Glycaemic response of four mango fruits consumed in Enugu State

Background: Mango fruit is a delicious juicy drupe, commonly consumed in Nigeria. It is a seasonal fruits that is consumed by all. However, diabetic patients sometimes are afraid of spike in their blood sugar after consuming fruits of which mango is one of them. Evidenced based dietary counselling and nutrition eduction of the public requires such an empirical study to establish evidence. Objectives: This study examined the glycemic response, glycemic index and glycemic load of four mango fruits consumed in Nsukka, Enugu state. Methodology: Samples of four mango varieties (Opioro, Alphonso, Haden, and Sweet) were randomly selected from different markets in Nsukka, Enugu state, Nigeria. These samples were thoroughly washed in warm water to remove gums. The edible portion of the mango (alphonso, haden and sweet mango was consumed with the peels, while the peel of opioro mango was remove before consumption). The weight of each variety that will give about 25g available carbohydrate was used as the test meal. Voluntary human subjects who were informed about the research were used and withdrawal at any stage was allowed. Ethical approval given by Research Ethics Committee University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla. Available carbohydrate was determined using standard method. The glycemic response was done using the FAO protocols. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) was used to present the data obtained while analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means and turkey HSD test was used to separate the means. Results: Available carbohydrate was highest in Sweet mango (6.18g). Alphonso mango significantly (p<0.05) had the least effect on blood glucose levels. The glycemic index of the samples was 33 for Opioro, 4 for Alphonso, 15 for Haden and 39 for Sweet mangoes. The glycemic load ranged from 5.18 in Haden mango to 6.18 in Sweet mango. Conclusion: The study revealed that Alphonso mangoes could be used in planning diets for people with metabolic diseases like diabetes mellitus

Hypoglycaemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Black Brand of Lipton Tea (Camellia sinensis) on Normal Male Albino Rats

Recently, considerable attention has been focused on dietary supplements that possess hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic properties in lieu of the synergistically synthesized drugs like statins and metiform which have been proven to have adverse effects. This present work was carried out to study the potential effects of Lipton tea aqueous extract (LTAE) on normal male albino rats. 36 six male Wistar rats weighing 115-150 g were assigned into four main groups; each group was divided into three subgroups, consisting of three replicates namely R1, R2 and R3 making a total of nine rats in each of the main groups. Group 1 served as the control and received only water, Group 2 received 200 mg/kg of LTAE, Group 3 received 400 mg/kg of the LTAE, while Group 4 received 800 mg/kg of LTAE. All treatment was given orally on daily basis for 28 consecutive days, but the parameters were assessed on weekly basis. The result revealed that, weight gain, fasting blood sugar and serum (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c and VLDL-c) significantly (p < 0.05) decrease in all the treated groups while HDL-c significantly (p < 0.05) increased when compared to the control group. The Lipton tea aqueous extract induced both a dose-dependent and a time-dependent effect in the parameters measured, apart from the total cholesterol which did not show a dose-dependent effect. This led to an overall decrease in the antherogenic index and coronary risk index, suggesting that LTAE possesses hypoglycaemic and hypoglycaemic activities in normal male rats

The COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Seasonality, With Increasing Cases of New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes in Children, From the Worldwide SWEET Registry

Objective: To analyze whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increased the number of cases or impacted seasonality of new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) in large pediatric diabetes centers globally. Research design and methods: We analyzed data on 17,280 cases of T1D diagnosed during 2018-2021 from 92 worldwide centers participating in the SWEET registry using hierarchic linear regression models. Results: The average number of new-onset T1D cases per center adjusted for the total number of patients treated at the center per year and stratified by age-groups increased from 11.2 (95% CI 10.1-12.2) in 2018 to 21.7 (20.6-22.8) in 2021 for the youngest age-group, <6 years; from 13.1 (12.2-14.0) in 2018 to 26.7 (25.7-27.7) in 2021 for children ages 6 to <12 years; and from 12.2 (11.5-12.9) to 24.7 (24.0-25.5) for adolescents ages 12-18 years (all P < 0.001). These increases remained within the expected increase with the 95% CI of the regression line. However, in Europe and North America following the lockdown early in 2020, the typical seasonality of more cases during winter season was delayed, with a peak during the summer and autumn months. While the seasonal pattern in Europe returned to prepandemic times in 2021, this was not the case in North America. Compared with 2018-2019 (HbA1c 7.7%), higher average HbA1c levels (2020, 8.1%; 2021, 8.6%; P < 0.001) were present within the first year of T1D during the pandemic. Conclusions: The slope of the rise in pediatric new-onset T1D in SWEET centers remained unchanged during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a change in the seasonality at onset became apparent.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Validation of a Novel Multivariate Method of Defining HIV-Associated Cognitive Impairment

