Correlation between intakes of carbohydrates,protein,and fat with random blood sugar levels in menopausal women

Objective: Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are energy sources needed by the body for performing daily activities and generating primary energy substances. In women who have undergone menopause, the function of thyroid hormone in their body begins to decline and thus affects the ability of the body to produce energy. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the intakes of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and random blood sugar levels in menopausal women.Methods: This study was a correlational analytical research with a cross-sectional design, which was conducted in 72 menopausal women recruited by the purposive sampling technique. In this study, a 24-hour food recall form was used, and randomized blood sugar levels were measured using a glucometer. The analysis of the data was performed using a Pearson product moment and multiple linear regression.Results: Carbohydrates and fats together affected random blood sugar levels with an F-value of 25.810 and a p-value of 0.000.Meanwhile, adjusted R^2 showed the value of 0.411, indicating that the difference in the intake of carbohydrates and fats together affected random blood sugar levels by 41.1%.Conclusions: Intake of carbohydrates and fats affected random blood sugar levels, whereas the rest were influenced by other factors,and protein intake was unrelated to random blood sugar levels in menopausal women.

Umbilical Cord Blood Lead Levels in Shanghai, China

This study was designed to determine the cord blood lead (BPb) levels of babies born in one urban area of Shanghai, and to preliminarily identify the demographic, social environment and prenatal factors which have an effect on the cord BPb concentrations. From August to November 1993, umbilical cord blood samples were obtained from 605 live newborns in the Yangpu Maternal and Child Hospital. 257 samples were excluded from measurement because of clotting. In 348 cord samples, the geometric mean of cord BPb levels was 9. 2μg/dl, with a 95 % confidence interval of the mean 8. 86-9. 54 (μg/dl). 142 babies (40. 8 % ) had cord BPb levels of 10μg/dl or greater. As a result of this high percentage of newborns with BPb levels equal to or greater than 10 μg/dl, we estimate that each year in the Shanghal City about 60,000 newborns are at risk for developing neuropsychological deficiencies caused by maternal lead exposure during pregnancy. To investigate the factors affecting cord blood levels, the subjects with levels greater than the 70th percentile (10. 7μg/dl) (n = 104) and less than the 3oth percentile (7. 4μg/dl) (n = 104) were selected to compare the demographic, environ ment and prenatal medical history. Increased BPb levels at birth were associated with maternal passive smoking, a family member being occupationally exposed to lead, proximity to major traffic way, household coal combustion, neighborhood coal combustion, low level of meternal occupations, and the increasing occurrence of having the high lead foodstuff pidan (preserved duck egg) during pregnancy. We conclude that prenatal lead exposure has become an impor tant health issue for young children in Shanghai

Association between Polymorphisms of MALAT1 and Blood Lead Levels in Lead-exposed Workers

Lead,a heavy metal,which is nonessential but may be harmful to the human body,has been widely used to manufacture many products for use in the modern world.Lead-acid batteries have the advantages of low price,high safety,and advanced technology.

Spouses of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 at increased risk of high blood glucose levels

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a growing threat in developing countries already burdened with high levels of infectious disease. Screening the general population has debatable advantages. This study aims to determine whether spouses of patients with diabetes mellitus have higher random blood glucose (RBG) levels as well as the benefit of RBG testing as a targetted screening tool. Methodology: The survey employed a cross-sectional comparative study of spouses’ of diabetics and non-diabetics attending the general out-patient department of the LagosStateUniversityTeaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. A modified WHO STEPS Surveillance Instrument and a one-touch Glucometer were used to collect data. Blood pressures and BMI were measured and correlated to blood glucose levels. Results: Prevalence of high RBG was found to be 7% among spouses of diabetics and 3.3% among spouses of non-diabetic patients. Mean RBG was 5.57 mmol/L and 7.7 mmol/L within the age group 40 - 49 years and 50 - 59 years respectively among spouses of diabetic patients compared to 5.4 mmol/L and 5.5 mmol/L within the same age group among the spouses non-diabetics. Spouses of patients with diabetes mellitus had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures and BMI compared to spouses of non-diabetics. Conclusion: Being male, married to a diabetic patient, lower educational levels and higher body mass index are significantly associated with higher random blood glucose in the spouses of diabetic patients. Random blood glucose measurements are an effective screening tool and spouses of diabetic patients can benefit from targeted screening in controlled clinical settings.

