Sri Lanka has been identified as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots with a rich array of fruits; however, most of them remain underutilized. The present study was carried out to investigate the nutritional composition and to assess the bioactivity of six underutilized fruits collected from three provinces of Sri Lanka. The selected fruit species were Màdan (Syzygium cumini), Maha Karamba (Carissa carandas), Himbutu (Salacia chinensis), Ugurassa (Flacourtia indica), Barbados cherry (Malpighia emarginata), and Ceylon gooseberry (Dovyalis hebecarpa). The proximate composition, total dietary fiber content, mineral content, total phenolic content, and vanillin contents were determined using standard methods. The antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of fruits was assessed using FRAP and DPPH assays. Uguressa extract exhibited the highest dietary fiber content (12.25 ± 0.29 of fresh fruit weight) while the lowest was observed in Barbados cherry (6.01 ± 1.10 g/100 g). The total phenolic content (TPC) of fruits ranged from 6.8 ± 0.4 to 10.3 ± 0.3 milligram gallic acid equivalents/g fruit. Barbados cherry showed the highest antioxidant activity (AOA) as measured by FRAP (0.022 ± 0.003 mM Fe 2+/g fruit) and the highest vanillin content (2.4 mg/kg). The highest potassium (434.60 ± 0.36 mg/kg), phosphorous (16.69 ± 0.46), and calcium contents (23.43 ± 0.45) were observed in Uguressa. Màdan had the highest content of magnesium (13.25 ± 0.38 mg/kg), sodium (5.28 ± 0.30), iron (0.65 ± 0.12 mg/kg), and aluminum (1.15 ± 0.16 mg/kg). The highest manganese content (0.98 ± 0.18 mg/kg) was observed in Himbutu while the highest copper content was found in Uguressa (0.11 ± 0.04 mg/kg) and Maha Karamba (0.11 ± 0.03 mg/kg). The study reveals that six underutilized fruits tested possess high nutritional value and are rich in antioxidant activity.

Reliance on recent evidence to answer a clinical question is the key element in Evidence Based Medicine (EBM). The practice of EBM involves identifying the best evidence pertaining to a given situation and integrating it with clinical expertise and patient values in making the best decision with regard to the situation 1 . Finding the best evidence can be a difficult task given the proliferation of information generated by individual studies, which may be of different quality in methodology and context 2 . In such a situation, conducting Systematic Reviews is considered the least biased, most logical and scientific approach to find the best evidence for a given scenario. Credibility of the conclusions of a SR depends on the reliability of its methodology and the quality of reporting the systematic review. Authors of SRs are expected to report a complete, accurate and transparent account of the procedure and results. This article focuses on the issues observed in reporting of SRs in medical journals and aims to provide an account on some aspects to consider when reviewing SR articles. A brief account on the methodology, standards and guidelines of the SR process is presented along with the significance of the technicalities of some important steps that need to be followed. SRs generate new knowledge based on already existing findings, aiming at different types of potential users such as policy makers, healthcare providers, patients and researchers 1 . It is important that reviewers strictly adhere to the guidelines and standards in conducting the review and in reporting their work to produce high quality and reliable SRs.

: Nanotechnology in the textile industry has gained popularity in the commercial market over the years. It involves utilizing the characteristic properties of nanomaterials to improve the functionality of the textile. The present article focuses on different types of nano moieties, their properties (such as water repellence, self-cleaning, UV-protection, anti-microbial and flame retardancy), and their applications in various sectors. We also discuss smart textiles, operating mechanisms, and their economic importance. We conclude that the successful application of nanotechnology in the textile industry lies in producing sustainable and multifunctional fabrics to meet the increasing customer demand.