Methodology Dissertation
Overview
The research involved a qualitative methodology in investigating the relationship between Brazil nuts and the corresponding concentration of cholesterol in blood plasma. It was presented in a descriptive research design by the use of different qualitative measures as discussed below.
Study Subjects
The study participants were randomly selected and taken through medical research to determine the subjects who qualified for the tests. Selection was made after the subjects had approved their consent to accept to be incorporated in the case study. The subjects ranged from 21 to 60 years old. Participants found to have consumed a high percentage of alcohol were excluded from the study as it could lead to inaccurate results. In addition, participants who were found to have been diagnosed with other medicines such as hypothyroidism were excluded. Besides, the selection was random; hence, it was accompanied by measurements of body weight, height and mass index. The successful participants of the study were 9 men and 4 women. Testing procedures were carried out by various tools such as digital scale, wall-mounted stadiometer and, medical laboratory tools to come up with averaged results. The participants also measured their level of cholesterol at the beginning of the study, which could be compared with the level taken after the experiments. Initially, the participants who qualified for the study had an average of about 40-50 mg/Dl, which showed that they were at higher risk of developing bad cholesterol.
Brazil Nut and Almond Test
Brazil almonds and nuts were tested using various methods to determine their constituents which can be associated with lipids and cholesterol level to determine their contribution towards cardiovascular. Firstly, scope method was used to classify and separate nut species from individual nuts which seem to be defective. Weight measuring tools and observation methods were used to test the physical purity of nuts and almonds before testing the internal constituents. The sampled brazil nuts and almonds of approximately 700grams were then mixed with concentrated nitric acid of about 7-8 Ml and put in quartz vessels. Microwave was used to generate a maximum temperature of 280 degrees Celsius required to heat the vessel with a pressure of 90 bar.
The samples were then subjected to an extraction process to determine the level of lipid. It involved grinding of the nuts and almonds by use of methanol of about 33 Ml/g to extract esters class in the nuts. Christie procedure was further used to analyze the fatty acid ethyl class, which was found in the ester group to shows the constituents in brazil almonds and nuts.
Secondary data analysis
The research also involves the use of secondary data of prior researchers as well as health statistics related to the prevalence of cholesterol and cardiovascular cases. The secondary sources provide factual information is then tested by use of other methodologies. Cholesterol level is prevalent in the US, which many health sectors have provided relevant information to help in research. Prior researchers are also credited for brilliant ideas which have been incorporated in the study for comparison and confirmations. The secondary data used has been tested and proved to be credible to be applied in future researches hence are reliable.
Experimental Methodology
The selected subjects of the study were firstly subjected to an RCT approach by administering repeated clinical tests. The subjects were administered four different treatments ranging from 0, 10, 30, 50g, in accordance with the Latin square method accompanied by a 20-day washout duration. The relevant nutritionists instructed the participants in charge of the study to avoid foods which rich in selenium, magnesium, lipids and phytophenols among other diets which might interfere with the level of cholesterol. The subjects were then administered with the brazil nuts and almonds independently of about 100g per nut, which provides approximately 15.3g of fat among other irrelevant constituents for 30 days with an interval of 5 hours daily.
Collection of Blood Samples
The blood samples were collected to test the effect of the brazil nuts and almond in the level of cholesterol. Cholesterol is found in the blood as it circulates in different parts of the body which poses a high risk to stimulate cardiovascular disease when in extreme condition. Blood samples were therefore collected 6 times per day for the 30 days with an interval of 4 hours daily. The subjects were required to obey the mandatory fasting of 12 hours per day during the collection of the samples. The samples were collected using Vacutainer tubes which lack anticoagulant. Ice was used to preserve the blood samples, which was centrifuged for about 13 minutes every hour. Results of plasma samples and serum were stored for about 5 weeks before assessment took place at approximately -80 degrees Celsius.
