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Abstract: Background: Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. An estimated 34 million people are living with HIV, according to UNAIDS estimates released early December 2011. This study determined the serostatus and frequency of ill health of HIV exposed infants in Ishaka Adventist hospital. Method: Study Design: The study design was descriptive cross sectional study to determine the serostatus and frequency of ill health among HIV exposed infants and the feeding options chosen by mothers. Study Population: The study focused on HIV exposed infants brought in the EID clinic from Bushenyi, Mitooma, Rubirizi, Sheema and Buhweju districts. According to the incharge EID clinic, the clinic gets about 10 patients per day and runs from Monday to Friday. The prevalence rate of HIV among mothers attending antenatal care in Bushenyi district is 7.2%. “Incharge EID clinic said” This gives a reflection of HIV exposed infants. The majority of people in Bushenyi district are small scale subsistence farmers, earning less than 1 dollar per day. The main cash crop is coffee and food crop is matooke. Other food crops include; Millet, cassava, potatoes, beans, groundnuts and peas. The animals kept mainly are; cows, goats, sheep and hens (District records 2014). Sampling Procedure: To determine the prevalence of HIV, a systematic random sampling method using EID numbers was used. To determine the feeding options and frequency of ill health, a ballot paper was used to determine the participants among the clients who attend to the clinic. Results: A total of 100 respondents were used. Majority of the mothers 51(51%) said PMTCT offers services like HIV counseling and Testing especially pregnant mothers for safe delivery after knowing your serostatus, 20 (20%) said it involves health education to pregnant mothers on safe motherhood, while minority 2(2%) said it involves breastfeeding, most of the mothers 80 (80%) had an idea about breast feeding options among mothers who are HIV positive, 4 (4%) were confused and16 (16%) did not know about any option. Majority of the mothers 55 (55%) said that ARV’s should be taken for PMTCT to be possible, 12(12%) said attending ANC and delivering in hospital, 17 (17 %) said feeding well, 2 (2%) said abstaining, and 2(2%) didn’t know. Keywords: PMTCT, Serostatus, HIV, Ishaka Adventist, Uganda. Download Full Article |
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Abstract: Four gut lactobacilli (Lactobacillus plantarum L5, Lactobacillus paracasei L81, Lactobacillus fermentum L 670 and Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum L.c.) were examined by particle agglutination assay (PAA) for their lectin-like binding activity after their cultivation on Rogosa agar and in MRS broth. Seven ECM (extracellular matrix) molecules (bovine mucin, porcine mucin, bovine fibronectin, porcine fibronectin, fetuin, bovine lactoferrin and heparin) were selected for this assay. Moreover, haemagglutination tests with pig, cattle, sheep, and hen erythrocytes were performed. However, none of the four Lactobacillus strains examined did react with any of the erythrocytes tested. The differences between individual strains were observed in their binding to immobilised ECM molecules. The best adherent were the Lactobacillus plantarum L5 and Lactobacillus paracasei L81, however, the other two strains showed also good ECM binding of some ECM proteins. With regard to an influence of cultivation medium on lectin-like binding activity, binding of all ECM molecules was expressed in Lactobacillus paracasei L81 to significantly higher degree after cultivation on Rogosa agar than in MRS broth. Similarly, strains Lactobacillus fermentum L670 and Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum L.c. displayed significantly higher binding of fibronectin and mucin after growth on Rogosa agar in comparison with MRS broth cultivation. The influence of cultivation medium on fetuin binding by Lactobacillus fermentum L670 was also not significant while Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum L.c. bound fetuin significantly better after growth on Rogosa agar. Heparin pretreatment increased the binding of the ECM molecules by the Lactobacillus fermentum L 670 strain significantly with the exception of porcine fibronectin when the strain was cultivated in MRS broth. Similar positive effect of heparin was observed also in the other three lactobacilli. This result is important especially in the connection with the observations that heparin decreased ECM binding of enteropathogens as staphylococci or clinical enterococcal isolates. Following up on some earlier strain characteristics, these results confirm that the selected lactobacilli are suitable for probiotic purposes. Keywords: Lactobacillus, ECM proteins, extracellular matrix, collagen, fibronectin, albumin, vitronectin, lactoferrin, fetuin, mucin, probiotic use. Download Full Article |
