Apolipoprotein B levels and related factors in a rural white South African community - the CORIS study

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Physiological requirements for world-class performances in endurance running

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Physiological effects of the amphetamines during exercise

Oxygen consumption, heart rate, minute ventilation and blood lactate were measured on two champion cyclists at work rates from 45 to 362 W (2 000 - 16 000 ft-lb / min) on a bicycle ergometer after administration of a placebo and after 10 mg of methamphetamine, without their knowledge of which was given. No differences could be detected due to the ingestion of the amphetamine in submaximum or maximum oxygen consumption, heart rate, minute ventilation or blood lactic acid. However, after the amphetamine the men were able to continue to cycle at maximum effort for a longer period and in a run to exhaustion at 90 - 95% maximum effort one man increased the time 61 % and the other 29% with marked increases in blood lactic acid. Thus the study shows that amphetamines do not increase the men's capacity for aerobic exercise. It does, however, allow them to continue to exercise at high levels of effort for a longer period and endure a higher level of anaerobic metabolism. In short-distance events this may not be dangerous but in events lasting for more Than an hour the failure to be aware of 'danger signals' and to react to them could be a threat to life as was seen in the death from 'heat-stroke' of a British champion cyclist in a 'Tour de France' some years ago

Lipid metabolism in myocardial ischaemia: Correlation between tissue and mitochondrial free fatty acid (FFA) contents and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation

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Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in low-flow hypoxia: Role of free fatty acids

The mechanism of mitochondrial damage was investigated in hypoxic hearts, perfused at low pressure without exogenous substrate, as a model of myocardial ischaemia. Mitochondrial and tissue free fatty acid (FFA) contents were determined in control hearts (perfused aerobically at a higher pressure, without exogenous substrate), and in the hypoxic hearts; the functional capacities of mitochondria isolated from the two types of tissue were also compared. Mitochondrial FFA contents were found to be evaluated, relative to the controls, after 20 min of low-flow hypoxic perfusion. However, mitochondrial FFA contents were not different in control and hypoxic hearts after 70 min of perfusion. Low-flow hypoxic perfusion for 70 min caused a significant elevation of tissue C16:0, C18:1 FFA fractions, while total FFA and triglyceride contents were also increased. Accumulation of FFA in whole tissue was accompanied by a depression in mitochondrial function. Thus, after 20 min, both tissue FFA contents and ADP/O and RCI values of mitochondria isolated from control and hypoxic hearts were not different, whereas after 70 min, tissue FFA levels were significantly elevated in hypoxic hearts, with an equally significant depression in the function of isolated mitochondria.Articl

Effects of iron fortification in a school feeding scheme and anthelmintic therapy on the iron status and growth of six- to eight-year-old schoolchildren

The effect of iron fortification of soup in a school feeding scheme (20 mg iron and 100 mg vitamin C per portion) and anthelmintic therapy on haematological and iron status and on growth was studied in 179 schoolchildren age six to eight years. Measurements were performed before and at the end of a sixmonth intervention and repeated five months later. In children with low baseline iron stores (serum ferritin <20 μg/L), iron fortification was associated with increases in haemoglobin Cp < .05), mean corpuscular volume (p < .01), and serum ferritin (p < .0001), compared with children who received unfortified soup. Significant positive effects of the anthelmintic therapy on haemoglobin concentrations (p < .05) and height-for-age Z scores (p < .01) were found. Children with adequate baseline iron stores showed smaller but similar changes.Articl

The effect of a micronutrient-fortified complementary food on micronutrient status, growth and development of 6- to 12-month-old disadvantaged urban South-African infants

The study was conducted to look at the effectiveness of a multimicronutrient-fortified complementary food on the micronutrient status, linear growth and psychomotor development of 6- to 12-month-old infants from a black urban disadvantaged community in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study was designed as an intervention study. In both the experimental and control groups, serum retinol concentration showed a decline over the intervention period of 6 months. The decline was less pronounced in the experimental group. This resulted in a significantly (P <005) higher serum retinol concentration at 12 months in the experimental group (26.8+/-5.8 mug/dl) compared with the control group (21.4+/-5 mug/dl). Serum iron concentration also declined over the intervention period. The decline was less pronounced in the experimental group. No difference was observed in haemoglobin levels between the groups at 12 months. Serum zinc concentration did not differ significantly between the two groups at follow up. Weight gain over the 6 months period did not differ significantly between the experimental (2.1+/-0.9 kg) and control groups (2.1+/-1.2 kg). There was no difference in linear growth between the experimental (10.0+/-1.5 cm) and control group (10.1+/-2.1 cm) at the end of the follow-up period. Weight and length at 6 months significantly predicted weight and length at 12 months. No difference was observed in psychomotor developmental scores between the two groups after 6 months of intervention. Introducing a multimicronutrient-fortified complementary food into the diet of 6- to 12-month-old infants seemed to have an arresting effect on declining serum retinol and iron concentration in the experimental group. No benefit was observed in serum zinc concentration, linear growth and psychomotor development

Endemic goitre in a rural community of KwaZuluNatal

No Abstract

Primary health care facility infrastructure and services and the nutritional status of children 0 to 71 months old and their caregivers attending these facilities in four rural districts in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, South Africa

OBJECTIVE: To assess primary health care (PHC) facility infrastructure and services, and the nutritional status of 0 to 71-month-old children and their caregivers attending PHC facilities in the Eastern Cape (EC) and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provinces in South Africa. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Rural districts in the EC (OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo) and KZN (Umkhanyakude and Zululand). SUBJECTS: PHC facilities and nurses (EC: n = 20; KZN: n = 20), and 0 to 71-month-old children and their caregivers (EC: n = 994; KZN: n = 992). METHODS: Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and anthropometric survey. RESULTS: Of the 40 PHC facilities, 14 had been built or renovated after 1994. The PHC facilities had access to the following: safe drinking water (EC: 20%; KZN: 25%); electricity (EC: 45%; KZN: 85%); flush toilets (EC: 40%; KZN: 75%); and operational telephones (EC: 20%; KZN: 5%). According to more than 80% of the nurses, problems with basic resources and existing cultural practices influenced the quality of services. Home births were common (EC: 41%; KZN: 25%). Social grants were reported as a main source of income (EC: 33%; KZN: 28%). Few households reported that they had enough food at all times (EC: 15%; KZN: 7%). The reported prevalence of diarrhoea was high (EC: 34%; KZN: 38%). Undernutrition in 0 to younger than 6 month-olds was low; thereafter, however, stunting in children aged 6 to 59 months (EC: 22%; KZN: 24%) and 60 to 71 months (EC: 26%; KZN: 31%) was medium to high. Overweight and obese adults (EC: 49%; KZN: 42%) coexisted. CONCLUSION: Problems regarding infrastructure, basic resources and services adversely affected PHC service delivery and the well-being of rural people, and therefore need urgent attention