Mulberry extract to modULate Blood glucosE Responses in noRmoglYcaemic adults (MULBERRY): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: worldwide sugar consumption has tripled during the last fifty years. High sugar intake is associated with weight gain and increased incidence of diabetes and has been linked with increased cardiovascular mortality. Reducing the health impact of dietary sugar and poor quality carbohydrate intake is a public health priority. IminoNorm®, a proprietary mulberry leaf extract (ME), may reduce blood glucose responses following dietary sugar and carbohydrate intake by reducing absorption of glucose from the gut. Previous research has shown that ME can reduce blood glucose and improve insulin responses in healthy subjects and also in subjects with raised fasting blood glucose levels. Mulberry leaf has an excellent safety profile. This pilot study will test a novel, safe, water soluble product in normoglycaemic adults in the UK to determine if it can reduce glucose absorption without increasing plasma insulin concentration.Methods/design: the trial will be a double-blind, individually randomised, four-arm single-dose crossover design to test the effect of three doses of ME in order to determine efficacy, dose response relationship and gastrointestinal side effects with respect to placebo. A total of 40 subjects will participate in this study and attend for four visits receiving each of the four interventions in random order.Discussion: we aim to test the evidence that mulberry leaf extract can reduce blood glucose without a disproportionate increase in blood insulin responses in healthy individuals in a high-quality research study based in the UK. It is hoped that this will lead to further randomised controlled trials and an effective dietary supplement to lower blood glucose concentration

The echocardiography diagnosis of cor pulmonale in a horse

The authors describe the two-dimensional and Doppler signs that characterize the pulmonary hypertension caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a horse

Comunicación inter ventricular e insuficiencia aórtica congénitas con posible hemibloqueo anterior de la rama izquierda del haz de His en un canino

Los Autores presentan un caso de comunicación interventricular alta e insuficiencia aórtica congénita en un cachorro, corroborado por el estudio angiocardiográfico. Realizan consideraciones referentes a los distintos aspectos de esta cardiopatía en la especie canina (Incidencia- Aspectos clínicos y fisiopatológicos), y ponen énfasis en la dificultad del diagnóstico sin el auxilio de las exploraciones cardiovasculares complementarias. Asimismo, comentan el hallazgo en el mismo paciente de un registro electrocardiográfico compatible con un diagnóstico de Hemibloqueo anterior de la rama izquierda del haz de His.The author present one case of high interventricular comunication and congenital aortic insufficiency in a wheip, by means of angiocardiographies. Likewise, by electrocardiography registry in the same patient, an anterior hemiblokade of the Ieft branch of the His fagot, is found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Comunicación inter ventricular e insuficiencia aórtica congénitas con posible hemibloqueo anterior de la rama izquierda del haz de His en un canino

Los Autores presentan un caso de comunicación interventricular alta e insuficiencia aórtica congénita en un cachorro, corroborado por el estudio angiocardiográfico. Realizan consideraciones referentes a los distintos aspectos de esta cardiopatía en la especie canina (Incidencia- Aspectos clínicos y fisiopatológicos), y ponen énfasis en la dificultad del diagnóstico sin el auxilio de las exploraciones cardiovasculares complementarias. Asimismo, comentan el hallazgo en el mismo paciente de un registro electrocardiográfico compatible con un diagnóstico de Hemibloqueo anterior de la rama izquierda del haz de His.The author present one case of high interventricular comunication and congenital aortic insufficiency in a wheip, by means of angiocardiographies. Likewise, by electrocardiography registry in the same patient, an anterior hemiblokade of the Ieft branch of the His fagot, is found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Evaluación de los intervalos sistólicos del ventrículo izquierdo en caninos por ecografía Doppler espectral

Los datos sobre intervalos sistólicos del canino son escasosy dispersos, lo cual motivó la necesidad de obtener sus valores ecográficos de referencia,así como su correlación con la frecuencia cardíaca y el peso corporal, de gran utilidad para elesclarecimiento diagnóstico de las cardiopatías de esta especie. Mediante un ecógrafo DopplerKontron modelo Iris 440 se estudiaron 78 perros clínicamente sanos de diferente sexo,edad, peso y raza. Se obtuvieron valores medios para el período pre–eyectivo (78,2±5,1 mseg),tiempo de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo (172,2±2,8 mseg) y sístole electromecánica total(215,28±15,20 mseg). La relación entre los dos primeros parámetros resultó de 0,415±0,04.Estadísticamente no hubo correlación entre los intervalos sistólicos y el peso corporal delos animales, pero se registraron altas correlaciones (p < 0,01) entre la frecuencia cardíaca yparámetros como tiempo de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo, sístole electromecánica total yrelación entre período pre–eyectivo y tiempo de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo

Flujos atrioventriculares normales evaluados por la técnica Doppler espectral en caninos

Los autores realizaron un estudio de las posiciones más adecuadas para estudiar los flujos transmitral y transtricuspídeo por medio de Doppler espectral pulsado en caninos normales y determinar los valores medios de los siguientes parámetros: velocidad pico, velocidad media, gradiente pico de presión, gradiente medio de presión, integral tiempo–velocidad y relación entre ondas E y A. Las mejores posiciones para la obtención de valores del flujo mitral y tricuspídeo fueron la imagen apical de cinco cámaras captada desde la ventana paraesternal izquierda para la primera y la oblicua del tracto de entrada ventricular derecho en la misma ventana para la segunda

