Dyslipidemia, altered erythrocyte fatty acids and selenium are associated with dementia in elderly Nigerians

Dyslipidemia, reduced omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and antioxidative nutrients are modulatory risk factors associated with dementia. Diet, genetics and environment interact with nutritional metabolism and susceptibility to neurodegeneration. This study investigated the relationship between erythrocyte fatty acids and selected antioxidant nutrients in elderly Nigerians with vascular dementia (VD) and Alzheimer\u2019s disease (AD). Forty VD (69.03\ub18.19 years) twenty AD (71.06\ub15.0 years) and forty control (67.5\ub16.8 years) subjects were studied. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) were measured in all subjects. Venous blood sample was drawn from all subjects and erythrocytes separated for the determination of fatty acids. Plasma lipids, selenium and vitamin E levels were also measured. There were no differences in BMI, weight and height among the three groups except for systolic BP that was lower in VD (148.3\ub141.8mmHg) than AD (156\ub136mmHg). Docosahexanoic acid and eicosapentanoic acid were lower in VD (6.3\ub12.2 and 2.0\ub11.6% total fatty acids [TFA]) and AD (5.4\ub13.1 and 3.0\ub11.7 %TFA) respectively than in controls (8.9\ub13.8 and 6.0\ub14.7%TFA). No variation was recorded in linolenic and arachidonic acids. Significant increases in triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and decreased HDL-cholesterol were observed in both VD and AD when compared to controls (p<0.05 in all cases). Plasma selenium levels were significantly decreased in VD and AD than in controls. Eicosapentanoic and linolenic acids concentrations were negatively correlated with plasma total cholesterol. Low levels of erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids and plasma selenium concentrations are associated with occurrence of vascular dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s disease in elderly Nigerians

Evaluation of selected trace metals in some hypertensive subjects in a tertiary health institution in Southwest Nigeria.

Published reports on the possible roles of trace metals in the aetiology of primary hypertension have not been consistent. This study investigated the possible aetiological role of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) in primary hypertension. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to determine the serum levels of Zn, Cu, Mn and Se in 45 patients with primary hypertension (stage I and stage II) and 47 apparently healthy control subjects (normotensives and pre-hypertensives). Both patients and control subjects were classified based on the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7). The weight, height and blood pressure of all subjects were measured and their body mass indices (BMI) computed. The mean serum zinc concentration was significantly higher in the patients with hypertension than in the control subjects (135.78 \ub1 9.10 vs 130.80 \ub1 12.50 \u3bcg/ml, p = 0.032). However, serum levels of copper (68.16 \ub1 3.72 vs 68.53 \ub1 5.33 \u3bcg/dl, p = 0.697), manganese (63.11 \ub1 4.40 vs 62.87 \ub1 4.59 \u3bcg/dl, p = 0.800) and selenium (75.91 \ub1 5.66 vs 78.13 \ub1 5.92 \u3bcg/L, p = 0.070) were not statistically different between the patients and the control subjects. This study did not show any gender-, age- or obesity-related differences in serum level of zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Elevated level of serum zinc may play an aetiological role in subjects with primary hypertension. However, further studies will be necessary to define the roles of trace elements in the aetiology of primary hypertension in these individuals

Impact of HIV-related stigma on treatment adherence: systematic review and meta-synthesis

