Effects of eurycoma longifolia jack supplementation on recreational athletes' running performance and physiological responses in the heat

This study investigated the effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack supplementation on recreational athletes' endurance running capacity and physiological responses in the heal Twelve healthy male recreational athletes (Age: 23.3 (3.7) years old; V021nax: 45.1 (8.1)) ml.kg" 1.min-1 ) were recruited in this double blind, placebCH:ontrolled, cross-over study. Subjects completed two endurance running trials in the heat (31°C, 70% relative humidity), perfonned on separate days, after consuming either 2 capsules of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (75 mg per capsule) or placebo per day for 7 days before and one hour prior to the experimental trial. On the trial day, after 5 minutes warm-up at 50% V021nax, subjects were requested to run on the treadmill at 60% V021nax for 60 minutes. This was immediately followed by a 20 minutes time trial for detennining endurance running capacity. Blood samples were taken before warm-up, after warmup, and every 20 minutes during the trial. Statistical analysis was perfonned using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Results show that endurance running capacity was not significantly different (P<0.05) between Eurycoma longifolia Jack (EL) and placebo (P) trials. Similarly, oxygen uptake, heart rate, skin temperature, tympanic temperature, ratings of perceived exertion, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit level, plasma glucose concentration, and plasma free fatty acid concentration were not significantly different between the trials. These findings suggest that supplementation of Eurycoma longifo/ia Jack with a dosage of 150 mg.day'' for 7 days did not elicit beneficial effects on endurance running capacity and physiological responses of recreational athletes in the heat. Higher dosage and longer duration of supplementation of Eurycoma longifolia jack is warranted to elicit the positive effects during endurance exercise

Quality culture and quality costs of a manufacturing organization in Penang, Malaysia

Penyelidikan ini telah dijalankan untuk mengaji samada wujudnya perbezaan di antara budaya kualiti pada peringkat pengurusan, penyelia dan operator di suatu organisasi. Perhubungan di antara budaya kualiti pada peringkat pengurusan dan berbagai kos qualiti dikaji. Kajian yang sa rna juga dijalankan untuk membandingkan budaya kualiti dua organisasi pada peringkat operator dua orgainsasi tersebut di atas. The research was conducted to study whether there is any significant difference between the quality Culture at the management, supervisor and operator levels of an organization. The relationship between quality culture management level and various elemeqts of quality costs of the organization was examined. A Similar study was carried out to compare the quality culture at operator level of· two other different organizations with the above organization

Cyclospora: an enigma worth unraveling.

In part, Cyclospora cayetanensis owes its recognition as an emerging pathogen to the increased use of staining methods for detecting enteric parasites such as Cryptosporidium. First reported in patients in New Guinea in 1977 but thought to be a coccidian parasite of the genus Isospora, C. cayetanensis received little attention until it was again described in 1985 in New York and Peru. In the early 1990s, human infection associated with waterborne transmission of C. cayetanensis was suspected; foodborne transmission was likewise suggested in early studies. The parasite was associated with several disease outbreaks in the United States during 1996 and 1997. This article reviews current knowledge about C. cayetanensis (including its association with waterborne and foodborne transmission), unresolved issues, and research needs

Inhibition of Ion Channels and Heart Beat in Drosophila by Selective COX-2 Inhibitor SC-791

Recent findings suggest that modulation of ion channels might be implicated in some of the clinical effects of coxibs, selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Celecoxib and its inactive analog 2,5-dimethyl-celecoxib, but not rofecoxib, can suppress or augment ionic currents and alter functioning of neurons and myocytes. To better understand these unexpected effects, we have recently investigated the mechanism of inhibition of human Kv2.1 channels by a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor SC-791. In this study we have further explored the SC-791 action on ion channels and heartbeat in Drosophila, which lacks cyclooxygenases and thus can serve as a convenient model to study COX-2-independent mechanisms of coxibs. Using intracellular recordings in combination with a pharmacological approach and utilizing available Drosophila mutants, we found that SC-791 inhibited voltage-activated K+ and L-type Ca2+ channels in larval body-wall muscles and reduced heart rate in a concentration-dependent manner. Unlike celecoxib and several other K+ channel blockers, SC-791 did not induce arrhythmia. Instead, application of SC-791 resulted in a dramatic slowing of contractions and, at higher concentrations, in progressively weaker contractions with gradual cessation of heartbeat. Isradipine, a selective blocker of L-type Ca2+ channels, showed a similar pattern of heart arrest, though no prolongation of contractions was observed. Ryanodine was the only channel modulating compound of those tested additionally that was capable of slowing contractions. Like SC-791, ryanodine reduced heart rate without arrhythmia. However, it could not stop heartbeat completely even at 500 µM, the highest concentration used. The magnitude of heart rate reduction, when SC-791 and ryanodine were applied together, was smaller than expected for independent mechanisms, raising the possibility that SC-791 might be interfering with excitation-contraction coupling in Drosophila heart

Cardiac disease in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis: presentation, diagnosis and management

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are inherited lysosomal storage disorders caused by the absence of functional enzymes that contribute to the degradation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The progressive systemic deposition of GAGs results in multi-organ system dysfunction that varies with the particular GAG deposited and the specific enzyme mutation(s) present. Cardiac involvement has been reported in all MPS syndromes and is a common and early feature, particularly for those with MPS I, II, and VI. Cardiac valve thickening, dysfunction (more severe for left-sided than for right-sided valves), and hypertrophy are commonly present; conduction abnormalities, coronary artery and other vascular involvement may also occur. Cardiac disease emerges silently and contributes significantly to early mortality

