Objectives: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a current health problem that affects a large number of female population and has deleterious impact on both the mother and the child. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness of GDM among females in the childbearing age in Sharjah community.

Aim: In recent years, skin autofluorescence (AF), a marker of tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end products, and hemorheology assessed by a microchannel method have been noted for their significance in detecting cardiovascular risk factors. However, there have been no reports regarding the relation between these two biomarkers. The present study attempts to clarify the relation and background factors of these two biomarkers in patients with traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder arises due to absolute lack of insulin secretion (T1DM) or its action or both (T2DM). Alterations in glucose metabolism in DM are frequently accompanied by impairment in the activities of enzymes that regulate carbohydrate metabolism. Liver is a vital organ that acts as primary site of endogenous glucose production through gluconeogenesis or glycogenolysis. The enzymes that control glucose metabolism in the liver tissue are considered as potential targets for the maintenance of normal glycemic control in diabetic individuals. Search for new drugs with more efficacies and without side effects preferably from plant origin continues. Sinapic acid is one such phytochemical which lacks scientific validation for its folklore use. It is a naturally occurring carboxylic acid belongs to phenylpropanoid family. It is widely distributed in the various sources such as rye, mustard, berries and vegetables In the present study it was aimed to systematically study the efficacy of sinapic acid (25mg/kg.b.w./rat for 30 days) in the regulation of glucose homeostasis modulating the activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes in hepatic tissues of high fat diet fed-low dose STZ induced experimental type 2 diabetes in rats. The altered activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes such as glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase in hepatic tissues of diabetic rats were significantly reverted to near normalcy upon oral treatment with sinapic acid. In addition, oral administration of sinapic acid to experimental diabetic groups of rats showed significant reduction in the levels of fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin and increased level of plasma insulin and hemoglobin. Thus, the present data demonstrated that the oral administration of sinapic acid to diabetic rats regulates glucose homeostasis by regulating the activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes.

This study investigates the effect of utilizing a personalized resting metabolic rate (RMR) mobile tracker based on indirect calorimetry during a 6-month pilot weight loss intervention. Volunteer subjects were randomized to an intervention group participating in a weight loss program utilizing the mobile tracker (IG; N=19) or a control group (CG: N=20) who participated in the same weight loss program, but without the RMR mobile tracker. All subjects were overweight or obese with either type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or high risk for T2DM. The subjects measured their body weight, physical activity, and caloric intake for 6 months attempting to meet a specific caloric intake goal. The total energy expenditure (TEE) of the subjects was defined as follows: For the CG, TEE was calculated based on daily physical activity, and resting energy expenditure estimated by the Harris-Benedict predictive equation. For the IG, TEE was calculated based on daily physical activity and measuring weekly resting energy expenditure with the mobile indirect calorimeter. The calorie intake goal for each subject was defined as a deficit of 500 kCal/day with respect to their TEE. Adherence to the recommended calorie intake goal during the 6-month period was evaluated via the entries in a calorie intake counter application. In addition, changes in weight, body composition, and blood metabolic profile after 6 months was compared to baseline measurements. The results indicated that the use of the mobile indirect calorimeter in the IG had positive effects on weight loss rate (89% in the IG vs. 50% in the CG, p = 0.05), and a 70% higher adherence to calorie tracking than the CG (p = 0.03). Furthermore, the IG showed statistically significant reduction vs. the CG in weight (p=0.03), body mass index (p = 0.03) and percent of weight loss (p=0.01), and an increase in HDL cholesterol vs. CG (p = 0.04).