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Changes in lipid metabolism in acute diseases. Introduction. Abnormalities in lipid metabolism have been described in critically ill patients repeatedly. While triglycerides behave unpredictably, decrease of cholesterol levels is a typical finding. Further, low levels of cholesterol in critically ill patients have been found to be associated not only with poor prognosis but also increased mortality. Cholesterol is derived in two ways: via de novo synthesis and via dietary absorption. Both the modalities can be monitored by the determination of CH synthesis markers (lathosterol, squalene in blood plasma), and cholesterol absorption markers (sitosterol and campesterol in blood plasma) Material and method: In the first project sixty patients with acute internal disease were involved and their lipid profile was evaluated. Second and third projects have solved the same problem in the group of patients with active Cohn's disease (n=24) and acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (n=24). Serum concentrations of total, LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in an enzymatic automated system. Non-cholesterol sterols (lathosterol, squalene, sitosterol, campesterol) were analysed using gas chromatography - mass spektrometry. The data were statistically analysed by the statistical software Sigma Stat 3,1....

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Background Patterns of dyslipidemia and incidence of hypertension have been rarely reported in Asian populations with inconsistent findings. To accumulate further evidence in Asian populations, the study aimed to investigate the relationship between lipid profiles and hypertension in Chinese adult males. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study based on the data from the DATADRYAD database. The overall population was divided into hypertensive and non-hypertensive groups based on baseline blood pressure levels. For continuous variables, Mann-Whitney test was performed between two groups, while Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests were used among multiple groups. The chi-square test was carried out for dichotomous variables. Spearman's correlation coefficient was employed to assess the association between systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and lipid profiles, whereas the relationship between lipid profiles and the incidence of hypertension was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. The Bayesian network (BN) model was adopted to investigate the relationship between clinical characteristics and hypertension, and the importance of related predictor to the incidence of hypertension was obtained to make conditional probability analysis. Results Finally, totally 62,957 participants were included in this study. In the lipid profiles, total cholesterol (TC), low-density cholesterol (LDL-c), and non- high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c) were higher in the hypertensive population (p <0.001). In the fully multivariate model, for every 1 mg/dl increase in TC, LDL-c and non-HDL, the risk of hypertension increased by 0.2% [1.002 (1.001–1.003)], 0.1% [1.001 (1.000–1.002)], and 0.1% [1.001 (1.000–1.002)]. Meanwhile, HDL-c became positively associated with the incidence of hypertension (p for trend < 0.001) after adjusting for the body mass index (BMI), and 1 mg/dl increment in HDL-c increased the risk of hypertension by 0.2% [1.002 (1.000–1.002)] after fully adjusting for multiple variables. Furthermore, the BN showed that the importance of age, BMI, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and TC to the effect of hypertension is 43.3, 27.2, 11.8, and 5.1%, respectively. Conclusion Elevated TC, LDL-c, and non-HDL-c were related to incidence of hypertension in Chinese adult males, whereas triglycerides (TG) was not significantly associated. The relationship between HDL-c and hypertension incidence shifted from no association to a positive correlation after adjusting for the BMI. Moreover, the BN model displayed that age, the BMI, FPG, and TC were strongly associated with hypertension incidence.

Patients with kidney failure (KF) have a high incidence of cardiovascular (CV) disease, partly driven by insufficient clearance of uremic toxins. Recent investigations have questioned the accepted effects of adverse lipid profile and CV risk in uremic patients. Therefore, we related a panel of uremic toxins previously associated with CV morbidity/mortality to a full lipid profile in a large, tri-national, cross-sectional cohort. Total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), non-HDL, lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL), and remnant cholesterol, as well as triglyceride, levels were associated with five uremic toxins in a cohort of 611 adult KF patients with adjustment for clinically relevant covariates and other patient-level variables. Univariate analyses revealed negative correlations of total, non-HDL, and LDL cholesterol with all investigated uremic toxins. Multivariate linear regression analyses confirmed independent, negative associations of phenylacetylglutamine with total, non-HDL, and LDL cholesterol, while indole-3 acetic acid associated with non-HDL and LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, trimethylamine-N-Oxide was independently and negatively associated with non-HDL cholesterol. Sensitivity analyses largely confirmed findings in the entire cohort. In conclusion, significant inverse associations between lipid profile and distinct uremic toxins in KF highlight the complexity of the uremic milieu, suggesting that not all uremic toxin interactions with conventional CV risk markers may be pathogenic.

