106 research outputs found
Correlation between the Quality of Attention and Cognitive Competence with Motor Action in Stroke Patients
It is considered that cognitive function and attention could affect walking, motion control, and proper conduct during the walk. To determine whether there is a difference in the quality of attention and cognitive ability in stroke patients and patients without neurological damage of similar age and education and to determine whether the connection of attention and cognition affects motor skills, the sample consisted of 50 stroke patients tested with hemiparesis, involved in the process of rehabilitation, and 50 persons, randomly chosen, without neurological damage. The survey used the following tests: Trail Making (TMT A B) test for assessing the flexibility of attention; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive status; Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) test to assess the functional status and parameters of walk: speed, frequency, and length of stride; STEP test for assessing the precision of movement and balance. With stroke patients, relationship between age and performance on the MMSE test was marginally significant. The ratio of performance to TMT A B test and years does not indicate statistical significance, while statistical significance between the MMSE test performance and education exists. In stroke patients, performance on MMSE test is correlated with the frequency and length of stride walk. The quality of cognitive function and attention is associated with motor skills but differs in stroke patients and people without neurological damage of similar age. The significance of this correlation can supplement research in neurorehabilitation, improve the quality of medical rehabilitation, and contribute to efficient recovery of these patients
Analysis of welding of the rear bridge semi-housing assembly of a firefighter truck by the semi-automatic procedure in gas protection
The problem considered in this paper is the welding technology of the steel assembly of a firefighter truck rear bridge semi-housing. Since in this procedure the welding is done of the two dissimilar steels, it is necessary to analyze effects of welding on mechanical properties and microstructure of individual joint's zones. The weldability of the base metal was considered first (semi-housing tube and flange), then the welding method and the filler metal were selected and, finally, the technological parameters of welding were calculated. The computational and experimental methods were used for the base metal weldability estimate, based on the hardness measurements in the joint's critical zones and analysis of their structures. Experimental investigations performed were aimed for verification and/or eventual correction of the proposed welding technology
Analysis of welding of the rear bridge semi-housing assembly of a firefighter truck by the semi-automatic procedure in gas protection
The problem considered in this paper is the welding technology of the steel assembly of a firefighter truck rear bridge semi-housing. Since in this procedure the welding is done of the two dissimilar steels, it is necessary to analyze effects of welding on mechanical properties and microstructure of individual joint's zones. The weldability of the base metal was considered first (semi-housing tube and flange), then the welding method and the filler metal were selected and, finally, the technological parameters of welding were calculated. The computational and experimental methods were used for the base metal weldability estimate, based on the hardness measurements in the joint's critical zones and analysis of their structures. Experimental investigations performed were aimed for verification and/or eventual correction of the proposed welding technology
Cost-effective Ultrasonic Extraction of Bioactive Polyphenols from Vine and Wine Waste in Serbia
By using cost-effective ultrasonic extraction techniques, bioactive phenolic extracts were obtained from Merlot and Vranac (Vitis vinifera L.) vine and wine waste produced in Serbian wineries. These wastes include vine leaves, grape pomace, seeds, skins and stems, which can find further use in the food and pharmacology industries as preservatives against microbes. The extracts showed strong scavenging free radical activity (EC50 from 0.37 to 2.02 mg/L), which was in very good correlation with the total polyphenol content. Strong antimicrobial activity was found against six Gram-positive and five Gram-negative bacterial strains, and against the yeast Candida albicans. The principal component and agglomerative hierarchical clustering analyses performed were shown to be good for grouping and distinguishing the results from thevine and wine by-products (leaves and seeds) from both investigated grape varieties based on the content of various polyphenolic classes, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The valorisation of the grape by-products is consistent with the concept of a sustainable and environmentally oriented wine industry and provides an important economic advantage
