Exercise therapy in Type 2 diabetes

Structured exercise is considered an important cornerstone to achieve good glycemic control and improve cardiovascular risk profile in Type 2 diabetes. Current clinical guidelines acknowledge the therapeutic strength of exercise intervention. This paper reviews the wide pathophysiological problems associated with Type 2 diabetes and discusses the benefits of exercise therapy on phenotype characteristics, glycemic control and cardiovascular risk profile in Type 2 diabetes patients. Based on the currently available literature, it is concluded that Type 2 diabetes patients should be stimulated to participate in specifically designed exercise intervention programs. More attention should be paid to cardiovascular and musculoskeletal deconditioning as well as motivational factors to improve long-term treatment adherence and clinical efficacy. More clinical research is warranted to establish the efficacy of exercise intervention in a more differentiated approach for Type 2 diabetes subpopulations within different stages of the disease and various levels of co-morbidity

Involvement of GluN2B subunit containing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in mediating the acute and chronic synaptotoxic effects of oligomeric amyloid-beta (Aβ) in murine models of Alzheimer's disease (AD)

To elucidate whether a permanent reduction of the GIuN2B subunit affects the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we cross-bred mice heterozygous for GIuN2B receptors in the forebrain (hetGluN2B) with a mouse model for AD carrying a mutated amyloid precursor protein with the Swedish and Arctic mutation (mAPP) resulting in a hetGluN2B/mAPP transgenic. By means of voltage-sensitive dye imaging (VSDI) in the di-synaptic hippocampal pathway and the recording of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP5), hippocampal slices of all genotypes (WT, hetGluN2B, mAPP and hetGluN2B/mAPP, age 9-18 months) were tested for spatiotemporal activity propagation and long-term potentiation (LTP) induction. CAl-LTP induced by high frequency stimulation (HFS; 100 Hz/1s) was not different in all genotypes. A beta(1) 42 (50 nM)-application reduced potentiation of fEPSP in WT and hetGluN2B/mAPP mice, LTP in mAPP and hetGluN2B mice was not affected. For VSDI a fast depolarization signal was evoked in the granule cell layer and propagation was analysed in hippocampal CA3 and CA1 region before and after theta stimulation (100pulses/5 Hz). LTP was not significantly different between all genotypes. In mAPP mice 0-stim produced an epileptiform activity reflected in a pronounced prolongation of the FDS compared to the other genotypes. In slices of hetGluN2B/mAPP and GIuN2B mice, however, these parameters were similar to WT mice indicating a reversal effect of the attenuated GIuN2B expression. The induction of a hetGluN2B mutation in the mAPP reversed some pathophysiological changes on hippocampal LTP and provide further evidence for the involvement of the glutamatergic system in AD and emphasize the GluN2B subunit as a potential target for AD treatment. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The effect of a worksite based walking programme on cardiovascular risk in previously sedentary civil servants

Background: A significant proportion of Europeans do not meet the recommendations for 30 mins of physical activity 5 times per week. Whether lower frequency, moderate intensity exercise alters cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has received little attention. This study examined the effects of 45 minutes self-paced walking, 2 d· wk-1 on aerobic fitness, blood pressure (BP), body composition, lipids and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in previously sedentary civil servants. Methods: 37 subjects (24 women) aged 41.5 ± 9.3 years were randomly assigned to either two 45 minute walks per week (walking group) or no training (control group). Aerobic fitness, body composition, blood pressure (BP), CRP and lipoprotein variables were measured at baseline and following 8 weeks. Steps counts were measured at baseline and during weeks 4 and 8 of the intervention. Results: Compared to the control group, the walking group showed a significant reduction in systolic BP and maintained body fat levels (P < 0.05). There were no changes other risk factors. Subjects took significantly more steps on the days when prescribed walking was performed (9303 ± 2665) compared to rest days (5803 ± 2749; P < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that walking twice per week for 45 minutes at ~ 62% HRmax, improves activity levels, reduces systolic BP and prevents an increase in body fat in previously sedentary adults. This walking prescription, however, failed to induce significant improvements in other markers of cardiovascular disease risk following eight weeks of training

Field testing of arsenic in groundwater samples of Bangladesh using a test kit based on lyophilized bioreporter bacteria.

A test kit based on living, lyophilized bacterial bioreporters emitting bioluminescence as a response to arsenite and arsenate was applied during a field campaign in six villages across Bangladesh. Bioreporter field measurements of arsenic in groundwater from tube wells were in satisfying agreement with the results of spectroscopic analyses of the same samples conducted in the lab. The practicability of the bioreporter test in terms of logistics and material requirements, suitability for high sample throughput, and waste disposal was much better than that of two commercial chemical test kits that were included as references. The campaigns furthermore demonstrated large local heterogeneity of arsenic in groundwater, underscoring the use of well switching as an effective remedy to avoid high arsenic exposure