Background: Dyslipidemia is strongly associated with the development of hypertension. In our previous study, it was shown that elevated TC, LDL-c, and non-HDL-c were associated with the prevalence of hypertension in Chinese men, whereas the relationship between HDL-c and hypertension shifted from no association to a positive association after adjusting for the BMI. To further accumulate epidemiological evidence in Asian women, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between lipid profile and prevalence of hypertension in Chinese adult women. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including 54,099 Chinese women aged>20 years at 32 health screening centers in 11 cities from 2010-2016. The original data were obtained from DATADRYAD database (www.datadryad.org). Besides, the overall women were classified into non-hypertensive and hypertensive groups based on baseline blood pressure levels. Differences between the two groups were examined by Man-Whitney test or Chi-square test. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was employed to evaluate the correlation between systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and lipid profiles. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate the relationship between different lipid levels and the prevalence of hypertension. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) indicated the risk of lipid and hypertension. Bayesian model (BN) model was constructed to further assess the relationship between baseline characteristics and the prevalence of hypertension, as well as the importance of each variable for the prevalence of hypertension. Results: Compared to the non-hypertensive population, the hypertensive population was older, and had the higher body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), serum creatinine (Scr), fasting blood glucose (FPG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c), but HDL-c and the presence concerning the family history of diabetes were lower. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that TC, LDL-c, and non-HDL-c showed a positive trend with hypertension risk (p for trend < 0.05) whereas TC and HDL-c were not significantly associated with hypertension prevalence. Moreover, each 1 mg/dl increase in TC, LDL, and non-HDL hypertension prevalence increased by 0.2% [1.002 (1.000-1.003)], 0.2% [1.002 (1.000- 1.004)], and 0.2% [1.002(1.001-1.004)], respectively. BN suggested that the importance of age, BMI, FPG, non-HDL-c on the prevalence of hypertension was 52.73%, 24.98%, 11.22%, and 2.34%, respectively. Conclusion: Overall, in Chinese adult women, TC, LDL-c and non-HDL-c levels were higher and HDL-c level was lower in the hypertensive population, whereas TG did not differ significantly from the non-hypertensive population. Meanwhile, TC, LDL-c, and non-HDL-c were positively associated with prevalence of hypertension, and HDL-c was negatively associated with prevalence of hypertension but became nonsignificant after full adjustment for variables. Moreover, BN model suggested that age, BMI, FPG, and non-HDL-c had a greater effect on the development of hypertension.

