BackgroundUnhealthy eating and lack of exercise during adolescence culminated into earlier onset and increasing burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide. Among urban Indian adolescents, prevalence of these risk factors of CVD seemed to be high, but data regarding their pattern and predictors was limited. To address this dearth of information, a survey was conducted among urban adolescent school-students in Kolkata, a highly populated metro city in eastern India.MethodsDuring January–June, 2014, 1755 students of 9th-grade were recruited through cluster (schools) random sampling. Informed consents from parents and assents from adolescents were collected. Information on socio-demographics, CVD-related knowledge and perception along with eating and exercise patterns were collected with an internally validated structured questionnaire. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed in SAS-9.3.2.ResultsAmong 1652 participants (response rate = 94.1%), about 44% had poor overall knowledge about CVD, 24% perceived themselves as overweight and 60% considered their general health as good. Only 18% perceived their future CVD-risk and 29% were engaged in regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise. While 55% skipped meals regularly, 90% frequently consumed street-foods and 54% demonstrated overall poor eating habits.Males were more likely to engage in moderate-to-vigorous exercise [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.40(95% confidence interval = 2.55–4.54)] while students of higher SES were less likely [AOR = 0.59(0.37–0.94)]. Males and those having good CVD-related knowledge were more likely to exercise at least 1 h/day [AOR = 7.77(4.61–13.07) and 2.90(1.46–5.78) respectively].Those who perceived their future CVD-risk, skipped meals more [2.04(1.28–3.25)] while Males skipped them less [AOR = 0.62(0.42–0.93)]. Subjects from middle class ate street-foods less frequently [AOR = 0.45(0.24–0.85)]. Relatively older students and those belonging to higher SES were less likely to demonstrate good eating habits [AOR = 0.70(0.56–0.89) and 0.23(0.11–0.47) respectively]. A large knowledge-practice gap was evident as students with good CVD-related knowledge were less likely to have good eating habits [AOR = 0.55(0.32–0.94)].ConclusionsCVD-related knowledge as well as eating and exercise habits were quite poor among adolescent school-students of Kolkata. Additionally, there was a large knowledge-practice gap. Multi-component educational interventions targeting behavioral betterment seemed necessary for these adolescents to improve their CVD-related knowledge, along with appropriate translation of knowledge into exercise and eating practices to minimize future risk of CVDs.
Galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) was extracted from Streptococcus thermophilus grown in deproteinized cheese whey. Cultural conditions optimum for maximum enzyme production were pH 7.0, 40°C, and 24 h. Proteose peptone (2.0%, wt/vol) and corn steep liquor (2.8%, wt/vol) were highly stimulatory, increasing the enzyme units available in their absence from 660 U/liter of medium to 18,200 and 10,000 U/liter of medium, respectively, in their presence. There was an insignificant increase in the production of enzyme in the presence of added inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus sources. Enzymatic hydrolysis for reduction of lactose content in aqueous solution and in skim milk was studied.
A p-galactosidase from Streptococcus thermophilus was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate and acetone fractionation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-SO. The purified enzyme preparation exhibited an optimum pH at 6.6-7.0 and an optimum temperature of 57°C. The enzyme was stable at pH 6.8-7.0. Km and Vmax for the enzyme, using ortho-nitrophenyl p-D-galactopyranoside as the substrate, were 0.25 mM and 83 pmoles/mg protein/min, respectively. It was strongly inhibited by Hg++, Ag+, and Cu++ as well as pchloro-mercuri benzoate. The enzyme had a molecular weight of about 6 x lo5 and was highly specific for fl-galactoside bonds.
The utility of formamide in the denaturation and renaturation of DNA has been examined. The melting temperature of duplex DNA is lowered by 0•6 o C per per cent formamide. The depression of melting temperature is independent of the GC content. Formamide also increases the width of the thermal transition. Upto 30%, it does not affect the rate of DNA reassociation.
Optimum conditions for beta-galactosidase production by K. fragilis were studied. Enzyme production has a maximum after 8-12 h of incubation. Composition of whey (from different sources) did not affect enzyme production. Different heart treatments also had no effect. Whey reconstituted to 8-12% total solids and adjusted to pH 4.0 afforded maximum enzyme production. Whereas inorganic nitrogen sources (specially ammonium salts) only slightly stimulated enzyme production, organic nitrogen sources (specially partially digested proteins) provided a nearly four-fold increase in enzyme production. Yeast extract and beef extract and industrial by-products like corn-steep liquor significantly stimulated enzyme production. Manganese and magnesium salts had a very little stimulation effect.
Background: Safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of BMS-986166, a novel sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 modulator, were assessed. Research design and methods: Two double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase l studies were conducted in healthy participants. In the single ascending dose study (N = 70), BMS-986166 was administered as a single dose, upwardly titrated daily doses or a single dose in participants who were fed, fasted or administered famotidine. In the multiple ascending dose study (N = 32), BMS-986166 was administered daily for 28 days. Safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (absolute lymphocyte count [ALC]) were assessed. Results: BMS-986166 was generally well tolerated; treatment-related adverse events were mild. Doserelated, clinically insignificant reductions in time-matched heart rate were recorded versus placebo. Pharmacokinetics were linear and stationary with approximately dose-related increases in blood exposure of BMS-986166. Decreases in ALC percent change from baseline with multiple doses of BMS-986166 versus placebo were dose-related. Between Day 0 and 35, median nadir lymphocyte reductions were 53.7%, 75.9% and 81.9% with 0.25-, 0.75-and 1.5-mg BMS-986166 doses. ALC recovery began 14, 14-21 and 7 days after last dose of 0.25, 0.75 and 1.5 mg. Conclusions: BMS-986166 was generally well tolerated in this population and warrants further investigation.
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