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Opis: Purpose: Regular exercise reduces obesity and the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, health-promoting benefits of physical activity are commonly associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Here, we tested whether constant moderate exercise is able to prevent or attenuate the oxidative/nitrosative stress, inflammation, and serum lipids in lean and obese rats. Methods: Four-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats received standard or a high-fat diet. Animals were subjected to a physical activity protocol, consisting of 30 min forced treadmill exercise for 5 consecutive days per week during 10 months. Baseline and sedentary (non-exercised) rats were used as controls. Lipids, oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, nitric oxide metabolites, and pro- and anti-inflammatory markers were measured in blood collected upon euthanasia. Results: At variance to young baseline control rats, 14-month-old animals fed normal diet had increased plasma lipid levels, including total cholesterol and triglycerides, which were further elevated in rats that consumed a high-fat diet. While treadmill exercise did not lower the amount of serum lipids in standard diet group, forced physical activity reduced non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in response to high-fat diet feeding. Exercised rats fed standard diet or high-fat diet had lower abundancy of nitric oxide metabolites, which coincided with increased levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Accordingly, the amount of nitric oxide metabolites correlated inversely with oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and homo-arginine. Exercise significantly reduced inflammatory cytokines in high-fat diet fed rats only. Conclusion: Our study suggests that regular exercise alters the equilibrium between oxidative and anti-oxidative compounds and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Ključne besede: long-term moderate exercise, nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase, oxidized LDL, Sprague Dawley rats, western-type diet
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.12.2024; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 2
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Opis: The study aimed to assess long-term radiological outcomes in patients from our institution who were primarily treated for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with surgical correction using Harrington rod (HR) instrumentation, and afterward with watchful waiting of residual spinal deformity after HR removal, whereby no patient consented to spinal deformity correction. A single-institution case series of 12 patients was retrospectively evaluated. Preoperative and most recent post-instrumentation removal radiographic measurements were compared, along with baseline characteristics. The average age of patients (all females) at the time of HR instrumentation removal was 38 ± 10 years (median 40, range 19–54). The mean follow-up from the HR instrumentation implantation to the HR instrumentation removal was 21 ± 10 years (median 25, range 2–37), with a further mean of 11 ± 10 years (median 7, range 2–36) of follow-up following HR instrumentation removal and watchful waiting. No significant change in radiological parameters was observed: LL (p = 0.504), TK (p = 0.164), PT (p = 0.165), SS (p = 0.129), PI (p = 0.174), PI–LL (p = 0.291), SVA (p = 0.233), C7-CSVL (p = 0.387), SSA (p = 0.894), TPA (p = 0.121), and coronal Cobb angle (proximal (p = 0.538), main thoracic (p = 0.136), and lumbar (p = 0.413)). No significant change in coronal or sagittal parameters was observed in this single-institution long-term radiological outcome study of adults following HR instrumentation removal and watchful waiting of residual spinal deformity.
Ključne besede: adult spinal deformity, Harrington rod instrumentation, spinal instrumentation removal, watchful waiting, long-term outcome, radiographic outcome
Objavljeno v DKUM: 16.04.2024; Ogledov: 208; Prenosov: 10
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Opis: Although Slovenia is becoming an aging society, very little is known about the abilities and needs of home-dwelling older people or their preferences regarding assistance. The aim of the study was to explore the need for assistance in daily activities among older Slovenian people living at home. Older adults aged between 65 and 97 years (N = 358) participated in the crosssectional survey study. A questionnaire that assessed independence in daily activities and assistance in the home environment was developed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a nonparametric test (Wilcoxon signed rank test), and the chi-square test. The results showed that older Slovenians were more independent in activities of daily living (ADLs) than instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Independence was the highest for using the toilet, feeding, and mobility transfers, and the lowest for bathing. With IADLs, assistance was most often required with shopping and housework; this assistance was usually provided by family members. The provider of assistance was generally compatible with older people’s preferences concerning assistance at home. We found no differences in care preferences between urban and rural settings. Assistance in the home environment was predominantly provided by unpaid helpers, which reflects recent developments in health and social services that put an emphasis on a person’s social network. Due to demographic changes and the decrease in the number of adult children, reliance on close relatives might soon become a challenge. These findings can help policy makers understand older people’s choices and preferences better when planning long-term care.
Ključne besede: older adults, activities of daily living, intergenerational support, long-term care, aging in place
Objavljeno v DKUM: 14.07.2023; Ogledov: 518; Prenosov: 33
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Opis: Understanding the relationship between interest rates and term to maturity of securities is a prerequisite for developing financial theory and evaluating whether it holds up in the real world; therefore, such an understanding lies at the heart of monetary and financial economics. Accurately fitting the term structure of interest rates is the backbone of a smoothly functioning financial market, which is why the testing of various models for estimating and predicting the term structure of interest rates is an important topic in finance that has received considerable attention for many decades. In this paper, we empirically contrast the performance of cubic splines and the Nelson-Siegel model by estimating the zero-coupon yields of Austrian government bonds. The main conclusion that can be drawn from the results of the calculations is that the Nelson-Siegel model outperforms cubic splines at the short end of the yield curve (up to 2 years), whereas for medium-term maturities (2 to 10 years) the fitting performance of both models is comparable.
Ključne besede: Cubic splines, Nelson-Siegel, yield curve, zero-coupon bonds, term structure of interest rates
Objavljeno v DKUM: 14.11.2017; Ogledov: 1561; Prenosov: 383
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Opis: We are surrounded with different varieties of English language. We listen to English music or radio shows, watch English movies and shows and watch English videos on the internet. The most common varieties that we encounter are British English and American English, which have distinctive differences in stress and pronunciation. Because we encounter both varieties daily, we have found it interesting to see which one prevails in our primary schools. The British English variety is primarily taught in school and the American variety is all around us and is thus more likely to be acquired. Children acquire a foreign language very easily if they are in contact with it on a regular basis. This is as nowadays, as we all hear English lyrics on the radio or hear English conversations on TV. The thesis focuses on the factors that might influence the choice of the English variety. It explores if the input, whether it is pictorial with pictures or textual with words, influences the choice of variety. It also presents connections between the pronunciation of more frequent and less frequent words with choice of variety, the influence of the pupils’ backgrounds, and way of learning English.
Ključne besede: word recognition, working and long-term memory, second language, language acquisition, language learning, British and American English pronunciation.
Objavljeno v DKUM: 15.11.2016; Ogledov: 1886; Prenosov: 74
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