New enzymatic method for the determination of total phenolic content in tea and wine

A new spectrophotometric enzymatic method for the determination of total phenol content in tea and wine has been developed. The method is based on the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation, by hydrogen peroxide, of phenols to phenoxyl radicals, which can react with aromatic substrates to form intensely colored adducts. In comparison with the widely used Folin-Ciocalteu method, this method appears to be more specific and more rapid and as a whole is not affected by the common interfering substances such as ascorbate, citrate, and sulfite. Numerous samples of teas and wines were analyzed by using the new method, and the results compared with those obtained by using the Folin and scavenging of DPPH methods. The differences of the total phenols content found by applying the three methods are discussed in terms of the different specificities of the analytical basis

L’exécutif dualiste dans les régimes politiques des États d’Afrique noire francophone

Le présent article dédié à l’Exécutif dualiste dans les États d’Afrique noire francophone est une contribution à l’étude des régimes politiques africains. L’intérêt d’un tel sujet se situe d’une part dans l’histoire constitutionnelle de ces États, témoin de la construction et de la déconstruction des régimes politiques, de l’ajustement de leur plastique ; et d’autre part dans la survenance des crises politiques ou sociales de plus ou moins grande envergure qui amènent à questionner les choix du constituant quant à l’exercice du pouvoir politique. Dans une perspective comparative inhérente à l’étude du droit constitutionnel, cet article emprunte une démarche à la fois diachronique et synchronique et propose l’examen des régimes politiques africains tant dans leur évolution historique que dans leur pratique actuelle. À ce titre, les auteurs observent que dès leur accession à la souveraineté, les États de l’Afrique noire francophone ont, pour la plupart opté pour le régime de type parlementaire moniste, avant de changer presque radicalement, fin années 60-début années 70, pour le régime présidentiel qui sera lui-même dévoyé en régime présidentialiste. Aussi, le nouveau constitutionnalisme des Etats africains amorcé au début des années 90, qui avait entre autres objectifs le rééquilibrage des rapports entre les pouvoirs de l’Etat ne réussira cet exercice que modestement, le constat étant par ailleurs loin d’être unanime à l’ensemble des Etats étudiés. Au demeurant, la théorie et la pratique constitutionnelles témoignent d’une double dynamique selon que l’Exécutif est étudié dans ses rapports internes ou dans ses rapports externes : l’Exécutif dualiste est, en Afrique noire francophone, hiérarchisé de l’intérieur et dominant de l’extérieur. Le caractère hiérarchisé de l’intérieur s’évalue à l’aune des relations des deux composantes de l’Exécutif que sont le président de la République et le Gouvernement, lesquelles relations présentent – malgré un développement progressif de contre-pouvoirs – une figure présidentielle dominatrice et un chef de Gouvernement considéré comme simple primus inter pares. Quant au caractère dominant de l’extérieur, il découle de l’analyse des relations de l’Exécutif avec les autres pouvoirs qui révèlent une balance qui penche en faveur de celui-là et laissent conclure à une incontestable primauté de l’Exécutif dans et pour l’Etat.This article dedicated to the Dualist Executive in French-speaking Black African States is a contribution to the study of African political regimes. The interest of such a subject lies on the one hand in the constitutional evolution of these states, witness of the construction and deconstruction of political regimes; and on the other hand in the occurrence of political or social crises of greater or lesser scope which may lead to questioning the choices of the constituent as to the exercise of political power. In a comparative perspective inherent in the study of constitutional law, this article borrows a process that is both diachronic and synchronic and proposes the examination of African political regimes both in their historical evolution and in their current practice. As such, the authors observe that, upon their accession to sovereignty, the states of French-speaking black Africa, for the most part opted for a monist parliamentary type regime, before changing almost radically, at the end of the 60s and early 70s, for the presidential regime which itself will be misused in a presidentialist regime. Thus, the new constitutionalism of African states initiated in the early 1990s, which had among other objectives the rebalancing of the relationship between the arms of the state will succeed this exercise only modestly. Moreover, constitutional theory and practice show a double dynamic depending on whether the Executive is studied in its internal relations or in its external relations: the dualist Executive is, in French-speaking black Africa, hierarchical from the inside and dominant from the outside. The inner hierarchical character is measured by the relations between the two components of the Executive, the President of the Republic and the Government, which, despite a progressive development of counter-powers, present a domineering presidential figure and a Head of Government considered as simple primus inter pares. As for the outer dominant character, it follows from the analysis of the relations of the Executive with the other arms of Government, which reveal an unbalanced character in favor of the former and leave the authors to conclude to an incontestable primacy of the Executive in and for the state