The efficiency of galvanic wastewater treatment facility 'Frad' in Aleksinac
The technological process of Galvano-chemical protection, according to qualitatively-quantitative characteristics, represents one of the most complex contaminants in wastewater. A large number of contaminants (metal ions, cyanides, acids, bases, grease and oils, organic solvents, surfactants, phosphates, etc.), found in galvanic wastewater are treated through conventional methods (chemical oxidation and reduction, neutralization, sedimentation, coagulation and flocculation). The reason why galvanic wastewater treatment systems in the Republic of Serbia are conventional is of economic nature. The present study has been undertaken to evaluate the performance of Sewage Treatment Plant located at Aleksinac, Company of "Frad" district which is based on Sequential Batch Reactor process. Performance of this plant is an essential parameter to be monitored as the treated effluent is discharged into the Moravica River. The Performance Evaluation will also help for the better understanding of design and operating difficulties (aeration, blowers, etc.) in Sewage Treatment Plant. Research goal: The efficiency of sewage treatment plants can be illustrated by a study on the evaluation of pollutant levels of the influent and the effluent at the treatment plant of sewage treatment plants discharging into the environment
Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Supplementation in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Review of Human Studies
Being characterized by progressive and severe damage in neuronal cells, neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are the major cause of disability and morbidity in the elderly, imposing a significant economic and social burden. As major components of the central nervous system, lipids play important roles in neural health and pathology. Disturbed lipid metabolism, particularly lipid peroxidation (LPO), is associated with the development of many NDDs, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), all of which show elevated levels of LPO products and LPO-modified proteins. Thus, the inhibition of neuronal oxidation might slow the progression and reduce the severity of NDD; natural antioxidants, such as polyphenols and antioxidant vitamins, seem to be the most promising agents. Here, we summarize current literature data that were derived from human studies on the effect of natural polyphenols and vitamins A, C, and E supplementation in patients with AD, PD, and ALS. Although these compounds may reduce the severity and slow the progression of NDD, research gaps remain in antioxidants supplementation in AD, PD, and ALS patients, which indicates that further human studies applying antioxidant supplementation in different forms of NDDs are urgently needed
Efekat dugotrajnog napornog vežbanja na masnokiselinski profil fosfolipida plazme kod rukometaša
Background/Aim. Consensus on the exercise effect on the fatty acid metabolism has not been reached, and probably depends on the type of sports (aerobic, anaerobic or mixed). The aim of this study was to investigate effect of long-term handball training on the body composition, lipid profile and the plasma phospholipid fatty acid composition in female and male younger players. Methods. Seventeen female and 15 male active handball players, aged 16-20 years, who competed at the national/international level, were enrolled in the study. A control group was established from healthy, sedentary individuals (13 females and 19 males, aged 17-21 years), comparable to the athletes in terms of age, sex and body mass index. Results. In both groups of handball players a higher percentage of palmitoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid (18:3, n-3), were found and lower percentage of oleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6, n-3), when compared with corresponding control group. On the other hand, the lower level of stearic acid and estimated activity of plasma elongase was detected in female players than in sedentary women. Furthermore, higher proportion of linoleic acid (18:2, n-6), n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and total PUFA was found only in female players in comparison to the control group. Conclusion. The observed differences between handball players and sedentary individuals showed that handball training influenced lipid and fatty acid metabolism. Follow-up of these changes could indicate potential need for supplementation or nutritional intervention in young handball players.Uvod/Cilj. Konsenzus o uticaju treniranja na metabolizam masnih kiselina nije postignut, a taj uticaj verovatno