3,671 research outputs found

    Adiponectin and Cardiac Hypertrophy in Acromegaly

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    Background. Adiponectin is an adipocytes-derived hormone which has been shown to possess insulin-sensitizing, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. In acromegaly, the data on adiponectin is contradictory. The relationship between adiponectin levels and cardiac parameters has not been studied.Objectives. The aim of this study was to find out how adiponectin levels were affected in acromegalic patients and the relationship between adiponectin levels and cardiac parameters.Material and Methods. We included 30 subjects (15 male, 15 female), diagnosed with acromegaly and 30 healthy (10 male, 20 female) subjects. Serum glucose, insulin, GH, IGF-1 and adiponectin levels were obtained and the insulin resistance of the subjects was calculated. Echocardiographic studies of the subjects were performed.Results. We determined that adiponectin levels were significantly higher in the acromegalic group than the control group. In the acromegalic group, there was no statistically significant relation between serum adiponectin and growth hormone (GH), or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels (p = 0.3, p = 0.1). We demonstrated that cardiac function and structure are affected by acromegaly. IVST, PWT, LVMI, E/A ratio, DT, ET, IVRT, VPR, and LVESV values were increased and the results were statistically significant. In the acromegalic group, adiponectin levels were positively related with left ventricle mass index (LVMI) but this correlation was found to be statistically weak (p = 0.03). In our study, there was a positive correlation between VAI and LVM. We also could not find any correlation between VAI and adiponectin levels.Conclusions. Although insulin resistance and high insulin levels occur in active acromegaly patients, adiponectin levels were higher in our study as a consequence of GH lowering therapies. Our study showed that adiponectin levels may be an indicator of the cardiac involvement acromegaly. However, the usage of serum adiponectin levels in acromegalic patients as an indicator of cardiac involvement should be supported with other, wide, multi-centered studies

    Appraisal of Observance of Behaviour Change Communication Programme for Maternal and Child Health at First Level of Midwifery Practice in Kaduna State Nigeria

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    Background: Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) is a key component of the roadmap adopted by the Nigerian government to address the high maternal and child mortality in the country. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to appraise the participation of midwives in BCC at the first level of health care in Kaduna State, Nigeria before planning a context specific and sustainable BCC capacity building programme. Materials and Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with nine midwives selected by maximum variation technique across Kaduna State. Content analysis of the interviews was performed using a priory codes derived from the integrative framework. Results: The integrative framework provided a comprehensive appraisal of BCC in the facilities. Health talks were unplanned, difficult and more task-oriented than being behaviour change focused. The required skills, integrated services to enhance behaviour change by clients, and enabling environment, were missing. The findings were used, in collaboration with the midwives to develop and implement a context specific and efficient capacity building programme. Conclusions: The framework was adequate in identifying the gaps in the BCC activities of midwives at the facilities. There is a need to understand and support midwives with their BCC activities. Government policies should be brought closer to frontline staff who would implement them, by engaging such staff all through the process of developing the policies

    Obogaćivanje kefira vlaknima jabuke i limuna

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    The effects of apple and lemon fiber addition on some properties of kefir were investigated. Five different kefirs were produced (A is control, B, C, D, E, F and G: contain 0.25 % apple fiber, 0.5 % apple fiber, 1 % apple fiber, 0.25 % lemon fiber, 0.5 % lemon fiber and 1 % lemon fiber, respectively) and stored for 20 days at 4±1 °C. pH, titratable acidity, dry matter, water activity, water holding capacity, viscosity, L, a and b values, sensorial analysis, total lactic bacteria, Lactococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp. and yeast counts of kefirs were determined at 1st, 10th and 20th days of storage. The addition of apple and lemon fiber enhanced rheological, microbiological and sensorial properties of kefirs (p<0.01). Apple and lemon fiber could be used for kefir production at a rate of 0.25 or 0.5 %.Istražen je utjecaj dodatka vlakana jabuke i limuna na neka svojstva kefira. U tu svrhu proizvedeno je pet različitih kefira (A je kontrolni, B, C, D, E, F i G: sadrže 0,25 % jabučnih vlakana, 0,5 % jabučnih vlakana, 1 % jabučnih vlakana, 0,25 % limunskih vlakana, 0,5% limunskih vlakana i 1 % limunskih vlakana), koji su bili pohranjeni 20 dana na 4±1 °C. pH, titriracijska kiselost, suha tvar, aktivnost vode, kapacitet zadržavanja vode, viskoznost, L, a i b vrijednosti, senzorska analiza, ukupni broj bakterija mliječne kiseline, Lactococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp. i broj kvasaca u kefiru određeni su 1., 10. i 20. dana skladištenja. Dobiveni rezultati upućuju na to da dodatak vlakana jabuke i limuna poboljšava reološka, mikrobiološka i senzorska svojstva kefira (p<0,01), te da se vlakna jabuke i limuna mogu koristiti za proizvodnju kefira do udjela od 0,25 % ili 0,5 %