No description available.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Different substances were evaluated and compared to an antibiotic, in terms of their effect on nitrogen - and amino acid digestibilities. Two digestibility trials and one performance trial were conducted. Trials one and two apparent nitrogen (AND)- and amino acid (AAD) digestibilities were determined from digesta collected at the terminal ileum (ileal digestibility method). In Trial 3 the substances were evaluated in terms of their potential to improve production performance. Broilers were fed a maizesoya based diet throughout the three trails. In the first trial, garlic and a commercial prebiotic (Bio-Mos®), were tested and compared in terms of AND and AAD, to an antibiotic (doxycyclin, Doxyvete-SOS). A starter and finisher diet were fed as either mash or pellets. The garlic was included at 8g/kg, 13g/kg and 18g/kg to the starter and finisher diets. Bio-Mos® was added at 1g/kg, 2g/kg and 3g/kg to the starter diet, and 0.5g/kg, 1g/kg and 1.5g/kg to the finisher diet. The doxycyclin was added at 0.3 g/kg. None of the treatments had any beneficial effects in terms of AND. Feeding a pellet seem to have some negative effects in terms of AND. In general most of the treatments did not show any improvement in AAD at any determination period (day 21, 28 or 35). At day 21 and day 35, the mash diet supplemented with 18g/kg garlic had a negative effect on AAD, when compared to the negative and positive control. It doesn’t seem that feeding either a mash or a pellet had an influence on the effects exerted by the different treatments. In the second trial the influence of Bio-Mos®, a blend of organic acids, probiotics and electrolytes (Acid-Pak 4-way®) and a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) were evaluated and compared in terms of AAD and AND, to the effect of an antibiotic, doxycyclin. The starter and finisher diets were fed as a mash. Bio-Mos® was included at 1g/kg, 2g/kg, and 3g/kg in the starter diet, and at 0.5g/kg, 1g/kg, 1.5g/kg in the finisher diet, respectively. Acid-Pak 4-way® was included at 0.4g/kg, 1g/kg and 1.6g/kg for both the starter and finisher diets. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) were allocated at 3g/kg, 3.6g/kg, 4.2g/kg for the starter diet, and 2.1g/kg, 2.7g/kg and 3.4g/kg for the finisher diet. An antibiotic, doxycyclin, was included at 0.3 g/kg. With AND, no treatment had any significant effect for the entire experimental period. At day 21, the treatment supplemented with MCT (3.4g/kg) had the most significant beneficial effect on AAD, when compared to the negative- and positive controls, as it increased AAD for the majority of the amino acids. The treatment with Acid-Pak 4-way® (1g/kg) had the most significant negative effect on AAD when compared to the positive control. At day 28, the treatments with Bio-Mos® (0.5g/kg and 1.5g/kg) and Acid-Pak 4-way® (0.4g/kg) had the most significant beneficial effect on AAD when compared to the positive control. It increased AAD for more than half of the 17 amino acids evaluated. The treatment supplemented with MCT (2.7g/kg) has shown the most significant negative effect on AAD, when compared to the positive control. In the third trial the effect of Bio-Mos®, Acid-Pak 4-way® and MCT on production performance was evaluated, and compared to the effects of the presence or absence of doxycyclin. Body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured. The starter and finisher diets were fed as a mash. Bio-Mos®, MCT and Acid-Pak 4-way® were included at 3.0g/kg, 4.2g/kg and 1.6g/kg, respectively in the starter and finisher diets. Birds were weighed (per pen) on arrival and on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35. Feed intake (FI) per pen was measured at days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35, and mortality was recorded daily. In terms of BWG, Acid-Pak 4-way® had a higher BWG, when compared to the negative control, Bio-Mos® and MCT. It can be concluded that Bio-Mos®, Acid-Pak 4-way®, as well as MCT can be a possible alternatives to antibiotic supplementation. These three