The hyperglycemia and oxidative stress are factors strongly involved on development of many disorders that characterize the Diabetes Mellitus. It is known that some organic and inorganic selenium compounds are potent antioxidant agents and present similar activity to the insulin in the control of hyperglycemia. Base on these data, the present study evaluated the effect of the organoselenium compound, diphenyl diselenide, on the δ-ALA-D activity and biochemical parameters of diabetic type 1 rats, induced by alloxan. The animals were treated with 6 consecutives doses of diphenyl diselenide (10 mg/kg, s.c) administrated before (pretreatment) or after (post-treatment) diabetes induction. Diphenyl diselenide presented inhibitory effect per se on hepatic and renal δ-ALA-D activity. However, this effect was not verified on other tissues. Regarding aminotransaminases, there was no difference on aminotransaminases for both diphenyl diselenide pre and post treated rats at the first week of the induction. Besides, the results suggest that diphenyl diselenide seem to possess ability to regulate the levels of plasma glucose and serum fructosamine altered in diabetic animals. Thus, diphenyl diselenide was not effective in protecting δ-ALA-D inhibition verified in this dose and protocol. However, this compound seems to possess hepatic protector effect and property of reducing the hyperglycemia. Considering that diphenyl diselenide has a simple chemistry structure and it is easily prepared, new studies could be carried out to investigate other pharmacological properties as well the mechanisms involved in diphenyl diselenide effects. / A hiperglicemia e o estresse oxidativo são fatores fortemente envolvidos no desenvolvimento de muitos distúrbios que caracterizam o Diabetes Mellitus. Sabe-se que alguns compostos orgânicos e inorgânicos de selênio são potentes agentes antioxidantes e que determinados compostos inorgânicos de selênio apresentam atividade similar à insulina no controle da hiperglicemia. Baseando-se nesses dados, o presente estudo avaliou o efeito do composto orgânico de selênio, disseleneto de difenila, na atividade da enzima δ-ALA-D e em parâmetros bioquímicos de ratos diabéticos tipo 1, induzidos com aloxano. Os animais foram tratados com 6 doses consecutivas de disseleneto de difenila (10 mg/kg, s.c) administrado antes (pré-tratamento) ou após (pós-tratamento) à indução de Diabetes. O composto em questão apresentou atividade inibitória per se sobre a atividade da enzima δ-ALA-D hepática e renal dos animais pré e pós-tratados e sacrificados 14 dias após a indução. Em contrapartida não foi verificado efeito sobre os demais tecidos. Sobre a atividade hepática, o disseleneto de difenila manteve os níveis de aminotransferases comparáveis aos níveis do controle apenas na primeira semana da indução, tanto no pré quanto no pós-tratamento. Além disso, os resultados encontrados sugerem que o disseleneto de difenila parece possuir a habilidade de regular os níveis de glicose sanguínea e frutosamina sérica que estavam alteradas nos animais diabéticos. Desta maneira, o disseleneto de difenila não foi eficaz em proteger a inibição da atividade da enzima δ-ALA-D verificada nesta dose e protocolo testados, entretanto ele parece possuir atividade hepatoprotetora e propriedade redutora do estado de hiperglicemia. Assim novos estudos poderiam ser realizados para investigar outras propriedades do disseleneto de difenila e os mecanismos envolvidos nestes efeitos farmacológicos, levando também em consideração que o mesmo possui uma estrutura química relativamente simples, que de fato representaria uma vantagem econômica.