Blood Lead Levels During Pregnancy and Its Influencing Factors in Nanjing,China

Objective To investigate the blood lead levels （BLLs） in the duration of pregnancy and 6-12 weeks after delivery, and analyze the influencing factors of BLLs in healthy pregnant women. Methods Pregnant women were recruited from September 2009 to February 2010 at the prenatal clinic in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital. Altogether 174 healthy pregnant women without pregnant or obstetric complications or abnormal pregnancy outcomes were enrolled as the gravida group, and 120 healthy non-pregnant women as the control group. BLLs during pregnancy were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results BLLs in all the three pregnancy trimesters and postpartum were 59.8±24.3, 55.4±20.1, 55.9±19.7, and 67.6±17.4 μ/L, respectively, and the mean BLL in control group was 67.5±21.3 μg/L. BLLs during all the three trimesters were lower in the gravida group than in the control group （P=0.043, 0.021, and 0.028）. Furthermore, occupations, nutrients supplementation, and time of house/apartment painted were associated with BLLs in pregnant women. Lead-related occupations, cosmetics use, and living in a house painted less than 1 year before are risk factors of high BLLs among pregnant women, while calcium, iron, zinc, and milk supplements are protective factors. Conclusion Supplementing calcium, iron, zinc, and milk, or avoiding contact with risk factors may help people, especially pregnant women, to reduce lead exposure.

Association between Socio-Demographic Factors and Blood Sugar Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Bangladesh

Background: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the anthropometric and demographic factors and their correlation with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Bangladesh. Methods: One hundred fourteen patients (70 males and 44 females) between 30 and 75 years of age from various areas of Bangladesh were screened for T2DM. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) was analyzed by using laboratory kits and spectrophotometric technique. Anthropometric and socio-demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from weight (kg) and height (m) of the individual respondents. Physical activity was categorized based on activity during daily work. Economic condition is defined by respective family income and education level is categorized into 3 levels: illiterate, 0 - 12 years of education and graduate or above. Results: According to the current study results, half of the patients were from the middle-class family with low physical activity and their age was within the range of 30 - 45 years. The male and female ratio of the study population was 60:40. Most of the patients were found to be obese and educated. Urban populations were more prone to have DM than the rural population. Age, education, the area of residence (urban and rural), physical activity and co-morbid diseases were significantly correlated with T2DM in Bangladesh (P Conclusion: Our study shows that different socio-demographic factors have a significant correlation with T2DM in Bangladesh. Diabetes awareness, early diagnosis, patient education and life-style modification can be initiated to manage T2DM efficiently.

Effects of the self-management training program on self-management behavior and blood pressure levels among elderly people with hypertension

Objective:To determine the effects of the Self-Management Training Program on self-management behavior and blood pressure(BP)levels among elderly people with hypertension(HT).Methods:This study was based on a quasi-experimental design using sampling groups composed of elderly residents of Pathum Thani Province with HT.Simple random sampling was applied to two sampling groups,an experimental group and a control group.However,the experimental group had been on the Self-Management Training Program based on the Creer concept.The Program’s contents included small-group health-education sessions and the patients’manual,Self-Management Training Skills for Self-Management Behavior.Small group discussions were held for self-reflection,to stimulate follow-up for self-management behavior training during home visits.The Self-Management Training Program was compared with programs involving the more usual care.Data were collected using the Self-Management Behavior for Hypertension Control Questionnaire and BP assessment tests.Data were analyzed using a descriptive statistic,chi-square test,pair t-test,repeated-measures Analysis of Variance(ANOVA),and repeated-measures Analysis Covariance(ANCOVA).Results:It was found that at 13 weeks after entering the program,the experimental group demonstrated a significantly lower systolic and diastolic BP with a baseline statistical significance(P<0.005),and that at the 4th week and the 13th week,there was a decrease in BP in the experimental group.The experimental group also had above-baseline self-management behavior scores that were higher than in the control group(P<0.01).Conclusions:Results from this study show that the Self-Management Program was useful for BP control and promoted sustainable self-management behavior.