treatments did not necessary prove to be more effective than antibiotics, but are definitely competitive alternatives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskillende behandelings is geëvalueer en vergelyk met ‘n antimikrobiese produk, in terme van hul uitwerking op stikstof - en aminosuur verteerbaarhede. Twee verteringstudies en produksieprestasie studie is uitgevoer. In die eerste twee studies is die skynbare stikstof (AND)- en aminosuur (AAD) verteringskoöeffisiënte bepaal deur gebruik te maak van digesta wat by die terminale ileum ingesamel is (ileale verteringsmetode). In die derde studie is die produksie prestasie van braaikuikens op ‘n gebalanseerde metaboliseerbare energie (AME) rantsoen, soos beïnvloed deur die verskillende behandelings, geëvalueer. In die eerste studie is knoffel en ‘n kommersiële prebiotikum (Bio-Mos®) geëvalueer en met ‘n antibiotikum (doksisiklien, Doxyveto-SOS) in terme van AND en AAD vergelyk. Beginner- en afrondingsrantsoene is as ‘n meel of pille gevoer. Die knoffel is teen 8g/kg, 13g/kg en 18g/kg in die rantsoen ingesluit. Bio-Mos® is teen 1g/kg, 2g/kg en 3g/kg in die beginner rantsoen en teen 0.5g/kg, 1g/kg en 1.5g/kg in die afrondingsrantsoen, ingesluit. Die antibiotikum is teen 0.3g/kg in beide rantsoene ingesluit. Geen van die behandelings het enige positiewe invloed op AND gehad nie. Deur ‘n verpilde rantsoen te voer het sekere negatiewe invloed op AND gehad. Oor die algemeen het geen behandelings enige positiewe invloed op AAD gehad nie. Op dag 21 en 35 het die insluiting van knoffel teen 18g/kg in ’n meel rantsoen ’n negatiewe invloed op AAD gehad, wanneer dit met die negatiewe- en positiewe kontroles vergelyk is. Dit blyk nie dat om ‘n pil of meel te voer enige invloed op die invloede van die verskillende behandelings gehad het nie. In die tweede studie is Bio-Mos®, ‘n organiese suur (Acid-Pak 4-way®) en ‘n medium-ketting trigliseried (MCT) geëvalueer en met ‘n antbiotikum, doksisiklien (Doxyveto-SOS) in terme van AND en AAD, vergelyk. Beginner- en afrondingsrantsoene is gevoer as ‘n meel. Bio-Mos® is teen 1g/kg, 2g/kg, and 3g/kg in die beginner rantsoen en teen 0.5g/kg, 1g/kg, 1.5g/kg in die afrondingsrantsoen, ingesluit. Acid-Pak 4-way® is teen 0.4g/kg, 1g/kg en 1.6g/kg vir die beginner –en afrondingsrantsoene ingesluit. Die MCT is teen 3g/kg, 3.6g/kg, 4.2g/kg in die beginner rantsoen en teen 2.1g/kg, 2.7g/kg en 3.4g/kg in die afrondingsrantsoen ingesluit. Die antibiotikum is ingesluit teen 0.3g/kg. Geen behandelings het enige betekenisvolle invloed in terme van AND gehad nie. Op dag 21 het MCT (3.4g/kg), in vergelyking met die negatiewe- en positiewe kontrole, die grootste positiewe invloed op AAD gehad. Acid-Pak 4-way® (1g/kg) het, in vergelyking met die positiewe kontrole, ‘n positiewe invloed gehad op AAD. Op dag 28, het Bio-Mos® (0.5g/kg en 1.5g/kg) en Acid-Pak 4-way® (0.4g/kg) die grootste positiewe invloed op AAD gehad. Die behandeling met MCT (2.7g/kg) het die mees negatiewe invloed op AAD gehad. In die derde studie is die insluiting van Bio-Mos®, Acid-Pak 4-way® en MCT getoets om die invloed op braaikuiken produksie prestasie te evalueer, en te vergelyk met die invloed van die insluiting of afwesigheid van ‘n antibiotikum. Liggaamsmassa (BW), liggaamsmassa toename (BWG), voerinname (FI) en voeromsetverhouding (FCR) is gemeet. Beginner- en afrondings rantsoene is gevoer as ‘n meel. Bio-Mos®, MCT en Acid-Pak 4-way® is onderskeidelik teen 3.0g/kg, 4,2g/kg en 1.6g/kg in die rantsoen ingesluit. Die kuikens is met aankoms (per hok) geweeg, asook op dae 7, 14, 21, 28, 35. Voerinname per hok is gemeet op dae 7, 14, 21, 28 en 35. Mortaliteite is daagliks aangeteken. Die insluiting van Acid-Pak 4-way® het in vergelyking met die negatiewe kontrole, Bio-Mos® en MCT insluiting ‘n hoër BWG tot gevolg gehad. Die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak kan word is dat Bio-Mos®, Acid-Pak 4-way® en MCT gebruik kan word as ‘n moontlike alternatief vir antibiotika insluiting. Hierdie drie behandelings was nie noodwending meer effektief as die antibiotika nie, maar het wel bewys dat dit kompeterende alternatiewe is.