The activity of Delta-Aminolevulinate Dehydratase (d-ALA-D) was analyzed in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and primary hypothyroidism. Five groups of patients were studied: compensated diabetes mellitus, non-compensated diabetes mellitus, compensated hypothyroidism, non-compensated hypothyroidism and control group. The analysis of d-ALA-D in these groups showed the following results: the activity of d-ALA-D on non-compensated diabetes mellitus decreased comparing to the control group, to the compensated diabetes mellitus group. The activity of d-ALA-D on non-compensated hypothyroidism increased compared to the control group and also to non-compensated hypothyroidism. In vitro analyses of the drugs used by the patients suffering diabetes mellitus (metformin, chlorpropamide, glibenclamide, glimepiride) and the drug used by the patients suffering primary hypothyroidism (thyroxine) were fulfilled to verify some change in the activity of d-ALA-D, and the findings showed that there was not any changes on d-ALA-D activity. Metals may interfere in the action of d-ALA-D. Consequently,the quantity of metals (lead, zinc, copper) present in the patients blood was measured. One observed that the amount of those metals was not different, from a statistical, among the groups. Therefore, we can conclude that the activity of d-ALA-D increased in the group of non-compensated hipothyroidism and decreased in the non-compensated diabetes, and may be it could be related to the complications observed in such pathologies / A atividade da delta-aminolevulinato desidratase (d-ALA-D) foi analisada em pacientes com diabetes mellitus e pacientes com hipotireoidismo primário. Foram estudados cinco grupos de pacientes: diabetes mellitus compensado, diabetes mellitus descompensado, hipotireoidismo compensado, hipotireoidismo descompensado e grupo controle. A análise da d-ALA-D nesses grupos mostrou os seguintes resultados: a atividade da d-ALA-D nos pacientes com diabetes mellitus descompensados encontrava-se diminuída em relação ao grupo controle, ao grupo dos diabéticos compensados. Observamos que nos pacientes com hipotireoidismo descompensado, a atividade da d-ALA-D encontrava-se aumentada em relação ao controle e também em relação ao grupo dos hipotireoideos compensados. Foram realizadas análises in vitro das medicações utilizadas pelos pacientes diabéticos (metformina, glibenclamida, clorpropamida, glimepirida) e hipotireoideos (tiroxina), com o objetivo de verificar se havia alteração na atividade da d-ALA-D e como resultados obtivemos que as medicações não alteraram a atividade da referida enzima. Os metais podem interferir na atividade da d-ALA-D. Por isso foi medida a quantidade de metais (chumbo, zinco, cobre) presentes no sangue destes pacientes. Observamos que a quantidade dos referidos metais não foi diferente, do ponto de vista estatístico, entre os grupos. Desta forma, concluímos que a atividade da d-ALA-D estava aumentada no grupo de pacientes hipotireoideos descompensados e diminuída no dos diabéticos descompensados, podendo este fato ter relação com o desenvolvimento das complicações nestas doenças

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyse how highly educated people with physical and/or sensor disabilities (PwD) integrate in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. The approach was the experience of PwD. In stead of earlier single approach studies, the aim of the study was to identify factors, which are influencing on ICT field study place selection, and which are improving their employment and which factors push ahead them to carry on in the ICT field. One of the interviewees summarized: Don’t give the lead to others! In general, ICT-sector work has been seen as work that does not require physical capability from an employee, and usually the work is not physically demanding. Therefore, ICT sector work can be consireded to be suitable for PWD employees. This study was carried out by using a qualitative research method. It was an empirical study that took into account elements of social research. The empirical material was based on 21 semi-structured interviews involving eight women and thirteen men, and all of them had physical and/or sensor disability. The interviewees were offered the opportunity to share their experiences as freely as possible. The