Trust realisation in multi-domain collaborative environments

In the Internet-age, the geographical boundaries that have previously impinged upon inter-organisational collaborations have become decreasingly important. Of more importance for such collaborations is the notion and subsequent nature of trust - this is especially so in Grid-like environments where resources are both made available and subsequently accessed and used by remote users from a multitude of institutions with a variety of different privileges spanning across the collaborating resources. In this context, the ability to dynamically negotiate and subsequently enforce security policies driven by various levels of inter-organisational trust is essential. In this paper we present a dynamic trust negotiation (DTN) model and associated prototype implementation showing the benefits and limitations DTN incurs in supporting n-tier delegation hops needed for trust realisation in multi-domain collaborative environments

Cardiovascular disease and the potential protective role of antioxidants

ArticleEpidemiological studies have shown that in the 20th century, cardiovascular disease was responsible for less than ten percent of all deaths globally. However, recent reports indicate that the trend has changed with studies showing that cardiovascular disease currently accounts for about thirty percent of all deaths in the world. It is generally accepted that smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, elevated LDL levels, elevated blood pressure, physical inactivity, insulin resistance, obesity and type 2-diabetes are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately these known risk factors do not provide a full explanation for all cases of heart disease. Recent research has identified what is preferentially termed novel risk factors that may assist to identify persons or populations at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. One such novel risk factor is the presence in the body of freeand hydroxyperoxide radicals. It has been reported that free-and hydroxyperoxide radicals have the potential to damage biological compounds and structures such as proteins, membrane lipids, DNA and carbohydrates and that such damage caused by these radicals are said to be involved in the aetiology and pathogenesis of different diseases such as cardiovascular disease. The link between deficiencies of antioxidants and production of free-and hydroxyperoxide radicals has been reported. This review paper reports on cardiovascular disease, its associated risk factors and the potential protective role of antioxidants in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease

Red palm oil: nutritional, physiological and therapeutic roles in improving human wellbeing and quality of life.

ArticleA growing interest in dietary palm oil has been observed due to the link between dietary fats and cardiovascular diseases. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current scientific information on the nutritional, physiological, and biochemical roles of red palm oil in improving the wellbeing and quality of life. Specifically, the role of red palm oil in supplementation and in diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis is discussed. However, despite the various health benefits of red palm oil, moderate intake is recommended because excess intake may promote high cholesterol levels thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases

Possible benefits of micronutrient supplementation in the treatment and management of HIV infection and AIDS

ArticleRecently, several reports have indicated that individuals living with HIV/AIDS undergo a condition of chronic oxidative stress with a resultant decline in nutritional antioxidants and other micronutrients. It has also been reported that these micronutrient deficiencies interfere with immune functions, weaken epithelial integrity, contribute to oxidative stress and enhance HIV disease progression. Reports from observational studies have led to an increasing interest in the possible benefits of micronutrient supplementation as a cost-effective strategy for improving oxidative and nutritional status. Micronutrient supplementation may also assist in the possible prevention of vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child especially in low-income countries where antiretroviral therapy and prophylactic drugs are not readily available. However, there are conflicting reports from other observational studies as to the usefulness or benefits of micronutrient supplementation in the treatment and management of HIV/AIDS. In this review we examine possible benefits of micronutrient supplementation in the treatment and management of HIV infection and AIDS

Microbicides: a possible prevention approach to HIV transmission among African women.

ArticlePoverty, cultural belief and refusal to use condoms are some of the factors that contribute to the spread of HIV infection among African communities. There is a dire need to pursue research into the development, provision and the use of microbicides for African women. This review paper provides information and recommendations on the possible use of microbicides to prevent HIV infection among African women

Modulation of erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme levels by red palm oil supplementation in male Wistar rats.

ArticleThe depletion of antioxidants including antioxidant enzymes is known to increase the risk of complications in conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. In order to investigate such effects, a study was performed to examine the influence of red palm oil (RPO) supplementation on antioxidant enzymes in a rodent model. Male Wistar rats weighing 120-150 g were randomly divided into a control group that was fed a standard rat chow and an experimental group that received a daily dose of 2 ml of red palm oil incorporated in standard rat chow over a period of 6 weeks. Blood samples were collected from the animals at the end of the feeding period and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) (a non-enzymatic antioxidant protein) were measured spectrophotometrically. Results showed that RPO caused a significant increase in the activities of SOD, CAT and GR but showed no observable effect on GSH. Our findings suggest that RPO could minimize oxidative damage through its potential ability to increase antioxidant enzymes and it may therefore play a role in the prevention and treatment of oxidative injuries to cells. However, further studies are required to explore and support this hypothesis

Evaluation of cryptolepine and huperzine derivatives as lead compounds towards new agents for the treatment of human African Trypanosomiasis.

noThe alkaloid cryptolepine (1) and eight synthetic analogues (2-8) were assessed for in vitro activities against Trypanosoma brucei. Four of the analogues were found to be highly potent with IC50 values of less than 3 nM and three of these were assessed against T. brucei brucei infection in rats. The most effective compound was 2,7-dibromocryptolepine (7); a single oral dose of 20 mg/Kg suppressed parasitaemia and increased the mean survival time to 13.6 days compared with 8.4 days for untreated controls. In addition, four huperzine derivatives (9-12) were shown to have in vitro antitrypanosomal activities with IC50 values from 303-377 nM