This study focuses on the development of novel two-stage esterification-transesterification synthesis of biodiesel from used cooking oil (UCO) using novel heterogeneous catalysts. The esterification of the UCO was investigated using three types of ion exchange resins catalysts including Purolite D5081, Purolite D5082 and Amberlyst 15. Of all the catalysts investigated, Purolite D5081 resin showed the best catalytic performance and was selected for further optimisation studies. From the optimisation study, it was found that the external and internal mass transfer resistance has negligible effect on the esterification reaction. At the optimum reaction conditions, Purolite D5081 achieved 92% conversion of FFA. During reusability study, the conversion of FFA dropped by 10% after each cycle and it was found that progressive pore blockage and sulphur leaching were dominant factors that decreased the catalytic performance of the Purolite D5081 catalyst. A kinetic modelling for FFA esterification was carried out using Purolite D5081 as a catalyst. Three types of kinetic models were investigated i.e. pseudo homogeneous (PH), Eley-Rideal (ER) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW). Experimental data obtained from the batch kinetic studies was successfully represented by the PH model and a good agreement between experimental and calculated values was obtained. The activation energy for esterification and hydrolysis reaction was found to be 53 and 107 kJ/moL. The transesterification of pre-treated cooking oil (P-UCO) was investigated using various types of heterogeneous catalysts including Purolite CT-122, Purolite CT-169, Purolite CT-175, Purolite CT-275, Purolite D5081, Diaion PA306s and Cs-supported heteropolyacids catalysts. Of all the catalysts investigated, Diaion PA306s catalyst showed the highest conversion of triglycerides and was selected for further optimisation studies. At the optimum reaction conditions, Diaion PA306s achieved ca. 75% of triglycerides conversion. During the reusability study, Diaion PA306s catalyst gave a similar conversion of triglycerides after being reused once. Therefore, it was concluded that the resin can be used several times without losing catalytic activity. Several purification methods have been investigated and dry washing method was chosen as the best alternative for biodiesel purification.

A hipertensão arterial freqüentemente está associada com obesidade, alterações metabólicas e cardiovasculares. Embora haja estudos mostrando a correlação dessas alterações com alterações cardíacas estruturais e funcionais, não há dados nesse sentido em pacientes hipertensos graves. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar, em pacientes hipertensos graves, variáveis cardíacas estruturais e funcionais e se há associação entre elas e variáveis metabólicas, antropométricas e com a rigidez arterial. Foram avaliados 41 pacientes com hipertensão arterial grave recebendo o mesmo tipo de tratamento anti-hipertensivo durante 30 dias. O ecocardiograma foi usado para avaliar a estrutura e função do coração. A determinação da distensibilidade da aorta foi obtida pela velocidade de onda de pulso. Amostras de sangue venoso foram coletadas em jejum de 12 horas para a avaliação das variáveis bioquímicas. A circunferência de cintura foi obtida com fita métrica flexível de acordo com recomendações internacionais e nacional. Foram realizadas correlações das variáveis ecocardiográficas com as bioquímicas, antropométricas e com a velocidade de onda de pulso. As variáveis bioquímicas que tiveram melhor correlação com dados estruturais e funcionais do coração foram o ácido úrico e triglicérides. O ácido úrico apresentou correlação positiva com massa, índice de massa, diâmetro diastólico do ventrículo esquerdo, espessuras diastólicas do septo e da parede posterior do ventrículo esquerdo, diâmetro da raiz da aorta, e negativa com a variável funcional fração de ejeção. Triglicérides correlacionou-se com as espessuras diastólicas do septo e da parede posterior do ventrículo esquerdo, diâmetros diastólico e sistólico do ventrículo esquerdo, diâmetro da raiz da aorta e do átrio esquerdo, massa e índice de massa do ventrículo esquerdo de forma positiva e velocidade protodiastólica máxima do fluxo mitral e sua razão com a velocidade telediastólica máxima de forma negativa. As correlações persistiram após correção para idade e índice de massa corpórea. A circunferência de cintura e a velocidade da onda de pulso apresentaram correlação com dados estruturais e funcionais do coração. Valores de glicose, HDL-colesterol e LDL-colesterol também