Evaluation of the Three Glucometer Devices Performance in Comparison with the Cobas Integra 400 Plus Autoanalyzer in Measuring Blood Glucose Levels: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the performance of the three glucometers compared to standard the laboratory method (Cobas Integra 400 Plus) in measuring blood glucose levels. Patients and Methods: A total of 100 Yemeni diabetic patients were randomly recruited into a comparative cross-sectional study. Venous and finger-pricked blood samples were obtained from all participants and used for blood glucose levels measurement following the standard procedures. Results: The mean blood glucose levels for one-hundred diabetic patients using the Gluco Contour TS and Gluco SD Codefree were not significantly different compared with the Cobas Integra 400 Plus (12.14 ± 6.89 mmol/L vs. 12.85 ± 8.83 mmol/L, P = 0.159;12.50 ± 7.18 mmol/L vs. 12.85 ± 8.83 mmol/L, P = 0.490), respectively. However, there is a significant difference using the Gluco Alert device from that of the Cobas Integra 400 Plus (11.83 ± 6.94 mmol/L vs. 12.85 ± 8.83 mmol/L, P = 0.046). Furthermore, using the ROC curve at a 95% confidence interval, the Cobas Integra 400 Plus showed a significant agreement with the Gluco Contour TS (51.4%), Gluco SD Codefree (50.4%), and Gluco Alert (39.3%), respectively. For determining accuracy, the sensitivity of the glucometer devices was the following: Gluco SD Codefree (87.3%), Contour TS (85.9%), and Gluco Alert (78.9%). In this regard, the highest specificity was related to Gluco Contour TS (65.5%). Conclusion: The correlation between both methods was good, with high sensitivity and specificity in measuring blood glucose levels as indicated by the ROC curve. Thus, we suggest using these glucometers at homes and hospitals as a point of care for diabetic patients.

Effects of Danqi Yishen Capsule on Blood Lipid Levels and Hemorheological Indicators of Hyperlipidemia Patients

Objective: To explore the effects of Danqi Yishen Capsule (Danqi Capsule for Tonifying Kidney) on blood lipid levels and hemorheological indicators of hyperlipidemia patients. Methods: A total of 96 patients with hyperlipidemia were randomly divided into the control group and observation group of 48 cases respectively. The control group was given by simvastatin in oral administration of 10 mg half an hour after dinner, once a day, while the observation group based on the treatment of the control group, was orally given Danshen Yishen Capsule of three capsules each time, three times a day. The treatment of both groups lasted for two months. Then the comparison focused on blood lipid levels, hemorheological indicators, and adverse reactions between both groups before and after the treatment. Results: There was no significant difference in blood lipid levels and hemorheological indicators between both groups before the treatment (P > 0.05). The symptoms of both groups were significantly improved after the treatment, and the difference before and after the treatment was statistically significant (P < 0.05), and the difference between both groups was also statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between both groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Danqi Yishen Capsule has a significant value in clinical applications, which can optimize clinical efficacy, improve blood lipid levels and hemorheological indicators of hyperlipidemia patients, as well as reduce the probability of adverse reactions in patients.

Effect of different blood glucose levels on viscera injury, oxidative stress response and Wnt5a inflammatory pathway in children with sepsis

Objective:To investigate the effect of different blood glucose levels on viscera injury, oxidative stress response and Wnt5a inflammatory pathway in children with sepsis.Methods:70 children with sepsis treated in our hospital between January 2014 and December 2015 were retrospectively collected and divided into the sepsis group A (blood glucose>10 mmol/L) (n=29) and the sepsis group B (blood glucose ≤10 mmol/L) (n=41) according to the different blood glucose levels, and 50 healthy children who accepted vaccination and were with normal blood glucose levels in our hospital during the same period were selected as healthy control group. The day after admission, RIA method was used to determine liver function indexes;automatic biochemical analyzer was used to determine oxidative stress indexes;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect Wnt5a inflammatory pathway index levels.Results: Liver function indexes total bilirubin (TBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels of sepsis group A were higher than those of sepsis group B and healthy control group (P<0.05);oxidative stress indexes advanced protein oxidation products (AOPPs), lipid hydrogen peroxide (LHP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were higher than those of sepsis group B and healthy control group while glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) level was lower than that of sepsis group B and healthy control group (P<0.05);serum Wnt5a inflammatory pathway indexes interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12 (IL-12) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β) levels were higher than those of sepsis group B and healthy control group (P<0.05).Conclusions:Sepsis children with high blood glucose are with severe liver function damage as well as intense oxidative stress and inflammatory response, which are the important indexes for severe illness and poor prognosis.