severity, age and work experience of the persons involved in the study varied widely. All of the interviewees were Finnish citizens and at the time of the study they lived in Finland, and all of the interviewees had been in ICT field or suited studies in tertiary level. They had also been working or they were working in the ICT sector during the interviews. The study showed that disability has a major impact on the choice of the place where ICT is studied. The interviewees were well aware of the constraints caused by their injuries. The interviewed persons had found workplaces easily in the ICT sector. However, a few interviewees mentioned that disability had had a negative impact on individual job search processes. The study also showed that people with disabilities are able to work independently in the ICT field and integrate into the work community. Nearly all of the interviewees had a long career in the work of their first employer and they had progressed well in the career. The results of the dissertation are to encourage young people with disabilities to acquire higher education and work life more actively than before, as well as their teachers and employers to pay more attention to competence and eligibility than to disability. The encouragement of family and individual teachers was also seen as a major factor in starting the university studies. During the research, it was also found that factors relevant to employment include the networks and know-how created during the studies. This study also challenges people responsible for recruiting in companies to evaluate their own values and attitudes towards different people. / Tiivistelmä Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli analysoida, kuinka korkeasti koulutetut fyysisesti vammaiset tai aistivammaiset henkilöt integroituvat tieto- ja viestintäteknologia-alalle (ICT). Näkökulmana oli vammaisten oma kokemus. Aikaisempien yhden näkökulman tutkimusten sijaan tämä tutkimus etsi tekijöitä, jotka vaikuttavat ICT-alan opiskelupaikan valintaan, edistävät vammaisten henkilöiden työllistymistä ja kannustavat heitä jatkamaan ICT-alalla. Yksi haastateltu tiivistikin asian osuvasti seuraavasti: Älä anna muille etumatkaa! Yleisesti ICT-alan työn ei nähdä vaativan fyysisiä ominaisuuksia, eikä työ ole yleensä ruumiillisesti raskasta. ICT-alan työn voidaan katsoa soveltuvan hyvin henkilöille, joilla on rajoitteita vammoistaan johtuen. Tutkimus toteutettiin kvalitatiivisella tutkimusmenetelmällä. Kyseessä oli empiirinen tutkimus, jossa otettiin huomioon sosiaalitutkimuksen elementtejä. Tutkimusaineisto perustui 21 semi-strukturoituun haastatteluun, joihon osallistui kahdeksan naista ja 13 miestä. Haastateltaville tarjottiin mahdollisuus kertoa kokemuksistaan mahdollisimman vapaasti. Tutkimukseen osallistuneiden henkilöiden vammojen vaikeusaste, ikä ja työkokemus vaihtelivat laajasti. Kaikki haastatellut olivat suomalaisia, ja he olivat opiskelleet ICT-alaa korkeakouluissa sekä työskennelleet tai työskentelivät tutkimuksen aikana ICT-alalla. Tutkimus osoitti, että vammaisuus vaikuttaa merkittävästi ICT-alan opiskelupaikan valintaan. Haastateltavat tunnistivat hyvin vammoistaan johtuvat rajoitteet. Haastatellut työllistyivät tutkimuksen perusteella hyvin ICT-alan työtehtäviin. Muutama haastateltava tosin mainitsi, että vammaisuus oli vaikuttanut negatiivisesti yksittäisissä työpaikkahakuprosesseissa. Tutkimus osoitti myös, että vammaiset henkilöt pystyvät työskentelemään ICT-alan työtehtävissä itsenäisesti, ja että he integroituvat työyhteisöön. Lähes kaikilla tutkimukseen osallistuneilla oli pitkä työura ensimmäisen työnantajansa palveluksessa, ja he olivat edenneet työuralla hyvin. Väitöskirjan tulosten toivotaan rohkaisevan vammaisia nuoria hakeutumaan korkeakouluopintoihin ja työelämään aikaisempaa aktiivisemmin sekä heidän opettajiaan ja työnantajiaan kiinnittämään enemmän huomiota osaamiseen ja kelpoisuuteen kuin vammaisuuteen. Perheen ja yksittäisten opettajien kannustus nähtiin tutkimuksessa myös korkeakouluopintojen aloittamisen kannalta merkittäväksi tekijäksi. Tutkimuksen yhteydessä havaittiin myös, että työllistymisen kannalta tärkeitä tekijöitä ovat opiskelujen aikana luodut verkostot ja osaaminen. Tämä tutkimus haastaa myös yrityksissä rekrytoinneista vastaavia henkilöitä arvioimaan omia arvojaan ja asenteitaan erilaisia ihmisiä kohtaan.

