The role of oxidative stress and antioxidant supplementation in pregnancy disorders

Oxidative stress is widely implicated in failed reproductive performance including infertility, miscarriage, diabetes-related congenital malformations and preeclampsia. Maternal obesity is a strong risk factor for preeclampsia, and recently, in an animal model of maternal obesity we have reported evidence of oxidative stress in the oocytes of obese animals prior to pregnancy as well as in early stage embryos. This adds to the growing evidence for a greater focus on the pre-conceptual period in prevention of pregnancy disorders including those related to oxidative stress. Our research has also focussed on the role of free radicals and antioxidant capacity in preeclampsia. Assessment by measurement of markers of lipid peroxidation or of antioxidant capacity has provided unequivocal evidence for oxidative stress in this disorder. Partial failure of the process of placentation has been implicated, with recent evidence proposing that ischaemia-reperfusion in the placenta may contribute to oxidative stress in trophoblast. Endoplasmic reticulum stress in the placenta may also play a role. We and others have performed randomised controlled trials to determine whether early supplementation with vitamins C and E in women at risk of preeclampsia may be beneficial but these studies have shown no evidence for prevention of preeclampsia. Whether this represents an inappropriate antioxidant strategy or whether supplementation has been too late in gestation to be beneficial is not known. Other potential approaches to prevention of preeclampsia through amelioration of oxidative stress include provision of supplements in the pre-conceptual period, selenium supplements, anti-peroxynitrite strategies and statins

The influence of external factors on bacteriophages—review

The ability of bacteriophages to survive under unfavorable conditions is highly diversified. We summarize the influence of different external physical and chemical factors, such as temperature, acidity, and ions, on phage persistence. The relationships between a phage’s morphology and its survival abilities suggested by some authors are also discussed. A better understanding of the complex problem of phage sensitivity to external factors may be useful not only for those interested in pharmaceutical and agricultural applications of bacteriophages, but also for others working with phages

EFEKTIVITAS PENGAWASAN UNIT KERJA ANTI FRAUD PADA BANK MUAMALAT INDONESIA

Perkembangan perbankan syari‟ah di Indonesia demikian pesat yang ditandai dengan berdirinya Bank Muamalat Indonesia. Perkembangan ini berimplikasi pada besarnya tantangan perbankan syari‟ah di Indonesia terutama dalam mempertahankan identitasnya sebagai perusahaan yang bergerak berlandaskan prinsip-prinsip syari‟ah. Sejak berdirinya perbankan syariah,berbagai kontroversi muncul dari masyarakat, masalah yang paling banyak disorot adalah pelekatan label syariah pada institusi keuangan Islam yang masih dianggap belum layak. Keraguan masyarakat tersebut seolah terjawab dengan munculnya kasus yang cukup menggemparkan yakni kasus fraud (tindak kecurangan) yang terjadi di lembaga syariah. Bank Muamalat Indonesia merupakan bank syari‟ah pertama yang muncul dengan gagasan bank murni syari‟ah. Akan tetapi, bank Muamalat Indonesia juga tak luput dari kasus fraud yang dilakukan oleh karyawan bank tersebut. Berdasarkan Laporan Tahunan BMI menyebutkan bahwa telah terjadi peningkatan kasus fraud dari tahun sebelumnya yang berjumlah 18 kasus menjadi 82 kasus pada tahun 2016. Padahal perusahaan yang menggunakan identitas syariah seharusnya dapat lebih meminimalisir bahkan meniadakan resiko terjadinya kasus fraud dengan adanya internal control perusahaan. Dari latar belakang tersebut, peneliti berusaha mendalami peran pengawasan Unit Kerja Anti Fraud dalam fraud preventive pada Bank Muamalat Indonesia. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitin pustaka yang bersifat deskriptif analisis dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Adapun sumber bahan hukum primer yang dipakai yaitu berdasarkan Laporan Tahunan Bank Muamalat Indonesia Tahun 2016. Sedangkan sumber bahan hukum sekunder berupa buku-buku, jurnal,karya ilmiah, artikel, terkait dengan strategi anti fraud perbankan syariah. Dari hasil penelitian dikemukakan bahwa peningkatan kasus fraud yang terjadi pada Bank Muamalat Indonesia disebabkan kurang efektifnya pengawasan Unit Kerja Anti Fraud. Hal ini dikarenakan kegiatan yang dilakukan selama tahun 2016 belum menujukkan adanya usaha preventif terhadap kasus fraud. Sedangkan pencegahan merupakan pilar penting dalam keefektivan sebuah pengawasan. Tujuan perusahaan dalam mencegah fraud dapat tercapai, jika fungsi pengawasan dilakukan sebelum terjadinya penyimpangan-penyimpangan sehingga lebih bersifat mencegah (prefentive control). Oleh karena itu, keefektivan pengawasan Unit Kerja Anti Fraud diharapkan dapat meminimalisir tindak kecurangan demi mewujudkan perusahaan yang patuh terhadap ketentuan syariah sesuai dengan identitas perusahaan. vii Usaha pencegahan terjadinya kasus pada Bank Muamalat Indonesia diharapkan dapat menjadi bukti terlaksananya tatakelola perusahaan (Good Corporate Governance) pada Bank Syari‟ah dengan baik. Hal ini berdasarkan dalam dalam perbankan syariah dikenal adanya prinsip-prinsip syariah yang mendukung bagi terlaksananya prinsip GCG yakni keharusan bagi subjek hukum termasuk bank untuk menerapkan prinsip kejujuran (shiddiq), edukasi kepada masyarakat (tabligh), kepercayaan (amanah), dan pengelolaan secara profesional (fathanah)

Relationship between lentin, insulin resistance, insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in patients with chronic kidney disease

This study examined the relationship between leptin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and insulin resistance in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Levels of leptin, insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and common routine parameters were measured in 45 patients (23 males and 22 females) with CKD and 45 healthy controls matched for age, gender and body mass index. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were measured using a two-site immunoradiometric assay. Leptin levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A homeostasis model assessment computer-solved model was used to assess insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Levels of serum leptin, insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and HOMA-IR were significantly increased in patients with CKD compared with healthy subjects, whereas fasting blood glucose was not significantly different between the two groups. In patients with CKD, the serum leptin level was significantly correlated with IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and HOMA-IR. In conclusion, this study suggests that there is an interaction between leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and insulin resistance in patients with CKD

Relationship between Leptin, Insulin Resistance, Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

This study examined the relationship between leptin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and insulin resistance in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Levels of leptin, insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and common routine parameters were measured in 45 patients (23 males and 22 females) with CKD and 45 healthy controls matched for age, gender and body mass index. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were measured using a two-site immunoradiometric assay. Leptin levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A homeostasis model assessment computer-solved model was used to assess insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Levels of serum leptin, insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and HOMA-IR were significantly increased in patients with CKD compared with healthy subjects, whereas fasting blood glucose was not significantly different between the two groups. In patients with CKD, the serum leptin level was significantly correlated with IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and HOMA-IR. In conclusion, this study suggests that there is an interaction between leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and insulin resistance in patients with CKD