foram associados com diferentes variáveis estruturais e funcionais cardíacas. Foi realizado modelo de regressão linear múltipla que considerou como variáveis dependentes os parâmetros do ecocardiograma e como independentes, pressão arterial, os dados bioquímicos, a idade e o índice de massa corpórea. Triglicérides, ácido úrico e índice de massa corpórea tiveram o maior número de associações com as variáveis estruturais cardíacas. O HDL-colesterol e a pressão arterial sistólica mostraram o maior número de associações com as variáveis diastólicas. Outra análise multivariada selecionou idade, pressão arterial sistólica e velocidade da onda de pulso como variáveis independentes e essa última se associou somente com o tempo de relaxamento isovolumétrico. Em pacientes hipertensos graves, os níveis de triglicérides e do ácido úrico apresentaram boa correlação com dados estruturais e funcionais do coração. Glicose, HDLcolesterol e LDLcolesterol também tiveram correlação com dados estruturais e funcionais do coração, porém em menor intensidade. A circunferência de cintura apresentou correlação com alguns dados estruturais e funcionais do coração. A rigidez de grandes artérias teve forte correlação com a idade e com disfunção diastólica de ventrículo esquerdo, independente do fator pressão arterial / Hypertension is frequently associated with obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities. Although there are studies correlating these alterations with cardiac structure and function alterations, there is no data regarding this issue in severe hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate in severe hypertensive patients structural and functional cardiac variables, and whether there is an association between them and anthropometric, metabolic variables, and pulse wave velocity. Forty-one patients with severe hypertension were evaluated after 30 days taking the same anti-hypertensive medication. Cardiac evaluation was performed with the echocardiogram. Aortic distensibility was obtained by pulse wave velocity. Blood sample was drowning after 12-hours fasting for biochemistry variables. Waist circumference was measured with a flexible metric strip according to international and national recommendations. Correlation between echocardiographic parameters, biochemistry variables, waist circumference, and the pulse wave velocity were done. Uric acid and triglycerides showed better correlation with cardiac structural and functional parameters. Uric acid showed a positive correlation with left ventricle mass, left ventricle mass index, left ventricle diastolic diameter, left ventricle septal and posterior wall thickness, aortic root and a negative correlation with ejection fraction. Triglycerides showed a positive correlation between diastolic septal and posterior wall thickness, systolic and diastolic left ventricle diameters, aortic root and left atrium diameter, left ventricle mass and mass index, and also a negative correlation between peak velocity of early diastolic filling of mitral inflow and your ratio with the peak velocity of late diastolic filling. The correlation persisted after correction for age and body mass index. The waist circumference and the pulse wave velocity also showed correlation with cardiac structural and functional data. Glucose, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol values also were associated with myocardial structural and functional different parameters. In a linear regression multiple model, considering echocardiogram parameters as dependent variable and blood pressure, biochemistry data, age, and body mass index independent variables was done. Triglycerides, uric acid, and body mass index showed higher number of association with cardiac structural parameters. HDL-cholesterol and systolic blood pressure showed greater number of association with diastolic variables. In another multivariate analyzes, age, blood pressure, and pulse wave velocity were selected as independent variables and the last one showed association with isovolumic relaxation time. In patients with severe hypertension, triglycerides levels and uric acid showed a good correlation with cardiac structural and functional parameters. Glucose, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol also showed correlation with cardiac structural and functional measures, however it was less strong. The waist circumference showed correlation with cardiac structural and functional parameters. The great arteries distensibility showed a strong correlation with age, and left ventricle diastolic dysfunction, independently of the blood pressure