Blood Tests
Blood testing involved analyzing the level of haemoglobin by use of the clinical materials such as Cobas Micros System and Ortho-Clinical reagents applicable in diagnostics. It was then followed by determination of the atherogenic index, which involved various determinants. It used a comparison of the HDL-c and total cholesterol ratio and HDL-c concentrations. On the other hand, graphite furnace atomizer and atomic absorption spectrometry were used in determination of Se concentration in the plasma obtained in the samples. The data collected was finally analyzed statistically by use of ANOVA method as well as other nonparametric tests.
Research Question
What are the impacts of supplementation of Brazil nuts/almonds on the level of cholesterol and vulnerability to cardiovascular disease?
Search Strategy
Key Words
Supplementation, Brazil nuts/almonds, cholesterol, and cardiovascular
Key Phrases
Supplementation of Brazil nuts, the vulnerability of Cardiovascular, impact of Brazil nuts on the cholesterol level, the effect of cholesterol level on cardiovascular.
Search Databases and Engines
The research employed the recommended search engine for academic efficiency; Google. Databases used in the study involved health journals which offer statistics and health knowledge regarding cholesterol level and cardiovascular disease. In addition, scholarly articles were applied in secondary analysis as well as other articles relating to Brazil nuts.
Search Terms
The search terms involved the use of alternative forms of the keywords to provide synonyms by the following methods;
- Use of thesaurus to come up with broad results which offers detailed explanations and description to understand the research question.
- Use of search engines to find alternative expressions.
- Use of subject heads.
- Evaluation of related abstracts for synonyms.
Search terms also relied on the use of the keywords and phrases identified above. Keywords such as brazil nuts, cholesterol and cardiovascular as well as other key phrases were searched from the search engines to bring a better understanding of the topic. However, the texts were searched broadly without the use of punctuation marks to increase the number of results found.
Some words such as cardiovascular and cholesterol were searched by use of truncations. Other key phrases such as “impact of Brazil nuts/almonds on the level of cholesterol” also used truncations to bring many distinct articles for secondary analysis to help in avoiding repetition of ideas and limiting the similarity index.
It also employed adjacency when searching by bringing related words and phrases closer to each other for accurate and precise results. For instance, “impact of Brazil nuts/almonds” and “the level of cholesterol was consistent with enhancing specifications of articles provided.
Use of Boolean logic also contributed to the successful search of terms. It mainly involved the use of conjunctions such as ‘or’ and ‘and’. For instance, Brazil nuts or almonds provides a combined result as it is used to offer similarity.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
The study was conducted with various criteria which determined qualifications of people acceptable to the set guidelines. The subjects were randomly collected, which called for criterion selection to help in sampling the participants through exclusion and inclusion.
Inclusion
The study involves human beings as the subjects. Human beings can be monitored and controlled within the set rules of a study. In addition, cholesterol monitoring will be effective in human beings to determine the infection of cardiovascular. The human beings selected must be alive to for sampling of blood.
The study also incorporates a population ranging from 21-60 years. The subjects would be required to continuous blood sampling and fasting, which requires the specified adult bracket age who can be controlled as well as persevere to the set guidelines with their own consent.
The secondary sources used in the methodology should also be in English. English is the preferred language which can be understood by any audience who might be interested for more information as well as offering credible and clear results.
Exclusion
Animals are excluded from the research. In addition, children are also excluded in the experimental study. Adults who have a history of long-term consumption of alcohol and other drugs were also excluded in the research for it might alter with the plasma content, which is very reliable in the study. Subjects who were identified with risky diseases which might alter the blood system were excluded from the study as it would expose them to more severe health conditions. In addition, drug addicts and people with negative health history would be hard to control due to individual differences which would alter their consent within the set period.
Ethical Considerations
Effectiveness of the study followed various ethical considerations to help in developing equality and ethical experiments for systematic and credible results. It comprised of;
Informed consent
The random selection of subjects was done after informing the potential subjects of the activities and guidelines which were supposed to take place as well as the duration the research would take. The selected individuals would then make informed-decisions willingly to participate in the study. Participation was therefore voluntary after considering the beliefs, norms and expectations of the nature of practices involved in the research.
