Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Inflammatory Markers Among US Adults With Diabetes: Implications for Attenuating Disease Progression

ObjectiveTo examine the association between objectively measured physical activity and markers of inflammation (ie, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, and C-reactive protein level) among a national sample of adults with diabetes.Patients and MethodsData from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles were used. The data were evaluated from November 25, 2012, to May 3, 2013. Participants wore an accelerometer for 4 days or longer to assess physical activity, with blood samples obtained to assess the aforementioned inflammatory markers.ResultsAccelerometer-derived light physical activity and moderate to vigorous physical activity were inversely associated with white blood cell and neutrophil counts, whereas time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity was inversely associated with C-reactive protein levels.ConclusionAdults with diabetes engaging in more physical activity have lower degrees of inflammation, suggesting that physical activity may reduce disease progression through mitigating inflammation, which is an important finding because increased inflammation among those with diabetes can worsen disease progression, including diabetic end-organ damage.     

Accelerometer-Assessed Physical Activity and Objectively Determined Dual Sensory Impairment in US Adults

ObjectiveTo examine the association between hearing and vision impairment (with the focus on dual sensory impairment) and accelerometer-assessed physical activity (PA) in a national sample of US adults because limited research has examined this association.Patients and MethodsData from the cross-sectional 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The data were evaluated between May 28, 2012, and March 27, 2013. To assess moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA, participants wore an accelerometer for at least 4 days. Hearing and visual acuity were objectively measured in the mobile examination center. After exclusions, 1445 participants provided complete data on the study variables. A negative binomial regression was used to examine the association between PA and dual sensory impairment.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, body mass index, comorbidity index, cotinine level, C-reactive protein level, number of valid days of accelerometry, and accelerometer wear time, there was evidence of joint effects of vision and hearing on PA (incident rate ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.68), indicating that participants experiencing both vision and hearing loss participated in less PA than would be expected based on their individual effects.ConclusionAdults with dual sensory impairment may be at increased risk for decreased PA. Possible strategies include, but are not limited to, teaching the patient how to make modifications to their indoor and outdoor environments, encouraging patients to engage in balance and resistance training, and advocating changes to public and private institutions to address common concerns.     

Regulation of sarcolemmal Ca2+ pump by endogenous protein phosphatases

Summary The function of several key sarcolemmal proteins is modulated through phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of serine/threonine residues. While the involvement of sarcolemma-associated protein kinases in the phosphorylation of these proteins has been established, the nature of the protein phosphatases controlling these proteins has not been investigated. Rat heart sarcolemma contains two protein phosphatase isozymes, protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, which are distinguished on the basis of their susceptibility of inhibitor 2. Both isozymes elute from a Bio Gel A-0.5 column in association with the highest molecular weight protein fraction. However, some protein phosphatase 1 activity elutes with a smaller molecular weight fraction of about 37000, suggesting that the native enzyme exists as a catalytic subunit in complex with an anchor protein. Inhibition of the protein phosphatases using standard inhibitors leads to a stimulation in both the rate and extent of³²P incorporation into isolated sarcolemma. Also affected by inhibition of protein phosphatase activity is the rate of ATP-dependent calcium uptake, which is stimulated following exposure to either inhibitor 2, a classical protein phosphatase 1 inhibitor, and microcystin, a protein phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitor. The data suggest that the protein phosphatases regulate the dephosphorylation of sarcolemmal proteins Through this mechanism they serve as important modulators of the sarcolemmal Ca²⁺ pump.     

Total, insoluble and soluble dietary fiber contents of Indian fruits

This work provides new data on total (TDF), insoluble (IDF) and soluble (SDF) dietary fiber contents of Indian fruits, which play an important role in human nutrition. Twenty-five common fruits and nine mango varieties were analyzed for their TDF, IDF and SDF contents by enzymatic and gravimetric method of AOAC. Among the fruits, the TDF and IDF contents ranged between 0.6 and 0.3 g% in watermelon and 10.9 and 9.1 g% in sapota, respectively. The SDF content ranged from 0.3 g% in watermelon to 2.4 g% in fig. The SDF as percentage of TDF was low in pear (7.0%) and high in sweet lime (51.8%), but in general, the majority of the fruits had 30%. In mango varieties the TDF and IDF contents were low in panchadarakalasa (1.3 and 0.5 g%) and high in banganapalli (3.0 and 1.5 g%), respectively. The SDF content was low in dashehari (0.7 g%) and high in eruman (1.6 g%). The SDF as % TDF ranged between 46.9% in dashehari and 61.5% in panchadarakalasa, but most of the mango varieties had around 50% of their TDF as SDF. Results indicate that fruits such as fig, mango, orange, papaya and sweet lime are rich sources of SDF, the component of TDF associated with a number of health benefits. The TDF contents of fruits analyzed in the present study were higher than their crude fiber content.