As the financial landscape for consumers becomes increasingly complex,the importance of facilitating financial capability increases. Although most financial decisions are made by adults, there is a burgeoning interest in providing financial education to children in the hope that they will develop the skills needed to successfully manage their financesin adulthood. This study uses an experiment…
The fresh food industry is increasingly more interested in developing efficient and innovative solutions to guarantee quality and distribution sustainability; one of the main factors that influences such crucial aspects is packaging. This paper aims to perform a critical analysis of two existing packaging solutions, i.e. corrugated fibreboard boxes and re-usable plastic containers, from both…
The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, precipitated by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the northeastern coast of Japan in March 2011, has raised concerns about the potential impact to marine biota posed by the release of radioactive water and radionuclide particles into the environment. The Fukushima accident is the only major nuclear accident that has resu…
Abstract: The effects of culinary practices such as boiling, frying, and grilling on the proximate compositions and concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Hg) in commonly consumed fish species from the Nigerian coastal waters were investigated. The selected fish species were Polydactylus quadratifilis, Chrysicthys nigrodigitatus and Cynoglossus senegalensis. The culinary…
The possibility of processing a ready-to-eat nutrient-rich weaning food (WF) for infants within the age group of 0.5–0.9 years from cooking banana fortified with popular and affordable legumes (cowpea and peanut) was investigated with the aid of computer software and available technology in Nigeria. A composite of 47% cowpea, 40% ripe banana, and 13% peanut was processed, analyzed to compare …
Hemodialysis therapy significantly impacts on patients’ physical, psychological, and social performances.Such reduced quality of life depends on several factors, such as malnutrition, depression, and metabolic derangements. This study aims to evaluate the current nutritional status, quality of life and depressive symptoms, and determine the possible relationships with other risk factors for …
Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the user experience of young people with video content accessed through different technological artefacts. Design/methodology/approach – To this purpose, an essay has been assigned to the pupils of two lower secondary school classes (mean age 12 years) to know their diverse types of usage of multimedia content in their everyday lives. These composit…
Aim: To investigate the indications and effectiveness of ovarian transposition before pelvic irradiation. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patients with malignancies who underwent ovarian transpositionbefore pelvic irradiation. The collected data included age of patient, type and stage of cancer, details of irradiation treatment, and clinical and biochemical parameters of ovaria…
Purpose – The aim of the paper is to present the experience of New Bulgarian University (NBU) and the methodology followed for changing its educational programmes and developing new ones according to the labour market needs. Design/methodology/approach – Initially, the paper focuses on the need for adapting curricula for meeting the labour market demands for information and communication t…
Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessel generation and under pathological conditions, lead to tumor development, progression, and metastasis. Many bioactive components have been studied for its antiangiogenic properties as a preventive strategy against tumor development. This study is focused on the effects of cinnamon extract in modulating the pathway involved in angiogenesis. Human um…
Nutritional properties of fufu analog produced from co-processing of cassava and cocoyam were studied. Cassava and cocoyam were fermented for 72 h, dried to obtain fufu flour. Proximate, functional, minerals, antinutritional factor, pasting properties, and sensory evaluation of various samples were determined. The results revealed that the moisture contents of the samples showed significant dif…
The main objective of the research is to develop a recipe of instant dry soup mix for easy preparationof ogbono soup. Instant ogbono mix powder was processed using common locally ingredients.Dika kernel powder, dried ugwu leaf, crayfi sh, stock fi sh, and a mixture of locust bean, onion, seasoning and Cameroon powder were formulated at different ratios to fi nd the best acceptable ogbono mix po…
Physicochemical properties of gari analog produced from coprocessing of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) were investigated. Cassava tuber and cocoyam were coprocessed at different percentages before frying separately. Proximate composition, mineral content, antinutritional factors, and sensory evaluation of various samples were determined. The results showed …
The effect of gamma irradiation at various doses (5, 10, 15, 20 kGy) was observed on pigeon pea flour stored for 3 months on proximate composition, functional properties, and peroxide value. Sensory evaluation was also carried out on bean cake (moinmoin) made from nonirradiated and irradiated pigeon pea flour. The results showed that stored gamma-irradiated samples had significantly lower (P < …
Abstract: Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a disease that can lead to acute kidney injury and often to other serious sequelae, including death. The disease is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury. In view of the different courses of HUS, a minimum of three different pathogenetic types leading to HUS can be subdivided as follows: HUS cau…
This article examines the health and height of men born in England andWales in the1890s who enlisted in the army at the time of the FirstWorldWar, using a sample of recruits from the army service records. These are linked to their childhood circumstances as observed in the 1901 census. Econometric results indicate that height on Onlistment was positively related to socio-economic class, and neg…
In this article, the novel inventive steps for the extraction and quantification of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) from Acanthaster planci starfish, generally known as crown-of-thorns (COT), are reported. Starfish have been implicated with collagenous distributions within their body anatomy, thus making it a prima facie fact searching for the possibility that GAGs can be isolated from COT. In…