Confidentiality
The results obtained from different practices, such as blood sampling and other study procedures, remained confidential. The subjects were assured of confidential measures ensuring not to expose the results to a third party for security and ethical reasons. In addition, identity of the participants was not revealed to anyone. The subjects were all known as the study required their historical backgrounds and health status; however, their information was remained confidential.
No harm
The study was conducted in consideration of ethical perspective. Hence, the subjects’ safety was ensured without causing any physical, psychological or mental harm. They were subjected to normal lives for the set period to make them feel relaxed for their safety and success of the research. However, they were subjected to mandatory fasting for 12 hours for effective blood sampling, which was done with their consent.
Assessment of relevant components only.
The study focused only on determining the level of cholesterol through blood sampling. Hence, individual health and psychological details were mot assessed. The blood samples collected were only tested for the cholesterol component, excluding other blood tests for other diseases apart from cardiovascular.
Results
Study Eligibility
The research ensured eligibility by consideration of both the subjects and researchers. Based on professionalism and health status. The subjects who were involved in the study met all the qualifications included in the inclusive criteria. This ensured that the subjects portrayed cooperation and maintained consistency during the assessment of their progress within the given period.
Analysis of secondary data was practiced by competent researchers to enhance the credibility and reliability of the collected data. Reliable sources were used to provide relevant and tested data for accuracy. Systematic studies have provided enough evidence on the relationship between consumption of Brazil nuts and reduction of the level of cholesterol in the body of human beings which was approved through the conducted tests.
Medical practitioners conducted blood sampling and other medical examinations of blood plasma and cholesterol content as well as testing of cardiovascular disease with qualified clinical testing kits for accuracy and validity. Qualified phlebotomists were used in collecting and assessing different blood samples and preserve them well in ice for testing during the preferred period.
Statistical analyses of the findings were done by use of approved measures which have been successfully applied in prior researches. The ANOVA method has been used in several tests both in clinical and research methodologies as well as other nonparametric approaches.
Synthesis of Results
The research question is, therefore answered by a combination of the results gathered in the different methodologies used in the study. According to systematic reviews from the secondary data analysis, the level of cholesterol is determined by the change in LDL and HDL amount in the blood plasma. Based on the research argument, the levels can be affected by supplementation of Brazil nuts which have been argued to reduce the cholesterol in the blood by lowering the HDL and raising the LDL to improve health status and reduce the vulnerability of cardiovascular infection. Hence, the research was conducted to test and approve the argument practically by use of real subjects and administering of approved Brazil nuts/almonds accompanied by continuous measurements to show change of total lipid ratio in relation to the magnitude of LDL before and after the study. The study showed improvement of the magnitude and correlation of both HDL and LDL, which was then analyzed using the ANOVA method. The findings of the blood samples and systematic study can, therefore, be combined to bring out the final analysis to help in answering the research question. Hence, consumption of Brazil nuts/almonds has been experimentally and clinically tested to have a positive contribution to the regulation of cholesterol in the body, thus reducing possibilities of potential individuals being infected with cardiovascular disease.
Critical Appraisal
The research has provided valid results. The results have been analyzed after conducting various experiments which have been tested to prove that supplementation of Brazil nuts/almonds plays a significant role in the human bodies to reduce the level of cholesterol. Cholesterol has been the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, among other effects. The research was, therefore carried out aiming at answering the research question, which determines its validity. It was purposed to prove and evaluate the impact of Brazil nuts in the blood plasma based on the change of the level of cholesterol. The validity of the research is determined by the correlation of the findings and the original purpose of the study. Results have proved that Brazil nuts/almonds have a positive contribution in the regulation of body cholesterol, which provides a valid hypothesis of the study.
