Biochemical Analyses of Bioactive Extracts from Plants Native to Lampedusa, Sicily Minor Island.

Major threats to the human lifespan include cancer, infectious diseases, diabetes, mental degenerative conditions and also reduced agricultural productivity due to climate changes, together with new and more devastating plant diseases. From all of this, the need arises to find new biopesticides and new medicines. Plants and microorganisms are the most important sources for isolating new metabolites. Lampedusa Island host a rich contingent of endemic species and subspecies. Seven plant species spontaneously growing in Lampedusa, i.e., Atriplex halimus L. (Ap), Daucus lopadusanus Tineo (Dl), Echinops spinosus Fiori (Es) Glaucium flavum Crantz (Gf) Hypericum aegypticum L: (Ha), Periploca angustifolia Labill (Pa), and Prasium majus L. (Pm) were collected, assessed for their metabolite content, and evaluated for potential applications in agriculture and medicine. The HPLC-MS analysis of n-hexane (HE) and CH2Cl2 (MC) extracts and the residual aqueous phases (WR) showed the presence of several metabolites in both organic extracts. Crude HE and MC extracts from Dl and He significantly inhibited butyrylcholinesterase, as did WR from the extraction of Dl and Pa. HE and MC extracts showed a significant toxicity towards hepatocarcinoma Huh7, while Dl, Ha and Er HE extracts were the most potently cytotoxic to ileocecal colorectal adenocarcinoma HCT-8 cell lines. Most extracts showed antiviral activity. At the lowest concentration tested (1.56 µg/mL), Dl, Gf and Ap MC extracts inhibited betacoronavirus HCoV-OC43 infection by> 2 fold, while the n-hexane extract of Pm was the most potent. In addition, at 1.56 µg/mL, potent inhibition (>10 fold) of dengue virus was detected for Dl, Er, and Pm HE extracts, while Pa and Ap MC extracts dampened infections to undetectable levels. Regarding to phytotoxicity, MC extracts from Er, Ap and Pm were more effective in inhibiting tomato rootlet elongation; the same first two extracts also inhibited seed cress germination while its radicle elongation, due to high sensitivity, was affected by all the extracts. Es and Gf MC extracts also inhibited seed germination of Phelipanche ramosa. Thus, we have uncovered that many of these Lampedusa plants displayed promising biopesticide, antiviral, and biological properties.

The impact of a telehealth intervention on the metabolic profile of diabetes mellitus patients during the COVID-19 pandemic - A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a telehealth intervention on metabolic outcomes and self-perceptions of the patients regarding their management of diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a non-blind randomized controlled clinical trial to assess a telehealth intervention. We included adults with diabetes mellitus. The outcomes assessed were the level of HbA1c, lipid profile, blood pressure levels, weight, body mass index and self-perceptions about diabetes management. RESULTS: A total of 150 individuals with diabetes participated in the study and at the end of telehealth intervention there were no changes in the patient's HbA1c levels between intervention and control groups for neither type 1 (8.1% vs. 8.6%; p = 0.11) nor type 2 diabetes (8.6% vs. 9.0%; p = 0.09), respectively. From the rest of the metabolic profile, triglyceride levels from type 1 diabetes group was the only variable that demonstrated improvement with telehealth intervention (66.5% intervention group vs. 86.5% control group; p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: After 4 months of telehealth intervention, no statistically significant results were observed in HbA1c nor in secondary outcomes (with the exception of triglycerides for the type 1 diabetes group).

Anthropometry indicators that are most related to metabolic profiles in female college students

Metabolic syndrome is not a disease but is a set of several disorders and causes an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus complications. Several studies have shown that non-invasive approaches such as anthropometric measurements can be used for the early detection of metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to analyse the anthropometric indicators related to metabolic syndrome in female college students. The design of this research was cross sectional, with the number of subjects involved were as many as 163 female college students aged 19 to 24 years old. Purposive sampling was used in the sampling of this research. The independent variables in this study were the Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR), Body Mass Index (BMI), Sagittal Abdominal Diameter (SAD), and hip circumference. The dependent variable in this study is the metabolic syndrome component that has been converted into a metabolic syndrome score (cMetS). The analysis results showed that all anthropometric indicators, namely WHtR, BMI, SAD, waist circumference, hip circumference and WHR have a strong positive relationship with the metabolic syndrome score (p<0.001). BMI was the anthropometric indicator that is most associated with the metabolic profiles, such as systolic blood pressure (p<0.001), blood sugar (p<0.05), and HDL (p<0.001). Waist circumference was the anthropometric indicator that is most associated with triglycerides and metabolic syndrome score (p<0.001). Metabolic syndrome in female college students can be identified using anthropometric measurements, one of which is BMI and WHR which are very easy to measure and efficient. BMI and WHR have the strongest relationship and can be used to detect early risk of metabolic syndrome in female college students.