Human, Health and halal Metrics
Volume:4 Issue: 2, Summer-Autumn 2023

Psychological health is as important as physical health. Obesity is a multifactorial disease that affects both these aspects of health. Despite serious effects of psychological factors on obesity, relationship between obesity and psychological aspects is less obvious. The current study aimed to investigate association of overweight and obesity with metaphors, quality of life, and hedonic hunger as some psychosocial factors related to body weight.
Subjects and This cross-sectional study was conducted on 40 overweight and obese staff of Shahid Beheshti university of Medical Sciences (SBMU) aged 35-60 years. Data on anthropometric measurements, self/life metaphors, impact of weight on quality of life, hedonic hunger score, dietary intake and physical activity were collected.
Results and In the current research, 55% of participants were women. Self-metaphor and physical part of Impact of Weight on Quality of Life (IWQOL) questionnaire in obese participants were significantly higher than those with overweight (P<0.05). There is no difference between hedonic score of obese and overweight persons. The mean ±SD of total score of IWQOL and its subscales including physical, self-esteem, sexual and social, in the fourth quartile of hedonic score was higher than the first one, significantly (p<0.05). There are important insights on the specific psychological aspects of obesity. It seems necessary to reinforce attention to phenotype of obesity, beyond energy intake and consumption to meet psychological and physical health.

Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead do no degrade and/or metabolize in vital systems, and accumulate in different organs of the body such as muscles, adipose tissue, bones, and joints. In this study, we measured concentration of four elements of copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead in canned fish.
At first, 54 canned fish samples were purchased from local market in Tehran (capital city of Iran). For analysis, 2 g of each sample was weighted and mixed with 65% nitric acid. The mixture was heated at 450 °C, and dry ash was used for voltametric analysis.  In this work, direct determination of heavy metals in canned fish was carried out by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) technique at hanging mercury dropping electrode (HMDE).
Results and Quantitative measurement limits were 0.045, 0.006, 0.004, and 0.013 mg/kg for zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper, respectively. The results showed that mean concentration was 1.41 ±0.948 mg/kg for zinc, 0.050 ±0.038 mg/kg for cadmium, 0.146 ±0.119 mg/kg for lead, and 0.082 ±0.065 mg/kg for copper. The mean value obtained for each heavy metal was compared with the values authorized by the National Standard Organization of Iran, World Health Organization, and Food and Agriculture Organization, through which all concentrations were below the maximum permitted values. Concentration of cadmium, copper, and zinc showed significant relationships with brand of the samples. This indicates significant differences in concentration of these elements among different brands, which needs to be investigated by the competent authorities.

Resistance of microorganisms to chemical agents is a challenge in the treatment of various infections. Therefore, there is a need to find new substances with efficient antimicrobial potential. The aim of this study was to determine phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Citrus sinensis extract obtained from its leaf and bark.
Leaves and stem barks of Citrus sinensis were collected from University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Bacterial isolates of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Staphylococcus aureus were prepared in the microbiology laboratory. The leaves and stem barks were extracted with ethanol and water using maceration technique. Agar well diffusion method was used to determine antibacterial activity of the extracts. Broth dilution method was used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts. Minimum bactericidal concentration test was done by culturing the MIC positive broth on nutrient agar plates. Steroids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and glycosides were determined according to standard methods in the laboratory.
Results and Phytochemical screening showed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, steroids, and glycosides. Ethanolic leaf extract had the highest antibacterial activity against S. typhi with inhibition diameter of 25 mm, followed by 20 mm for E. coli and 12 mm for S. aureus. In comparison, ethanolic stem bark extract showed the highest inhibition against E. coli with diameter inhibition of 25 mm, while diameter inhibition of 22 mm and 20 mm were determined for S. aureus and S. typhi, respectively. Aqueous extract of leaf showed inhibition zone of 16 mm for S. typhi, and 10 mm for E. coli and S. aureus. Inhibition zone of 16, 11, and 10 mm was observed for S. typhi, E. coli, and S. aureus respectively, after treatment by aqueous extract of stem bark. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of both extracts were in the range of 6.25-50.00 mg/ml. This study revealed that the leaf and stem bark of Citrus sinensis contain several bioactive compounds with antibacterial potential (i.e., steroids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and glycosides) which can be used for treatment of microbial infections.

In the realm of analytical chemistry, multivariate calibration involves creating mathematical models that connect diverse instrumental signals with analyte concentrations. This approach provides a mean to quantitatively analyze complex mixtures, particularly in multicomponent systems. To address food adulteration concerns, this paper explores the application of Raman spectroscopy and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) using the MVC1 software. The main objective is to demonstrate the software's efficiency in quantifying the adulteration of hazelnut oil in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). The analysis leverages the MVC1 software, a valuable tool for multivariate linear and nonlinear calibrations. One-leave-out cross-validation and the Durbin-Watson statistical test are employed to determine the optimal number of PLS factors and identify outliers. Statistical parameters including RMSEP, %REP, R², and explained variance are used to evaluate the calibration model's performance. Key figures of merit including sensitivity, analytical sensitivity, LOD, and LOQ, are computed to assess the analytical technique's precision and reliability.Results and The study effectively quantifies the percentage of adulteration in EVOO by hazelnut oil, a pressing concern in food authenticity and safety. The results demonstrate the MVC1 software's capability in establishing reliable calibration models. By achieving a balance between sensitivity and analytical sensitivity, the model accurately predicts analyte concentrations. It also sets robust detection and quantitation limits, ensuring precise analysis. This research showcases the practical application of advanced analytical techniques and software tools to address real-world problems, contributing to the authenticity and purity of food products in the market.