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Abstract: Mulberry (Morus alba) fruit is abundant nutrients and phytochemicals, especially anthocyanins. Mulberries have anti-oxidant and anti-hyperlipidaemic effects both in vitroand animal models. However, the effect of mulberry fruits on lipid profiles in human is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mulberry fruit consumption on lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic subjects. This study is an experimental study, with a randomized controlled trial. Fifty-eight hypercholesterolemic subjects (aged 30-60 years) were recruited. The intervention group received freeze-dried mulberry 45 g (325 mg anthocyanins) per day for six weeks. The control group had their usual dietary intake for the same period of time. After six weeks, mulberry consumption significantly decreased the level of total cholesterol (TC) (- 3.73 % vs. 3.33 %, p < 0.001) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (- 6.53 % vs. 0.15 %, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. No change in triacylglycerol (TAG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Mulberry consumption ameliorates TC and LDL-C concentrations. The mulberry fruits may be an alternative therapy for hypercholesterolemia patients and a cardiovascular disease protective for people in general. Keywords: |
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Abstract: Although cereals and pseudocereals are deficient in some basic components, fermentation process is the most economical and simple way, how to improve nutritional value, functional qualities and sensory properties of the final products. In our study, we focused on the evaluation of amaranth flour for preparation of new probiotic functional foods suitable for celiac patients. That is why the growth dynamics of several Lactobacillus sp. in amaranth mashes were evaluated. All the monitored strains showed sufficient growth in mashes (growth rates of lactobacilli ranged from 0.73 to 1.52 h-1). Based on the rates, only Lb. rhamnosus VT1 was able to grow with the values higher than 1.38 h-1 in both milk and water based mashes. In the second part of our study, we described behaviour of Lb. rhamnosus GG in amaranth water- or milk- based mashes after 8 h of co-cultivation with Fresco DVS 1010 culture (37 ± 1 °C, 5 % CO2). Final counts after the fermentation reached values 108 CFU.ml-1 and no decrease was recorded during 2-week storage period at 6 ± 1 °C. Thus we may conclude that densities of lactobacilli were able to maintain above the limit of >106 CFU.ml-1 essential from the legislation point of view. Keywords: |
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Abstract: The free radicals and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to induce oxidative stress and it has been implicated in the pathology of cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory conditions, cancer and ageing. The activities associated with ROS can bedelayed, prevented or removedby antioxidant compounds (natural or synthetic). The use of synthetic antioxidants restricted because of their known side effects such as liver damage and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study to evaluate in vitro antioxidant and acute oral toxicity of Terminalia arjuna extracts. The present finding reveals that the purified fraction at100 µg/ml, showed maximum (91.32 ± 0.10 %,) DPPH radical scavenging effect in comparison with standard ascorbic acid (79.46 ± 0.10%) at the 10 µg/ml concentration. The reducing power of the purified extract was found to be dose dependent. Food and water intake of the animals in test and control groups was found normal during the 14 day acute oral toxicity studies and no apparent changes were observed in the internal organs of both, the test and control groups, after gross necropsy. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the crude acetone extract revealed dominant presence steroids, terpenoids, polyphenols, alkaloids and tannins. TLC profile of the purified fraction revealed a single band of Rf 0.38, a characteristic feature of triterpenoids. The UV absorption maximum of the purified fraction was recorded at 194nm. The FT-IR spectrum indicated presence of aromatic rings 3421 (COOH), 2957 (alkanes, CH2 and CH3), 1726 (carbonyl), 1599 (carboxylic acid), and region between 1000-1300 stretching of C-O, ester and ether carboxylic group. Thus, the isolated bioactive phytoconstituents form the bark extract of Terminalia arjuna could be used as natural anti-oxidants.. Keywords: |