    Antibacterial activity and composition of the essential oils of two endemic Salvia sp. from Turkey

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    Water-distilled essential oils from dried aerial parts of Salvia cryptantha and Salvia heldreichiana (Lamiaceae), endemic in Turkey, were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). Camphor (19.1%), 1,8-cineole (16.4%), borneol (11.9%), viridiflorol (11.5%) and bornyl acetate (2.4%) were found to be the major constituents in the oil of S. cryptantha. The major constituents in the oil of S. heldreichiana were linalool (9.4%), a-pinene (5.6%), 1,8-cineole (5.6%), borneol (5.6%), cryptone (5.3%), linalyl acetate (4.9%), a-terpineol (4.4%), camphor (3.9%), terpinen-4-ol (3.3%), trans-linalool oxide (Furanoid) (2.9%), trans-verbenol (2.2%), geranyl acetate (2.2%) and cis-linalool oxide (Furanoid) (2.1%). Essential oil of S. heldreichiana exhibited antimicrobial activity using the disc diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Sarcinia lutea and Salmonella typhimurium. The oil of S. cryptantha inhibited the growth of S. lutea

    Is There a Relationship Between Mathematics Background and Conception of Proof?

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    To invest in the future of mathematics education is to invest in our future teachers. Equipping such individuals should be the utmost priority, for they will communicate mathematics to our students. Research shows that the way we work with and explain mathematics is consequential to our proof scheme; that is, the proof schemes we hold are the proof schemes we will inevitably teach. This study explores the possible proof schemes and mindsets held by ten university students studying mathematics education at Lee University--six enrolled in a geometry course and four in an algebra course. Through interviews and critical thinking exercises, we analyzed the future students\u27 proof schemes and views on mathematics. Our analysis found that participants who had encountered proof-based mathematics courses had a tendency to approach problems analytically, which implied the existence of an association between their definitions of proof and methods of problem-solving. This relationship perhaps has implications about teacher preparation and development prior to entering the classroom, thus revealing its significance to student success

    Parametric Modelling of Impact of Unemployment on Economic Growth in Nigeria

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    The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between unemployment figures in Nigeria and gross domestic product using curve fitting regression model. The following models of regression analysis were examined to determine the most suitable one to the data collected: linear, quadratic, cubic, exponential, inverse and logarithmic. Our findings revealed that the pattern of relationship between gross domestic product and unemployment is significant in all the models considered. This implies that there is significant relationship (negative or positive) between unemployment and gross domestic prodution (GDP) in the country. Also, the best model that fits the data in terms of the relationship between the two variables is the linear model because the quadratic variable is not significant in the quadratic model. The order of the next models are logarithmic, inverse and exponential models; the cubic variable and the quadratic variable are not also significant in the cubic model. Keywords: Unemployment, Domestic, linear, inverse, logarithmic, exponentia

    Effects of Saccharomyces boulardii on antibiotic induced orocecal transit in rats

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    Clarithromycin is an antibiotic widely used for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and together with amoxicillin and proton pump inhibitors they constitute the first line triple treatment regimen against H. pylori. Diarrhoea is one of the major drawbacks during H. pylori eradication and is majorly attributed to clarithromycin, while Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic and is shown to be effective in the treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. We aimed to evaluate the effect of clarithromycin on orocecal transit in rats and to identify whether the supplementation with S. boulardii has a role on orocecal transit index. Adult rats of both sexes were divided into two groups to determine immediate or chronic effects of S. boulardii and clarithromycin on orocecal transit. The first group was given single dose of the test drug, while the second group received the test drugs for one week through orogastric intubation. Both groups were randomly distributed into four subgroups; the placebo group (group A), the S. boulardii group (group B), the clarithromycin group (group C), and the co-administration that is clarithromycin plus S. boulardii group (group D). Rats were given 20 mg kg−1 clarithromycin and 500 mg kg−1S. boulardii. We did not find any difference among the subgroups in group 1, where only single dose of the test drugs was administered. In chronic administration group, that is group 2, significant differences among the subgroups were observed (P=0.004). Post-hoc comparisons of orocecal transit index between group “2A and 2C” and “2C and 2D” were significantly different (P=0.013 and P=0.005, respectively). Our results show that long term clarithromycin administration leads to rapid orocecal transit index and S. boulardii supplementation to clarithromycin can abolish this adverse effect in rats. Those findings suggest the beneficial use of S. boulardii in H. pylori eradication regimens

