticles showed DPPH radical scavenging activity of 20%-61% which increased by raising the ZEO level. Moreover, results of antibacterial activity revealed that Staphylococcus aureus (with inhibition zones of 19-35.19 mm2) and Salmonella typhimurium (with inhibition zones of 9.78-17.48 mm2) were the most sensitive and resistant bacteria to ZEO, respectively. Overall, chitosan nanoparticles can be considered as suitable vehicles for ZEO and improve its stability and solubility.

The Ability of Probiotic Lactobacillus Strains in Removal of Benzo[a]pyrene: a Response Surface Methodology Study.

In this study, the ability of various lactic acid bacteria was assessed in removing benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) from contaminated phosphate buffer saline (PBS). Response surface methodology (RSM) was performed using Box-Behnken design to investigate the effect of four independent variables including pH (5-7), incubation time (1-24 h), cell density (107-109 cfu/mL), and initial BaP concentration (5-15 mg/kg) at three levels to evaluate in vitro removal of BaP as response. The results showed that all the tested strains were able to remove BaP from PBS and this reduction was entirely strain-specific. Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 followed by Lactobacillus casei TD10 exhibited the lowest binding ability while the highest binding rate was related to Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus PTCC 1737, Lactobacillus casei TD4, and Lactobacillus brevis TD3, respectively. Cyclohexane washing weakened BaP-bacteria complex, while this complex was not significantly changed by PBS washing. The results showed that BaP binding rate was influenced by pH, cell density, time, and BaP concentration in linear and quadratic manners. Moreover, there were interactions between cell density and time as well as between time and BaP concentration. The highest BaP-binding rate by L. acidophilus LA-5 was 10 ppm of BaP concentration, pH = 5, cell density of 109 cfu/mL, and an incubation period of 24 h. It can be concluded that a range of pH, time, and microbial population is required to obtain maximum binding efficiency for BaP based on the concentration of the toxin and the species of the bacteria.

Antibacterial Activity of Pediocin and Pediocin-Producing Bacteria Against Listeria monocytogenes in Meat Products.

One of the most important challenges in the food industry is to produce healthy and safe food products, and this could be achieved through various processes as well as the use of different additives, especially chemical preservatives. However, consumer awareness and concern about chemical preservatives have led researchers to focus on the use of natural antimicrobial compounds such as bacteriocins. Pediocins, which belong to subclass IIa of bacteriocin characterized as small unmodified peptides with a low molecular weight (2.7-17 kDa), are produced by some of the Pediococcus bacteria. Pediocin and pediocin-like bacteriocins exert a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, especially against pathogenic bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes through formation of pores in the cytoplasmic membrane and cell membrane dysfunction. Pediocins are sensitive to most protease enzymes such as papain, pepsin, and trypsin; however, they keep their antimicrobial activity during heat treatment, at low temperatures even at -80°C, and after treatment with lipase, lysozyme, phospholipase C, DNase, or RNase. Due to the anti-listeria activity of pediocin on the one hand and the potential health hazards associated with consumption of meat products on the other hand, this review aimed to investigate the possible application of pediocin in preservation of meat and meat products against L. monocytogenes.

Stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in dairy products.

The present investigation was performed to determine the stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) under several industrial processing situations in dairies, including pasteurization, freezing, and storage in acidic conditions. Ten treatments were selected, including high-temperature short-time (HTST)-pasteurized low-fat milk, low-temperature long-time-pasteurized low-fat milk, extended shelf life (ESL)-pasteurized low-fat milk, HTST-pasteurized full-fat milk, LTLT-pasteurized full-fat milk, ESL-pasteurized full-fat milk, pasteurized cream, ice cream frozen and stored at -20 or -80°C, and Doogh (as a fermented milk drink with initial pH < 3.5) refrigerated for 28 days. The viral particles were quantified by RT-PCR methodology. Besides, the virus infectivity was assessed through fifty-percent tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) assay. These products were seeded with a viral load of 5.65 log TCID50/mL as a simulated cross-contamination condition. Pasteurization techniques were sufficient for complete inactivation of the SARS-CoV-2 in the most dairy products, and 1.85 log TCID50/mL virus reduction in full-fat milk (fat content = 3.22%). Freezing (either -20°C or -80°C) did not result in a virally safe product within 60 days of storage. Storage at high acidic conditions (initial pH < 3.5) completely hampered the viral load at the end of 28 days of refrigerated storage. This research represents an important practical achievement that the routine HTST pasteurization in dairies was inadequate to completely inactivate the viral load in full-fat milk, probably due to the protective effect of fat content. Furthermore, freezing retain the virus infectivity in food products, and therefore, relevant contaminated foods may act as carriers for SARS-CoV-2.

Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as consequence of heating and microwave processing in meat products and bread.

The new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that was first found in 2019 in Wuhan, China, caused coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It then spread worldwide rapidly, causing the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic. To date, it has been indicated that various transmission ways might be participated in outbreaks of COVID-19. Among these, food products, whether raw or processed, might be carriers for SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of cooking and microwave process of meat products and bread on the stability of SARS-CoV-2. In this regard, sausages and hamburger as meat products and toast bread were inoculated with a viral load of 5.70 log fifty percent tissue culture infective dose (TCID50)/mL in order to create a simulated cross-contamination condition. The results showed that frying of hamburger at 225ºC for about either 6 or 10 min resulted in complete inactivation of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, a 5-log decrease in SARS-CoV-2 load was observed in sausages as a consequence of cooking process at 78ºC for either 20 or 30 min. Additionally, the effect of microwave oven at power of 630 watt on stability of SARS-CoV-2 showed that exposing toast bread for either 30 s or 1 min in this power led to a 5-log decrease in SARS-CoV-2 load in the toast bread.

Green tea intake and its effect on laboratory parameters and disease symptoms in hospitalised patients with Covid 19: a structured protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The current randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to assess the effect of green tea intake on disease symptoms and laboratory parameters including C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and complete blood count (CBC) in patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19 infection. TRIAL DESIGN: Randomized, double-blinded, parallel (1:1 ratio) clinical trial exploratory study PARTICIPANTS: We will recruit patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to Yasuj Shahid Jalil Hospital in Yasuj City, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran. Participants' inclusion criteria are as follows: Inclusion Criteria Patients aged ≥18 years COVID-19 diagnosis according to real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) Exclusion Criteria Pregnancy or lactation Disseminated intravascular coagulation or any other types of coagulopathy Severe congestive kidney failure Having a history of participating in a clinical trial during the last 30 days INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Intervention: Two capsules containing 450 mg green tea extract along with routine treatment for COVID-19 patients in the intervention group. Two capsules containing placebo plus routine treatment for patients with COVID-19 infection. Capsules will be taken twice a day, after lunch and dinner, for 14 days. MAIN OUTCOMES: Changes in disease symptoms and laboratory parameters including CRP, ESR, and CBC after 14 days of the intervention compared to control group. RANDOMISATION: Eligible patients will be randomly assigned into the intervention or control group in a 1:1 ratio. Randomization will be performed based on 8 permuted blocks with block sizes of 10, and patients in the intervention and control groups will be matched according to sex and age categories. Randomization will be done using computer-generated random numbers ( Randomization.com ) BLINDING (MASKING): The appearance of placebo and green tea capsules will be similar in terms of shape and color, and they will be packed in the same bags that will be prepared by the company. Also, the researcher and all participants will not be aware of the divisions until the end of the study. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMISED (SAMPLE SIZE): The total sample was determined based on CRP MCID in which high CRP levels were considered >2.6 mg/L. Accordingly, a total sample size of 37 patients for each intervention group was required. TRIAL STATUS: The protocol is Version 1.0, on June 5, 2021. Recruitment will start on July 11, 2021, which is anticipated to be completed by September 21, 2021. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20150711023153N3 ( https://www.irct.ir/trial/55948 ) retrospectively registered on June 4, 2021 FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials website (Additional file 1). In the interest in expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting was eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