zavisi od tipa sporta - aerobno, anaerobno ili mešovito vežbanje. Cilj ove studije bio je da se ispita efekat dugotrajnog, aktivnog treniranja rukometa na telesnu kompoziciju, profil lipida i masnih kiselina fosfolipida plazme kod mlađih kategorija rukometaša oba pola. Metode. U studiju je bilo uključeno 17 devojaka i 15 mladića, starosne dobi od 16 do 20 godina koji treniraju rukomet i takmiče se na nacionalnom i internacionalnom nivou. Kontrolnu grupu činilo je 13 devojaka i 19 mladića starosti od 17 do 21 godine, koji su bili uporedivi sa sportistima po godinama, polu i indeksu telesne mase. Rezultati. Procenat palmitoleinske i alfa-linolenske kiseline (18:3, n-3) bio značajno viši, dok je procenat oleinske i dokozaheksaenske kiseline (22:6, n-3) bio značajno niži u fosfolipidima plazme kod obe grupe sportista u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu. Sa druge strane, niži nivo stearinske kiseline i procenjene aktivnosti elongaze, ali i visok nivo linolne kiseline (18:2, n-6), ukupnih n-6 masnih kiselina, kao i ukupnih polinezasićenih masnih kiselina, utvrđen je kod rukometašica u odnosu na ispitanice iz kontrolne grupe, dok u grupi muškaraca nisu utvrđene takve razlike. Zaključak. Utvrđene razlike između rukometaša i rukometašica, sa jedne strane, i kontrolne grupe, sa druge strane, ukazale su na to da treniranje rukometa utiče na metabolizam lipida i masnih kiselina. Praćenje tih promena moglo bi ukazati na moguću potrebu za suplementacijom kod mladih rukometaša i rukometašica
Phenolic Profile, Mineral Content and Antibacterial Activity of the Methanol Extract of Vaccinium myrtillus L.
Bilberry is considered as one of the most economically important wild berries. However, bilberry is not enough investigated, and there are only a few published works. Therefore, we performed in one place complete qualitative analysis, antimicrobial activity against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and contents of metals. In our research, it was found that bilberry contains different active phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acid, delphinidin glycoside, delphinidin arabinoside, cyanidin glycoside, cyanidin arabinoside, malvidin glycoside, peonidin glycoside, and malvidin arabinoside. The content of metals was different in leaves and fruits. In our samples, the content of aluminum, boron, barium, calcium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, phosphorus, silicon and zinc was higher, and contents of potassium, magnesium, and sodium were lower than in bilberry samples investigated in Latvia. Antimicrobial activity of investigated extracts was evaluated against laboratory control strains from ATCC collection, Gram (+) bacteria: Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 19615, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 19433, Propionibacterium acnae ATCC 11827, and Gram (-) bacteria: Escherichia coli ATCC 9863, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Acinetobacter boumanii ATCC 196060, Proteus mirabilis ATCC 12453, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 10031, and against related strains isolated from human wound swabs. V. myrtillus extract was less potent against strains from wounds compared to ATCC strains as well Gram (-) bacteria compared to Gram (+) bacteria. The most sensitive strains were St. epidermidis, St. pyogenes, P. mirabilis and S. aureus
Antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant and weight-lowering effects of "Vitalplant"
BACKGROUND: "VITALPLANT" medicinal plant mixture, aimed at body weight regulation and metabolism enhancement was formulated in order to be incorporated as an ingredient in functional food formulations on the basis of known biological activity of the alder buckthorn bark, peppermint, caraway and parsley. METHODOLOGY: The body weight-lowering potential, hypolipidemic effects and antioxidant activity of "Vitalplant" mixture were examined on five groups of male Wistar rats on different food regimes for 14 weeks. RESULTS: "Vitalplant" mixture supplementation caused an increase in food intake, but induced a decrease in body weight gain. The lipid status and atherogenic index (AI) were significantly improved in "Vitalplant" mixture supplemented hyperlipidemic (HF) groups in comparison to HF group. "Vitalplant" mixture was able to influence the activity of antioxidant enzymes and to protect erythrocytes of the rats fed the HF diet from oxidative damage, which was indicated by significantly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in "Vitalplant"- HF groups in comparison to the HF group. CONCLUSION: "Vitalplant" mixture seemed to be beneficial for the reduction of body weight and improvement of antioxidant status of the erythrocytes, and its antihyperlipidemic property was highly active for enhancing the profile of plasma lipids in rats
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