The study showed that there was a positive atherogenic index which compared the level of cholesterol in the blood plasma with the final concentration after supplementation of nuts which had measured the content of nutrients such as magnesium, selenium and other nutritional values responsible for plasma regulation. Low-Density lipoprotein was measured after the blood sampling, which showed that subjects who consumed Brazil nuts had improvement. The participants had improved their high-density lipoprotein level form 40-50 mg/ dL to about 60-70 mg/dl; hence a positive improvement. The results can, therefore, be used to evaluate the contribution of the nuts in a progressive and systematic flow of the collected samples which enhances eligibility of the study. On the other hand, the LDL results had also improved from an average of 110-130mg/dl to about 90-100mg/dl. The fall of the LDL showed a reduction in the level of cholesterol in the blood, which reduced the vulnerability of the subjects towards cardiovascular infection. Hence, the study was illegible and valid as it was tested by the use of reliable clinical materials by professional clinical practitioners through blood sampling hence providing credible results without bias and third-party interference.
Outcome measures
The use of clinical tests measured the outcomes of the results. The progress of subjects was measured at different intervals to show the change of cholesterol level in the blood. Hence, clinical tests were tested by use of the blood samples as observation and other physical methods could not be used to observe the cholesterol changes. The results of the research methodologies were determined by evaluation of the provided clinical analysis. Blood samples were used as the primary outcome measures which were taken through laboratory tests to determine the constituents of blood plasma in relation to the level of cholesterol after supplementation of Brazil nuts.
Measures of outcomes proved the consistency of blood sampling, which showed a progressive change f cholesterol in the subjects’ blood samples. Hence, the measures were used in the evaluation of the reliability and accuracy of the outcomes. Clinical apparatus was professionally used by competent clinical practitioners who collected and sampled the blood plasma in their respective categories.
Overview
The research incorporated different methodologies as analyzed above, which prompted to different but related results. The methods were all focused on a common goal to investigate the relationship between cholesterol level and consumption of Brazil almonds/nuts. Hence the results have been organized in accordance with the systematic review of methodologies. The results have been tested by the use of clinical tools and practitioners to enhance eligibility and consistency. Literary analysis has also played an important role to ensure connection oh HDL and LDL on the rate of cholesterol changes in the body. The subjects have been used to validate the reviewed knowledge in different scholarly article and provided statistical developments of the health sector.
Physiological Outcomes
The participants of the study provided subjective data relating to the study. The report indicated that there was an improvement of the body functioning. The clinical tests also offered objective data which was a summation of the physiological outcomes. The study was effective to conduct a successful study based on the relevance of clinical test on physiological procedures. However, the tested subjects showed some physical effects such as chest pains and slurred speech. In addition, 2 females also demonstrated dizziness characteristics ate the end of the study. In contrast, 3 of the subjects who had signs of unsteady gait and painful legs showed recovery after reduction of the cholesterol, which can be attributed to supplementation of Brazil nuts. The symptoms were associated with vulnerability of cardiovascular disease, which seemed to reduce due to stabilization of cholesterol level in their blood. The amount of fats in the blood system was incorporated into the metabolic system due to digestion of the Brazil nuts, which the cholesterol level was substituted by the lipid structure hence building favorable HDL and LDL ratio.
Summary
The results of the study provide a summation of the outcomes which have been evaluated from different methodological practices. For eligibility, the criteria of inclusivity and exclusivity was used to determine the subjects who qualified to participate in the study. Professionals also conducted the study with objectives which guided both the researchers and subjects. The consent of the subjects provided a simplified and consistent study, as a common purpose drove all participants. Synthesis of results has been evaluated based on the provided evidence of results to approve the validity and credibility of outcomes to come up with a summated answer in relation to the research question. The vulnerability of cardiovascular disease is, therefore evaluated based on clinical test and health knowledge provided in different health articles. The relationship between cholesterol and Brazil nuts is evaluated in consideration of the testable results, which helps in the synthesis of the research question. The outcome measures are valid for detecting the reliability of the results which have been assessed by medical facilities and clinical tools to determine its validity and consistency for ethical considerations and eligibility.
