Effect of Slow Breathing Exercise on Glycaemic Status in Type 2 Diabetic Male Patients.

Slow breathing exercise (SBE) improves the chronic disease conditions. This study aimed to observe the effects of slow breathing exercise on glycaemic status in male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This prospective interventional study recruited sixty (60) diagnosed male type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients aged 45-55 years with disease history 5-10 years, from Out Patients Department (OPD) of Endocrinology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2015 to December 2015. Thirty patients performed SBE for 30 minutes 2 times daily for 3 months (study group) and 30 patients did not perform any breathing exercise (Control) and were under follow up for similar duration. Fasting plasma Glucose (FPG), 2 hours Post prandial plasma glucose (PPPG) and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c%) of all patients were assessed both at baseline and after3 months of study. Independent sample and paired sample t-test were used for statistical analysis. In this study the mean FPG, 2 hrs PPPG and HbA1c significantly (p<0.05) reduced in patients with SBE after 3 months whereas no significant changes in FPG, 2 hours PPPG were observed, moreover HbA1c significantly increased (p<0.01) after 3 months in patients who were not under SBE. This study reveals that slow breathing exercise significantly improves glycagemic status in type 2 diabetic patients.

Supplementing iron and zinc: double blind, randomized evaluation of separate or combined delivery.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Many children have diets deficient in both iron and zinc, but there has been some evidence of negative interactions when they are supplemented together. The optimal delivery approach would maximize clinical benefits of both nutrients. We studied the effectiveness of different iron and zinc supplement delivery approaches to improve diarrhea and anemia in a rural Bangladesh population. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled factorial community trial. RESULTS: Iron supplementation alone increased diarrhea, but adding zinc, separately or together, attenuated these harmful effects. Combined zinc and iron was as effective as iron alone for iron outcomes. All supplements were vomited <1% of the time, but combined iron and zinc were vomited significantly more than any of the other supplements. Children receiving zinc and iron (together or separately) had fewer hospitalizations. Separating delivery of iron and zinc may have some additional benefit in stunted children. CONCLUSIONS: Separate and combined administration of iron and zinc are equally effective for reducing diarrhea, hospitalizations and improving iron outcomes. There may be some benefit in separate administration in stunted children.

Low-dose weekly supplementation of iron and/or zinc does not affect growth among Bangladeshi infants.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of low-dose weekly supplementation with iron, zinc or both on growth of infants from 6 to 12 months of age. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 645 breastfed infants age 6 months who were not severely anemic (Hb> or = 90 g l(-1)) or severely malnourished (weight-for-age > or = 60% median) were randomized to receive 20 mg iron and 1 mg riboflavin; 20 mg zinc and 1 mg riboflavin; 20 mg iron, 20 mg zinc and 1 mg riboflavin; or riboflavin alone (control) weekly for 6 months. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar among the four supplementation groups. Weight, length and mid-upper arm circumference were assessed at baseline, 8, 10 and 12 months of age. There was no interaction of iron and zinc when given in a combined supplement on either weight or length (P>0.05). There were no effects of either iron or zinc on the rate of length or weight gain for all infants or when stratified by baseline Hb concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Weekly supplementation of 20 mg Fe, 20 mg Zn, or both does not benefit growth among infants 6-12 months of age in rural Bangladesh, a region with high rates of anemia and zinc deficiency.

Role of vitamin E supplementation on serum levels of copper and zinc in hemolytic anemic patients with G6PD deficiency.

Vitamin E scavenges free radicals and may prevent destruction of RBC in Glucose6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient hemolytic anemia, where changes in copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) may act as additional contributory factors for hemolysis. In the present study changes in serum Cu and Zn and role of vitamin E supplementation on these changes were observed in hemolytic anemic patients with G6PD deficiency. This study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka during July 2005-June 2006. For this, 102 subjects with age ranged 5-40 years of both sexes were included in the study. Among them 68 were G6PD deficient patients, of whom 34 were in supplemented group and 34 were non-supplemented group. The supplemented group received vitamin E for 60 consecutive days at a dose of 800 IU/day for adult and 400 IU/day for children < or =12 years (4 times daily). Age and sex matched 34 apparently healthy subjects with normal G6PD level were taken to observe the base line data (healthy control) and also for comparison. All the G6PD deficient patients were selected from the Out Patient Department (OPD) of Hematology, BSMMU, Dhaka, and all the healthy subjects from personal contact. Blood G6PD level was done by spectrophotometric method and serum Cu, Zn levels by atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. To observe the availability of binding proteins serum total protein, albumin, globulin and A:G ratio were done by standard laboratory techniques. All parameters were measured on day 1 of their 1st visit and also on day 60 in deficient groups. Data analysis was done by appropriate statistical method. Serum Cu was significantly (p<0.001) higher but serum Zn, total protein, albumin, A/G ratio were significantly (p<0.001) lower in G6PD deficient groups in comparison to those of healthy control on day 1. After vitamin E supplementation, values of these parameters were comparable with those of healthy control in supplemented group in comparison to those of their pre-supplemented and non-supplemented groups both on day 1 and day 60. So, vitamin E supplementation has got its effective role in restoration of normal serum concentration of Cu and Zn in this group of patients.

Analgesic activity of Enhydra fluctuans.

The methanol extract of Enhydra fluctuans, given orally at the dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg, was evaluated for its analgesic activity using the acetic acid induced writhing and the tail-flick methods. The extract showed promising activity in both tests.

Stimulation of protein phosphatase-1 activity by phorbol esters. Evaluation of the regulatory role of protein kinase C in insulin action.

In this study, we examined the role of insulin, protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in activation of protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) by using three complementary approaches. First, differentiated L6 cells were acutely exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 400 nM) to activate PKC. In these cells, TPA caused 32% stimulation of PP-1 activity. The PP-1 stimulation by TPA was comparable to stimulation by insulin (t1/2 = 1 min and EC50 = 5 nM) with a maximum effect in 5 min. The effects of insulin and TPA were not additive. Insulin and TPA also stimulated MAPK (> 2-fold increase over basal, with myelin basic protein as a substrate). ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, blocked the effects of insulin and TPA on both MAPK and PP-1 activation. In the second approach, PKC was down-regulated by chronic treatment with TPA. In these cells subsequent effects of insulin on MAPK and PP-1 activation were blocked, without an effect on basal enzyme levels. In the third approach, two selective inhibitors of PKC, calphostin and chelerythrine chloride, were used to inhibit PKC. These inhibitors completely prevented insulin and TPA stimulation of MAPK and PP-1 and blocked insulin-induced translocation of PKC to the plasma membranes. We conclude that PKC plays an important role in insulin stimulation of PP-1 via the activation of MAPK cascade.