Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low-carbohydrate diets, due to their potent antihyperglycemic effect, are an intuitively attractive approach to the management of obese patients with type 2 diabetes. We previously reported that a 20% carbohydrate diet was significantly superior to a 55–60% carbohydrate diet with regard to bodyweight and glycemic control in 2 groups of obese diabetes patients observed closely over 6 months (intervention group, n = 16; controls, n = 15) and we reported maintenance of these gains after 22 months. The present study documents the degree to which these changes were preserved in the low-carbohydrate group after 44 months observation time, without close follow-up. In addition, we assessed the performance of the two thirds of control patients from the high-carbohydrate diet group that had changed to a low-carbohydrate diet after the initial 6 month observation period. We report cardiovascular outcome for the low-carbohydrate group as well as the control patients who did not change to a low-carbohydrate diet.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Retrospective follow-up of previously studied subjects on a low carbohydrate diet.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean bodyweight at the start of the initial study was 100.6 ± 14.7 kg. At six months it was 89.2 ± 14.3 kg. From 6 to 22 months, mean bodyweight had increased by 2.7 ± 4.2 kg to an average of 92.0 ± 14.0 kg. At 44 months average weight has increased from baseline g to 93.1 ± 14.5 kg. Of the sixteen patients, five have retained or reduced bodyweight since the 22 month point and all but one have lower weight at 44 months than at start. The initial mean HbA1c was 8.0 ± 1.5%. After 6, 12 and 22 months, HbA1c was 6.1 ± 1.0%, 7.0 ± 1.3% and 6.9 ± 1.1% respectively. After 44 months mean HbA1c is 6.8 ± 1.3%.</p> <p>Of the 23 patients who have used a low-carbohydrate diet and for whom we have long-term data, two have suffered a cardiovascular event while four of the six controls who never changed diet have suffered several cardiovascular events.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Advice to obese patients with type 2 diabetes to follow a 20% carbohydrate diet with some caloric restriction has lasting effects on bodyweight and glycemic control.</p

Population genomics of the Viking world.

The maritime expansion of Scandinavian populations during the Viking Age (about AD 750-1050) was a far-flung transformation in world history1,2. Here we sequenced the genomes of 442 humans from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland (to a median depth of about 1×) to understand the global influence of this expansion. We find the Viking period involved gene flow into Scandinavia from the south and east. We observe genetic structure within Scandinavia, with diversity hotspots in the south and restricted gene flow within Scandinavia. We find evidence for a major influx of Danish ancestry into England; a Swedish influx into the Baltic; and Norwegian influx into Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Additionally, we see substantial ancestry from elsewhere in Europe entering Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Our ancient DNA analysis also revealed that a Viking expedition included close family members. By comparing with modern populations, we find that pigmentation-associated loci have undergone strong population differentiation during the past millennium, and trace positively selected loci-including the lactase-persistence allele of LCT and alleles of ANKA that are associated with the immune response-in detail. We conclude that the Viking diaspora was characterized by substantial transregional engagement: distinct populations influenced the genomic makeup of different regions of Europe, and Scandinavia experienced increased contact with the rest of the continent

Identification of Novel Genetic Loci Associated with Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies and Clinical Thyroid Disease

Peer reviewe

Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up-0

Fat. The dotted red line is the mean weight.<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up"</p><p>http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/5/1/14</p><p>Nutrition & Metabolism 2008;5():14-14.</p><p>Published online 22 May 2008</p><p>PMCID:PMC2424054.</p><p></p