Mucopolysaccharidosis I, II, and VI: Brief review and guidelines for treatment

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are rare genetic diseases caused by the deficiency of one of the lysosomal enzymes involved in the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) breakdown pathway. This metabolic block leads to the accumulation of GAG in various organs and tissues of the affected patients, resulting in a multisystemic clinical picture, sometimes including cognitive impairment. Until the beginning of the XXI century, treatment was mainly supportive. Bone marrow transplantation improved the natural course of the disease in some types of MPS, but the morbidity and mortality restricted its use to selected cases. The identification of the genes involved, the new molecular biology tools and the availability of animal models made it possible to develop specific enzyme replacement therapies (ERT) for these diseases. At present, a great number of Brazilian medical centers from all regions of the country have experience with ERT for MPS I, II, and VI, acquired not only through patient treatment but also in clinical trials. Taking the three types of MPS together, over 200 patients have been treated with ERT in our country. This document summarizes the experience of the professionals involved, along with the data available in the international literature, bringing together and harmonizing the information available on the management of these severe and progressive diseases, thus disclosing new prospects for Brazilian patients affected by these conditions

Housing in southeast Asian capilat cities

90 hlm.; 21,5x15c

Risk assessment of selected wastewater treatment plant in Klang Valley / Ooi Chin Hui

Since the industrial revolution at 18th century, the industrial activities increased considerably and the wastewater is discharged to the nearby river without treatment, which lead to disease outbreak. People start aware on the need of wastewater treatment for the sake of environment and human health, and it became a compulsory to treat the wastewater before discharge to the environment. However, while operating the wastewater treatment plant, there will be risk associated in the operation, which categorized into 3 main types: physical, health and environmental risk. Therefore, risk assessment is used in order to understand the risk, and to develop control action in dealing with the risk. It is carried out in a selected premise in Klang Valley which including safety checklist, qualitative risk assessment, operators’ survey and cleaner production assessment. According to the checklist, the manual handling and the waste management in the premise are poor which is high possible to cause risk to the operators and the environment. While from the qualitative risk assessment, the high risk hazards are identified which required extra attention to control the risk. From the operators’ survey, it is found out that the operators are poor in competency / knowledge in safe operation, emergency preparation and response, and contribution to continual safety improvement. Risk control is required to minimize the risk identified and to improve the safety level in the premise by elimination, substitution, engineering control, administrative control and personal protective equipment (PPE). Cleaner production assessment is carried out to assess the possibility to reduce the resource usage and the waste production hence lead to cost saving, from the assessment in the selected premise, the resource can be reduced by reuse treated water instead of paying bill for clean water usage, and use more energy saving electric starter: variable frequency drive (VFD). The dried sludge produced by the premise content rich in nutrient value to be resell as organic fertilizer to bring profit to the premise instead of direct disposal

Indigobarn : En studie av jeansnördarnas köpprocess

Samtidigt som jeansen har gått ifrån att vara ett arbetarplagg till en basvara i de flesta människors garderober har det även utvecklats en subkultur kring denim. Denna subkultur består av personer som ser jeans som något mer än bara ett plagg, för vilka jeansen blivit som en livsstil. Dessa konsumenter skiljer sig avsevärt ifrån den stora massan i den aspekten att de besitter en stor kunskap om jeanshistoria och konstruktion, samt konsumerar en annan typ av jeans, med fokus på kvalitet och material snarare än en trendig look. Denna studie utgår ifrån Kotler, Armstrong, Harris och Piercys (2013) modell av köpprocessen bestående av fem steg; behovsidentifiering, informationssökning, utvärdering av alternativ, köpbeslut och utvärdering efter köp. Semistrukturerade intervjuer används för att samla in data, som sedan analyseras och diskuteras utifrån teoribasen. Studien har visat att jeansnördarna allt som oftast planerar sina köp i god tid innan och lägger stor vikt vid informationssökningsfasen. De ställer höga krav på kvalitet och materialval, och passformen blir närmast sekundär i deras ögon. Teorier om dynamiken inom subkulturer används för att förstå hur subkulturen påverkar individen under köpprocessen. Studien har påträffat starka värderingar som formas och delas av subkulturen, och på så vis påverkar medlemmarnas köpprocess. Dessa värderingar handlar om ett fokus på hög kvalitet och rätt. Dessa värderingar utgör grunden för de krav medlemmarna ställer på sina produkter och påverkar dem därigenom i deras utvärdering av produktalternativ och inköpta produkter. Det har även påträffats en bild av vad som anses vara autentiskt inom subkulturen, vilket är viktigt för att stärka medlemmarnas band till densamma. Denna autenticitet bygger även den på kvalitet och rätt varumärken. Strävan efter autenticitet påverkar individen i såväl behovsidentifiering, genom viljan att uppnå status inom gruppen, samt attitydsbildande gentemot produktalternativ, då produkter som ej anses autentiska ratas. Bland jeansnördarna finns ett stort behov av att uppnå sitt bästa jag, samt nå social status inom subkulturen. De lägger stor vikt vid att köpa rätt produkter, och ägnar därför mycket tid åt informationssökning och utvärdering av sina alternativ. Själva köpet genomförs allt som oftast i speciella jeansbutiker med rätt utbud, efter utförlig planering och logiskt resonerande beslutsfattande. Gruppen visar även på en hög nöjdhet vid de flesta köp och relativt stor varumärkeslojalitet, baserad på såväl tidigare positiva upplevelser samt att gruppen godkänner eller ratar somliga varumärken. De subkulturella influenserna påverkar jeansnördens köpprocess främst under behovsidentifieringen och utvärderingen av alternativa produkter