Mulberry-extract improves glucose tolerance and decreases insulin concentrations in normoglycaemic adults: results of a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study

Background High sugar and refined carbohydrate intake is associated with weight gain, increased incidence of diabetes and is linked with increased cardiovascular mortality. Reducing the health impact of poor quality carbohydrate intake is a public health priority. Reducose, a proprietary mulberry leaf extract (ME), may reduce blood glucose responses following dietary carbohydrate intake by reducing absorption of glucose from the gut. Methods A double-blind, randomised, repeat measure, phase 2 crossover design was used to study the glycaemic and insulinaemic response to one reference product and three test products at the Functional Food Centre, Oxford Brooks University, UK. Participants; 37 adults aged 19–59 years with a BMI ≥ 20kg/m2 and ≤ 30kg/m2. The objective was to determine the effect of three doses of mulberry-extract (Reducose) versus placebo on blood glucose and insulin responses when co-administered with 50g maltodextrin in normoglycaemic healthy adults. We also report the gastrointestinal tolerability of the mulberry extract. Results Thirty-seven participants completed the study: The difference in the positive Incremental Area Under the Curve (pIAUC) (glucose (mmol / L x h)) for half, normal and double dose ME compared with placebo was -6.1% (-18.2%, 5.9%; p = 0.316), -14.0% (-26.0%, -2.0%; p = 0.022) and -22.0% (-33.9%, -10.0%; p<0.001) respectively. The difference in the pIAUC (insulin (mIU / L x h)) for half, normal and double dose ME compared with placebo was -9.7% (-25.8%, 6.3%; p = 0.234), -23.8% (-39.9%, -7.8%; p = 0.004) and -24.7% (-40.8%, -8.6%; p = 0.003) respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between any of the 4 groups in the odds of experiencing one or more gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, abdominal cramping, distension or flatulence). Conclusions Mulberry leaf extract significantly reduces total blood glucose rise after ingestion of maltodextrin over 120 minutes. The pattern of effect demonstrates a classical dose response curve with significant effects over placebo. Importantly, total insulin rises were also significantly suppressed over the same time-period. There were no statistically significant differences between any of the treatment groups (including placebo) in the odds of experiencing one or more gastrointestinal symptoms. Mulberry extract may have multiple modes of action and further studies are necessary to evaluate ME as a potential target for the prevention of type 2 diabetes and the regulation of dysglycaemia

Reexamining evidence-based practice in community corrections: beyond 'a confined view' of what works

This article aims to reexamine the development and scope of evidence-based practice (EBP) in community corrections by exploring three sets of issues. Firstly, we examine the relationships between the contested purposes of community supervision and their relationships to questions of evidence. Secondly, we explore the range of forms of evidence that might inform the pursuit of one purpose of supervision—the rehabilitation of offenders—making the case for a fuller engagement with “desistance” research in supporting this process. Thirdly, we examine who can and should be involved in conversations about EBP, arguing that both ex/offenders’ and practitioners’ voices need to be respected and heard in this debate

Using digital platform approach to reduce salt intake in a sample of UAE population: An intervention study

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of mortality globally, accounting for more deaths than all other causes combined. World Health Organization launched its initiative in 2013 to reduce the intake of salt, the number of countries that have national sodium reduction strategies reached to 89 countries in 2017. In 2020, a study conducted in UAE showed more than 65% of the population exceeded WHO recommendations for salt intake. This study aimed to measure effectiveness of using digital platform approach to deliver educational materials to facilitate salt reduction in a sample of UAE population. Methods: A controlled parallel intervention study was conducted in 2020. A sample of 121 participants completed the study and fulfilled the inclusion criteria with female to male ratio of (0.95:1.05). Participants were distributed randomly into three groups Control group, WhatsApp group, and Electronic Brochures group. Educational materials were distributed among participants of WhatsApp and Electronic brochures groups for 6-weeks. 24-h urinary excretion for sodium, potassium and creatinine, were measured in addition to KAP questionnaire and physical activity on two occasions at baseline and endpoint after 10-weeks (6-weeks of educational intervention). Results: Both intervention groups showed a reduction in sodium with 278 mg (p < 0.001) for WhatsApp group (n = 41) and 169 mg (p < 0.018) for Electronic brochures group (n = 41), while Control group didn't show any significant change. Moreover, the percentage of participants exceeding WHO recommendation of sodium intake was significantly reduced at the end of intervention, (p = 0.004). WhatsApp group was more efficient in the percentage of reduction of participants exceeding WHO recommendation compared with baseline, with p = 0.023. A significant reduction in the practice toward adding salt during cooking, use of table salt, adding salt before tasting the foods and use of chicken stocks for both intervention groups was noted with p < 0.05. Intervention groups showed a significant improvement (p < 0.001) in Food and Health related knowledge after 6-weeks of intervention. Conclusion: The digital platform approach such as WhatsApp and Electronic Brochure were effective in salt reduction. This study proves that UAE population is ready to reduce salt intake with appropriate education materials and easy delivery approach