Effects of Dietary Copper Level on Blood and Tissue Copper Contents in Geese

In order to study the effect of dietary copper level on blood and tissue copper contents in geese, one-week Sichuan white geese were randomly divided in- to four groups, and the geese in the first, second, third and fourth groups were fed with diet with copper levels of 39.55, 127.60, 194.75 and 255.22 mg/kg, respective- ly. At the ages of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks, the contents of copper in blood, liver, chest muscle and subcutaneous fat of the geese were determined. The effects of dietary copper level, age and sex on the blood and tissue copper contents of geese were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance. The results showed that the di- etary copper level showed no significant effects on the blood and liver copper con- tents of geese （P〉0.05）; the chest muscle copper content of geese in the second group was significantly higher than that in the first group （P〈0.05）; the subcuta- neous fat copper content of geese in the fourth group was significantly higher than those in the other three groups （P〈0.01）; the age had significant effects on the blood, liver, chest muscle and subcutaneous fat copper contents of geese （P〈0.01）; and the sex showed no significant effects on the blood and tissue copper contents of geese （P〉0.05）.

Blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging can evaluate the efficiency of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is among the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) technology has become the first-line treatment for advanced HCC. Another important, recently developed technique is blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging(BOLD-fMRI), which utilizes hemoglobin as an endogenous contrast agent and measures deoxygenated hemoglobin content by sampling the oxygen content of tissues, thus reflecting the hemodynamics and pathophysiologic changes in body organs. Currently this technology is being used in patients with liver tumors;that is, it serves as an important tool in follow-up after TACE. The present paper summarizes these developments.

A Systematic Assessment of Blood Lead Level in Children and Associated Risk Factors in China

In this study, we searched multiple databases for all relevant original articles (1996-2013). To investigate blood lead levels (BLL) and possible risk factors for lead exposure among children in China A total of 388 articles met our inclusion criteria. The overall geometric mean (GM) BLL was 71 μg/L, and the prevalence of elevated BLL (EBLL, defined as BLL &ge;100 μg/L) was 18.48% among children. The prevalence of EBLL remained significantly higher among boys. In children less than 6 years of age, there were significantly increasing trends in both BLL and prevalence of EBLL in an age-dependent manner. The ban on leaded gasoline significantly reduced the BLL as well as EBLL prevalence; however, children whose parents had lower educational levels or were exposed to lead in the workplace had a higher EBLL prevalence. Despite its decline over time, the average BLL among children in China remains higher than the average level most recently reported in the United States. Childhood lead poisoning remains a public health problem in China.

Effects of methanolic extract of <i>Pausinystalia yohimbe</i>bark on blood glucose level in normal fasting rats

Background: Pausinystalia yohimbe (L.) is a member of the family Rubiaceae. It is a valuable medicinal tree, distributed in evergreen closed-canopy forests in West Africa. It is traditionally used for treatment of erectile dysfunction and diabetes. Objective: This was an attempt to evaluate the effects of methanolic extract of P. yohimbe bark on blood glucose level in normal fasting rats. Methods: Different doses of methanolic extract of P. yohimbe bark (5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg/mL) were orally administered to normal fasting rats to assess their effects on blood glucose levels. Results: The methanolic extract of P. yohimbe bark in different concentrations (5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg/mL) when administered to normal fasting rats, only a considerable reduction (26.57 mg/dL) was produced by the dose of 20 mg/kg/mL. Conclusion and Recommendation: Although P. yohimbe has long been reported to regulate blood glucose levels;such effect is unclear and remains requiring further studies.

Parsimonious Model for Blood Glucose Level Monitoring in Type 2 Diabetes patients

To establish the parsimonious model for blood glucose monitoring in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving oral hypoglycemic agent treatment. One hundred and fifty-nine adult Chinese type 2 diabetes patients were randomized to receive rapid-acting or sustained-release gliclazide therapy for 12 weeks.

The effects of consumption of raw garlic on serum lipid level, blood sugar and a number of effective hormones on lipid and sugar metabolism in hyperglycemic and/or hyperlipidemic individuals ——Benefit of raw garlic consumption

Diabetes mellitus is one of the worldwide largest growing metabolic diseases. In this study the effects of consumption of raw garlic on serum lipid level, blood sugar and a number of effective hormones on lipid and sugar metabolism (thyroid hormones and insulin) in individuals either with high level of blood sugar or lipid were investigated. Eighty five volunteers having following clinical history enrolled in the study: Group 1: having blood sugar more than 126 mg/dl (30 vo-lunteers);Group 2: having cholesterol higher than 245 mg/dl (30 volunteers);Group 3: having blood sugar over 126 mg/dl and cholesterol more than 245 mg/dl (25 volunteers). In group 1, there wasn’t a sig-nificant differences between biochemical factors be-fore and after garlic consumption, whereas, in the second group after 6 weeks of garlic consumption a decline in cholesterol (P < 0.001), FBS and TG (P < 0.01) was observed but HDL-C (P < 0.001) was in-creased. Six weeks after termination of garlic con-sumption, cholesterol (P < 0.001), FBS and TG (P < 0.05) were in- creased and HDL-C (P < 0.01) was de-creased. In the third group, total cholesterol (P < 0.001), FBS (P < 0.01) and HbA1c decreased while HDL-C was in- creased. Other factors, including thy-roid hormones (T3, T4), TSH and insulin showed no significant alte- ration. In conclusion our results shown that raw garlic consumption can reduce the FBS and Lipid in hyperglycemic and/or hyperlipidemic individuals.

