Search results

Summarizes and discusses published data on the exposure to organochlorine pesticides (DDT, HCH isomers, HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF). Presents the levels of organochlorine compounds found in human blood serum (general population and occupationally exposed subjects) and human milk. Also presents the calculated intake of organochlorine compounds by breast‐fed infants and their mothers. Observes no marked difference between levels of organochlorine compounds in population groups from Croatia and those reported from most European countries.

October 25, 1973 Damages — Remoteness — Negligence — Master and servant — Injury to employee's leg caused by employer's admitted negligence — Subsequent medical treatment causing encephalitis — Injection of anti‐tetanus serum — Negligent method of injection not causative of illness — Plaintiff with allergy to serum used — Illness an unforeseeable consequence of foreseeable medical treatment — Whether employer liable.

This study aims to fabricate and investigate the tribological performance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based composite materials reinforced with 0.5, 1 and 2 weight percentage of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) while keeping the weight percentage of vitamin C constant at 2% for each composite.

In this paper, the composites were fabricated using hot pressing, and the dispersion of GNP/vitamin C/UHMWPE hybrid composite was investigated by X-ray diffraction. Experimental trials were performed according to ASTM F732 on a reciprocating sliding tribometer (pin-on-disc) at human body temperature of 37 ± 1 °C, for a load of 52 N, to assess the role of these fillers on the tribological properties of UHMWPE against Ti6Al4V counter body material under dry and lubricating (human serum) environment.

In this study, it has been observed that friction and wear behavior of the developed composites improve with increase in weight percentage of GNP, and human serum adheres to the surface of the composite pins upon sliding, resulting in the formation of a film, which results in better wear resistance of the composite pins under human serum lubrication than dry sliding. Scanning electron microscope was used to investigate the worn surface morphological examination of the composite materials. Specific wear rate of 0.76 × 10⁻⁷ mm³/Nm was attained for 2 Wt.% GNP-filled composite under human serum lubrication.

The results indicate the compatibility of the composite material used in this study and suggested the in vitro implant application.

The presented work includes novel study of synergistic effect of GNP (which acts as a solid lubricant) and vitamin C (added as an antioxidant) on the tribological performance of UHMWPE under dry and human serum lubrication.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of heating and pepsin hydrolysis on the allergenicity of purified cow’s milk ß-lactoglobulin using individual sera from Moroccan population.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in Hospitals of Fez-Meknes region, to evaluate specific IgE to raw cow milk, as well as to heated and pepsin-hydrolyzed β-lactoglobulin.

Results showed that 6.6 per cent of studied patients presented high values of serial IgE. The effect of treatments on the allergenicity of ß-lactoglobulin showed that heating at 90°C and pepsin hydrolysis, for 1 h each, showed an important decrease in the recognition of human IgE with a maximum of reduction of 81 and 91 per cent, respectively.

This reduction of immunoreactivity of human IgE to treated ß-lactoglobulin suggested that this Moroccan population recognized mostly conformational epitopes.

This paper aims to evaluate the protective potential of prickly pear cactus fresh cladodes (opuntia ficus indica (OFI)) on glycemic disorders, dyslipidemia, prooxidant/antioxidant stress biomarkers and reverse cholesterol transport (by evaluating the activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT)) and paraoxonase (PON1) in rats prematurely exposed to cafeteria diet (CD).

Sixteen young rats were divided into two groups fed CD containing 50 per cent of hyperlipidic diet (HLD) and 50 per cent of junk food mix supplemented or not with 50 g of fresh young cladodes of OFI to 100 g of CD, during 30 days.

OFI cladodes supplementation decreased significantly body weight (p < 0.001), food intake (p < 0.05), adipose tissue weight (p < 0.01), fasting glycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) and insulinemia (p < 0.001), levels of cholesterol (C) (p < 0.05) and triacylglycerols (TG) (p < 0.01) in serum and in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL-C p < 0.05 and VLDL-TG p < 0.01) and improves reverse cholesterol transport by increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesteryl-esters concentrations (p < 0.001) and by stimulating LCAT activity. Moreover, they attenuated lipid peroxidation in VLDL and low-density lipoproteins by increasing atheroprotective activity of PON-1 and in liver and adipose tissue by enhancing enzymatic antioxidant defence.

The young cladodes of OFI because of their antiobesity benefits could constitute a novel functional ingredient in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

Young cladodes of OFI in rat precociously submitted to a hyperlipidic diet/junk food (cafeteria model) seem to prevent metabolic disorders associated with obesity.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have become widespread pollutants and now represent a global contamination problem. The presence of POPs in human serum and adipose tissues have raised public concern regarding their possible role as important etiologic agents in the development of human cancer. This paper aims to investigate the extent of environmental contamination with pesticides and their association with women's risk of breast cancer.

