Use of Nutritional Supplements Among Gym Clubs Participants in Sulaymaniyah City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Introduction: Using dietary supplements has gained interest amongst people who desire to enhance their body composition. However, there are scant published data regarding the use of nutritional supplements and gym users. This study is to assess the intake of nutritional and dietary supplements among gym members in Sulaymaniyah city, Iraqi Kurdistan. Methods: The results of this study are based on the responses of one hundred gym members (aged over 18 years) to a self-manage questionnaire. Results: Almost half of the sample reported taking nutritional supplements and hormones. Thirty percent of the participants were consuming different protein powders. Most dietary supplement users noticed some side effects. Supplement users should always consult their physicians and been under the supervision of professional trainers and medical practitioners. In this manner, dietary supplements should not cause any side effects such as hypertension, hepatic disturbance, kidney disorders, hepatic, kidney disturbance, and muscle pain. However, some people (gym participants) may experience allergies, upset stomach/abdominal pain, and frequent urination. Conclusion: The usage rate of fitness supplements is very high, and the users are not aware of the potential consequences or dangers of unsupervised practice or unprescribed products. Therefore, there is an immediate need to promote consumers’ awareness of this issue, and the latest scientific data must be provided to users and coaches concerning consuming supplements.

A Review on the Ethnobotanical Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology Effect of Luffa cylindrica

Luffa cylindrica, popularly known as sponge gourd is a tropic and sub-tropical fibrous plant with fruits containing black seeds. The fruit is consumed by humans as a vegetable in many parts of Asia, while different parts of the plant are used for cosmetics and as medicine in many parts of the globe. The plant has been used in the treatment of many ailments including nose cancer, snake venom, wound healing, edema, enterobiasis, filaria, whooping cough, stomach upset, stomach pain and malaria. Many health-promoting compounds such as flavonoids (apigenin-7- glucuronide luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester, -O-feruloyl-β-D-glucose, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester), phenolics acids (p-Coumaric, gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic), triterpenoids (oleanolic acid and echinocystic acid), saponins (Lucyoside A-M), tannins (catechin), ribosome-inactivating proteins (α- luffin), carotenoids (9 -cis neoxanthin, all-trans-lutein, all-trans-β-carotene), chlorophylls (chlorophyll a and b, pheophytin), cucurbitacin B and gypsogenin have been detected or isolated from different parts of the plants. Extracts of the plant and isolated compounds have wide spectrum pharmacological activities and have been shown to possess antiemetic, antidiabetic, antiviral, wound healing, anticancer, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anti-bacteria, anthelmintic, hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, and hepato-protective effects in animal models. However, further information is needed on its safety and mechanisms of action. The present article is an updated review of the ethnobotanical uses, pharmacological actions, phytochemistry, safety, and future application of Luffa cylindrica in translational medicine.

Calea ternifolia Kunth, the Mexican dream herb, a concise review

Calea ternifolia Kunth (Asteraceae), the Dream Herb, is an important medicinal plant distributed from Mexico to Costa Rica. The plant is highly valued for rituals and treating several illnesses, including anorexia, upset stomach, diabetes, periodic fevers, diarrhea, bile problems, and skin diseases. This comprehensive literature survey on Calea ternifolia was performed up to January 2021. Our review focuses on traditional uses, botanical aspects, chemical constituents, quality control tests as well pharmacological and toxicological studies. Data were recorded using online scientific databases, including Scopus, Pubmed, Google Scholar, Taylor and Francis Imprints, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Science Direct, JSTOR, and SciFinder. The information was assembled from research articles, relevant books on herbal and history of medicinal plants from Mexico, theses, reports, and web pages. The more significant botanical and ethnomedical aspects were recorded, including discovering the oneirogenic use (enhancer of dreams) of C. ternifolia by the Chontal indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. The plant contains sesquiterpenes and flavonoids as the major constituents. Some properties associated with the plant's traditional uses have been demonstrated, including spasmolytic, antidiabetic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive effects. Plant's toxicity will be discussed. Solid pharmacological research provided evidence supporting the use of the dream plant for oneiromancy.

Political Economies of Acute Childhood Illnesses: Measuring Structural Racism as Mesolevel Mortgage Market Risks

Objectives: Health studies of structural racism/discrimination have been animated through the deployment of neighborhood effects frameworks that engage institutional­ist concerns about sociopolitical resources and mobility structures. This study high­lights the acute illness risks of place-based inequalities and neighborhood-varying race-based inequalities by focusing on access to and the regulation of mortgage markets.Design: By merging neighborhood data on lending processes from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act with individual health from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, this article evalu­ates the acute childhood illness risks of four mutually inclusive, political economies using multilevel generalized linear models.Setting: Chicago, IL, USAParticipants: Youth aged 0 to 17 yearsMethods: Multilevel logistic regressionMain Outcome Measures: The prevalence of 11 acute illnesses (cold/flu, sinus trouble, sore throat/tonsils, headache, upset stom­ach, bronchitis, skin infection, pneumonia, UTI, fungal disease, mononucleosis) and the past-year frequencies of 6 acute illnesses (cold/flu, sinus trouble, sore throat/tonsils, headache, upset stomach, bronchitis) are evaluated.Results: The most theoretically consistent predictor of illness is a measure identifying neighborhoods with above-city-median levels of racial disparities in the regulation of loans – a mesolevel measure of structural racism. In areas with high levels of Minority- White differences in less regulated credit, youth are more likely to have a range of acute illnesses and experience them at more frequent intervals in the past year.Conclusions: This article highlights the substantive and methodological importance of focusing on multidimensional representa­tions of institutionalized political economic inequalities circumscribed and traversed by the power relations established by institu­tions and the state.Ethn Dis.2021;31(Suppl1):319-332; doi:10.18865/ed.31.S1.319

