A Closer Look at Dietary Supplements: An Exercise in Experiential Learning

undergraduate poster presentatio

Foreign Employment and its Impact on Human Resource Management for Supply Chains

Abstract - The aim of the research is to determine the impact of foreign employment on Human Resource Management for Supply Chains of labor market in Iraq, the areas in which it operates, the reasons for its recruitment, the ways in which national employment can replace foreign employment and the reduction of unemployment in the size of the labor force. The research aims at finding out the impact of foreign labor on the labor market in Iraq, the fields in which these workers work, the reasons that led to their importation, and the ways that lead to the possibility of replacing the foreign workers with the national labor force. The research found that most foreign workers are of unskilled labor with less pay and longer working hours, and this justifies their recruitment, which means that local workers with skilled skills are more affected by the increasing numbers of foreign workers. Therefore, it is necessary to protect national workers against foreign labor competition. In the labor market through the establishment of strict laws protect the local factor and restrict the work of foreign workers and contribute to the stability of wage rate

Novel, Functional Fermented Dairy Product: Preparation and Evaluation of Dried Kishk-like Products from Fenugreek Seeds with Cow’s Milk, Camel’s Milk, and Goat’s Milk

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of dried Kishk-like products using burghal of wheat, oat, and fenugreek with cow’s milk, camel’s milk, and goat’s milk. Kishk is an artisanal product that is popular in Egypt and the Middle East. This product is made primarily with wheat; however, to our knowledge, no research has used fenugreek seeds in making it. Changes in the physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of Kishk samples were followed over 90 days of storage at room temperature. The proximate analysis of fenugreek–Kishk samples (CF, AF, and GF) revealed the levels of moisture content (4.05–7.86%), protein (21.49–22.66%), fat (22.07–26.07%), fiber (13.59–14.19%), carbohydrate (22.16–28.37%), and ash (8.00–9.03%), and acidity ranged from 3.00% to 5.98%. Notably, the GF sample displayed the highest a*, b*, dC*, and ΔE values, along with the lowest L* value among all samples. Counts of coliform, yeasts and molds, Staphylococci, and spore-forming bacteria were not detected at detection limit < log CFU/g for any prepared Kishk-like samples. This was due to the combined levels of organic acids, high acidity, and low moisture content in Kishk samples that resulted in a safe food with a long shelf life. The Kishk-like samples thus could provide a complementary diet for infants up to six months, as well as a suitable option for children and elderly individuals requiring specialized care, offering an alternative to commercially available extracts

Use of Dietary Supplements among Professional Athletes in Saudi Arabia

The objective of this study was to understand the usage patterns of dietary supplements among professional athletes in Saudi Arabia. The survey consisted of sixteen questions divided into four categories: use of supplements, reason for consumption of supplements, personal beliefs about supplements, and behavior. The questionnaires were given to the three teams residing in Riyadh: Al Hilal, Al Nasr, and Al-Shabab. Out of the 105 athletes surveyed, we found that only 98 are currently taking dietary supplements and the mean age and standard deviation were 25.74 ± 2.90. The survey results showed a high percentage of athletes (93.3%; = 98) using different dietary supplements throughout the season, 43.8% ( = 43) reported using supplements for performance, and 32.6% ( = 32) believed in health benefits as a reason for using dietary supplements. Our results showed that a total of 87 (88.7%), 81 (82.6%), and 51 (52.0%) athletes are consuming sports drinks, vitamin C, and multivitamins, respectively. Meanwhile, those supplements ranking among the least used included omega 6 (18.6%), creatine (16.3%), and Ginkgo biloba (10.2%). A majority of athletes indicated that their use of supplements was for the purpose of improving their health and performance

Immunomodulatory activity of carboxymethyl pachymaran on immunosuppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide

