How can we keep impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose from progressing to diabetes?

Lifestyle interventions aimed at weight loss of 5% to 10% of body weight along with moderate aerobic exercise such as brisk walking for 150 minutes a week are the most effective means to prevent impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) from progressing to diabetes (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, several meta-analyses, including a recent Cochrane review)

Intergroup contact: The past, present, and the future

Contains fulltext : 63194.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)The Contact Hypothesis has long been considered one of psychology’s most effective strategies for improving intergroup relations. In this article, we review the history of the development of the Contact Hypothesis, and then we examine recent developments in this area. Specifically, we consider the conditions that are required for successful contact to occur (e.g. cooperation), investigate basic psychological processes that may mediate the consequent reductions in bias (e.g. decreased intergroup anxiety, increased common group representations), and explore factors that can facilitate the generalization of the benefits of intergroup contact in terms of more positive attitudes toward the outgroup as a whole (e.g. increased group salience). We conclude by outlining the contents of the contributions to this Special Issue on Intergroup Contact, highlighting common themes, and identifying findings that suggest directions for future research

Immunohistochemical characterization of periodontal wound healing following nonsurgical treatment with fluorescence controlled Er:YAG laser radiation in dogs.

Contains fulltext : 52910.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to immunohistochemically characterize periodontal wound healing following nonsurgical treatment with fluorescence controlled Er:YAG laser radiation in dogs. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five beagle dogs suffering from naturally occurring chronic periodontitis were randomly allocated in a split-mouth design to nonsurgical periodontal treatment using either (a) an Er:YAG laser at 10.2, 12.8, 15.4, 18, and 20.4 J/cm2 (ERL1-5), or (b) an ultrasonic device (VUS) serving as control. The animals were sacrificed after 3 months. Histomorphometrical (e.g. inflammatory cell infiltrate, surface changes, cementum formation), and immunohistochemical parameters (collagen type I, CD68, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8) were assessed. RESULTS: Inflammatory cell infiltrates of different extent were commonly observed in all treatment groups. However, histomorphometrical analysis revealed new cementum formation with inserting collagen type I fibers along the instrumented root surfaces in most specimens of both ERL (ERL2: 31+/-81 to ERL5: 595+/-575 microm) and VUS (50+/- 215 microm) groups. This was associated with pronounced CD68 and weak MMP-8 antigen reactivity. CONCLUSION: Within the limits of the present study, it was concluded that both treatment procedures (i) were effective in controlling inflammatory cell infiltrates, and (ii) may support the formation of a new connective tissue attachment