Evaluation of cybersickness in virtual reality in driving simulator

Virtual reality (VR) devices are becoming a more popular and widespread tool for learning, gaming and entertainment purposes. One of familiar problems of emerging in VR is side effect known as cybersickness, which can be a nuisance for consumers of VR content. This occurrence can be explained as visual and vestibular conflict. The problem with cybersickness lies within the fact that the body is stationary, but eyes perceive motion in virtual reality, also known as vection. Cybersickness symptoms that often occur include blurred vision, headache, vertigo, upset stomach and other. Aim of this research is to observe changes in cybersickness symptoms in two tested conditions (2D display and VR). In this paper, subjective and objective metric of evaluation regarding cybersickness in VR driving simulation are used. Subjective metric is survey and objective metric is electroencephalogram (EEG). Results of the survey indicate which symptoms of cybersickness are more pronounced during driving in virtual environment compared with classic 2D screen experience. Statistically significant difference was found for 6 variables, which include vertigo, blurred vision and headache. Objective metric showed that highest average beta wave was in VR setting, as well as beta/alpha ratio, which is associated with stress and excitement.

Highly effective use of aprepitant in an adolescent girl with severe cyclic vomiting syndrome

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a debilitating functional gastrointestinal disorder. Diagnosis is based on the Rome III criteria. There are no evidence-based guidelines for the management of paediatric CVS, although ondansetron and antimigraine medications are frequently tried. We describe a 13-year-old adolescent girl with severe CVS and numerous hospital admissions for dehydration because of cyclic vomiting. She had failed oral ondansetron therapy. Oral aprepitant (125 mg in the first, and 85 mg on the second and third days), a neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist that has been approved for preventing chemotherapy-induced vomiting or postoperative emesis, was tried in our patient at home during the first prodromal signs of an upset stomach. She had a dramatic response to it, with no further episodes of vomiting since its start. There is an urgent need for randomised clinical studies to assess the efficacy of available treatment options, including aprepitant in patients with severe CVS.

Allanblackia floribunda Seed Extract Attenuates the Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats via the Inhibition of TNF-α and INF-γ Levels and Modulation in the Expression of Ki67 Protein

Allanblackia floribunda has been used to treat an upset stomach in African traditional medicine, but its efficacy and safety have not been scientifically studied. The present research is aimed at assessing the antiulcer property of the seed extract of the plant to validate its traditional claim. Rats were pretreated with three doses of aqueous extract of A. floribunda (AFE) at 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg or omeprazole 10 mg/kg for 1 hr before the acute gastric ulcer was induced by oral administration of 5 mL/kg of 98% ethanol. The animals were sacrificed under anesthesia, and the stomach and blood were collected. The gross histology of the stomach, percentage protection conferred by the treatment, gastric pH, and serum TNF-α and INF-γ were assessed as well as the expression of Ki67 antigens. The antioxidant properties as well as the acute toxicity profile of the plant extract were also assessed. The results show that A. floribunda conferred significant protection on the rats against gastric ulceration with % protection of 46.15, 57.69, and 65.38 for AFE 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg, respectively, as well as 69.23% for omeprazole 10 mg/kg. The plant extract caused marked reductions in gastric pH, TNF-α, and INF-γ with statistical significance ( p < 0.001 ) for AFE 300 mg/kg and omeprazole 10 mg/kg. Also, the plant showed good antioxidant activity comparable to gallic acid. Furthermore, the plant extract modulated the expression of Ki67 antigens. All animals survived the 14-day delayed toxicity test with no significant differences in physical, hematological, and biochemical parameters between rats orally administered with supratherapeutic doses of AFE (5000 mg/kg) or normal saline. The study established that the gastroprotective effect of the seed extract of A. floribunda is attributable to its antisecretory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, the plant was found to promote ulcer healing via the modulation of the expression Ki67 and was safe at supratherapeutic doses.

Ballota nigra L. – an overview of pharmacological effects and traditional uses

Ballota nigra, also known as black horehound is a common medical herb used in folk medicine around the world. First reported mentions of its medical properties and use goes as far as the 13th century. The use of black horehound depends on regions and countries. It is used mostly to treat e.g. mild sleep disorders, nervousness, upset stomach, wound healing. It can be used as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antifungal drug. Moreover, it has been reported as a potential cancer drug. This extensive usage is particularly interesting for us. The aim of this review is to present available data on B. nigra pharmacological effects and known traditional uses gathered from a wide range of scientific articles published in 1997–2020.