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This study evaluated handgrip strength (HGS), circulating homocysteine levels and related factors in postmenopausal women. This study is a sub-analysis of a prospective cohort of 303 postmenopausal women aged 62.7 ± 6.9 years who had HGS measures with a digital dynamometer as the primary outcome, and plasma homocysteine and creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measures as the secondary outcomes. The average HGS was 22.5 ± 4.0 kg, 29.4% of women had dynapenia (HGS < 20 kg), adiposity was 40.3 ± 5.4% and 9.57% of women had hyperhomocysteinemia (homocysteine >15 μmol/l). There were no differences between tertiles of homocysteine and HGS (p = 0.641). Plasma homocysteine levels were unrelated to HGS (r = −0.06) and correlated with age (r = 0.17), GFR (r = −0.28) and creatinine (r = 0.23). Hyperhomocysteinemia was not associated with HGS (odds ratio [OR] = 0.98 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89; 1.08]) or dynapenia (OR = 1.10 [95% CI: 0.45; 2.47]). The risk of presenting low HGS were not significantly associated with homocysteine (OR = −0.08 [95% CI: −0.21; 0.06]) and were associated with age (OR = −0.23 [95% CI: −0.29; −0.17]), adiposity (OR = −6.52 [95% CI: −9.53; −3.50]) and creatinine (OR = 6.22 [95% CI: 2.48; 9.97]). HGS and dynapenia were unrelated to hyperhomocysteinemia. Age, GFR and creatinine were significantly associated with plasma homocysteine levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between homocysteine (Hcy) levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. The present, cross-sectional study included 760 postmenopausal women. The following variables were recorded: age, age at menopause, body mass index (BMI), BMD (measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DXA] scanning and expressed as lumbar, femoral neck and total hip T-scores), smoking status, biochemical parameters (Hcy, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and parathormone levels) and vitamin D supplementation. The mean age of the sample population was 56.4 ± 5.77 years and the mean age at menopause was 49.9 ± 3.62 years. The mean BMI was 25.2 ± 4.49 kg/m2. In the current study, a comparison of the subjects with osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal BMD revealed that the subjects in the low BMD group were significantly older (p < 0.001), had a lower age at menopause (p < 0.001) and had lower BMI (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference among the groups with regard to the plasma levels of Hcy (p = 0.946). The levels of Hcy were positively correlated to the creatinine levels (r = 0.21). The present study did not observe any significant correlations between the Hcy levels and other parameters. In the present study, 15.3% of the subjects had hyperhomocysteinemia and 62.11% had low BMD. The current results obtained from a group of postmenopausal women suggest that the plasma levels of Hcy are not related to BMD in the lumbar spine (L1–L4), femoral neck and total hip. In the current study, age, age at menopause and low BMI were observed to be associated with low BMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: To evaluate the beneficial effects of green plantain-based diet on stool volume, frequency and weight gain as compared with a traditional yogurt-based diet in children with persistent diarrhea.Methods: In a prospective, in-hospital controlled trial, two different treatments were administered to a sample of 80 children of both sexes, with ages ranging from 1 to 28 months, who had experienced >or= 14 days of persistent diarrhea. The sample was divided into two groups of isocaloric (100 kcal/kg/d) diets: experimental and control, of 40 patients each. The experimental group was randomly given a-week treatment consisting of a 50 g/L of cooked green plantain-based diet. The control group was fed on a yogurt-based diet.Results: Both groups were not statistically different at admission. Pathogens were isolated from stools in 21.2% and 25% of patients in the experimental and control groups respectively; Aeromonas hydrophilia and Shigela flexneri were the most frequently found bacteria. The experimental group fed on a green plantain diet had a significantly better response in: diminishing stool output and consistency (p < 0.002), stool weight, diarrhea duration (p < 0.001), and increasing daily body weight gain (p < 0.001) than the yogurt-based diet group. The average duration of diarrhea in the plantain-based diet group was 18 hours shorter (p < 0.005) and it also had lower cost (p < 0.005).Conclusion: Our results support the benefits of green plantain in the dietary management of persistent diarrhea in hospitalized children, in relation to diarrheal duration, weight gain and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complexes of vanadium(IV) with aminopolycarboxylic acids, nitrilotriacetic (NTA), nitrilodiaceticpropionic (NDAP), nitrilodipropionicacetic (NDPA), and nitrilotripropionic (NTP) acids were studied by electromotrice force measurements [emf(H)] in 3.0 M KCl ionic medium at 25°C. Data analysis using the least-squares program LETAGROP, according to the general reaction p H+ + q VO2+ + r