The effect of participatory community-based diabetes cares on the control of diabetes and its risk factors in western suburb of Yasouj, Iran

This study aimed to investigate whether a community-based participatory diabetes care program could efficiently improve diabetic care and reduce its risk factors. To induce a participatory approach, a local group was established in partnership with academics, local leaders, health providers and public representatives. The group conducted community needs assessment and priority setting process. Diabetes was identified as the first priority health problem in this area. A total of 2569 30- to 65-year-old residents were screened for diabetes and 405 of them took part in a 13-week nutrition education and physical exercise intervention. Out of 1336 high-risk individuals, 17% had fasting blood sugar (FBS) ≥126 mg/dl and 13.5% with FBS between 110 and 125 mg/dl. Percentages of participants with triglycerides (TG) ≥150 mg/dl and cholesterol ≥200 mg/dl were 33.8% and 23.5%, respectively. After completion of the intervention, the mean FBS, HbA1C, TG and cholesterol were decreased significantly. Although systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body mass index were decreased too, the differences were not statistically significant. The mean physical activity increased and consumption of fried foods and saturated oil decreased significantly. The results suggest that participatory community-based care could be a feasible model for control of diabetes and its risk factors.

Nutrition and immunity: the effects of the combination of arginine and tryptophan on growth performance, serum parameters and immune response in broiler chickens challenged with infectious bursal disease vaccine

To explore the effects of the combination of tryptophan (Trp) and arginine (Arg) on growth performance, serum parameters and immune response of broiler chickens challenged with intermediate plus strain of infectious bursal disease virus vaccine, an in vivo experiment was conducted. A corn-soybean meal-based diet containing different levels of Arg and Trp was used. Cobb500 male broiler chickens from 0 to 49 days of age were subjected to a diet supplemented with the combination of Trp and Arg. Growth performance parameters and serum parameters were measured at 27 and 49 days of age. To evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of the combination of Trp and Arg on the challenged chickens, we measured the serum levels of interferon-α, interferon-γ and immunoglobulin G at 27, 35, 42, and 49 days of age. The results showed that the three evaluated immune system parameters including interferon-α, interferon-γ and immunoglobulin G were significantly enhanced after treatment. This enhancement resulted in the recovery of infectious bursal disease virus-infected chickens compared with controls as confirmed by histopathological examinations. Moreover, serum parameters such as albumin and total protein increased, whereas the treatment decreased (P<0.05) the feed:gain ratio, aspartate amino-transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, triglyceride and cholesterol. These findings suggest that the combination of Arg and Trp has a regulatory effect on growth performance. Moreover, it modulates the systemic immune response against infectious bursal disease.