Pre-treatment with polyunsaturated fatty acids or bioactive lipid mediators has been shown to reduce neuronal injury in rodent models of focal ischaemia, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this neuroprotection are unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether systemic administration of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) leads to changes in the profile of mouse brain phospholipid and bioactive lipid mediators in both mouse brain and plasma within the previously determined neuroprotection time window. Mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) allowed us to detect and identify 47 phospholipids in mouse cerebral cortex, including several phospholipid species not previously reported in brain lipidomic studies. These included a phosphatidylethanolamine species with m/z 720 that has been associated with retinal stem cells. No widespread changes in cerebral cortex phospholipid composition were observed following intravenous ALA. Several significant changes in lipid mediators (P<0.05 with two-way ANOVA and post hoc Dunnett¿s t test) were detected in ALA-treated animals compared to untreated and vehicle-injected animals. Many of the affected lipid mediators are ligands for prostanoid receptors which have been demonstrated to play a role in the development of brain injury following cerebral ischaemia, implying that changes in bioactive lipid mediators or modulation of prostanoid receptors may occur following ALA pre-treatment in mice. This study illustrates the potential of advanced lipidomic analysis as a novel tool for neurochemists.

Flaxseed is an excellent source of bioactive compounds, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), which when added to food products enhance their functionality. However, when flaxseed is added to foods, overall acceptability and sensory properties can be affected, which may negatively affect the role of functional food in providing health benefits. This study was designed to determine the effects of adding milled flaxseeds (20g or 30g) and storage (1 month and 6 months) at - 200C in banana and cinnamon muffins on the sensory properties of muffins using both consumer acceptability evaluation and descriptive analysis, physical and chemical measurements, and ALA and SDG concentrations. Results were correlated using partial least square (PLS) to provide an explicit demonstration of association between overall acceptability of muffins and results from various measurements conducted. It was revealed that the addition of flaxseed reduced overall acceptability due to the enhancement of flax aroma and flavor, oil aroma and flavor, sour aroma and taste, brown color, and firmness., while storage had no impact. The negative influence of these sensory attributes was addressed by the addition of flavorings. Cinnamon flavoring reduced the presence of oil aroma and flavor, and sour aroma and taste while firmness decreased when pureed banana was added. But the intensities of flax aroma and flavor, and brown color were still pronounced in muffins even after the addition of the two flavorings. ALA and SDG concentrations were markedly increased in muffins when flaxseed was added. Storage did not significantly affect the levels of ALA in all muffins but prolonged storage increased SDG level, which can be associated with its role in enhancing extraction proficiency of SDG from the muffin matrix. Although results revealed that acceptability of muffins was significantly higher among clinical trial participants, the mean liking values had moderate deviation between consumers and clinical trial participants. This indicated that muffins fortified with flaxseeds can be acceptable by consumers with diverse wants. / May 2016

L‟acide docosahexaénoïque (DHA) s‟accumule principalement dans les membranes cérébrales humaines durant la période périnatale et les 2 premières années de la vie. Optimiser l‟incorporation des acides gras polyinsaturés à longue chaîne (AGPI-LC) n-3 dans le système nerveux central, notamment le DHA, constitue l‟un des objectifs majeurs de la nutrition néonatale et infantile. Ce projet étudie l‟effet de régimes à base de matière grasse laitière anhydre (MGLA) afin d‟améliorer la bioconversion des AGPI n-3 et l‟incorporation du DHA dans le cerveau. L‟autre objectif, au-delà des effets sur les acides gras, est d‟évaluer si l‟impact des apports destinés au jeune n‟exercent pas un effet plus large tels qu‟appréciés au niveau du lipidome du cerveau.Nous avons mis au point un modèle d‟expérimentation animale permettant d‟étudier les effets de mélanges de MGLA et d‟huiles végétales. Des mères sont nourries avec un régime déficient en acide α-linoléique (ALA) (0,4% des acides gras totaux (AGT)) pendant 6 semaines avant accouplement et pendant toute la gestation et la lactation. Après sevrage, quatre-vingts petits rats mâles et femelles ainsi carencés en AGPI n-3 sont séparés en 4 groupes et reçoivent des régimes à 10% de lipides pendant 6 semaines, soit à base d‟huile de palme mélangée avec des huiles vegétales pour un apport à 1,5%ALA (P1), ou 1,5% ALA supplementé avec 0,12%DHA et 0,4% acide arachidonique (ARA) (P2); soit à base de MGLA et d‟huiles végétales apportant 1,5%ALA (B1) ou 2,3%ALA (B2). Les acides gras cérébraux, plasmatiques et érythrocytaires ainsi que le profil lipidomique cérébral sont mesurés, et les résultats sont analysés en statistiques multivariées. Le régime B1 est supérieur aux deux régimes à base d‟huile de palme à 1,5 %ALA, pour restaurer la quantité de DHA du cerveau (augmentation de 14.38%, P < 0.05) ; le régime (B2) présente un bénéfice supplémentaire sur ce paramètre. Les concentrations cérébrales en DHA chez les rats mâles sont significativement plus faibles que chez les femelles en raison des interactions de l‟effet sexe sur l‟effet régime, mais cet effet s‟atténue avec les régimes MGLA ou l‟ajout de DHA préformés dans le régime palme (P2).Nous avons calculé un nouvel indice à l‟aide des profils en acides gras des globules rouges et du plasma pour prédire le contenu en DHA cérébral, et dont la performance est meilleure que celle des indices existants. Pour la première fois, nous avons pu mettre en évidence un effet majeur et inconnu jusqu‟alors, des régimes sur le lipidome du cerveau (analyse des espèces moléculaires de lipides), affectant près de 15% des espèces analysées. Ces changements semblent être liés, entre autres, au métabolisme du cholestérol, des acides gras et des messagers lipidiques.En conclusion, nos données sont susceptibles d„améliorer les formules infantiles. La première utilisation de l‟approche de lipidomique sans a priori que nous avons mise en oeuvre ouvre des perspectives nouvelles en nutrition infantile. / The accretion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in brain membranes mainly occurs around delivery and during the first two years of life. One of the main goals of neonatal nutrition is to optimize the incorporation of n-3 long chain polyinsaturate fatty acids (LC-PUFA) into the central nervous system, including DHA. Our goal was to study the impact of several kinds of diets based on dairy-fat to improve the n-3 LC-PUFA bioconversion and DHA accretion into brain. The other endpoint was to assess if beyond the brain fatty acid profiles, the dietary intakes would bring about a wider effect such as the one that can be appreciated through a lipidomic approach.We compared the nutritional effect of dairy-fat based diets to that of palm-oil based diets in the rat reproductive model. Mother rats were made deficient in α-linoleic acid (ALA) (0.4% of fatty acids (FA) for 6 weeks prior to mating and throughout gestation and lactation. After weaning, the resulting deficient 40 rat pups of either gender were split into 4 groups and received 10% fat diets made with either 1.5%ALA palm oil blend (P1), same added with 0.12% DHA and 0.4% arachidonic acid (ARA) (P2) , 1.5% ALA dairy-fat blend (B1) or 2.5% ALA dairy-fat blend (B2). The brain, red blood cell (RBC) and plasma fatty acid profiles were analyzed and treated using multivariate statistics. B1 was superior to both palm-oil based diets to improve the brain DHA contents (14.4% increase, P < 0.05). B2 brought an additional benefit for this parameter. The brain DHA contents in males were significantly lower than for the female because of a diet x gender interaction. This effect was smoothed with the dairy-fat diets or the palm-oil based diet augmented with preformed DHA.We calculated a new fatty acid index to predict the brain DHA contents, based on the fatty acid profiles measured in RBC and plasma, and which demonstrated a better performance than the existing published index. For the first time, we showed a profound and yet unsuspected effect of diets until now on the brain lipidome (lipids molecular species), affecting about 15% of the features detected. These changes were ascribed to the cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism, and to the lipid messengers, among others.In conclusion, our data appear highly relevant to improve infant formulas. The first use of the lipidomic approach in neonatal nutrition open the paths of new researches in the area of infant nutrition

Thesis(M.A.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-181, 49-51).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-167).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-181, 49-51).