International Social Survey Programme: Religion II - ISSP 1998

The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) is a continuous programme of cross-national collaboration running annual surveys on topics important for the social sciences. The programme started in 1984 with four founding members - Australia, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States – and has now grown to almost 50 member countries from all over the world. As the surveys are designed for replication, they can be used for both, cross-national and cross-time comparisons. Each ISSP module focuses on a specific topic, which is repeated in regular time intervals. Please, consult the documentation for details on how the national ISSP surveys are fielded. The present study focuses on questions about religion and religious identity.Assessment of personal happiness; assessment of the responsibility of the government regarding creation of jobs and equalization of incomes; attitude to pre-marital as well as extra-marital sexual intercourse; attitude to homosexuality and abortion; judgement on distributoion of roles in marriage and attitude to working women; attitude to living together with a partner before marriage also without intent to marry; tax honesty and attitude to honesty of citizens towards the government; trust in other people as well as institutions such as parliament, businesses, industry, churches, judiciary and schools; attitude to influence of church leaders on voters and governments; attitude to benefit of modern science; greater trust in science than in religion; more conflicts instead of peace from religions; intolerance of very religious people; too much influence of religion in one´s country; frequency of personal honorary activities in the last year in political, charitable, religious or other organizations; judgement on the power of churches and religious organizations; doubt or firm belief in God; perceived nearness to God; belief in a life after death, heaven, hell and miracles; attitude to the Bible; God is concerned with every human; fatalism; the meaning of life and Christian interpretation of life; religious tie at a turning point in life; religious affiliation of father, mother and spouse/partner; frequency of church attendance of father and mother; personal direction of belief and frequency of church attendance when young; frequency of prayer and participation in religious activities; self-classification of personal religiousness; truth in one or in all religions; priority for loyality to a friend before truth; anticipation of false testimony for the benefit of a friend; belief in lucky charms, fortune tellers, miracle healers and horoscopes; conversion of faith after crucial experience; concept of God; judgement on the world and people as good or bad; social rules or God´s laws as basis for deciding between right and wrong. Demography: sex; age, marital status; living together with a partner; school education; type and time extent of occupation activity; occupation (ISCO-Code); private or public employer; occupational self-employment and number of employees; supervisor function and span of control; time worked each week; income; household size; composition of household; number of co-workers; union membership; party inclination and election behavior; self-classification on a left-right continuum; religious affiliation; frequency of church attendance; self-classification of social class. Also encoded was: region; rural or urban area; city size; ethnic identification.Das International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) ist ein länderübergreifendes, fortlaufendes Umfrageprogramm, das jährlich Erhebungen zu Themen durchführt, die für die Sozialwissenschaften wichtig sind. Das Programm begann 1984 mit vier Gründungsmitgliedern - Australien, Deutschland, Großbritannien und den Vereinigten Staaten - und ist inzwischen auf fast 50 Mitgliedsländer aus aller Welt angewachsen. Da die Umfragen auf Replikationen ausgelegt sind, können die Daten sowohl für länder- als auch für zeitübergreifende Vergleiche genutzt werden. Jedes ISSP-Modul konzentriert sich auf ein bestimmtes Thema, das in regelmäßigen Zeitabständen wiederholt wird. Details zur Durchführung der nationalen ISSP-Umfragen entnehmen Sie bitte der Dokumentation. Die vorliegende Studie konzentriert sich auf Fragen zu Religion und religiöser Identität.Persönliche Glückseinschätzung; Einschätzung der Verantwortung des Staates bezüglich der Arbeitsbeschaffung und der Einkommensnivellierung; Einstellung zum vorehelichen sowie zum außerehelichen Geschlechtsverkehr; Einstellung zur Homosexualität und zur Abtreibung; Beurteilung der Rollenverteilung in der Ehe und Einstellung zu berufstätigen Frauen; Einstellung zum Zusammenleben mit einem Partner vor der Ehe auch ohne Heiratsabsicht; Steuerehrlichkeit und Einstellung zur Ehrlichkeit des Bürgers gegenüber dem Staat; Vertrauen in andere Menschen sowie in Institutionen wie Parlament, Wirtschaft, Industrie, Kirchen, Gerichte und Schulen; Einstellung zur Einflußnahme von Kirchenführern auf Wähler und Regierungen; Einstellung zur Nutzenstiftung moderner Wissenschaft; größeres Vertrauen in die Wissenschaft als in die Religion; mehr Konflikte statt Frieden durch die Religionen; Intoleranz streng gläubiger Menschen; zu viel Einfluß der Religion im eigenen Land; Häufigkeit eigener ehrenamtlicher Tätigkeiten im letzten Jahr in politischen, karitativen, religiösen oder anderen Organisationen; Beurteilung der Macht von Kirchen und religiösen Organisationen; Zweifel oder fester Gottesglaube; empfundene Nähe zu Gott; Glauben an ein Leben nach dem Tod, den Himmel, die Hölle und an Wunder; Einstellung zur Bibel; Gott befaßt sich mit jedem Menschen; Fatalismus; Sinn des Lebens und christliche Lebensdeutung; religiöse Bindung an einen Wendepunkt im Leben; Religionszugehörigkeit des Vaters, der Mutter und des (Ehe)-Partners; Kirchgangshäufigkeit des Vaters und der Mutter; eigene Glaubensrichtung und Kirchgangshäufigkeit im Jugendalter; Häufigkeit des Betens und der Teilnahme an religiösen Aktivitäten; Selbsteinstufung eigener Religiosität; Wahrheit in einer oder in allen Religionen; Vorrang der Loyalität gegenüber einem Freund vor der Wahrheit; Erwartbarkeit eines falschen Zeugnisses zugunsten eines Freundes; Glaube an Glücksbringer, Wahrsager, Wunderheiler und Horoskope; Glaubensbekehrung nach Schlüsselerlebnis; Gottesvorstellung; Beurteilung von Welt und Menschen als gut oder schlecht; gesellschaftliche Regeln oder Gottes Gesetze als Entscheidungsbasis für richtig oder falsch. Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter, Familienstand; Zusammenleben mit einem Partner; Schulbildung; Art und zeitlicher Umfang der beruflichen Beschäftigung; Beruf (ISCO-Code); privater oder öffentlicher Arbeitgeber; berufliche Selbständigkeit und Anzahl der Angestellten; Vorgesetztenfunktion und Kontrollspanne; Wochenarbeitszeit; Einkommen; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltszusammensetzung; Mitarbeiterzahl; Gewerkschaftsmitgliedschaft; Parteineigung und Wahlverhalten; Selbsteinstufung auf einem Links-Rechts-Kontinuum; Religionszugehörigkeit; Kirchgangshäufigkeit; Selbsteinstufung der sozialen Schichtzugehörigkeit. Zusätzlich verkodet wurden: Region; ländliche oder urbane Gegend; Ortsgröße; ethnische Identifikation