Future Recommendations
The dissertation provides acceptable and valid content which can be recommended for future use. It can be applied I different theoretical and practical experiences. The measurements provide reliable information which future studies can rely on when assessing the contribution of Brazil nuts in the regulation of cholesterol level as well as the relationship between cardiovascular disease and lipoprotein dipeptides. The nutrition value of the dissertation provides future and current knowledge to help in understanding how Brazil nuts can be applied as regulators of fats and selenium in the plasma content. It is, therefore, recommendable for future studies and reliable enough to provide relevant and credible information towards approaching cholesterol values. Studies have been using the existing literary analysis for further studies; hence, the dissertation has been measured to provide qualitative analysis through descriptive design which future researchers can use in developing future dissertations and articles related to the topic study. Besides, it can be used as a reference in future articles as it elaborates methodological and empirical evidence which relates with qualitative analysis of research questions. Future researchers can also incorporate the dissertation in learning the cardiovascular vulnerability based on the HDL and LDL levels.
Besides, the dissertation can be recommended for use in future clinical analysis. The given methodologies and results have gone through outcome measures which prove their eligibility and applicability in different clinical procedures aimed at investigating the changes of cholesterol. Future clinical tests can, therefore emulate the methodologies to help in improving the current health practices and enhance the progressing reforms in the medical sectors. Medical procedures can rely upon the testable outcomes of the research.
In addition, it is recommended to come up with further studies in future to help in exhausting the details which might have left out in the dissertation to provide complete health research. Further studies are recommended to perform unique and related qualitative and descriptive evaluations to confirm and validate the given report. Similarly, outcomes measures are recommendable to undergo further testing of validation and correction in cases which subjects doubts by use of the modern medical tools which have been provided by the enhancement of advanced technology as well as medical reforms.
Brazil nuts can also be used to facilitate modern reforms and future supplementation. Brazil nuts have played a critical role in the research to shows their contribution to the regulation of fats and controlling the DL, which can be used in future to prevent the alarming rate of cardiovascular infections. It can be used as a natural medication strategy which is economical as compared to other medications. In addition, Brazil nuts have limited side effects and physiological impacts on the health of people as compared to different medications due to its natural state.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The research is conducted in consideration with cost-effectiveness. The methodologies involved in the study are simple and effective to come up with valid results without the consumption of such resources. Hence, cost-effectiveness serves as a reliable tool to facilitate safety and systematic presentation of results. The blood samples were collected by the available medical tools which exist within the medical reforms and tested in the medical laboratories.
Generalizability of the research has been enhanced by the use of secondary sources which involves prior studies and researches conducted and tested to be reliable and valid. Hence, sampling has been done in consideration of the secondary sources. In addition, the primary study involves the use of various subjects based on both male and female, which promote generalizability hence serving as a strength of the study. It, therefore, ensures incorporation of the research dissertation in various approaches as it can be used to a wide scope sampling to people associated with a high amount of cholesterol.
The validity of the study has been facilitated by testability of the results by the use of outcome measures which shows reliability and efficiency of results and methodologies. Clinical methods have been used to conduct the research, which improves accuracy as well as facilitating the credibility of the final results.
Weakness of the research is associated with the applicability of the Brazil nuts in the detection of other factors. The objectives of the study had been explicitly formulated to find the correlation of Brazil nuts with cholesterol. Hence, the study cannot be used to identify other components of blood plasma and their variations. In addition, the research is time-consuming, which requires active participation and monitoring of subjects within consecutive hours per day. Hence, the subjects might feel disturbed. Similarly, the methodology required the subjects to adhere to the mandatory fasting to facilitate blood sampling, which inconveniences their day to day activities. Besides, the study was aimed at testing the correlation which had been validated by the clinical sector as Brazil nuts have been argued to regulate cholesterol for a long time. Therefore, the study confirmed the existing arguments without incorporation of new information which calls for further research.
References