Introduction: Adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a critical determinant of HIV-1 RNA viral suppression and health outcomes. It is generally accepted that HIV-related stigma is correlated with factors that may undermine ART adherence, but its relationship with ART adherence itself is not well established. We therefore undertook this review to systematically assess the relationship between HIV-related stigma and ART adherence. Methods: We searched nine electronic databases for published and unpublished literature, with no language restrictions. First we screened the titles and abstracts for studies that potentially contained data on ART adherence. Then we reviewed the full text of these studies to identify articles that reported data on the relationship between ART adherence and either HIV-related stigma or serostatus disclosure. We used the method of meta-synthesis to summarize the findings from the qualitative studies. Results: Our search protocol yielded 14,854 initial records. After eliminating duplicates and screening the titles and abstracts, we retrieved the full text of 960 journal articles, dissertations and unpublished conference abstracts for review. We included 75 studies conducted among 26,715 HIV-positive persons living in 32 countries worldwide, with less representation of work from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Among the 34 qualitative studies, our meta-synthesis identified five distinct third-order labels through an inductive process that we categorized as themes and organized in a conceptual model spanning intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural levels. HIV-related stigma undermined ART adherence by compromising general psychological processes, such as adaptive coping and social support. We also identified psychological processes specific to HIV-positive persons driven by predominant stigmatizing attitudes and which undermined adherence, such as internalized stigma and concealment. Adaptive coping and social support were critical determinants of participants’ ability to overcome the structural and economic barriers associated with poverty in order to successfully adhere to ART. Among the 41 quantitative studies, 24 of 33 cross-sectional studies (71%) reported a positive finding between HIV stigma and ART non-adherence, while 6 of 7 longitudinal studies (86%) reported a null finding (Pearson's χ 2=7.7; p=0.005). Conclusions: We found that HIV-related stigma compromised participants’ abilities to successfully adhere to ART. Interventions to reduce stigma should target multiple levels of influence (intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural) in order to have maximum effectiveness on improving ART adherence

Effect of Titanate Coupling Agent on the Mechanical Properties of Talc Filled Polypropylene

ABSTRAC

Biodegradability and Mechanical Properties of Low Density

Abstract: The properties of blend of low density polyethylene and waste maize cob flour (LDPE/WMCF) and maleated polyethylene (MAPE) as compatibilizer were studied. LDPE/WMCF composites with different filler loadings, with and without the addition of MAPE were prepared using a laboratory injection moulding machine. Mechanical properties of the LDPE were found to be worse when it was blended with the filler, due to the poor compatibility between the two phases. The addition of MAPE led to a much better dispersion and homogeneity owing to the formation of ester linkage group and thus showed better properties. Water uptake of compatibilized LDPE/filler composite (LDPE/WMCF) was lower than that of uncompatibilized LDPE/filler composite (LDPE/WMCF). Both composite were buried in the soil to assess biodegradability. Weight loss of composites observed indicated that both were biodegradable, even at high of filler concentration

Dyslipidemia, altered erythrocyte fatty acids and selenium are associated with dementia in elderly Nigerians

Dyslipidemia, reduced omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and antioxidative nutrients are modulatory risk factors associated with dementia. Diet, genetics and environment interact with nutritional metabolism and susceptibility to neurodegeneration. This study investigated the relationship between erythrocyte fatty acids and selected antioxidant nutrients in elderly Nigerians with vascular dementia (VD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Forty VD (69.03±8.19 years) twenty AD (71.06±5.0 years) and forty control (67.5±6.8 years) subjects were studied. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) were measured in all subjects. Venous blood sample was drawn from all subjects and erythrocytes separated for the determination of fatty acids. Plasma lipids, selenium and vitamin E levels were also measured. There were no differences in BMI, weight and height among the three groups except for systolic BP that was lower in VD (148.3±41.8mmHg) than AD (156±36mmHg). Docosahexanoic acid and eicosapentanoic acid were lower in VD (6.3±2.2 and 2.0±1.6% total fatty acids [TFA]) and AD (5.4±3.1 and 3.0±1.7 %TFA) respectively than in controls (8.9±3.8 and 6.0±4.7%TFA). No variation was recorded in linolenic and arachidonic acids. Significant increases in triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and decreased HDL-cholesterol were observed in both VD and AD when compared to controls (p<0.05 in all cases). Plasma selenium levels were significantly decreased in VD and AD than in controls. Eicosapentanoic and linolenic acids concentrations were negatively correlated with plasma total cholesterol. Low levels of erythrocyte omega-3 fatty acids and plasma selenium concentrations are associated with occurrence of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in elderly Nigerians