Various stages of carcinogenesis (initiation, promotion, progression), causes and risk factors associated with breast cancer are delineated. A possible mechanism of xenoestrogen and its association with breast cancer incidences in women is included. Recommendations for reducing breast cancer risks in women are also given.

Epidemiological studies have revealed that persistent pesticide residues in human serum and adipose tissues may increase women's risk of breast cancer. Women are at a greater risk than men of pesticide exposure. The association between organochlorine compounds and breast cancer is a controversial issue and there exists an exigency to execute extensive worldwide epidemiological studies under identical conditions of detected compounds, blood sampling procedures and analytical techniques to achieve conclusive results.

Women's risk of breast cancer associated with pesticide residues could be subjugated by avoiding prolonged occupational exposures, adopting precautionary measures, and changing lifestyle and dietary habits.

The paper shows that restrictions on the application of POPs and the avoidance of prolonged occupational exposure would result in lower concentrations of POP in blood, serum and adipose tissue, thus minimising women's risk of breast cancer.

Piperidine side chain-functionalized N, N′-bissalicylidene phenylene di amine di-anion (salphen) consisting of salphen-Zn and salphen-Cu are able to intercalate with nucleic base stacking of DNA and can be applied as an optical DNA hybridization detector. Attaching DNA and salphen to glass surfaces has been done via coating the surface with the silane coupling agents containing 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane that was synthesized for acting as a high-affinity RNA carrier matrix. The Schiff base salphen-zinc (II) and salphen-Cu (II) complexes-labelled probe to target nucleic acid renders a colour change of the DNA biosensor to a green and red background colour for zinc and copper, respectively. This study aims to indicate that the DNA biosensor data with high efficiency is used for detection of dengue virus serotypes 2 (DENV-2) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) concentration via salphen-Zn (II) and salphen-Cu (II), respectively, in human samples.

¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR have been used via PerkinElmer LAMBDA 35 instrument. The authors also used a double beam spectrophotometer with (CH₃)4Si (TMS) as reference and dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent reference in pH = 7.0. Various DNA concentrations have been used for UV spectrophotometry at 300 nm and 400 nm for zinc and copper complexes, respectively. BRUKER mass spectra with DIONEX Ultimate 3000 LC model were used for all measurements. Mettler Teledo model (DSC882e) of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used for measure the melting temperature of metal zinc and copper complexes. The morphology of the silica Nano spheres (SiNs) were scanned by FESEM with Model JSM-6700F from Japan.

The Cu (II) and Zn (II)-salphen-viruses DNA system for CHIKV and DENV-2, respectively, in different concentration have been investigated via various spectroscopies (Figure 3). CHIKV and DENV-2 DNA were selected from human saliva and urine samples as models for conformations of human G4-DNA. By increasing the amounts of DNAs, and G4, the UV–Vis bands of located above 300 nm, experienced a hypochromic effect. The Cu2+ complex exhibits selectivity towards the G4, and there is a similar affinity for Zn²⁺ complex binds to the G4. These results collectively suggest that the Cu²⁺ complex is stronger than the Zn2+ complex. The authors have found copper (II) and zinc (II) compounds and nucleic acid-complexes are strongly fluorescent molecules in the low energy range, from the visible to the near-infrared. Since the fluorescent emission of Zn (II) and Cu (II) complexes are enhanced by the binding to nucleic acids upon visible light exposure when bound to DNA. These complexes are important as selective fluorescent probes for nucleic acids and to highlight their potential application. UV–vis spectroscopy is an accurate for finding the extent of ligand interaction with DNA and metallic complexes–DNA binding. Generally, the binding of intercalative compounds to DNA can be characterized through absorption spectral titrations, where lowering in absorbance (hypochromism) and shift to longer wavelengths (red shift) were observed in this work.

The serum samples have been provided as citrate and collected in tubes after blood is allowed to clot. Then, it has been separated by centrifugation, and the authors have kept serum refrigerated at 4°C or frozen at –20°C. It is notable; specimens have been confirmed by Centres for Disease Control (CDC)-Dengue Branch previously. For the work, these samples have been frozen previously, and the diagnostic practiced tests at the CDC-Dengue Branch have been validated in serum and plasma. Therefore, plasma separated in lavender or heparins are suitable and acceptable for serology testing.

Purpose of this study is to measure the Vitamin D status of healthy adults and to correlate with their lifestyle and feeding habits. Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is the most common marker of vitamin D status of an individual. Deficiency of vitamin D is defined as the serum level less than 20 ng/mL and insufficiency as 30 ng/mL which can be prevented.

Vitamin D status of healthy adults (n = 82), both male and females between the age of 18 – 50 years who were attending to the National Transport Authority, Kandy, Sri Lanka from February to March 2016, was measured and correlated with their lifestyle, feeding habits, etc.