The effects of immunomodulatory activity of two types of carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP-1 and CMP-2) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced mice were investigated. Both CMP-1 and CMP-2 were found to restore the splenomegaly and alleviate the spleen lesions and the mRNA ex-pressions of TLR4, MyD88, p65 and NF-κB in spleen were also increased. CMP-1 and CMP-2 could enhance the immunity by increasing the levels of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ, Ig-A and Ig-G in serum. In addition, CMP-1 could increase the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and reduce the relative richness of Firmicutes at the phylum level. CMP-1 and CMP-2 could reduce the relative abundance Erysipelatoclostridum at the genus level. CMP-1 and CMP-2 might enhance the immune function of immunosuppression mice by regulating the gene expression in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and changing the composition and abundance of the intestinal microbiota. The results suggested that CMP-1 and CMP-2 would be as potential immunomodulatory agents in functional foods

Endogenous bone marrow stem cell mobilization in rats: Its potential role in homing and repair of damaged inner ear

AbstractThe stem cells are widely used in the last few years in different fields of medicine, either by external transplantation or endogenous mobilization, most of these studies are still experimental on animals; few were tried on humans as in the spinal cord injury or myocardial infarction. As regards its use in the inner ear, stem cell transplantation was examined in many previous studies, while the mobilization idea is a new method to be experimented in inner ear hair cell regeneration.The aim of this work was to assess the use of GCSF to induce bone marrow SC mobilization to home and repair the damaged inner ear hair cells in rats after the damage had been inflicted by Amikacin injection.First we had to develop an animal model for damaged inner ear, so we used the well known ototoxic effect of Amikacin intra-tympanic injection till we reached complete loss of hearing function. And this can be assessed by DPOAEs. Now we have an animal model of damaged inner ear hair cells and mobilization of bone marrow SCs was induced by subcutaneous injection of G-CSF for 5days.Clinical assessment was done using DPOAEs before and after G-CSF injection also histological assessment of the inner ear was done before and after G-CSF by two methods H&E staining and Scanning Electron Microscopy.The results of histological examination of the specimens showed some promising changes that may be responsible for the improvement of hearing function in some rats that was detected by OAEs

A review of factors influencing the quality and sensory evaluation techniques applied to Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is one of the fastest growing products in the dairy industry. It is also known as strained yogurt, which is obtained after draining the whey. As a result of the draining process, Greek yogurt has higher total solids and lower lactose than regular yogurt. Since it is a concentrated yogurt, its sensory characteristics are different from regular yogurt. However, there is little information about factors influencing the quality of Greek yogurt and sensory evaluation techniques applied to Greek yogurt. This review aims to describe the effects of ingredients, starter cultures, processing techniques and other parameters on quality characteristics and sensory properties of Greek yogurt. In addition, advantages and limitations of novel sensory evaluation techniques applied to Greek yogurt products are discussed. In particular, we take a look at advanced techniques such as the electronic nose and electronic tongue and the benefits of these techniques with regard to Greek yogurt. This review should help the Greek yogurt industry to improve its current products and develop innovative products based on appropriate food evaluation techniques.National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) | Ref. NC.X308-5-18-170-1San Jose State University | Ref. CA 95192North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University | Ref. 2741

Effects of lemon or cinnamon essential oil vapor on physicochemical properties of strawberries during storage

Recently, consumers have gained an interest in natural and minimally processed foods, inciting the food industry to consider using of natural products as preservatives. Strawberries are a widely consumed fruit but are also highly perishable. Therefore, in this study, the physicochemical properties of strawberries (Fragaria×ananassa) were evaluated after a 12-h treatment with lemon essential oil (Citrus×limon) or cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamomum cassia) vapor during storage at 22°C for 4 days in an accelerated shelf-life study and 4°C for 18 days in a validation study. Weight loss was blunted in fruit treated with oil vapor during the first days of storage (p \u3c 0.05). Lemon essential oil delayed fruit darkening (p \u3c 0.05) but reduced the firmness of strawberries (p \u3c 0.05). Strawberries treated with cinnamon essential oil had a higher concentration of reducing sugars (p \u3c 0.05), and a decrease of 16.7% visible decay, although the difference was insignificant. Oil vapor treatment did not alter the pH, organic acid content, or soluble solid content during storage compared to the control. Since lemon and cinnamon essential oils have well-documented antimicrobial properties, they may be suitable for the natural preservation of fruit. This study provides new information on using essential oil vapor treatment to preserve fruits, and potentially decrease fruit loss and waste