1,721,036 research outputs found
The metabolic fate of dietary lipid in Human Immunodeficiency Virus : implications for the development of lipodystrophy
No full textDuring recent years, a HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome similar to Metabolic Syndrome X has been reported in HIV patients using highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). While the metabolic processes that appear to be dysregulated are similar to those of Metabolic Syndrome X (hyperlipidaemia and an altered insulin sensitivity), the changes appear to be more profound. While it is possible that HIV-associated lipodystrophy is related to the presence of infection plus genetic and environmental factors such as high saturated fat intakes, obesity, smoking and lack of exercise, there is a clear distinction between this and Metabolic Syndrome X as in HIV-associated lipodystrophy there is concurrent depot specific fat accumulation and fat wasting. This would suggest that use of HAART in HIV infection results in altered adipocyte metabolism. In order to investigate peripheral clearance and uptake of lipid from the circulation, stable isotope labelled fatty acids were given to healthy and HIV subjects with and without HAART and with lipodystrophy associated with specific drug combinations. The results suggest that while HIV infection is associated with delayed clearance of lipid from the circulation, the use of HAART exacerbates this process. In addition, it appears that while PI drugs may delay adipocyte clearance of triglyceride from the circulation, NRTI drugs may reduce adipocyte free fatty acid uptake. An audit of patients with more than six months exposure to HAART (n=545) showed that 25% of patients had elevated plasma lipid, 10% had elevated plasma glucose, but only 9% had both. While this data did not shown an association between specific drug classes and elevated plasma lipid or glucose, there was an association with the duration of therapy. Therefore, it is possible that HAART contributes to the development of HIV-lipodystrophy, but that the cause of this syndrome and the metabolic perturbations are multifactorial.</p
Salt Use Behaviours of Ghanaians and South Africans: A Comparative Study of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices
Full text linkSalt consumption is high in Africa and the continent also shares the greatest burden of hypertension. This study examines salt-related knowledge, attitude and self-reported behaviours (KAB) amongst adults from two African countries—Ghana and South Africa—which have distributed different public health messages related to salt. KAB was assessed in the multinational longitudinal World Health Organisation (WHO) study on global AGEing and adult health (WHO-SAGE) Wave 2 (2014–2015). Respondents were randomly selected across both countries—Ghana (n = 6746; mean age 58 years old; SD 17; 41% men; 31% hypertensive) and South Africa (n = 3776, mean age 54 years old; SD 17; 32% men; 45% hypertensive). South Africans were more likely than Ghanaians to add salt to food at the table (OR 4.80, CI 4.071–5.611, p < 0.001) but less likely to add salt to food during cooking (OR 0.16, CI 0.130–0.197, p < 0.001). South Africans were also less likely to take action to control their salt intake (OR 0.436, CI 0.379–0.488, p < 0.001). Considering the various salt reduction initiatives of South Africa that have been largely absent in Ghana, this study supports additional efforts to raise consumer awareness on discretionary salt use and behaviour change in both countries
Monitoring physical activity after a cardiovascular event: What is ‘fit’ for purpose?
No full textn the September issue of European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Lavie and colleagues discussed how physical activity across the lifespan is a cost-effective strategy that must be implemented globally to improve overall health, functional capability, longevity and quality of life.1 At the same time, they acknowledge the challenges with encouraging people to become and to remain physically active.