Effect of Konjac Food on Blood Glucose Level in Patients with Diabetes

Seventy-two type II diabetic subjects were given Konjac food for 65 days. The data analyzed by multiple F test indicate that the fasting blood glucose (FBG) and the 2-h postprandial blood glucose (PBG) on the 30th and the 65th days after the food was ingested were significantly reduced (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively), as was the glycosylated hemoglobin level at the end of the trial (P < 0.05). The final FBG and PBG of the subjects with initial FBG-O >200 mg% decreased on the average by 51.8 and 84.6 mg%. respectively; those with FBG-0 150-200 mg% decreased by 24.1 and 68.7 mg%; and those with FBG-O < 150 mg% decreased by 4.8 and 21.4 mg%. No significant changes in blood lipid indexes were observed, except that the triglycer-ide values of subjects with hypertriglyceridemia (>200 mg%) significantly decreased by 118.7 mg%. It was concluded that Konjac food is very useful in the prevention and treatment of hyperglycemia. (C)1990 Academic Press. Inc.

Association of Bone Turnover Levels with MTHFR Gene Polymorphisms among Pregnant Women in Wuhan, China

Pregnancy is a critical stimulator of bone mineral resorption. We used to find the MTHFR gene polymorphisms are related with blood lead levels among pregnant women. Pregnancy-stimulated bone turnover may be associated with MTHFR gene polymorphisms too. In this article, we aimed to determine the relationship between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and bone turnover rates among the pregnant women. The participants including pregnant and non-pregnant women were selected and recruited during their routine prenatal or physical examination from July to October in 2012. A total of 1000 participants, including 250 pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimesters and 250 non-pregnant women, were enrolled in the study. Finally, after excluding 27 participants unable to provide blood samples, 973 eligible participants （i.e., 234, 249, and 248 pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively, and 242 non-pregnant women） were included in the research. The MTHFR gene 1298CC homozygote carriers were more susceptible to yield higher plasma homocysteine levels than the 1298AA/AC carriers, with standardized coefficients of 0.086 （P〈0.05） and 0.104 （P〈0.01） of all the participants and the pregnant women, respectively. The MTHFR gene 1793AA homozygote carriers more likely showed higher plasma osteocalcin levels （standardized β=0.091, P〈0.01） than the 1793GG/GA carriers among all the subjects. Plasma homocysteine levels were positively correlated with blood lead levels among the participants and the pregnant women with standardized coefficients of 0.320 （P〈0.01） and 0.179 （P〈0.01）, respectively. Plasma osteocalcin levels were positively associated with blood lead levels among pregnant and non-pregnant women with standardized coefficients of 0.084 （P〈0.05） and 0.125 （P〈0.01）, respectively. In conclusion, homocysteine and osteocalcin contents in plasma are associated with the MTHFR gene A1298C polymorphism and blood lead levels among pregnant women. The MTHFR gene A1298C polymorphism-related homocysteine is a possible risk factor for increased blood lead levels among Chinese women.

Emotion processing in Parkinson's disease: a blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia are the major symptoms of the disease. These motor impairments are often accompanied by affective and emotional dysfunctions which have been largely studied over the last decade. The aim of this study was to investigate emotional processing organization in the brain of patients with Parkinson's disease and to explore whether there are differences between recognition of different types of emotions in Parkinson's disease. We examined 18 patients with Parkinson's disease(8 men, 10 women) with no history of neurological or psychiatric comorbidities. All these patients underwent identical brain blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging for emotion evaluation. Blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging results revealed that the occipito-temporal cortices, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and parietal cortex which are involved in emotion processing, were activated during the functional control. Additionally, positive emotions activate larger volumes of the same anatomical entities than neutral and negative emotions. Results also revealed that Parkinson's disease associated with emotional disorders are increasingly recognized as disabling as classic motor symptoms. These findings help clinical physicians to recognize the emotional dysfunction of patients with Parkinson's disease.