Effect of short term consumption of energy drink on physiological responses and physical performance variables of athletes in UCC: Effect of short term consumption of energy drink on physiological responses and physical performance variables of athletes in UCC

Current research has shown varied results when comparing the effects of energy drink on anaerobic exercise measures. Athletes in Ghana have been using energy drink but hardly has any research been conducted on the effect this pre-exercise consumption has on their physical performance. The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of short-term consumption of energy drink on some blood pressure, heart rate, agility, lower body strength and upper body strength of athletes of the University of Cape Coast. To ascertain this, participants were taken through performance tests in a pre-test and a post-test. The intervention in this study was the consumption of 250ml of energy drink. Forty-four athletes (Age:22.32 ± 2.81 years, height: 167.2 ± 9.83 cm, weight: 61.12± 8.01 kg). Paired sample t test results showed no significant effect of energy drink consumption on systolic blood pressure (t = -0.78, p= 0.437), diastolic blood pressure (t = -0.91, p = 0.366), heart. rate (t = -030, p = 0.759) and lower body strength (t = 0.11, p =0.916). However, there were significant changes in agility (t =5.42, p = 0.001) and upper body strength (t = -2.79, p = 0.008). In view of this, athletes, trainers, and coaches could consider recommending the use of energy drink as a pre-exercise supplement, especially in events involving agility and upper body strength

Determinants of poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment using a combined effect of age and education among human immunodeficiency virus infected young adults attending care at Letaba Hospital HIV Clinic, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Introduction: sustained viral suppression using antiretroviral treatment (ART) occurs with adherence to treatment of at least 95%. Non-adherence promotes the development of drug-resistance and treatment failure in individuals infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In Limpopo Province, the adherence rate is approximately 61%, but the prevalence and the factors associated with adherence at Letaba hospital HIV clinic are not well established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with adherence among HIV-infected young adults, aged 18-35 years, attending the clinic. Methods: a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Letaba HIV clinic among young adults of 18-35 years old. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with ART adherence. We reported odds ratios with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals and p-values. A p-value < 0.1 was considered as statistically significant. ART adherence was defined as taking more than 95% of the prescribed treatment, 3 days prior to completion of the questionnaire. Results: a total of 281 participants were enrolled with 163 (58.0%) females and more than three quarter, 222 (79.0%) between the ages of 18 and 29 years. The overall ART adherence stood at (87.2%) (95% CI: 63.0%-89.0%) representing 245 participants. Non-adherers to treatment, 36 (12.8%): patients reported no reason (3.9%), forgetting (3.2%), feeling good (3.2%), fear and running out of treatment (2.5%) as some of the reasons for not taking treatment within the three days prior to data collection. The following factors: tertiary education (p = 0.07), age (30-35; p-value: 0.07), drug availability (p-value: 0.07), were only marginally significantly associated with ART adherence. Conclusion: the study found unsatisfactory ART adherence among our participants. Our study suggests that factors other than sociodemographic and clinical factors might better explain differences in adherence. This highlights the need for a more complex study that would look at the entire system in which these patients are navigating as well as their mental models

Determinants of poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment using a combined effect of age and education among human immunodeficiency virus infected young adults attending care at Letaba Hospital HIV Clinic, Limpopo Province, South Africa

CITATION: Mabunda K. et al. 2019. Determinants of adherence to antiretroviral treatment among human immunodeficiency virus infected young adults attending care at Letaba Hospital HIV Clinic, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Pan African Medical Journal, 32. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.32.37.17722The original publication is available at https://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/Introduction: sustained viral suppression using antiretroviral treatment (ART) occurs with adherence to treatment of at least 95%. Non-adherence promotes the development of drug-resistance and treatment failure in individuals infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In Limpopo Province, the adherence rate is approximately 61%, but the prevalence and the factors associated with adherence at Letaba hospital HIV clinic are not well established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with adherence among HIV-infected young adults, aged 18-35 years, attending the clinic. Methods: a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Letaba HIV clinic among young adults of 18-35 years old. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with ART adherence. We reported odds ratios with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals and p-values. A p-value < 0.1 was considered as statistically significant. ART adherence was defined as taking more than 95% of the prescribed treatment, 3 days prior to completion of the questionnaire. Results: a total of 281 participants were enrolled with 163 (58.0%) females and more than three quarter, 222 (79.0%) between the ages of 18 and 29 years. The overall ART adherence stood at (87.2%) (95% CI: 63.0%-89.0%) representing 245 participants. Non-adherers to treatment, 36 (12.8%): patients reported no reason (3.9%), forgetting (3.2%), feeling good (3.2%), fear and running out of treatment (2.5%) as some of the reasons for not taking treatment within the three days prior to data collection. The following factors: tertiary education (p = 0.07), age (30-35; p-value: 0.07), drug availability (p-value: 0.07), were only marginally significantly associated with ART adherence. Conclusion: the study found unsatisfactory ART adherence among our participants. Our study suggests that factors other than sociodemographic and clinical factors might better explain differences in adherence. This highlights the need for a more complex study that would look at the entire system in which these patients are navigating as well as their mental models.https://panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/32/37/full/Publisher’s versio

Kinetic study of activation and deactivation of adsorbed cellulase during enzymatic conversion of alkaline peroxide oxidation-pretreated corn cob to sugar

Please read abstract in the article.https://www.springer.com/journal/11814hj2022Chemical Engineerin

Knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of tuberculosis among community members in Ntcheu district, Malawi

CITATION: Nyasulu, P., et al. 2018. Knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of tuberculosis among community members in Ntcheu district, Malawi. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 11:375-389, doi:10.2147/JMDH.S156949.The original publication is available at https://www.dovepress.comIntroduction: The global burden of tuberculosis (TB) remains significantly high, with overreliance on biomedical interventions and inadequate exploration of the socioeconomic and cultural context of the infected population. A desired reduction in disease burden can be enhanced through a broader theoretical understanding of people’s health beliefs and concerns about TB. In this qualitative study, we explore the knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of community members and people diagnosed with TB toward TB in Ntcheu district, Malawi. Methods: Using a qualitative phenomenological study design, data were obtained from eight focus-group discussions and 16 individual in-depth interviews. The community’s experiences and perceptions of TB were captured without using any preconceived framework. Adult participants who had had or never had a diagnosis of TB were purposively selected by sex and age and enrolled for the study. Discussions and individual interviews lasting about 60 minutes each were audiotaped, transcribed, and translated into English and analyzed using MaxQDA 10 software for qualitative analysis. Results: Most participants believed that TB was curable and would go for diagnosis if they had symptoms suggestive of the disease. However, based on their beliefs, individuals expressed some apprehension about the spread of TB and the social implications of being diagnosed with the disease. This perception affected participants’ responses about seeking diagnosis and treatment. Conclusion: A supportive and collective approach consisting of a combination of mass media, interactive communication campaigns, emphasizing TB symptoms, transmission, and stigma could be useful in addressing barriers to early diagnosis and care-seeking behavior.https://www.dovepress.com/knowledge-beliefs-and-perceptions-of-tuberculosis-among-community-memb-peer-reviewed-article-JMDHPublisher's versio