Effects of exercise modalities on arterial stiffness and wave reflection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background and Objectives: Physical activity is associated with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. However, the effects of different exercise modalities on arterial stiffness are currently unclear. Our objectives were to investigate the effects of exercise modalities (aerobic, resistance or combined) on pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), and to determine whether the effects on these indices differed according to the participants' or exercise characteristics. Methods: We searched the Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases from inception until April 2014 for randomized controlled trials lasting ≥4 weeks investigating the effects of exercise modalities on PWV and AIx in adults aged ≥18 years. Results: Forty-two studies (1627 participants) were included in this analysis. Aerobic exercise improved both PWV (WMD: −0.63 m/s, 95% CI: −0.90, −0.35) and AIx (WMD:−2.63%, 95% CI: −5.25 to −0.02) significantly. Aerobic exercise training showed significantly greater reduction in brachial-ankle (WMD: −1.01 m/s, 95% CI: −1.57, −0.44) than in carotid-femoral (WMD: -0.39 m/s, 95% CI: −0.52, −0.27) PWV. Higher aerobic exercise intensity was associated with larger reductions in AIx (β: −1.55%, CI −3.09, 0.0001). In addition, aerobic exercise had a significantly larger effect in reducing PWV (WMD:−1.0 m/s, 95% CI: −1.43, −0.57) in participants with stiffer arteries (PWV ≥8 m/s). Resistance exercise had no effect on PWV and AIx. There was no significant effect of combined exercise on PWV and AIx. Conclusions: We conclude that aerobic exercise improved arterial stiffness significantly and that the effect was enhanced with higher aerobic exercise intensity and in participants with greater arterial stiffness at baseline. Trial Registration PROSPERO: Database registration: CRD42014009744,

Medium-term effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults

OBJECTIVES Dietary nitrate supplementation has been shown to lower blood pressure (BP) particularly in short-term clinical trials. Whether these effects are sustained in the long-term remains to be established. The objective was to conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that examined whether dietary nitrate supplementation for more than 1 week has beneficial effects on SBP and DBP. METHODS Electronic databases were searched from inception until May 2016. Specific inclusion criteria were duration at least 1 week, report of effects on SBP or DBP or both and comparison of inorganic nitrate or beetroot juice supplementation with placebo control groups. Random-effects models were used to calculate the pooled BP effect sizes. RESULTS Thirteen trials met eligibility criteria. The trials included a total of 325 participants with seven to 65 participants per study. The duration of each intervention ranged from 1 to 6 weeks. Ten trials assessed BP in resting clinic conditions, whereas 24-h ambulatory and daily home monitorings were used in six and three trials, respectively. Overall, dietary nitrate was associated with a significant decline in SBP [-4.1 mmHg (95% confidence interval: -6.1, -2.2); P < 0.001] and DBP [-2.0 mmHg (95% confidence interval: -3.0, -0.9); P < 0.001]. However, the effect was only significant when measured in resting clinical settings as no significant changes in BP were observed using 24-h ambulatory and daily home BP monitorings. CONCLUSION Positive effects of medium-term dietary nitrate supplementation on BP were only observed in clinical settings, which were not corroborated by more accurate methods such as 24-h ambulatory and daily home monitorings

Thelotomy in a dairy buffalo after ultrasonographic diagnosis

Teat stenosis was surgically treated by thelototomy and excision of fibrous stenosis following teat ultrasonography to determine the location and extent of the lesion in a dairy water buffal

The Effectiveness of Using Management Information Systems at Jordanian Public Universities in Improving the Institutional Performance as Perceived by Academic and Administrative Leaders

The Effectiveness of Using Management Information Systems at Jordanian Public Universities in Improving the Institutional Performance as Perceived by Academic and Administrative LeadersAbstract The purpose of this study is to identify the effectiveness of using management information systems at Jordanian public universities in improving the institutional performance and suggested developments as perceived by academic and administrative leaders.The study sample consisted of all academic and managerial leaders in public Jordanian universities (Yarmouk University, Jordanian University of Science and Technology, Al al-Bayt University), during the academic year 2009/2010, and numbered (n=223).The researchers prepared &amp; developed a questionnaire consisted of a tool consisted (31) items, the first focused on measuring the effectiveness of using management information systems, while the second tool focused on measuring the role of management information systems in improving institutional performance level. The findings of the study were: The effectiveness of using management information systems showed a high effectiveness on all domains, and on the tool as whole, except  "equipment, devices and tools used in the MIS system", domain, which showed an average effectiveness. The role of management information systems in improving institutional performance level in administrative units showed a high degree on all domains, and on the tool as whole. The domain "institutional effectiveness and efficiency", was listed at the top.The most important proposals for developing management information systems, were as follows:1. Activating the role of Internet &amp; E-Mail, as appropriate and effective instruments for transporting, exchanging, and contributing information between administrative departments and units at universities.2. Creating a mechanism, to facilitate and accelerate the access of academic and administrative leaders for databases, so as to obtain or inquire about any important information directly in workplace.key Words: Management Information Systems, Institutional Performance, Public Jordanian Universities, Academic and Managerial Leaders

Uticaj načina ostvarivanja veze između ojačanja i matrice u kompozitu na bazi akrilata i čestica aluminijum-oksida na adheziona i mehanička svojstva kompozita