The mean total serum D (25(OH)D in this study was 40.15 ± 3.74 nmol/l with the mean value of 42.8 ± 28.8 and 37.5 ± 16.6 for women and men, respectively. The serum calcium levels of both female and male were around 8 mg/dl and the serum total protein was 6.5 and 7 g/dl in women and men, respectively. The serum Vitamin D, calcium and total protein were not statistically significantly different between the sexes. In this study, 84 per cent of the total subjects were normocalcemic, and there was no significant relationship between vitamin D levels and their calcium levels.

This study demonstrates that there was no statistically significant correlation between the serum vitamin D with age, serum calcium or total proteins. The majority of participants who had exposure to the sunlight more than 30 mins/day had sufficient level of vitamin D and less than 30 min/day exposure had deficiency of vitamin D. Daily intake of multivitamin influenced vitamin D status of the study group.

These findings will implicate the importance of cultural, feed and social habits for the nutritional status of an individual.and there are no reported studies on vitamin D status with reference to the variation of life style.

It is very important to investigate the factors affecting to the vitamin D status of a population as such, vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency can be prevented. In Sri Lanka, the population is consisting with many ethnic groups, different ethnic groups may find some nutritional problems according to their main cultural habits.

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the Vitamin D status in a group of healthy adults between 20 and 50 years in both men and women and to find out the correlation of their vitamin D status with their lifestyle and feeding habits, etc.

Fruits and vegetables (FVs) are a good source of substances that contributed to bone health. However, the relation of FVs consumption with inflammation and bone biomarkers is inconsistent. Thus, this paper aims to assess the association of FVs intake with inflammation and bone biomarkers in older adults.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 178 older adults in Tehran, with a mean age of 67.04. Biochemical measurements including serum osteocalcin, high sensitivity c-reactive protein, 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH) D, parathormone and urine terminal telopeptide of Type I collagen (u-CTx) was done. The intake of FVs was calculated using a validated quantitative food frequency questionnaire.

Pearson correlation coefficients showed a positive relation between serum osteocalcin and total vegetables (r = 0.167, p = 0.026), juices group (r = 0.155, p = 0.035), starchy vegetables (r = 0.205, p = 0.006) and other vegetable group (r = 0.161, p = 0.032) even after controlling of potential confounders. Analysis of covariance showed that total vegetable were significantly associated with serum osteocalcin (p = 0.041) and PTH levels (p = 0.028). Additionally, no evidence of a significant relationship between total fruit intake and test variables was observed. However, subgroup analyses demonstrated a significant association between citrus fruits and serum 25(OH) D (p = 0.017). A significant relation between starchy vegetable and urine CTx-I was reported (p = 0.016). Moreover, other vegetable subgroup was strongly associated with serum osteocalcin (p = 0.003).

The results of this paper may provide insight for clinical interventions and also important to make policy for prevention or easing bone disorders and general inflammation related to fruit and vegetable intake.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the content and some synthetic food colourants, total fats, nitrate and nitrite in both advertised foods (AF) and serum and urine samples of children (8 to 12 years) and their impact on childrens’ diet and health.

Analysis of the content of the AF was done by watching the three Egyptian children’s channels (ECC) for 38 hours. Amaranth, Indigo Carmine, Tartrazine, nitrate and nitrite were analysed in all AF and in serum and urine specimens of children. However, total fats were only analysed in the advertised processed meats and in the restaurant dishes. Lipid profile was also estimated in children.

The AF accounted for 46-54 per cent of the total advertisements presented. The advertised restaurant dishes were predominantly high in fats, 63 and 55 per cent in restaurant dishes and processed meats, respectively. Tartrazine was the only food colourant found in soft drinks and jelly powders measuring 0.2-15 µg/ml and 25-125 µg/g, respectively. The average levels of total nitrate and nitrite were higher than the acceptable daily intake of the Egyptian and WHO limits (125 mg/kg). Urinary Tartrazine and serum and urinary total nitrate and nitrite were significantly higher in the viewers’ children for the ECC and at borderline for lipid profile compared to non-viewers’ children.

The most harmful effect of these advertisements is the cumulative effect of AF that undermines progress towards a healthy diet for children. AF may expose children to non-communicable disease in the future.

The local policy context requires action to set clear rules for children’s food advertising and monitor processed meat products to tackle exceeded levels of nitrate and nitrite.

This is one of the first studies to analyse colourants, fats, nitrate and nitrite in AF and in the serum and urine of children. This research shows a large number of AF (1,112) in the ECC for 38 hours with statistically significant increase of Tartrazine, nitrate and nitrite in AF (p<0.0001) and in biological fluids (p<0.05).