In addition to the known benefits of being and staying physically active and reducing sedentary time for disease prevention,2–4 physical activity is a critical component in the care and recovery of patients following a cardiovascular event, such as stroke.5,6 Exercise therapy can have positive effects on depressive symptoms, emotional well-being, cognition, executive functioning and memory, balance, mobility, bone health, walking ability, upper extremity muscle strength, functional capacity, the ability to perform activities of daily living, and quality of life.6,
Endogenous glycine and tyrosine production is maintained in adults consuming a marginal-protein diet
No full textBackground: The adequacy of indispensable amino acid supplies has received much attention in studies of protein requirements, but the availability of nitrogen for synthesis and maintenance of the supply of dispensable amino acids has been overlooked.Objective: We aimed to determine whether nitrogen balance and the endogenous supply of the dispensable amino acids glycine and tyrosine can be maintained with a marginal protein intake.Design: Phenylalanine, glycine, and tyrosine kinetics were measured in young adults (6 men, 6 women) on 4 occasions during a reduction in habitual protein intake (1.13 g·kg-1·d-1) to a marginal intake (0.75 g·kg-1·d-1) by using a multiple stable-isotope-infusion protocol.Results: During the 10-d period of marginal protein intake, nitrogen excretion fell initially, then remained constant such that nitrogen balance was negative for the first 2 d and then positive or zero thereafter. Whole-body protein degradation and synthesis predicted from phenylalanine kinetics declined significantly (P < 0.05) over the period of marginal protein intake. Despite the reduction in the amount of glycine and tyrosine derived from whole-body proteolysis, the fluxes of glycine and tyrosine were maintained.Conclusions: The results show that adaptation to a marginal intake of dietary protein consisted of an overall reduction in whole-body protein turnover, net protein catabolism, and the rate of nitrogen excretion. The conserved nitrogen was sufficient to maintain the endogenous synthesis and hence the supply of glycine and tyrosine
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Comparing a range of potassium-enriched low sodium salt substitutes to common salt: results of taste and visual tests in South African adults
No full textBackground and aims: Potassium-enriched low sodium salt substitutes (LSSS), which replace a proportion of sodium chloride (NaCl) with potassium chloride (KCl), have been shown to reduce blood pressure and offer a potential solution to address the high burden of hypertension in South Africa. However, it is unknown which proportions of KCl in LSSS are acceptable. We compared the taste and visual acceptability of various LSSS in South African adults.Methods and results: Fifty-six adults underwent double-blind taste and visual tests of four LSSS (35%KCl/65%NaCl; 50%KCl/50%NaCl; 66%KCl/34%NaCl; 100%KCl) in comparison to 100%NaCl (common salt). Participants scored each product by taste ranking, taste perception and likeliness to use. Participants then visually inspected the five products and attempted to identify which was which. Almost half (45 %) of participants ranked the taste of 50%KCl/50 %NaCl as fantastic or really good. Furthermore, 62 % of participants liked and would be happy to use the 50 %KCl/50 %NaCl or felt this tasted like common salt. Only 12 % rated the 100%KCl highly for taste, and over half reported being unlikely to use this. Most participants (57.3 % and 36.4 %) were able to visually identify 100%NaCl and 100%KCl, while identification of other blends was generally poor. Responses were similar for 35%KCl/65%NaCl and 66%KCl/34%NaCl throughout.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the taste of the 50%KCl salt substitute would be well tolerated by South African adults, most of which could not visually differentiate between this salt substitute and common salt
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
The paradox of improved antiretroviral therapy in HIV: potential for nutritional modulation?
No full textChronic infection with HIV type 1 is associated with alterations in macronutrient metabolism, specifically elevated plasma lipids, glucose and reduced insulin sensitivity. These alterations are most severe in patients at the later stages of AIDS, indicating a relationship with disease progression. Recently, a metabolic syndrome, termed lipodystrophy, has been described in successfully-treated HIV patients in whom the altered macronutrient metabolism of HIV infection appears to be amplified markedly, with concurrent alterations in adipose tissue patterning. This syndrome presents a paradox, as before the development of highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) the most severe perturbations in metabolism were observed in the sickest patients. Now, the patients that respond well to therapy are showing metabolic perturbations much greater than those seen before. The implications of this syndrome are that, whilst life expectancy may be increased by reducing viral load, there are concomitant increases in the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and pancreatitis within this patient population. The aetiology of the syndrome remains unclear. In a collaborative trial with the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London we have used stable-isotope-labelled fatty acids to examine the hypothesis that treatment with HAART causes a delayed clearance of dietary lipid from the circulation, resulting in the retention of lipid within plasma and the downstream changes in insulin and glucose homeostasis. This hypothesis would indicate a role for low-fat diets, exercise and drugs that reduce plasma lipid or insulin resistance, in modulating the response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV infection
- …