Population genomics of the Viking world

The maritime expansion of Scandinavian populations during the Viking Age (about ad 750–1050) was a far-flung transformation in world history1,2. Here we sequenced the genomes of 442 humans from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland (to a median depth of about 1×) to understand the global influence of this expansion. We find the Viking period involved gene flow into Scandinavia from the south and east. We observe genetic structure within Scandinavia, with diversity hotspots in the south and restricted gene flow within Scandinavia. We find evidence for a major influx of Danish ancestry into England; a Swedish influx into the Baltic; and Norwegian influx into Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Additionally, we see substantial ancestry from elsewhere in Europe entering Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Our ancient DNA analysis also revealed that a Viking expedition included close family members. By comparing with modern populations, we find that pigmentation-associated loci have undergone strong population differentiation during the past millennium, and trace positively selected loci—including the lactase-persistence allele of LCT and alleles of ANKA that are associated with the immune response—in detail. We conclude that the Viking diaspora was characterized by substantial transregional engagement: distinct populations influenced the genomic makeup of different regions of Europe, and Scandinavia experienced increased contact with the rest of the continent

RNAs: regulators of bacterial virulence.

RNA-based pathways that regulate protein expression are much more widespread than previously thought. Regulatory RNAs, including 5' and 3' untranslated regions next to the coding sequence, cis-acting antisense RNAs and trans-acting small non-coding RNAs, are effective regulatory molecules that can influence protein expression and function in response to external cues such as temperature, pH and levels of metabolites. This Review discusses the mechanisms by which these regulatory RNAs, together with accessory proteins such as RNases, control the fate of mRNAs and proteins and how this regulation influences virulence in pathogenic bacteria