Early Childhood Education as an Instrument for Good Governance in Nigeria

This paper examined Early Childhood education as an instrument for good governance in Nigeria. Good governance, is a situation whereby those in power decides what is to be implemented or not without making the governed feel marginalized. Good governance requires certain characteristics before one can say it is good. Characteristics like accountability, vividness, responsive participatory attributes, effectiveness and efficiency in duties, follow up of all the due process of the law are needed. In Nigeria, Early Childhood education is an education given to children in a formal school setting. It starts from 0-8 years, which means that the child starts from crèche through primary three to acquire this education. At this stage, children are taught social norms and social skills like friendship, volunteering, sympathy, kindness, empathy, truthfulness and accountability. It has been observed that most developing nations are experiencing the problem of under-development economically, socially, politically and morally to mention but a few. This problem could be traced to negligence, non-challant attitude as well as unawareness of what good early childhood education entails on the part of parents and teachers. Since good governance is directly related to social and moral habits, good governance cannot be achieved if people being governed are socially and morally undeveloped, which may be due to the fact that they do not have good social skills due to lack of training at the early childhood stage of education. Therefore, the good governance characteristics for the future leaders should be imbibed in early childhood education. Hence, there is need for the government to encourage parents to enroll their children in early childhood education

Changes in Testes Lipid Profile in Rats Fed on Thermally-Oxidized Soya bean Oil-Based Diets

The effect of thermally–oxidized soyabean oil–based diets on the lipid profile of the testes of rats was studied. For 35 days, two groups of male weanling rats were fed a basal diet containing unoxidised and oxidized soyabean oil. Rats fed the thermally oxidized soyabean oil diets displayed typical signs of essential fatty acids (EFA) deficiency and had their testes weights reduced to about 81% of fats fed unoxidised soyabean oil diets. There was a significant decrease (

Impact of HIV-related stigma on treatment adherence: systematic review and meta-synthesis.

IntroductionAdherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a critical determinant of HIV-1 RNA viral suppression and health outcomes. It is generally accepted that HIV-related stigma is correlated with factors that may undermine ART adherence, but its relationship with ART adherence itself is not well established. We therefore undertook this review to systematically assess the relationship between HIV-related stigma and ART adherence.MethodsWe searched nine electronic databases for published and unpublished literature, with no language restrictions. First we screened the titles and abstracts for studies that potentially contained data on ART adherence. Then we reviewed the full text of these studies to identify articles that reported data on the relationship between ART adherence and either HIV-related stigma or serostatus disclosure. We used the method of meta-synthesis to summarize the findings from the qualitative studies.ResultsOur search protocol yielded 14,854 initial records. After eliminating duplicates and screening the titles and abstracts, we retrieved the full text of 960 journal articles, dissertations and unpublished conference abstracts for review. We included 75 studies conducted among 26,715 HIV-positive persons living in 32 countries worldwide, with less representation of work from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Among the 34 qualitative studies, our meta-synthesis identified five distinct third-order labels through an inductive process that we categorized as themes and organized in a conceptual model spanning intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural levels. HIV-related stigma undermined ART adherence by compromising general psychological processes, such as adaptive coping and social support. We also identified psychological processes specific to HIV-positive persons driven by predominant stigmatizing attitudes and which undermined adherence, such as internalized stigma and concealment. Adaptive coping and social support were critical determinants of participants' ability to overcome the structural and economic barriers associated with poverty in order to successfully adhere to ART. Among the 41 quantitative studies, 24 of 33 cross-sectional studies (71%) reported a positive finding between HIV stigma and ART non-adherence, while 6 of 7 longitudinal studies (86%) reported a null finding (Pearson's χ (2)=7.7; p=0.005).ConclusionsWe found that HIV-related stigma compromised participants' abilities to successfully adhere to ART. Interventions to reduce stigma should target multiple levels of influence (intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural) in order to have maximum effectiveness on improving ART adherence