Factors related to the uncontrolled fasting blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients attending primary health care center, Abha city, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors related to uncontrolled fasting blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients. METHODOLOGY: A systematic random sampling technique was followed to include 450 diabetic patients attending Al-Qabil Primary Health Care Center in Abha City, Saudi Arabia. Collected data comprised sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, height, weight, education, employment, body mass index, and smoking), while disease-related characteristics included duration of diabetes, fasting blood sugar control, hypertension, and regularity of follow up visits. RESULTS: Fasting blood sugar was uncontrolled among 76.9% of selected patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overweight and obesity were present among 81.6%. Significant risk factors for uncontrolled blood sugar included older age, male gender (P = .037), illiteracy (P = .020), being employed (P = .003), longer duration of disease (P = .023), hypertension (P = .010), and smoking (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of uncontrolled fasting blood sugar is high among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Risk factors associated with uncontrolled fasting blood sugar include older age, male gender, illiteracy, being employed, longer duration of disease, hypertension, smoking, and obesity. Therefore, for better control of blood sugar among diabetics, it is recommended to control the blood pressure and body weight of diabetics and avoid smoking.

Synthesis of Multi-Color Fluorescent Carbon Dots From Mint Leaves: A Robust Bioimaging Agent with Potential Antioxidant Activity.

Carbon dots (C-dots), a promising luminescent nanomaterial with exceptional physico-chemical properties gaining enormous attention in recent years. Carbon dots having enhanced biocompatibility and multiple routes of synthesis offers a promising substitute to luminescent quantum dots (QD). Further, wavelength-controlled emission features of C-dots proved as a good candidate in the biolabeling applications. Herein, we are reporting a facile and one-step hydrothermal synthesis of biocompatible multi-color, Polyethyleneimine (PEI) surface passivated C-dots (CDP) from mint leaves as a green source. The morphological and optical properties of C-dots have been extensively studied by Zeta-sizer, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, Ultra violet (UV)-visible spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopic analysis. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic (XPS) analysis have been performed for the understanding of surface states and chemical composition of C-dots. A comparative analysis in the biolabeling potentials of non-passivated C-dots (CD) and CDP was conducted in the breast cancer (MCF-7) cells and the concentration dependent cytotoxicity was estimated. Further, an enhanced antioxidant property was showed by CDP as compared to CD. In the present study, a practical implication of C-dots synthesized from a herbal source (mint) to serve as a novel agent for various biolabeling applications and antioxidant activity have been experimentally resolved. As synthesized CD and CDP can be, serve as better alternatives for imaging probe with improved biocompatibility.

Conventional and Nanotechnology Based Approaches to Combat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Implications for Chronic Airway Diseases.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most prevalent obstructive lung disease worldwide characterized by decline in lung function. It is associated with airway obstruction, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and enhanced autophagy and cellular senescence. Cigarette smoke being the major risk factor, other secondary risk factors such as the exposure to air pollutants, occupational exposure to gases and fumes in developing countries, also contribute to the pathogenesis of COPD. Conventional therapeutic strategies of COPD are based on anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, traditional anti-oxidant pharmacological therapies are commonly used to alleviate the impact of COPD as they have many associated repercussions such as low diffusion rate and inappropriate drug pharmacokinetics. Recent advances in nanotechnology and stem cell research have shed new light on the current treatment of chronic airway disease. This review is focused on some of the anti-oxidant therapies currently used in the treatment and management of COPD with more emphasis on the recent advances in nanotechnology-based therapeutics including stem cell and gene therapy approaches for the treatment of chronic airway disease such as COPD and asthma.