C3- ⇆ Hp(VO)qCrp+2q-3r, indicates that the following complexes are formed (H3C ligands): NTA ([VOC]- and [OHVOC]2-); NDAP ([VOC]- and [OHVOC]2-); NDPA ([VOC]- and [OHVOC]2-); and NTP ([H2VOC]+, HVOC, [VOC]-, and [OHVOC]2-). The following order of coordination capacity NTA > NDAP > NDPA > NTP is suggested, based on values of stability constants and is attributed to the increase in propionic groups in the sequence. The study confirms that five-membered ring chelates are the most stable for VIV, like CuII, NiII, lanthanides, and other heavier elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, different impinging jet configurations are studied by means of time-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations. In this technique, explicit algebraic Reynolds stress models and both nonlinear and linear eddy-viscosity models are explored jointly with k - ε and k - ω platforms. The main object of this work is to study numerical performance and accuracy of models when they are used in the simulation of both plane and round impinging jets. With this purpose, results from numerical simulations, using different models, are compared among them and with experimental data available in the literature. Comparisons are performed in terms of mean and fluctuating velocities and global parameters, i.e., the local Nusselt number. A verification procedure is applied in order to ensure the credibility of the numerical solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful applications of different analytical procedures to determine quantitatively mercury in aqueous media can be found in recent literature. Fundamentally it has made use of Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS), X-Ray Fluorescence or UV Spectrophotometry, Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), which are the techniques commonly used for trace measurement of heavy metal in the laboratory. In this paper a new and alternative methodology to determine quantitatively mercury in aqueous media is reported. A kryptofix carbon-paste electrode has been used to determine voltammetrically mercury. The detection limit for mercury was evaluated to be 0.12 µg/l. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solid Sonogel-Carbon electrode was modified for the determination of Hg (II) in industrial waste water. 3-Methylthiophene (3MT), pyrrol, poly-3-methylthiophene (P3MT), polypyrrol, and C18 were used for the chemical modification. The obtained composite electrodes were tested for their response to Hg(II); the best results were observed for the 3MT monomer modification with a detection limit of 10 -2 mg · l -1 and 3 weeks lifetime of use. A linear relationship between anodic peak height and concentration inside the range of 0.07–0.42 mg · l -1 was obtained. A study of interferences due to other heavy metal is also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the synthesis and uses of phosphines containing phosphorus-nitrogen bonds. Potential properties in catalytic reactions as transition metal complexes; Kinetics of aminophosphines; Preparation of diphosphine ligands; Bond forming reactions; Control of molecular shape.

Bone metastasis infrequently appears as the first manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and in any case in most patients the primary tumour is detected a few months after its development. We report the case of a patient with alcoholic liver disease, increased levels of alpha-fetoprotein, and no evidence of hepatic lesion in the different imaging modalities, in whom metastasis of HCC was detected in the ribs, whereas the primary tumour was not diagnosed until 15 months later. We believe that all patients with increased levels of alpha-fetoprotein should be tested in an intensified search for HCC and possible metastases, given that hepatic lesions may not be detected until many months after the diagnosis of metastatic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the relationship between cognitive mode of functions, school grades, behavior problems, untidiness and impulsiveness. Significance of music when subjects were left ear dominants and right eye dominants; Comparison of grades; Significance of mean scores in religion and music.

The efficacy of using antecedent control procedures practice, multi sensory input and peer participa tion in facilitating orientation to person, place and time with two survivors of traumatic brain injuries were tested in two studies. In the first investigation, a 23 year old male was treated by presenting the orientation questions orally while being shown questions on written flashcards. Results suggest that correct responses to orientation questions only occurred when flashcards were coupled with oral questioning. The participant responded correctly to nearly 100 of all orientation questions within 2 weeks of initiating flashcards. In the second study, a 19 year old male was asked to respond in writing to 20 orientation questions in a small group. The group had a leader and 4 TBI patients. Following this, group members who correctly answered the orientation questions, took turns reading orientation questions and providing the correct responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]