Nutrient Accumulation in Leaves and Soft Twigs of \u3ci\u3eMoringa oleifera\u3c/i\u3e Lam. at Different Growth Stages in Western Highland of Cameroon

Moringa oleifera belongs to the Moringaceae family and is considered to have its origin in the south of the Himalayan mountains. The species is being introduced into the highland zone of Cameroon. It is a tree which has many valuable properties and it is of great nutritional and scientific interest. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate nutrient composition in leaves and soft twigs of M. oleifera at different growth heights when grown in the Western Highland of Cameroon

Babinet's principle in the Fresnel regime studied using ultrasound

The diffraction of ultrasound by a circular disk and an aperture of the same size have been investigated as a demonstration of Babinet's principle in the Fresnel regime. The amplitude and the phase of diffracted ultrasonic waves have been measured, and a graphical treatment of the results is performed by simply drawing vectors (phasors) in the complex plane. The results verify Babinet's principle. It is also found that the incident wave is indeed 90 deg behind the phase of the wave passing through on the central axis of a circular aperture. This paradox has previously been regarded as a defect of Fresnel's theory. The apparatus used is intended as a table-top instrument for the student laboratory in general science and engineering classes.Comment: Am. J. Phys. in internal rev. process, 19 pages with 7 figs., v2: change in presentatio

Estudo do aproveitamento de quatro resíduos agroindustriais para produção de carvão vegetal.

Resumo. Disponível online. MIPE

Kidney transplantation from living donor with monolateral renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia using a cryopreserved iliac graft for arterial reconstruction: a case report and review of the literature

Background Aging and mortality of patients on waiting lists for kidney transplantation have increased, as a result of the shortage of organs available all over the world. Living donor grafts represent a significant source to maintain the donor pool, and resorting successfully to allografts with arterial disease has become a necessity. The incidence of renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) in potential living renal donors is reported to be 2-6%, and up to 4% of them present concurrent extra-renal involvement. Case presentation We present a case of renal transplantation using a kidney from a living donor with monolateral FMD. Resection of the affected arterial segment and its subsequent replacement with a cryopreserved iliac artery graft from a deceased donor were performed. No intraoperative nor post-operative complications were reported. The allograft function promptly resumed, with satisfying creatinine clearance, and adequate patency of the vascular anastomoses was detected by Doppler ultrasounds. Conclusion Literature lacks clear guidelines on the eligibility of potential living renal donors with asymptomatic FMD. Preliminary assessment of the FMD living donor should always rule out any extra-renal involvement. Whenever possible, resection and reconstruction of the affected arterial segment should be taken into consideration as this condition may progress after implantation

Adiponectin levels and its relation with insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in a group of sub-Saharan African women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Low levels of adiponectin have been reported in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). In sub-Saharan Africa, little data are available on the topic. We aimed to investigate the levels of adiponectin and its relation with insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS in Yaoundé, Cameroon. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 32 women presenting PCOS and 32 controls matched for age and Body Mass Index. For each participant, adiponectin levels were measured. We estimated insulin sensitivity using Homeostasis model index (HOMA-IR) and insulin secretion with C-peptide levels. Women with PCOS had higher insulin secretion levels than controls (C-peptide: 4.98 ± 3.83 vs 3.25 ± 1.62 mUI/l; p = 0.02). Also, the HOMA-IR index was higher compared to that of women without PCOS (1.15 ± 0.90 vs 0.77 ± 0.38; p = 0.03) suggesting greater insulin resistance. The median [25th-75th percentile] values of adiponectin concentrations were similar between the two groups (22.68 [21.72-23.41] μg/ml vs 22.03 [21.40-22.93] μg/ml; p = 0.1). There was no association between insulin sensitivity and adiponectin levels in the PCOS group. PCOS is not associated with changes in adiponectin in a population of sub-Saharan African women. Further studies are needed to shed more light on this condition