IPS Intelligentsia Multidisciplinary Journal

Assessment of Some Biochemical and Immunological Changes during Strenuous Exercise in Undergraduate Students

Michael Chinedu Olisah — 2023-06-08

Background: Strenuous exercise may cause alterations in iron metabolism, that initiate some acute phase response that would be expected to induce significant damage to skeletal muscle as well as significant changes in other biochemical and immunological parameters.

Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the effect of strenuous exercises on some biochemical and immunological parameters in exercising undergraduate students.

Methodology: Forty-eight undergraduate students were recruited from the Department of Physiology, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli. Five ml (5 ml) fasting blood sample was collected into plain sample containers from each of the participating individuals by venipuncture prior to the exercise. On each of the three occasions, samples were withdrawn between 7.30 am and 9.00 am. The subjects were then placed on their respective physical exercise and closely monitored by attendance during their training sessions. Blood samples were collected after two and four weeks post-exercise. All samples were analysed using standard spectrophotometric methods. Data were statistically analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows version 20.0 software. All data were expressed as Mean ± Standard Deviation (SD).

Results: The results showed that there is a significant increase in C reactive protein when the baseline pre-exercise was compared with two weeks of exercise (p< 0.05), however, when the baseline study was compared with two weeks post-exercise it was not significant. Cortisol and serum iron concentration was found to be increased within two weeks of exercise and two weeks after exercise when compared with the baseline study. Total iron binding capacity was found to be significantly increased within the 2 weeks of exercise and after two weeks of exercise when compared with the baseline study. The mean level of creatinine kinase was significantly raised within 2 weeks of exercise when compared with the baseline study. However, it was found to be significantly decreased after 2 weeks post-exercise. The mean levels of albumin and total protein did not differ significantly when the baseline study was compared with two weeks of exercise and post-exercise. The mean levels of IgG and IgM were significantly increased within two weeks of exercise and two weeks post-exercise when compared with the baseline study.

Comparative Analysis of Ridge, Bridge and Lasso Regression Models In the Presence of Multicollinearity

Kelachi Enwere — 2023-02-08

Aims: This research work investigated the best regression technique in handling multicollinearity using the Ridge, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Bridge regression models in comparison to Analysis and Prediction.

Study Design: Two sets of secondary data on Body Size and Heart Rate gotten from the Lulu Briggs Health Center, University of Port Harcourt were used for comparison for model fit and in handling multicollinearity between the regression techniques. Tables were used to present Comparisons made using MSE, RMSE, VIF, AIC and BIC for efficiency. Scatter plots were employed to show fitted regression models. R Software was used to perform data analysis.

Methodology: The data were tested for the presence of Multicollinearity using VIF respectively, before proceeding to apply Ridge, LASSO and Bridge regression techniques to solve the problem of multicollinearity. Then comparison was made in analysis and prediction between the regression techniques.

Results: The results from the study show that, for analysis on body size, we found that none of the Regression Techniques handled the problem of multicollinearity, even though the degree of multicollinearity present in the data set reduces, with VIF values of 11.36762 for Ridge, 10.8042 for LASSO, and Bridge which are 10.95578, 11.24945, 12.22628 and 12.14645 respectively. For Heart Rate analysis, we see that all the regularized regression techniques handled the problem of multicollinearity. The results show that the Bridge regression technique performed better with a VIF of 1.744461 when

COVID-19 and Its Protocols, a Stressor to Healthcare and Healthcare Delivery: Perception of Nurses in Rivers State

Udo Orukwowu — 2023-04-13

This study was aimed at determining the extent to which COVID-19 causes stress to healthcare delivery in Rivers State, determining the perception of nurses on COVID-19 as stressor to healthcare delivery in Rivers State and finding out the factors that influence the perception of nurses regarding stressors to healthcare delivery in Rivers state. For this study, the survey research design was adopted. The choice of the design was informed by the objectives of the study as outlined in chapter one. This research design provides a quickly efficient and accurate means of assessing information about a population of interest. The population for this study were nurses in Rivers State Hospitals, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 134 respondents were selected from the population figure out of which the sample size was determined. Majority male and female Nurses practiced the personal stress management practices such as: relaxing, listening to music or watching movies, physical exercise, applying humor in relationship, ecclesiastical therapy and receiving/visiting a clergy tough in varying proportion with only a few adopting negative practices such as drinking alcohol and drinking coffee. The study concludes on COVID-19 as being one of the major sources of stress to health care delivery as it increases fear among patients of other ailments. Nurses were also found to believe that COVID-19 is a main stressor to healthcare in Rivers State.