    Production of ethanol from Carica papaya (pawpaw) agro waste: effect of saccharification and different treatments on ethanol yield

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    A study was carried out on yeast fermentation of carica papaya (pawpaw) agricultural waste using dried active baker\'s yeast and brewer\'s yeast strain (Sacchromyces cerevisiae). The pawpaw considered as an agricultural waste was the tapped ripe pawpaw fruit harvested after the tapping of papain. Effect of different yeast strains on the percentage yield of ethanol was investigated. The effects of yeast concentration, saccharification and different nutrient supplements as they relate to the optimization of the ethanol yield were also carried out. The fermented pawpaw yielded ethanol contents of 3.83 to 5.19% (v/v). The reducing sugar in the pawpaw was determined before and after saccharification. The reducing sugar was highest after 48 h of saccharification using Aspergillus niger. The value recorded was 7.6 to 13.6 g/100g. Brewers yeast gave a higher ethanol yield than bakers yeast. Saccharification for 48 h coupled with nutrient supplements significantly increased the ethanol yield.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 657-659, 200

    Designing an industrial protocol to develop a new fat-reduced- ice cream formulation by replacing stabilizers with microbial transglutaminase enzyme

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    U ovoj studiji je istražena mogućnost zamjene stabilizatora mikrobnom transglutaminazom (MTG) u proizvodnji sladoleda sa smanjenim udjelom masti. Pri tom je također ispitivan utjecaj vremena dodavanja MTG (prije ili nakon toplinske obrade) na svojstva sladoleda. Proizvedeno je 5 različitih uzoraka sladoleda: A i C s 1 jedinicom MTG/g proteina, bez stabilizatora; B i D s 0,5 jedinica MTG/g proteina i 0,35 % stabilizatora, (smjesa karagenana (E 407), guar gume (E 412), ksantan gume (E 415) i natrijevog alginata (E 401)) i E (kontrola) s 0,7 % stabilizatora. MTG je dodavan uzorcima A i B nakon, a uzrocima C i D prije toplinske obrade. Svim uzorcima su određivani porast volumena, viskoznost, svojstva topljenja, pH, titracijska kiselost, suha tvar, udio masti i proteina, senzorska svojstva i mikrostruktura. Sukladno dobivenim rezultatima količina i vrijeme dodatka MTG značajno su utjecali na porast volumena, topljenje, viskoznost, osjet hladnoće, čvrstoću, glatkoću, punoću okusa u ustima, boju, izgled, okus, miris te na mikrostrukturu sladoleda (p<0,01). Također se pokazalo da se MTG može koristiti skupa sa stabilizatorima, no u tom slučaju se treba dodavati nakon toplinske obrade sladoledne smjese. Zaključno, uzorak B se prema rezultatima senzorske analize pokazao najsličnijim kontrolnom uzorku.In this study, the possibility of replacing stabilizers with microbial transglutaminase (MTG) enzyme in fat-reduced ice cream production was studied. In addition, the stage of adding (before or after the heat treatment) the MTG enzyme to ice cream was also investigated. Five different ice creams (A and C containing 1 unit MTG/g protein without stabilizer, B and D containing 0.5 unit MTG/g protein and 0.35 % stabilizer, which also consist of the mixture of Carrageenan (E 407), Guar gum (E 412), Xanthan gum (E 415) and Sodium alginate (E 401), and E (control) containing 0.7 % stabilizer) were manufactured. MTG has been added to samples A and B after heat treatment while it was added to C and D samples before the heat treatment. An experimental analysis related to the overrun, viscosity melting properties, pH, titratable acidity, dry matter, fat, protein, sensorial and microstructural properties of ice creams was carried out. According to the results, the amount and the adding stage of MTG significantly affected overrun, melting, viscosity, coldness, firmness, smoothness, mouth coating, color, appearance, taste, smell scores, and also microstructure of ice creams (p<0.01). Results also showed that MTG could be used together with other stabilizers after heat treatment in the production of ice cream. Moreover, our findings demonstrated that sample B was the closest to control in terms of sensorial properties
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