Effects of pomegranate juice (Punica Granatum) on inflammatory biomarkers and complete blood count in patients with COVID-19: a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study is conducted to investigate efficacy of pomegranate juice on inflammatory biomarkers, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6(IL-6), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and complete blood count (CBC) in hospitalized patients with mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19). TRIAL DESIGN: This is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel 2-arm (1:1 ratio) clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospitals in Yasuj City, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Informed consent Patients 18 years of age or older Diagnosis of COVID-19 based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Pregnancy or lactation Immunoglobulin A (IgA) level <61 mg/dl Disseminated intravascular coagulation or any other types of coagulopathy Severe congestive heart failure Participation in any clinical trial within 30 days prior to enrollment in this RCT Other contraindications determined by the specialist. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Intervention: 500 ml pomegranate juice and standard of care hospital treatment for COVID-19 Comparator: matching placebo containing 500 ml of red water and standard of care hospital treatment for COVID-19 Both intervention and comparator to be taken twice a day, after lunch and dinner, for 14 days. CRITERIA FOR DISCONTINUING: Transfer of patients to intensive care unit (ICU) Death Unwillingness to continue participating in the study MAIN OUTCOMES: The main outcomes of this study are levels of inflammatory biomarkers, CRP, IL-6, ESR, and CBC after 14 days of treatment. RANDOMIZATION: Eligible patients will be randomly assigned into the intervention or control group in a 1:1 ratio. Randomization will be performed based on 8 permuted blocks with block sizes of 6 and they will be stratified according to sex and age categories. Randomization sequences will be prepared by the trial's pharmacist using computer-generated random numbers. BLINDING (MASKING): This study is a double-blind clinical trial (participant, researcher). The pomegranate juice and placebo juice are packaged in identical bottles, and the researcher and all the patients will be unaware of the study assignment until the end of the study. To ensure blinding, the randomization sequences will be kept in identical, opaque, sealed, and sequentially numbered envelopes. NUMBERS TO BE RANDOMIZED (SAMPLE SIZE): The calculated total sample size is 48 patients, with 24 patients assigned into each group. TRIAL STATUS: The protocol is Version 1.0, on March 3, 2021. Recruitment started on February 28, 2021, and is anticipated to be completed by May 21, 2021. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Name of registering trial Effects of Pomegranate Juice (Punica Granatum) on Inflammatory Biomarkers and CBC in Patients with COVID-19: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Iranian registry of clinical trials (IRCT) Registration Number: IRCT20150711023153N2 Date of Trial Registration February 28, 2021, retrospectively registered FULL PROTOCOL: The full protocol is attached as an additional file, accessible from the Trials҆ website (Additional file 1). In the interest of expediting dissemination of this material, the familiar formatting has been eliminated; this Letter serves as a summary of the key elements of the full protocol.

Effective removal of lead (II) using chitosan and microbial adsorbents: Response surface methodology (RSM).

The ability of chitosan (1% w/v), Bifidobacterium longum (108 CFU mL-1) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (108 CFU mL-1) separately or in combination (chitosan/B. longum, chitosan/S. cerevisiae, B. longum/S. cerevisiae) was assessed for lead (II) removal from aqueous solutions. The results showed chitosan/B. longum adsorbent had higher adsorption percentage in comparison with other adsorbents (p < 0.05). It was selected as the most efficient adsorbent and the effect of process variables including initial metal concentration (0.01-5 mg L-1), contact time (5-180 min), temperature (4-37 °C) and pH (3-6) on the its removal efficiency was evaluated with a Box-Behnken design. Twenty-seven test runs were performed and the optimal conditions for metal adsorption was observed at metal concentration of 2.5 mg L-1, contact time of 180 min, temperature of 37 °C and pH 4.5. The maximum lead (II) adsorption yield under optimal conditions was 97.6%. The foreign ions didn't diminish lead (II) adsorption by chitosan/B. longum and it had high selectivity toward the lead (II). Adsorption behavior was analyzed using the Freundlich and the Langmuir isotherms. The correlation coefficients (R2) demonstrated the Langmuir model had a better description on metal adsorption process. Overall, isotherms revealed chemisorption and physisorption were probably involved in metal adsorption on adsorbent.