Abstract BACKGROUND:Animal blood is a large-volume by-product of the meat industry. Besides blood meal fertiliser, blood is marketed for humanconsumption as a supplement.Minimal comparativework on slaughterhouse animal blood fractions has been carried out. In this study, slaughterhouse deer, sheep, pig and cattle blood parameters were compared. Some blood constituents were determined. Fraction…
The quality of minced kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris caspia) with gum arabic encapsulated (0.3% and 0.5% w/w) and unencapsulated fennel extract (FE) (0.3% and 0.5% w/w) stored at 4°C was examined over a storage period of 15 days. The control and the treated fish samples were analyzed periodically for microbiological (total viable count [TVC] and total psychrotrophic count [TPC]) and chemical…
Accurate and specific analysis of target molecules in complex biological matrices remains a significant challenge, especially when ultra-trace detection limits are required. Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry is often the method of choice for bioanalysis. Conventional sample preparation and clean-up methods prior to the analysis of biological fluids such as liquid–liquid extracti…
Abstract: Ferulago angulata subsp. carduchorum (Apiaceae) is a shrub indigenous to western Iran, Turkey and Iraq. In traditionalmedicine, F. angulata is recommended for treating digestive pains, haemorrhoids, snake bites, ulcers and as a sedative. The present study analysed the possible anxiolytic, antidepressant and antioxidant properties of F. angulata essential oil in a scopolamine-induced r…
Abstract: A main rationale of performance information is to empower citizens to make informed decisions by presentingthem with unambiguous information about the performance of institutions. However, even objective, clear,and unambiguous performance information is subject to biased interpretation depending on whether the information is consistent with the prior beliefs held by those who receive …
BACKGROUND: Seedling roots of anthocyanin-rich corn (Zea mays) cultivars contain high levels of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity. The development of a natural dietary supplement containing corn roots could provide the means to improve the restrictive diet of phenylketonuria (PKU) patients by increasing their tolerance to dietary phenylalanine (Phe). Therefore this research was undert…
1. Aquatic oligochaetes appear to be pre-adapted to live in the subterranean environment. However, in the absence of genuine troglomorphic characters, the stygobiotic status of groundwater oligochaetes can currently be inferred only from their exclusive presence in the subterranean environment. 2. Aquatic oligochaetes constitute a diverse and mostly endemic fauna. Of the more than 100 spec…
Dementia is common in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and is associated with a higher mortality. Factors associated with dementia in HD patients are not clear.We investigated factors associated with early dementia in HD patients. Chronic HD patients of 27 hemodialysis centers were enrolled in 2013. Early dementia was identified using the AD8 assessment. Factors sociated with early dementia …
Recently the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the need to strengthen mental health systems following emergencies, including natural and manmade disasters. Mental health services need to be informed by culturally attuned evidence that is developed through research. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish rigorous ethical research practice to underpin the evidence-base for…
An analytical comparison for active chemical compounds and their antioxidant activities between three representative pigmented Thai rice cultivars was performed. It was revealed that the darkest purple-red cultivar (Kum Doi Musur, KDM) contained the highest total phenolic content of 1164.6 mg gallic acid equivalent per100 g (dry basis, db) and the highest total monomeric anthocyanin content of …
Aim: The molecular pathogenesis of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is unclear.Our aimwas to identify the genetic susceptibility forNOAin Japanese men by using a combination of transcriptome network analysis and SNPgenotyping. Material and Methods: We searched for candidate genes using RNA transcriptome network analysis of 2611 NOA-related genes that we had previously reported.We analyzed …
Aim: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcriptional regulator against oxidative stress through the induction of antioxidant and cytoprotective genes, such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), glutamyl cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC), and glutamyl cysteine ligase modulatory (GCLM). Nrf2 signaling is disrupted in pre-eclamptic placentas, although increased oxidative stress is…
Aim: To study the effect and relevant molecular mechanisms of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) on the proliferative activity of first trimester human trophoblasts in vitro. Materials and Methods: Extravillous cytotrophoblasts (EVCTs) were isolated and cultured. Cells were cultured with IGF2 at different concentrations and the proliferative activity was measured using methyl thiazolyl tret…
Aims: The present study aimed to evaluate the brain correlates of response inhibition among subjects with Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Methods: For this purpose, 15 men with IGD for at least 1 year, and 15 controls with no history of IGD were recruited to perform the Go/Nogo task under functional magnetic resonance imaging investigation. Prior to scanning, the subjects were assessed using…
For the purpose of SO2 reduction and stabilizing ice wine, a new antibacterial technique was developed and verified in order to reduce the content of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and simultaneously maintain protein stability during ice wine aging process. Hazardous bacterial strain (lactic acid bacteria, LAB) and protein stability of Italian Riesling ice wine were evaluated in terms of different amount…
Aim: To review and evaluate the efficacy of kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions (KT-TCMP) in hypoplastic uterus (HU) treatment. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure),WANFANG and VIP databases until 14 December 2013 independently with two investigators. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) involving KT-TCMP as …
Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the surgical and obstetric results of laparoscopy versus laparotomy in the management of ovarian cyst during pregnancy. Material and Methods: Sixty-nine eligible patients who met our criteria were randomly divided into the laparoscopy group (n = 33) and the laparotomy group (n = 36). The two groups were compared for their surgical and obstetric…
Food security is a global concern and substantial yield increases in crops are required to feed the growing world population. Mutagenesis is an important tool in crop improvement and is free of the regulatory restrictions imposed on genetically modified organisms. Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING), which combines traditional chemical mutagenesis with high‐throughput genome�…
Concern about climate change has led to policy to reduce CO2 emissions although it islikely that policy will have differential regional impacts. While regional impacts will be politically important, very little analysis of them has been carried out. This paper contributes to the analysis of this issue by building a small model involving two regions, incorporating the right to emit CO2 as a fact…
We used high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) to examine possible changes in the morphology of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and to investigate their influence on vascular calcification in uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). 36 uremic patients had cardiovascular diseases after MHD (MHD group1) and 30 uremic patients did not (MHD group 2), and 20 healthy volu…
(MPI) in small-for-gestational age (SGA) fetuses during 28–40 weeks of gestation. Material and Methods: Singleton pregnant women during 28–40 weeks of gestation were enrolled. Estimated metal weight was used to classify the subjects into appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) and SGA groups. The Doppler indices of umbilical and middle cerebral arteries, including amniotic fluid index, were …
The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) indicates the left ventricular size; however, the significance of the CTR in patients on maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD) remainds unclear. In this study, 335 PD patients were enrolled and demographic, biochemical, co-morbidity, and dialysisrelated data were obtained. The factors determining CTR were further analyzed.All patients were followed up for two year…
Vascular calcification is frequent in patients with chronic kidney disease. Osteoprotegerin (OPG, a soluble factor which blocks osteoclast differentiation) has recently been implicated in the genesis of vascular calcification. Given that OPG can bind the pro-apoptotic tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), we hypothesized that the TRAIL protein is involved in the forma…
Improving sanitation in developing countries is a key issue. New toilets must be clean and well maintained and must present a pleasant olfactory experience. Knowledge about toilet malodour is crucial to create pleasant perfumes for toilets. To identify the key constituents of toilet malodour, we created synthetic reconstitutions based on our previous analytical work,and we performed sensory sur…
Aim: Most previous studies on the relationship between occupational burnout and the quality of care among nurses have used self-reported data on the quality of care from nurses, thus rendering evaluating the relationship between burnout and the quality of care difficult. Hospitals increasingly hire contract nurses and high turnover rates remain a concern. Little is known about whether nurses’…
BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to determine the invitro anti-inflammatory and invivo antihypertensive effectsof fermented pepino (Solanum muricatum) milk byLactobacillus brevis with the goal of developing functional healthy products. The inflammatory factors effermented pepino milk withL. brevis were assessed in RAW 264.7 macrophages, including nitric oxide (NO) production. Infl…
Aim: The aim of this study was to compare alterations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and oxidative damage of mtDNA in clinically stable patients with bipolar I disorder (BD). Methods: Patients meeting DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for BD were Recruited from the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan.They were clinicall…
Purpose: When restoring facial defects, maxillofacial prosthodontists and anaplastologists are often limited by material deficiencies. Silicone elastomers bonded to a polyurethane liner best satisfy the functional and esthetic requirements necessary for facial prostheses; however, patients using silicone prostheses with polyurethane liners often experience varying degrees of debonding at the p…
A two-temperature agar diffusion bioassay is commonly used to quantify theconcentration of nisin using Micrococcus luteus as the indicator microorganism. A finite element computational model based on Fick’s second law of diffusionwas used to predict the radius of the inhibition zone in this diffusion bioassay.The model developed was used to calculate nisin concentration profiles as a function…
Human exposure to Hg through fish consumption from local waterways is an ongoing concern to regulatory decision makers. Previously described population exposure and bioaccumulation models were combined to analyze the impact of potential policies on susceptible populations. The combined model simulated the problem of Hg exposure by examining the system from the point of Hg in the water column to…
In order to develop a healthy low-fat frankfurter-type sausage, different formulations were developed with tilapia viscera surimi (T1) and two with mechanically separated tilapia meat (MSTM) surimi (T2 and T3), all without pig lard addition. Due to technological problems observed for T1 sausage during cooking, it was not further investigated. The functionality of the other two formulations was …
Cell-suspension cultures (Zea mays L.,Black Mexican sweet corn) habituated to 6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB) survive with reduced cellulose owing to hemicellulose network modification. We aimed to define the hemicellulose metabolism modifications in DCB-habituated maize cells showing a mild reduction in cellulose at different stages in the culture cycle. Using pulse-chase radiolabeling, we fed ha…
In this narrative review, we explore the history of tobacco smoking, its associations and portrayal of its use with luxury and glamour in the past, and intriguingly, its subsequent transformation into a mass consumption industrialized product encouraged by advertising and film. Then, we describe the next phase where tobacco in parts of the world has become an unwanted product. However, the numb…