Ergogenic effect of varied doses of coffee-caffeine on maximal aerobic power of young African subjects

Background

Caffeine one of the readily available stimulants consumed daily by more than 80% of the world''s population, making it the most widely consumed drug in history. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different doses (5, 10 &15 mg.kg⁻¹) of caffeine per kilogram body weight on maximal aerobic power of normal young black African (Nigerian) male adults.

Method

Twenty apparently healthy young male adults volunteers, participated. A repeated measure four randomized crossover (counter balanced) double blind design was used in data collection. Subjects engaged in 20 meter shuttle run test (20 MST) one hour post caffeine (5, 10 & 15 mg.kg⁻¹) and placebo doses ingestion. Endurance performance index (VO₂ max, run time & number of exercise laps) were measured and recorded.

Result

Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess the level of significant difference between caffeine doses and placebo dose in VO₂ max, run time and number of exercise laps. The result showed no significant effect of caffeine doses over placebo dose.

Conclusion

It was concluded that caffeine dose of up to 15mg/kg seems not to have any ergogenic effect on maximum aerobic power of young black African male adults.     

Association of ankle-brachial index and plaques in the carotid and femoral arteries with cardiovascular events and total mortality in a population-based study with 13 years of follow-up.

AIMS: Peripheral arterial occlusive disease is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We prospectively examined the association of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) and arterial plaques in carotid and femoral arteries with incident myocardial infarctions (MIs) and cardiovascular and total mortality in 1325 participants of the population-based MONICA Augsburg Survey 1989/90. METHODS AND RESULTS: At baseline, 6.1% of men and 2.6% of women had an ABI < or =0.9. At least one plaque in the carotid or femoral arteries was identified in 51.8% of men and 36.3% of women. During a 13-year follow-up, 58 persons (4.4%) suffered a MI before age 75 and 189 persons (14.3%) died, 86 (6.5%) of them from cardiovascular causes. Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed both measurements as strong predictors for all three endpoints (P<0.0001). Cox regression analysis revealed an increase of the risk for MI and cardiovascular and total mortality of 22 (P=0.012), 35, and 32% (P<0.00001), respectively, per 0.1 unit decrease in ABI. Correction for measurement error in ABI increased these estimates. The increase in risk for MI and cardiovascular and total mortality was 52, 70, and 45%, respectively, for each increase in the number of plaque-affected arteries (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Both ABI and number of plaque-affected arteries are strong predictors for incident MI and cardiovascular and total mortality.     

Paralytic poliomyelitis during the pre-, peri- and post-suspension periods of a polio immunization campaign

A total of 744 paralytic poliomyelitis patients (0-59 months old) were reviewed and results showed a critical and perpetual surge during 2003 (20.2%), 2004 (27.4%) and 2005 (41%). A slight male predominance (56%) was reported and a high incidence was reported in the low socioeconomic (68.3%) and urban setting (60.3%) groups. It was concluded that the polio eradication campaigning programmes in Nigeria had not been successful and that legislation on poliomyelitis was required.     

Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Differenzierung von verschiedenen Ascaris-Larven im nicht adäquaten Wirt in histologischen Schnitten

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Regression and data mining methods for analyses of multiple rare variants in the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 mini-exome data

Group 14 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 examined several issues related to analysis of complex traits using DNA sequence data. These issues included novel methods for analyzing rare genetic variants in an aggregated manner (often termed collapsing rare variants), evaluation of various study designs to increase power to detect effects of rare variants, and the use of machine learning approaches to model highly complex heterogeneous traits. Various published and novel methods for analyzing traits with extreme locus and allelic heterogeneity were applied to the simulated quantitative and disease phenotypes. Overall, we conclude that power is (as expected) dependent on locus-specific heritability or contribution to disease risk, large samples will be required to detect rare causal variants with small effect sizes, extreme phenotype sampling designs may increase power for smaller laboratory costs, methods that allow joint analysis of multiple variants per gene or pathway are more powerful in general than analyses of individual rare variants, population-specific analyses can be optimal when different subpopulations harbor private causal mutations, and machine learning methods may be useful for selecting subsets of predictors for follow-up in the presence of extreme locus heterogeneity and large numbers of potential predictors.     

Correlates of Selected Indices of Physical Fitness And Duration of Incarceration among Inmates in Some Selected Nigeria Prisons

Background

Incarceration has been associated with reduced physical activity. However, physical inactivity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was therefore, to evaluate the incidence and relationship between the measures of physical fitness and the duration of incarceration in of inmates in Kano-Nigeria prisons.

Method

A cross-sectional study was done to determine the relationship between the measures of physical fitness and the duration of incarceration of inmates in Kano prisons. Subjects'' physical fitness level (cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index and waist circumference) was assessed using standardized protocols. Simple percentage, Pearson moment correlation test and student''s t-test were used to analyze variables of interest.

Result

One hundred and sixteen inmates; 108 (93.1%) males and 8 (6.9%) females participated in the study. The study revealed high (93.1%) prevalence of low cardio-respiratory fitness among inmates and significant correlation between the selected indices of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index and waist circumference) and duration of incarceration.

Conclusion

The prevalence of low cardio-respiratory fitness was high among inmates and long period of inadequate physical activity may be implicated as causative factor of low physical fitness among inmates in Kano prison. Prison administration and staff should encourage healthy inmate behavior. Provision of adequate facilities to encourage physical activity and sports participation is highly needed.