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Objectives: To determine the frequency of esophageal variceal bleed in patients with upper GI bleed presenting in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross sectional survey. Setting: Department of Medicine, Mayo Hospital, Lahore and Madinah Teaching Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: 6 months from 01-06-2018 to 31-12-2018. Material & Methods: Two hundred patients with upper GI bleed were included in the study. All the patients had upper GI endoscopy to determine the esophageal variceal bleeding which was documented as frequency distribution table. Results: Esophageal variceal bleed was seen among 108 (54%) patients while it was not present among 92 (46%) patients. Conclusion: Esophageal variceal bleeding is frequently present among patients with upper GI bleeding and should be suspected in every patient with upper GI bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was carried out to extract the polyphenols from mango peels by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and maceration techniques and to assess the antioxidant potential and quantification of phenolic compounds by high performance chromatography. Results showed that highest extraction yield obtained through solvent methanol at 80% concentration level while ultrasound-assisted extraction was more efficient technique and led to comparatively higher polyphenols content than maceration. Highest polyphenols were extracted with 80% ethanol (67.58 mg GAE/g of extract) by employing UAE whereas least polyphenols (18.66 mg GAE/g of extract) were obtained with 100% ethyl acetate through maceration technique. The high antioxidant activity of mango peel extracts was exhibited in three antioxidant assays with 80% ethanolic extracts had the highest antioxidant activity 31.51 + 0.79 mM/100 g for ferric reducing antioxidant power, highest scavenging activity 83.19 + 0.96% and 67.23 + 0.85% for 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and superoxide anion radical assays, respectively. Strong correlations between total polyphenols and antioxidant activity were observed. Practical Applications Polyphenols are the natural antioxidants in plants having a significant role in human health by prevention of certain oxidative stress-related diseases. Mango peels are the major agro-industrial wastes in fruit juice processing which are not further utilized despite being an abundant source of phenolic compounds even more than the mango pulp. The study revealed that mango peels as a potential source of phenolic compounds which may be utilized as an ingredient for the preparation of functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was carried out to assess the nutritive and organoleptic characteristics of guava leather packed in vegetable parchment paper, polyethylene sheet and aluminum foil stored at refrigerated temperature (6 + 1 °C) for 240 days. Allahabad Safeda variety was used for guava leather preparation. Physicochemical, microbiological characteristics and sensory evaluation of packed guava leather were done at 30 days intervals till 240 days. A gradual increase in total soluble solids (TSS), acidity and total sugar was observed during storage whereas moisture, brix/acid ratio, pH and ascorbic acid were decreased. The changes were more pronounced in samples packed in polyethylene sheet and least in aluminum foil. No detectable yeast and mold and negligible total viable count were observed in all packed leather samples during 240 days storage period. Sensory evaluation results revealed that aluminum foil packed samples were ranked highest and more acceptable than others. However, guava leather packed in all packing materials remained organoleptically acceptable after 240 days storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymbopogon citratus is a medicinal and well-known aromatic plant which is usually used as a substitute for green-tea with extraordinary phytomedicinal potential. It is of great importance because it offers several promising health effects. The objective of the study was to investigate the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of lemongrass leaves extracted by maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction techniques. Different concentrations of both acetone and ethanol (50% and 70%) as solvents were tested for their radical scavenging activity against the stable free radical DPPH in quantization using a spectrophotometric assay. The ultrasound-assisted extraction technique had advantageous results in the polyphenols extraction yield (26.68%), TPC (61 mg GAE/g of extract) and DPPH (73.85%) compared to the maceration technique. Overall, the results were significant from 50% ethanol and the DPPH results were more significant from 70% ethanol than other concentrations. It is concluded that the ultrasound-assisted extraction is a better extraction technique for polyphenols than other conventional techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols are natural antioxidants and play a very vital role in inhibition of oxidative stress as induced by free radicals in the body. Apple and pomegranate peels are significant agro-industrial wastes. The waste could be utilized to extract polyphenols for processing various functional foods and nutraceuticals. An investigation was executed for extraction of polyphenols from apple and pomegranate peels by sonication and maceration. Three different polar solvents: methanol, ethanol, and acetone were used in the study at two different concentrations (50% and 75%). Yield (%), total polyphenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay were performed. The extracts were then utilized in processing functional date bars with 2% and 3% concentrations. The results from the current study articulated that extraction from sonication yields higher quantity of polyphenols than that of maceration technique. The highest polyphenols were extracted at acetone 75% (44.71 mg GAE/g) in apple peel and at methanol 50% (72.21 mg GAE/g) in pomegranate peel. The results also revealed that pomegranate peel has higher polyphenols and greater radical scavenging activity as compared to apple peel. It was concluded that apple and pomegranate peel polyphenolic extract fortified date bars could be utilized as a preventive therapeutic agent against certain oxidative stress degenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shelf life of carrot supplemented soya milk was studied at two different temperatures to improve its pro vitamin A profile. Soymilk being potential source of protein was used as a carrier of pro- vitamin A. Carrot powder was blended in soya milk at three different concentrations levels 2%, 4% and 6% and packed in sterilized bottles. The product was kept at two different temperatures (ambient and refrigerated temperature) for 14 days to assess its shelf life. During the storage period the samples were analyzed for different chemical parameters total soluble solids, pH, total carotenoids, protein contents and antimicrobial analysis. On the basis of quality attributes it was observed that plain and carrot supplemented soymilks remained acceptable up to 7 days at refrigerated temperature. Plain soymilk had lower TPC at both temperatures than carrot supplemented milk. pH, TSS, carotenoids and protein contents in samples were decreased with increased time at both the temperatures. Highest protein and carotenoid content was detected in 6% carrot supplemented milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study was performed to explore the effect of butanolide (KAR1) in mitigation of cadmium (Cd) induced toxicity in Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea L.). Brussels sprout seeds, treated with 10−5 M, 10−7 M and 10−10 M solution of KAR1 were allowed to grow in Cd-contaminated (5 mg L-1) regimes for 25 d. Cadmium toxicity decreased seed germination and growth in B. oleracea seedlings. Elevated intensity of electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) were observed in Cd-stressed seedlings. Additionally, reduced level of stomatal conductivity, transpiration rate, photosynthesis rate, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, and leaf relative water content (LRWC) was also observed in Cd-stressed seedlings. Nevertheless, KAR1 improved seed germination, seedling growth and biomass production in Cd stressed plants. KAR1 application showed elevated LRWC, osmotic potential, and higher membranous stability index (MSI) in seedlings under Cd regime. Furthermore, seedlings developed by KAR1 treatment exhibited higher stomatal conductivity, and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration together with improved rate of transpiration and photosynthetic rate in B. oleracea under Cd stress. These findings elucidate that the reduced level of MDA, EL and H 2 O 2 , as well as improvement in antioxidative machinery increased growth and alleviated Cd toxicity in KAR1 treated seedlings under Cd stress. • Cd toxicity reduced photosynthesis and growth of Brassica oleracea. • Application KAR1 upgraded activities of antioxidant enzymes and decreased Cd contents in plants. • KAR1 improved growth of Cd stressed plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: Applications in different food industries and food Abstract | Sound waves above audible frequency have revolutionized food industries being inexpensive and Keywords | Ultrasonication, Applications, Food industry, Bioactive compounds, Enzyme Technology Sonication affects -sheet of enzyme Activity of papain and -amylase inhibited Ultrasonication, Applications, Food industry, Bioactive compounds, Enzyme Technology.