Background. The optimum method of defining cognitive impairment in virally suppressed people living with HIV is unknown. We evaluated the relationships between cognitive impairment, including using a novel multivariate method (NMM), patientreported outcome measures (PROMs), and neuroimaging markers of brain structure across 3 cohorts.Methods. Differences in the prevalence of cognitive impairment, PROMs, and neuroimaging data from the COBRA, CHARTER, and POPPY cohorts (total n = 908) were determined between HIV-positive participants with and without cognitive impairment defined using the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), global deficit score (GDS), and NMM criteria.Results. The prevalence of cognitive impairment varied by up to 27% between methods used to define impairment (eg, 48% for HAND vs 21% for NMM in the CHARTER study). Associations between objective cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive complaints generally were weak. Physical and mental health summary scores (SF-36) were lowest for NMM-defined impairment (P&lt;.05). There were no differences in brain volumes or cortical thickness between participants with and without cognitive impairment defined using the HAND and GDS measures. In contrast, those identified with cognitive impairment by the NMM had reduced mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres (P&lt;.05), as well as smaller brain volumes (P&lt;.01). The associations with measures of white matter microstructure and brain-predicted age generally were weaker.Conclusion. Different methods of defining cognitive impairment identify different people with varying symptomatology and measures of brain injury. Overall, NMM-defined impairment was associated with most neuroimaging abnormalities and poorer selfreported health status. This may be due to the statistical advantage of using a multivariate approach

Validation of a novel multivariate method of defining HIV-associated cognitive impairment

Background. The optimum method of defining cognitive impairment in virally suppressed people living with HIV is unknown. We evaluated the relationships between cognitive impairment, including using a novel multivariate method (NMM), patient– reported outcome measures (PROMs), and neuroimaging markers of brain structure across 3 cohorts. Methods. Differences in the prevalence of cognitive impairment, PROMs, and neuroimaging data from the COBRA, CHARTER, and POPPY cohorts (total n = 908) were determined between HIV-positive participants with and without cognitive impairment defined using the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), global deficit score (GDS), and NMM criteria. Results. The prevalence of cognitive impairment varied by up to 27% between methods used to define impairment (eg, 48% for HAND vs 21% for NMM in the CHARTER study). Associations between objective cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive complaints generally were weak. Physical and mental health summary scores (SF-36) were lowest for NMM-defined impairment (P < .05). There were no differences in brain volumes or cortical thickness between participants with and without cognitive impairment defined using the HAND and GDS measures. In contrast, those identified with cognitive impairment by the NMM had reduced mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres (P < .05), as well as smaller brain volumes (P < .01). The associations with measures of white matter microstructure and brain-predicted age generally were weaker. Conclusion. Different methods of defining cognitive impairment identify different people with varying symptomatology and measures of brain injury. Overall, NMM-defined impairment was associated with most neuroimaging abnormalities and poorer selfreported health status. This may be due to the statistical advantage of using a multivariate approac

Responses of Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] to Phosphate Fertilizer Rates and Plant Spacing and Effects on Soil Nutrient Statues in a Degraded Tropical Ultisol Agbani Enugu South East Nigeria

The agronomic practices such as plant spacing and phosphate fertilizer requirements for the cultivation of Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] have not yet been fully determined in Agbani agro ecology South east Nigeria. Field trials were conducted in 2015 and 2016 planting season at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani as a 4 x 3 factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were four rates of single super phosphate fertilizer (0 kg P ha-1, 25 kg P ha-1, 50 kg P ha-1and 75 kg P ha-1) and three plant spacing regimes (intra and inter row spacing) 10 cm x 45 cm (222,222 plants hectare-1) 5 cm x 45 cm (148,148 plants hectare-1) and 20 cm x 45 cm (111,111 plants hectare-1). Soil samples were collected from the top soil at a depth of 0 to 15 cm before planting, four and eight weeks after planting. The obtained results showed that Bambara groundnut spaced at 20 cm × 45 cm per plant grown on plots fertilized with 75 kg P ha-1 single super phosphate fertilizer (SSP) had significantly (P = .05) the tallest plants [24.53 cm at 4 weeks after planting (WAP), 35.23 cm at 8WAP in 2015 and 25.00 cm at 4WAP and 36.00 cm at 8WAP in 2016 respectively] compared with the other treatments. The effects of single super phosphate fertilizer treatment on leaf area index (6.04 in 2015 at 4WAP, 45.86 in 2015 at 8WAP, 6.31 at 4WAP in 2016 and 46.51 at 8WAP in 2016) were significant (P = .05) at the highest at application rate of 75 kg P ha-1 of SSP. Plots which had the lowest population density (111,111 plants hectare-1) and received the highest rate of SSP (75 kg P ha-1) gave significantly (P = .05) the highest number of fresh pods per plant at harvest (17.67 in 2015 and 19.00 in 2016) and weight of fresh pods per plant (248.03 g plant-1 in 2015 and 290.76g plant-1 in 2016 respectively) than the other treatments. Total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration 7 of soil were significantly (P = .05) higher in plots which received 75 kg P ha-1 SSP than the other treatments. Plant population density of 111,111 plants hectare-1 and SSP rate of 75 kg P ha-1 is recommended for optimum agronomic performance of Bambara groundnut in a degraded tropical ultisol

Analysis of p107-associated proteins: p107 associates with a form of E2F that differs from pRB-associated E2F-1.

The binding of viral oncogenes to cellular proteins is thought to modulate the activities of these cellular targets. The p107 protein is targeted by many viral proteins, including adenovirus E1A, simian virus 40 large T antigen, and human papillomavirus type 16 E7 protein. A panel of monoclonal antibodies against p107 was raised and used to identify cellular proteins that interact with the p107 protein in vivo. p107-associated proteins included cyclin A, cyclin E, and cdk2. In addition, p107 was found to associate with 62- to 65- and 50-kDa phosphoproteins in ML-1 cells, a human myeloid leukemia cell line. The 62- to 65-kDa proteins have many of the properties of the transcription factor E2F but were distinguished from pRB-associated E2F-1 by both immunologic and biochemical properties