16 research outputs found
Superior Membrane Permeabilization and Solubilization Properties of Biosurfactants may be Explained by Heterogeneous Perturbation
Relationship between zinc concentration in plasma cord blood and infant anthropometric measurement
Background and purpose: Low birth weight (LBW) is a key determinant of infant morbidity and mortality. Zinc deficiency during pregnancy may have unfavorable effect on pregnancy outcome, particularly low birth weight. The aim of this study was to determine the association between infant anthropometric characteristic and cord blood plasma zinc level.
Materials and methods: This study included 268 pairs of mothers and infants (at time of delivery) from whom 134 healthy mothers and their infants <2500g were recruited as case group and 134 healthy mothers and their infants weighing 2500-4000g were participated in control group. The subjects were selected from Fatemieh Hospital Hamadan, Iran. The infants’ birth weight, length, head circumference, chest and mid arm circumference were measured. Cord blood plasma zinc level was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentration of plasma zinc less than 60 µg/dl was considered as sever zinc deficiency, between 60 to 70 µg/dl mild to moderate deficiency and more than 70 to 150 µg/dl were considered normal. Twin infants, abnormal infants and mothers who smoked, consumed alcohol, used illicit drugs, and those with severe stress were excluded from the study. Results: Sever zinc deficiency was significantly related to infant low birth weight [OR=12.382, CI; 1.210, 126.710, P= 0.040]. No significant relationships were found between infant length, mid arm, chest and head circumference with plasma zinc level.
Conclusion: Present study indicated a relationship between infant weights and severe zinc deficiency in plasma cord blood. Severe zinc deficiency could be considered as a major predictor of infant birth weight
Relationship between sociodemographics, dietary intake and physical activity with gestational weight gain among pregnant women in Rafsanjan City, Iran
Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a determinant of health and nutrition of mothers and offspring. However, many factors associated with GWG are not completely understood. The present study assessed the relationship between sociodemographics, dietary intake, and physical activity with GWG in 308 Iranian pregnant women attending government healthcare centres in Rafsanjan city, Iran. Women gained an average of 12.87±3.57 kg during pregnancy while 54% did not gain weight within the Institute of Medicine (IOM)-recommended range. Univariate logistic models showed that gestaional weight gain was related to age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), energy intake, and sitting time. Cumulative logit model showed positive relationship between age (p=0.0137) and pre-pregnancy BMI (p<0.0001) with GWG. All pregnant women should be counselled on achieving the reccomended GWG to prevent adverse maternal and prenatal outcomes. Pre-pregnancy and gestational nutritional status and physical activity should be emphasized in antenatal care
Relationship between Sociodemographics, Dietary Intake, and Physical Activity with Gestational Weight Gain among Pregnant Women in Rafsanjan City, Iran
Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a determinant of health and nutrition
of mothers and offspring. However, many factors associated with GWG are
not completely understood. The present study assessed the relationship
between sociodemographics, dietary intake, and physical activity with
GWG in 308 Iranian pregnant women attending government healthcare
centres in Rafsanjan city, Iran. Women gained an average of
12.87\ub13.57 kg during pregnancy while 54% did not gain weight
within the Institute of Medicine (IOM)-recommended range. Univariate
logistic models showed that gestaional weight gain was related to age,
pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), energy intake, and sitting time.
Cumulative logit model showed positive relationship between age
(p=0.0137) and pre-pregnancy BMI (p<0.0001) with GWG. All pregnant
women should be counselled on achieving the reccomended GWG to prevent
adverse maternal and prenatal outcomes. Pre-pregnancy and gestational
nutritional status and physical activity should be emphasized in
antenatal care
Folding Thermodynamics of the Hybrid-1 Type Intramolecular Human Telomeric GQuadruplex
Guanine-rich DNA sequences that may form
G-quadruplexes are located in strategic DNA loci with
the ability to regulate biological events. G-quadruplexes
have been under intensive scrutiny owing to their potential
to serve as novel drug targets in emerging anticancer
strategies. Thermodynamic characterization of
G-quadruplexes is an important and necessary step in
developing predictive algorithms for evaluating the conformational
preferences of G-rich sequences in the presence
or the absence of their complementary C-rich
strands. We use a combination of spectroscopic, calorimetric,
and volumetric techniques to characterize the
folding/unfolding transitions of the 26-meric human telomeric
sequence d[A3G3(T2AG3)3A2]. In the presence of
K1 ions, the latter adopts the hybrid-1 G-quadruplex
conformation, a tightly packed structure with an unusually
small number of solvent-exposed atomic groups. The
K1-induced folding of the G-quadruplex at room temperature
is a slow process that involves significant accumulation
of an intermediate at the early stages of the
transition. The G-quadruplex state of the oligomeric
sequence is characterized by a larger volume and compressibility
and a smaller expansibility than the coil state.
These results are in qualitative agreement with each other
all suggesting significant dehydration to accompany the
G-quadruplex formation. Based on our volume data,
432619 water molecules become released to the bulk
upon the G-quadruplex formation. This large number is
consistent with a picture in which DNA dehydration is
not limited to water molecules in direct contact with the
regions that become buried but involves a general
decrease in solute–solvent interactions all over the surface
of the folded structure. VC 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biopolymers 101: 216–227, 2014.
Keywords: G-quadruplexes; conformational transitions;
volume; compressibility; expansibilit
Properties of Surfactants that Govern their Functions and Applications on Lipid Membranes
This work aims at a better understanding of the parameters and properties of surfactants that govern their specific biological functions and their suitability for applications related to biological membranes. First, the hypothesis is tested that membrane lysis starts when a surfactant has built up a critical level of curvature strain, that is detected as a chain disordering. This could be confirmed for many surfactants but some, mostly biosurfactants act by a locally focused, heterogeneous perturbation, which explains their enhanced antibiotic activity and selectivity. A model and protocol were established to obtain a volumetric characterization of micelles by pressure perturbation calorimetry. For some classic detergents studied so far, their chain packing was found to agree with that of bulk hydrocarbon. Finally, the effective charge and consequent membrane permeability were assessed by zeta potential measurements.Ph