The prevalence of ulcerative colitis, a condition characterized by inflammation in the intestinal wall, has been increasing. Dracocephalum moldavica has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. The current study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Dracocephalum moldavica on ulcerative colitis in Wistar rats. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups for this study. Group 1(control) received only phosphate buffer saline, group 2 was exposed to acetic acid to develop ulcerative colitis, group 3 was the rats with ulcerative colitis treated with Dracocephalum moldavica extract at concentration of 30 mg/kg/day, and group 4 was the rats with ulcerative colitis treated by prednisolone at concentration of 4 mg/kg/day. After ten consecutive days, the rats were euthanized humanely, and their intestinal tissue was thoroughly examined to measure the levels of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress indices.Results and Treatment with Dracocephalum moldavica showed more advantage than treatment with prednisolone in restoring the overall antioxidant capacity of the colonic specimens in rats with induced colitis. Although malondialdehyde levels decreased, the total protein content of colonic homogenates increased in both treatment groups, albeit not significantly. Moreover, Dracocephalum moldavica extract showed a significant reduction in TNF-α, IL-6, and IFNɣ cytokines compared to prednisolone. The stories of myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide were significantly decreased in the colons of rats treated with Dracocephalum Moldavia, surpassing the effects observed in the prednisolone group. The findings of this study suggest that the use of Dracocephalum moldavica extract as an herbal remedy has excellent potential in alleviating inflammation in rat models of ulcerative colitis. The positive roles of Dracocephalum moldavica extract are attributed to its direct antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.

 Medicinal plants have been used in traditional medicine to treat several diseases and infections. This study aimed to identify the active ingredients in Borrerria verticilata root extract for the synthesis of new antimicrobial drugs.  Roots of Borerria verticillata were collected from Ucha village, Makurdi local government of Benue State, Nigeria. For extraction, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water were used as solvent. The roots were air-dried and powdered before extraction. The extracts were qualitatively tested for alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, terpenes, steroids, and phenol. Antimicrobial potency of the extracts against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, and some fungi implicated in dermatophytic infections were studied. Agar well diffusion and broth dilution methods were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration.Results and The yield of the extracts ranged from 1.5% for water to 3.5% for hexane as solvent. The phytochemicals in the root extracts were included to flavonoids, terpenes, saponins, and glycosides. The microbial inhibition zone, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration ranged from 0 to 21.67 mm, 8 to 512 mg/ml, and 256 to 512 mg/ml, respectively. This study revealed that the root extract of Borerria verticillata plant has an antimicrobial effect against multidrug-resistant bacteria and also antifungal potential. Therefore, it can be used in food and cosmetics industries.

Table salt is an ideal vehicle for delivery of micronutrients. This study assessed the quality of refined salts and locally processed salts in Awe and Keana local government areas, Nasarawa state, Nigeria.

Forty-five samples were collected from local markets in Nasarawa state. Moisture content, water insoluble matters, and acid insoluble matters were determined according to AOAC method. Sodium chloride and iodine contents were determined by titrimetric methods. Concentration of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Results and

Moisture content of the refined and unrefined salts ranged from 0.060 to 0.133% and 0.599 to 2.574%, respectively. The moisture content, and amounts of water insoluble and acid insoluble matters in the unrefined salts were higher than the refined salts. Concentration of sodium chloride in most of the unrefined salts did not meet the national minimum limit of 97%. Concentration of iodine, calcium, potassium, and magnesium in the refined salts was significantly higher than the unrefined samples. Iodine content in the refined and unrefined salts ranged from 22.22 to 40.20 mg/kg, and below detection limit to 6.35 mg/kg, respectively. None of the unrefined salts met the minimum iodine content of 30 mg/kg. We concluded that the locally processed salts available in Awe and Keana local markets were highly deficient in essential elements and had poor quality for using as table salt.

In response to the escalating demand for food products, the assessment of quality and safety has become paramount for regulatory authorities, industry stakeholders, and consumers. This review comprehensively examines the applications of Raman spectroscopy in food evaluation, focusing on its efficacy in detecting food adulteration, unauthorized additives, antibiotics, drugs, residues of pesticides, fungicides, and heavy metals. Results and

While conventional analytical techniques often suffer from issues such as time consumption, high costs, destructiveness, and dependence on the skilled personnel, there is a collective effort in the scientific community to explore innovative diagnostic approaches. Among the growing methodologies, Raman spectroscopy has emerged as a promising candidate due to its simplicity, rapidity, non-destructiveness, and high accuracy. Furthermore, it investigates its utility in identifying foodborne pathogenic microorganisms. Drawing insights from diverse research reports, this study highlights Raman spectroscopy as a potent tool for monitoring and ensuring food quality and safety. As advancements continue to be revealed, it is anticipated that the industrial application of this method will witness significant growth in the future.