OBJECTIVE: To assess the chronic effects of the substitution of refined carbohydrate or MUFA for SAFA on insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in centrally obese subjects.

METHODS: Using a crossover design, randomized controlled trial in abdominally overweight men and women, we compared the effects of substitution of 7% energy as carbohydrate or MUFA for SAFA for a period of 6 weeks each. Fasting and postprandial blood samples in response to corresponding SAFA, carbohydrate, or MUFA-enriched meal-challenges were collected after 6 weeks on each diet treatment for the assessment of outcomes.

RESULTS: As expected, postprandial nonesterified fatty acid suppression and elevation of C-peptide, insulin and glucose secretion were the greatest with high-carbohydrate (CARB) meal. Interestingly, CARB meal attenuated postprandial insulin secretion corrected for glucose response; however, the insulin sensitivity and disposition index were not affected. SAFA and MUFA had similar effects on all markers except for fasting glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide concentrations, which increased after MUFA but not SAFA when compared with CARB.

METHODS: A 12-week randomized controlled trial in men and women aged 40-70 years was used to test whether skin microcirculation, measured by skin video-capillaroscopy on the dorsum of the finger, influenced functional capillary density (number of capillaries perfused under basal conditions), structural capillary density (number of anatomical capillaries perfused during finger cuff inflation) and capillary recruitment (percentage difference between structural and functional capillary density).

RESULTS: Microvascular measures were available for 137 subjects out of the 165 participants randomized to treatment. There was evidence of compliance to the dietary intervention, and participants randomized to follow dietary guidelines showed significant falls in resting supine systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure of 3.5, 2.6 and 2.9 mmHg compared to the control diet. There was no evidence of differences in capillary density, but capillary recruitment was 3.5 % (95 % CI 0.2, 6.9) greater (P = 0.04) on dietary guidelines compared with control.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five premolars devoid of dental caries that were subjected to extraction for orthodontic purposes were employed in this research. The surface of enamel was etched with 37% phosphoric acid and subjected to primer application. Individual brackets were placed on the midregion of the buccal surfaces of the premolars with Transbond™ XT adhesive. Postbracket bonding, the dry premolar tooth samples were set aside cautiously. The samples were then allocated to three groups: Group I: Duraphat Varnish, Group II: Clinpro XT Varnish, and Group III: Profluorid Varnish. Every sample was independently subjected to immersion in demineralizing solution for a period of 96 h at 37°C in an incubator. Areas of demineralization were evaluated by documenting the microhardness along the severed surface using a microhardness tester equipped with a Vickers diamond.

RESULTS: The highest surface microhardness was noted with Profluorid Varnish group at 328.48 ± 1.12 in pursuit by Clinpro XT Varnish group at 322.08 ± 0.04 as well as Duraphat Varnish group at 307.42 ± 0.28 with a statistically noteworthy dissimilarity amid the groups.

Objective: To determine an association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ESR2 with salt sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP) and estrogen status in women.

Methods: Candidate gene association study with ESR2 and SSBP conducted in normotensive and hypertensive women and men in two cohorts: International Hypertensive Pathotype (HyperPATH) (n = 584) (discovery) and Mexican American Hypertension-Insulin Resistance Study (n = 662) (validation). Single nucleotide polymorphisms in ESR1 (ER-α) were also analyzed. Analysis conducted in younger (<51 years, premenopausal, "estrogen-replete") and older women (≥51 years, postmenopausal, "estrogen-deplete"). Men were analyzed to control for aging.

Results: Multivariate analyses of HyperPATH data between variants of ESR2 and SSBP documented that ESR2 rs10144225 minor (risk) allele carriers had a significantly positive association with SSBP driven by estrogen-replete women (β = +4.4 mm Hg per risk allele, P = 0.004). Findings were confirmed in Hypertension Insulin-Resistance Study premenopausal women. HyperPATH cohort analyses revealed risk allele carriers vs noncarriers had increased aldosterone/renin ratios. No associations were detected with ESR1.

METHODS: Consecutive female IBD subjects aged 18-45 years were prospectively recruited from two dedicated IBD-pregnancy clinics, two multidisciplinary IBD clinics and nine general gastroenterology clinics. Subjects completed the validated CCPKnow [score 0-17] with questions on demographics, medical history and pregnancy knowledge. The primary outcome was knowledge per clinic-type and per geographical region.