Characteristics and risk factors of tobacco consumption among University of Sharjah students, 2005

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, patterns and risk factors of tobacco consumption among a stratified random sample of students at University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates [UAE], during 2005. The overall reported smoking prevalence among 1057 sampled students was 15.1%; cigarette smokers were 9.4% and waterpipe smokers 5.6%. While women comprised only 8.9% of cigarette smokers, they were 26.2% of waterpipe smokers. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the most important predictors for smoking among the students were: male sex, having a smoking friend, having a smoking family member [father/mother/both], non-UAE nationality and older age. There is a need to intensify efforts to prevent young people from starting smoking and to help young smokers to stop

Thermal denaturation of whey proteins: effect of pH and milk sugars

Influence of pH and milk sugars on thermal stability of whey proteins were studied using heat-induced precipitation and differential scanning calorimetry Heating whey at 90°C for 10 min above pH 3.7 to 3.9 produced extensive protein denaturation. When the same heat treatment was applied below pH 3.7 protein precipitation was greatly reduced; however, protein denaturation still occurred in various whey protein fractions. Presence of milk sugars [lactose, glucose, and galactose] appeared to increase the thermal stability of beta-lacto globulin. Heat stability of alpha-lactalbumin was less at pH 3.5 than in the pH 6.5 to 4.5 range; at all pH denaturation temperatures of alpha-lactalbumin [61.6 to 57.6C] were lower than those for beta-lacto globulin or serum albumin