Production engineering is a combination of manufacturing technology, engineering sciences. A production engineer typically has a wide knowledge of engineering practices and is aware of challenges related to production. In addition to this the materials science combines the properties, production methods and structure of materials and creates the matrix of knowledge that enables the successful design of a material. This thesis was oriented to synthesis and characterisation of a polymer matrix composite using specific ceramic particles...Proizvodno mašinstvo je kombinacija proizvodne tehnologije i injženerskih nauka. Proizvodni inženjer obično ima široko znanje o inženjerskim praksama i svestan je izazova vezanih za proizvodnju. Pored ovoga, nauka o materijalima kombinuje svojstva, načine pripreme i strukturu materijala i stvara matricu znanja koja omogućava uspešno oblikovanje materijala. Ova doktorska disertacija bila je orijentisana na sintezu i karakterizaciju polimerno matričnog kompozita korišćenjem specifičnih keramičkih čestica

Ageing, inorganic nitrate and vitamin C : effects on markers of cardiovascular risk

PhD ThesisThe first stage of atherosclerosis is endothelial dysfunction (ED) which occurs at sites where the endothelial cell layer is exposed to injury or stress. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule secreted by the endothelium which regulates function of this vascular barrier. Reduced NO availability is a hallmark of ED. In contrast, inorganic nitrate and vitamin C may boost NO availability. Data synthesis from 14 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated that supplementation with inorganic nitrate or beetroot (a rich source of nitrate) improved flow mediated dilation (FMD) significantly. However, the improvement in FMD tended to be smaller in older, overweight/obese participants and in those with underlying cardio-metabolic disease. An umbrella review of 10 meta-analyses revealed weak evidence for an overall effect of vitamin C supplementation on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk but subgroup and meta-regression analyses indicated significant benefits in participants with advanced age, higher BMI, lower vitamin C intake and higher CVD risk. In the first crossover RCT, I tested the effects of a single dose of inorganic nitrate on markers of vascular function (skin microvascular blood flow and circulatory biomarkers) in younger and older obese individuals subjected to acute hyperglycaemia. Inorganic nitrate supplementation produced greater improvements in biomarkers of inflammation (interleukin-6) and oxidative stress (3-nitrotyrosine) in older compared with younger participants. Conversely, greater improvement in biomarkers of endothelial function (P- and E-selectin) was observed in younger rather than older participants. In the second RCT, younger and older non-obese participants were supplemented with inorganic nitrate and vitamin C in a 2x2 factorial design. I found that the administration of inorganic nitrate and vitamin C, individually or combined, significantly improved blood pressure (BP), arterial stiffness and heart rate variability (HRV) indices in older participants. Moreover, inorganic nitrate significantly modified the effects of vitamin C on diastolic BP and HRV in younger participants. Finally, inorganic nitrate and vitamin C co-supplementation yielded synergistic effects on arterial stiffness, HRV indices and circulatory biomarkers. In conclusion, age, obesity and metabolic disorders modify the cardiovascular effects of inorganic nitrate and vitamin C.Iraqi governmen

Tomato and lycopene supplementation and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aims Epidemiological evidence suggests an association between consumption of tomato products or lycopene and lower risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Our aim was to evaluate the state of the evidence from intervention trials on the effect of consuming tomato products and lycopene on markers of cardiovascular (CV) function. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of supplementing tomato and lycopene on CV risk factors. Methods Three databases including Medline, Web of science, and Scopus were searched from inception to August 2016. Inclusion criteria were: intervention randomised controlled trials reporting effects of tomato products and lycopene supplementation on CV risk factors among adult subjects >18 years of age. The outcomes of interest included blood lipids (total-, HDL-, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, oxidised-LDL), endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV)) and blood pressure (BP) inflammatory factors (CRP, IL-6) and adhesion molecules (ICAM-1). Random-effects models were used to determine the pooled effect sizes. Results Out of 1189 publications identified, 21 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were meta-analysed. Overall, interventions supplementing tomato were associated with significant reductions in LDL-cholesterol (−0.22 mmol/L; p = 0.006), IL-6 (standardised mean difference −0.25; p = 0.03), and improvements in FMD (2.53%; p = 0.01); while lycopene supplementation reduced Systolic-BP (−5.66 mmHg; p = 0.002). No other outcome was significantly affected by these interventions. Conclusions The available evidence on the effects of tomato products and lycopene supplementation on CV risk factors supports the view that increasing the intake of these has positive effects on blood lipids, blood pressure and endothelial function. These results support the development of promising individualised nutritional strategies involving tomatoes to tackle CVD

Improvement of Moisture Susceptibility for Asphalt Mixture with Ceramic Fiber

Moisture damage is one of the most significant troubles that destroy asphaltic pavement and reduces road serviceability. Recently, academics have noticed a trend to utilize fibers to enhance the efficiency of asphalt pavement. This research explores the effect of low-cost ceramic fiber, which has high tensile strength and a very high thermal insulation coefficient, on the asphalt mixture's characteristics by adding three different proportions (0.75%, 1.5%, and 2.25%). The Marshall test and the Tensile Strength Ratio Test (TSR) were utilized to describe the impact of ceramic fiber on the characteristics of Marshall and the moisture susceptibility of the hot mix asphalt mixture. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis was used to investigate ceramic fibers' microscopic structure and clarify the mechanics of their improved behavior and their distribution within the asphalt concrete mixture. The results showed that the incorporation of ceramic fibers improved the Marshall properties and the asphalt mixture's susceptibility to moisture damage with an optimum fiber content equal to 1.5%, where Marshall stability increased by 39.04%, and the TSR increased by 11.06% at this content compared with the control asphalt mixture